1. Who founded the Mauryan Empire?
A. Ashoka
B. Chandragupta Maurya
C. Bindusara
D. Harshavardhana
Answer: B. Chandragupta Maurya
2. The Mauryan Empire was founded in:
A. 326 BCE
B. 322 BCE
C. 273 BCE
D. 261 BCE
Answer: B. 322 BCE
3. Who was the mentor and chief adviser of Chandragupta Maurya?
A. Megasthenes
B. Kautilya (Chanakya)
C. Patanjali
D. Panini
Answer: B. Kautilya (Chanakya)
4. Which Greek ruler was defeated by Chandragupta Maurya?
A. Alexander
B. Seleucus I Nicator
C. Darius III
D. Antiochus
Answer: B. Seleucus I Nicator
5. Which Greek ambassador visited the court of Chandragupta Maurya?
A. Fa-Hien
B. Xuanzang
C. Megasthenes
D. Ibn Battuta
Answer: C. Megasthenes
6. The book Indica was written by:
A. Kautilya
B. Megasthenes
C. Banabhatta
D. Kalhana
Answer: B. Megasthenes
7. The capital of the Mauryan Empire was:
A. Taxila
B. Ujjain
C. Pataliputra
D. Vaishali
Answer: C. Pataliputra
8. The author of the Arthashastra was:
A. Vishakhadatta
B. Kalidasa
C. Kautilya (Chanakya)
D. Patanjali
Answer: C. Kautilya (Chanakya)
9. Who succeeded Chandragupta Maurya?
A. Ashoka
B. Bindusara
C. Dasharatha
D. Brihadratha
Answer: B. Bindusara
10. Bindusara was known by which title?
A. Amitraghata (Slayer of Enemies)
B. Devanampriya
C. Priyadarshi
D. Vikramaditya
Answer: A. Amitraghata (Slayer of Enemies)
11. Who was the last great ruler of the Mauryan Empire?
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Bindusara
C. Ashoka
D. Brihadratha
Answer: C. Ashoka
12. Ashoka became emperor after the death of:
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Bindusara
C. Dasharatha
D. Brihadratha
Answer: B. Bindusara
13. The Kalinga War was fought in:
A. 322 BCE
B. 273 BCE
C. 261 BCE
D. 232 BCE
Answer: C. 261 BCE
14. Which event transformed Ashoka’s life?
A. Battle of Hydaspes
B. Kalinga War
C. First Battle of Panipat
D. Battle of Khanwa
Answer: B. Kalinga War
15. After the Kalinga War, Ashoka embraced:
A. Jainism
B. Buddhism
C. Shaivism
D. Vaishnavism
Answer: B. Buddhism
16. Ashoka’s policy of moral governance is known as:
A. Dharma (Dhamma)
B. Rajadharma
C. Sulh-i-Kul
D. Din-i-Ilahi
Answer: A. Dharma (Dhamma)
17. Ashoka sent Buddhist missionaries to Sri Lanka through:
A. Kunala and Charumati
B. Mahendra and Sanghamitra
C. Upagupta and Moggaliputta Tissa
D. Faxian and Xuanzang
Answer: B. Mahendra and Sanghamitra
18. The Third Buddhist Council was held during the reign of:
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Bindusara
C. Ashoka
D. Kanishka
Answer: C. Ashoka
19. The Third Buddhist Council was held at:
A. Rajgir
B. Vaishali
C. Pataliputra
D. Kashmir
Answer: C. Pataliputra
20. Ashoka’s inscriptions were mainly written in:
A. Sanskrit
B. Pali
C. Prakrit (Brahmi script)
D. Tamil
Answer: C. Prakrit (Brahmi script)
21. Which script was used in most of Ashoka’s inscriptions?
A. Kharosthi
B. Brahmi
C. Devanagari
D. Grantha
Answer: B. Brahmi
22. The National Emblem of India is adopted from the:
A. Sanchi Stupa
B. Sarnath Lion Capital
C. Amaravati Stupa
D. Bharhut Stupa
Answer: B. Sarnath Lion Capital
23. The Ashoka Chakra in the Indian National Flag has:
A. 20 spokes
B. 22 spokes
C. 24 spokes
D. 32 spokes
Answer: C. 24 spokes
24. Which Mauryan ruler accepted Jainism in his later life?
A. Ashoka
B. Bindusara
C. Chandragupta Maurya
D. Brihadratha
Answer: C. Chandragupta Maurya
25. Chandragupta Maurya spent his last days at:
A. Sarnath
B. Sanchi
C. Shravanabelagola
D. Rajgir
Answer: C. Shravanabelagola
26. Who was the last Mauryan ruler?
A. Dasharatha
B. Brihadratha
C. Samprati
D. Bindusara
Answer: B. Brihadratha
27. The last Mauryan ruler was killed by:
A. Kanishka
B. Pushyamitra Shunga
C. Samudragupta
D. Harsha
Answer: B. Pushyamitra Shunga
28. The Mauryan Empire came to an end in:
A. 322 BCE
B. 261 BCE
C. 232 BCE
D. 185 BCE
Answer: D. 185 BCE
29. Which dynasty succeeded the Mauryas?
A. Kushan
B. Gupta
C. Shunga
D. Satavahana
Answer: C. Shunga
30. Which city served as the capital of the Mauryan Empire?
A. Ujjain
B. Pataliputra
C. Taxila
D. Vidisha
Answer: B. Pataliputra
31. Which text provides detailed information about Mauryan administration?
A. Arthashastra
B. Rajatarangini
C. Harshacharita
D. Raghuvamsha
Answer: A. Arthashastra
32. Which foreign traveller described the Mauryan administration?
A. Fa-Hien
B. Xuanzang
C. Megasthenes
D. Al-Biruni
Answer: C. Megasthenes
33. The Mauryan administration was highly:
A. Decentralized
B. Federal
C. Centralized
D. Democratic
Answer: C. Centralized
34. Match the following correctly:
- Chandragupta Maurya – Founder of the Mauryan Empire
- Bindusara – Amitraghata
- Ashoka – Dhamma
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
35. Which pair is correctly matched?
A. Indica – Megasthenes
B. Arthashastra – Kautilya
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
Answer: C. Both A and B
36. Consider the following statements:
- Ashoka embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War.
- Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire.
- Megasthenes visited the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3
37. Arrange the Mauryan rulers in chronological order:
A. Chandragupta Maurya → Bindusara → Ashoka
B. Bindusara → Chandragupta Maurya → Ashoka
C. Ashoka → Bindusara → Chandragupta Maurya
D. Chandragupta Maurya → Ashoka → Bindusara
Answer: A. Chandragupta Maurya → Bindusara → Ashoka
38. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. Ashoka fought the Battle of Panipat.
B. Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus I Nicator.
C. Bindusara wrote the Arthashastra.
D. Megasthenes visited Ashoka’s court.
Answer: B. Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus I Nicator.
39. Which of the following is correctly matched?
| Item | Associated With |
| Lion Capital | Sarnath |
| Ashoka Chakra | 24 Spokes |
| Indica | Megasthenes |
| Arthashastra | Kautilya |
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 3 and 4 only
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
40. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Pushyamitra Shunga founded the Shunga Dynasty.
- He overthrew the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha.
- The Mauryan Empire ended in 185 BCE.
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. 1, 2 and 3