From the free UGC NET History Mock Test 1 — Unit 1: Negotiating the Sources unit-wise mock test — real question, real answer, real explanation.
Which of the following ancient Greek accounts mentions the division of Indian society into seven distinct occupational classes?
Geographia by Ptolemy
Indica by Megasthenes ✓
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
Bibliotheca Historica by Diodorus Siculus
Megasthenes, the Seleucid ambassador at Chandragupta Maurya's court, described Indian society as divided into seven classes (philosophers, farmers, herdsmen, artisans, soldiers, overseers, and councillors) in his Indica — a foreigner's outsider view, not identical to the varna system.
What is the primary subject matter of the ancient Tamil Sangam text Tolkappiyam?
Heroic poetry and martial deeds
Tamil grammar, poetics, and social conventions ✓
Philosophical discourses on Jainism
Maritime trade routes and currency systems
The Tolkappiyam is the oldest extant Tamil grammar, systematically covering phonology, grammar, and poetics (akam and puram conventions) — it is a foundational text for reconstructing Sangam-age society and literary norms, not a narrative or trade record.
The punch-marked coins (Pana or Karshapana) of ancient India were predominantly manufactured using which technique?
Die-striking technique
Cast-metal technique
Stamping cold pieces of metal with individual punch punches ✓
Lost-wax casting process
Punch-marked coins were made by cutting silver into pieces of the correct weight, then striking each with several individual punches (symbols) separately, unlike later die-struck coinage where a single die impressed the whole design at once.
Which Purana contains the most comprehensive genealogical lists of ancient royal dynasties, including the Mauryas, Sungas, Andhras, and Guptas?
Vishnu Purana
Matsya Purana ✓
Vayu Purana
Bhagavata Purana
The Matsya Purana is regarded by historians as the most detailed and reliable of the Puranic dynastic lists, providing king-lists and reign-lengths for the Mauryas, Sungas, Kanvas, Andhras (Satavahanas), and Guptas used to cross-check other sources.
In the study of ancient Indian epigraphy, the term Prashasti refers specifically to:
Royal decree granting land tax-exemptions
Commemorative text written in eulogistic praise of a king or patron ✓
Inscription recording private religious donations by merchants
Boundary stone marker designating village territories
A Prashasti is a panegyric or eulogy inscribed to glorify a ruler's achievements — the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta, composed by Harisena, is the classic example, distinct from land-grant charters (which record donations, not praise).
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Take the Free Mock Test →This question is part of our free Unit-Wise mock test series, drawn from the same real question bank used across every UGC NET History mock test on this site. For structured, chapter-by-chapter notes covering everything these questions test, see our UGC NET History Notes, or try the History Glossary Flashcard Quiz for daily term-by-term practice.
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Itihaaskar — UGC NET/JRF & UPSC History Optional notes by Parveen Malik (B.Tech. (CSE), M.A. (History), History JRF). Also spelt Itihaskar.
