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2. 1stth October

3. Consider the following statements 1. Megasthanes was the Greek ambassador of Selucus Nicator, to the court of Ashoka 2. Chandraguta Maurya laid down the foundation of a centralized Administration for the first time in Indian history 3. Indica which is a Sanskrit work by Megasthanes gives a vivid account of the city Pataliputra Choose the correct code a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) All of the above

4. • Ans (b) • Chandragupta Maurya is referred to as Sandrochotus/Androchotus in Greek records. He was trained by Chanakya or Vishnugupta, a Brahmin Guru at Taxila. He defeated Seleucus Necator, the successor of Alaxander, and conquered Kabul, Kandhahar, Herat and Baluchistan. Later, they became friend and exchanged gifts. In one record it is mentioned that Chandragupta gifted 500 elephants to Seleucus Necator. • Megasthanes was the Greek ambassador of Selucus Nicator, to the court of Chandraguta Maurya. • For the first time in Indian history, he laid down the foundation of a centralized Administration. • Indica is a Greek work by Megasthanes which gives a vivid account of the city Pataliputra.

5. Which of the following languages were used in Ashokan rock edicts? 1. Pali 2. Prakrit 3. Sanskrit 4. Aramaic 5. Greek Choose the correct code a) 1,2 and 3 only b) 2,3 and 4 only c) 2,4 and 5 only d) 1,2 and 5 only

6. • Ans (c) • Edicts can be understood as ancient notice boards which were put so that public can read and • understand the government orders. Following types of edict are found: • 1. Rock Edicts • 2. Cave Edicts • 3. Pillar edicts • Three languages were used in Ashokan rock edicts- Prakrit, Greek and Aramaic.

7. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The ‘Horn of Africa’ is bordered with the Gulf of Aden 2. Bab-el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden Select the correct code: a) 1 Only b) 2 Only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

8. • Ans c • The Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

9. Which of the following is/are correctly matched? Tribe State 1. Chutiya - Assam 2. Mising - Sikkim 3. Deuri – Nagaland Select the correct code: a) 1 Only b) 1 and 2 c) 2 and 3 d) 1 and 3

10. • • • Ans a Chutiya people They are an Indigenous Assamese people or an ethnic group originating in the Indian state of Assam and are the descendants of the Sino-Tibetan family of Mongoloid stock. The earliest recorded history about the Chutiyas is found in the Assamese chronicle, which names Assambhina as the first Chutiya king to have dwelt on the banks of the Brahmaputra in the 7th century A.D. The Chutiya people through the Chutiya dynasty formed their kingdom in the present Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and reigned from 1187 to 1673. The Chutiyas are semi-Hinduised people who had a large kingdom in upper Assam. They are generally believed from their language to be closely related to Kacharis. The Ahoms and Chutias had fought for territorial control for more than 150 years during the medieval period. It ended in the 1600s with the Ahoms taking over the Chutia domain. • • • • • Mising People · The Mising are an indigenous tribal community inhabiting 11 districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

11. • They were earlier called Miris in historical days and the Constitution of India still refers to them as Miris. Miri is the older name and traces back to the ancestor Abotani. Misings are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government under the name 'Miri'. • The Misings belong to the greater group of Tani people, who speak languages of the Sino- Tibetan family, which comprise many tribes of Arunachal Pradesh in India and Tibet in China. All Tani tribes share linguistic, cultural and ritual similarities. • Deuri People • The 'Deori' is one of the major indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. • They historically live in the upper plains or also called as the hinterland of the Brahmaputra Valley. The Deori community belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family of Mongoloid stock

12. 1.5-Degree Report (SR 1.5)’ is published by a) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change b) The UNEP Secretariat c) The UNFCCC Secretariat d) The World Meteorological Organization

13. • Ans A • 1.5-Degree Report (SR 1.5) • It is an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. • Carbon dioxide emissions must reach net zero by 2050 in order to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius according to the report

14. Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Project Mausam’ 1. It provides crop specific advisories to the farmers 2. Forecast and advisory services are provided by the Ministry of Agriculture in coordination with India Meteorological Department (IMD) Select the correct statements a) 1 Only b) 2 Only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2

15. • Ans d • Project ‘Mausam’ • It is the initiative of Ministry of Culture to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies. • This project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean. • The main objective of the project is to inscribe places and sites identified under Project Mausam as trans-national nomination for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

16. ‘Al-Shabaab’ militant group is associated with which country? a) Nigeria b) Syria c) Somalia d) Lebanon

17. • Ans C • Shabaab militants • Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen more commonly known as al- Shabaab is a jihadist fundamentalist group based in Somalia.

18. ‘Innocenti Declaration’ is associated with a) Breastfeeding b) Disability c) Child Trafficking d) Refugees

19. • Ans a • Innocenti Declaration • The Innocenti Declaration was produced and adopted by participants at the WHO/UNICEF policymakers' meeting on "Breastfeeding in the 1990s: A Global Initiative, co-sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) and the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA), held at the Spedale degli Innocenti, Florence, Italy, on 30 July - 1 August 1990. • The Declaration reflects the content of the original background document for the meeting and the views expressed in group and plenary sessions

20. Consider the following statements about the society in Chola kingdom: 1. Both Shaivism and Vaishnavism continued to flourish during Chola period. 2. The inscriptions of later Chola period mentions about two major divisions of caste. 3. Practice of ‘Sati’ was absent in royal families. 4. Temples remained important centers of economic activity. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1,2 and 3 b) 2,3 and 4 c) 1,2 and 4 d) All of the above

21. • Ans C • Caste system was widely prevalent during the Chola period. Brahmins and Kshatriyas enjoyed special privileges. • The inscriptions of the later period of the Chola rule mention about two major divisions among the castes – Valangai and Idangai castes. However, there was cooperation among various castes and sub-castes in social and religious life. • The position of women did not improve. The practice of ‘sati’ was prevalent among the royal families. • The deva dasi system or dancing girls attached to temples emerged during this period. • Both Saivism and Vaishnavism continued to flourish during the Chola period. • A number of temples were built with the patronage of Chola kings and queens