Ans: A

Exp: 

Statement 1 is correct: The Maurya dynasty was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who seems to have belonged to an ordinary family. According to the Brahmanical tradition, he was born of Mura, a shudra woman in the court of the Nandas. However, an earlier Buddhist tradition speaks of the Mauryas as the ruling clan of the little republic of Pipphalivana in the region of Gorakhpur near the Nepalese terai. In all likelihood, Chandragupta was a member of this clan. He took advantage of the Nandas in the last days of their rule. With the help of Chanakya, who is known as Kautilya, he overthrew the Nandas and established the rule of the Maurya dynasty. 

Statement 2 is incorrect: In the war with the Greek viceroy, Chandragupta seems to have emerged victorious. Eventually, peace was concluded between the two. Chandragupta thus built up a  vast empire which included not only Bihar and a substantial part of Orissa and Bengal but also western and north-western India and the Deccan. It did not cover most of the North-Eastern India. Aside from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and parts of north-eastern India, the Mauryas ruled over virtually the entire subcontinent. In the north-west, they held sway over certain areas that did not even form part of the British empire.

Ans: C

Exp: 

Statement 1 is correct: The Mauryas organised a very elaborate system of administration. We know about this from the account of Megasthenes and the Arthashastra of Kautilya. Chandragupta Maurya was evidently an autocrat who concentrated all power in his hands; he established a highly centralized administration. He created a strong bureaucratic system that allowed him to exercise control over various aspects of his empire, including taxation, law and order, and military affairs.

Statement 2 is correct: The empire was divided into a number of provinces, and each of these was placed under a prince who belonged to the royal dynasty. The Provinces were divided into smaller units, and arrangements were made for both rural and urban administration. Excavations show that a large number of towns relate to Maurya times. Pataliputra, Kaushambi, Ujjain, and Taxila were the most important cities.

Ans: B

Exp: 

It is significant that Ashokan inscriptions which were generally located on ancient highways, have been found at six places in Afghanistan. They are composed in Prakrit. They were written in Brahmi script in the greater part of the subcontinent. However, in the north-western part of the subcontinent they appeared in Aramaic language and Kharoshthi script, and in Afghanistan, they were written in both Aramaic and Greek scripts and languages. 

Ans: A

Exp: 

Ashoka is the greatest of the Maurya rulers. He ruled from approximately 272 BCE to 232 BCE, and his reign is notable for several key aspects of administration and governance:

Statement 1 is incorrect:  Ashoka appointed officials known as “Rajukas” or “Superintendents of morality” who were vested with the authority not only to reward people but also to punish them when necessary. These officials were also responsible for promoting moral and ethical conduct among the people and ensuring that the principles of Dhamma (righteousness) were upheld throughout the empire.

Statement 2 is correct: Ashoka’s policy to consolidate the empire in a peaceful way bore fruit. The Kandahar inscription speaks to the success of his policy with the hunters and fishermen, who gave up killing animals and possibly took to a settled agricultural life.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Ashoka appealed ideologically to the tribal people and the frontier kingdoms to follow the policy of Dhamma. The officials appointed by Ashoka were instructed to propagate this idea among all sections of his subjects. The tribal peoples were similarly asked to follow the principles of dhamma (dharma). 

Ans: A

Exp: 

Statement 1 is correct: The Mauryan administration, which was one of the earliest centralised and organised empires in ancient India, The state provided irrigation facilities and regulated water supply for the benefit of agriculturists. Megasthenes informs us that in the Maurya empire, the officials measured the land as in Egypt and inspected the channels through which water was distributed into smaller channels. This was particularly important for supporting agriculture, which was the backbone of the Mauryan economy

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Maurya period constitutes a landmark in the system of taxation in ancient India. Kautilya names many taxes which were collected from peasants, artisans, and traders. This required a piece of strong and efficient machinery for assessment, collection, and storage. The Mauryas attached greater importance to assessment than storage and deposit. The samaharta was the highest officer in charge of assessment and collection revenue, and the sannidhata was the chief custodian of the state treasury and storehouse.