Real UPSC Prelims questions from 2016–2026, linked to this book. Try each one first, then open the answer. 2026 answers follow UPSC's provisional answer key.
One of these is a related question: NCERT alone can't answer it, so UPSC's answer is shown with the fact you need.
Prelims 2016 · Q39
Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?
UPSC's answer: (b)
NCERT answers it: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2 (Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies (c. 600 BCE–600 CE)).
Themes in Indian History, Part I (Theme 2): James Prinsep deciphered Ashokan Brahmi in 1838. So (b).
Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2016), question 39 ↗
Prelims 2025 · Q15
Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of
UPSC's answer: (b)
NCERT answers it: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 7 (The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity); Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2 (Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies (c. 600 BCE–600 CE)).
How to solve it with NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society (Part 1), ch 7: Faxian visited in the early 5th century CE. Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2: Chandragupta II ruled c. 375–415 CE. The dates fit only (b).
Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2025), question 15 ↗
Prelims 2026 · Q3
Consider the following statements:
I. Pali texts contain the first definite references to coins, e.g., kahapana, nikkha, kamsa, and kakanika.
II. The literary evidence from Pali texts is corroborated by archaeological evidence of punch-marked coins from many sites, most of them made of silver.
The above statements have been associated with which of the following?
Select the answer using the code given below:
UPSC's provisional answer: (c)
NCERT answers it: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2 (Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies (c. 600 BCE–600 CE)).
How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2: coinage made exchange easier, and the earliest coins were silver and copper punch-marked coins. Its timeline puts punch-marked coins beside urbanisation in the Ganga valley (c. 600–500 BCE). So both. Answer (c).
Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2026), question 3 ↗
Prelims 2026 · Q15
Which of the following pairs of the king and his dynasty in early historical Tamilakam is/are not correctly matched?
Select the answer using the code given below:
UPSC's provisional answer: (b)
NCERT covers the topic; the answer comes from UPSC's key: Careful: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2 titles a box 'The Pandya chief Senguttuvan', but UPSC's answer (b) treats Senguttuvan as a Chera, so pair 1 is correct. Pair 3 (Nedunjeliyan, Pandya) is correct too; only pair 2 is wrong, because Udiyanjeral was not a Chola. Answer (b).
NCERT covers the topic (not the answer): Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2 (Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies (c. 600 BCE–600 CE)); Class 9 Understanding Society: India and Beyond, Ch 5 (State and Society up to 1000 CE).
Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2026), question 15 ↗
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