UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026: Analysis (Questions 11-20)

11. Consider the following assertion:

In the Pleistocene period either the Yamuna once flowed into the Indus, or the Sutlej flowed into the Yamuna and one major tributary of either had shifted from the Ganga to the Indus or vice versa.

Which of the following is/are the basis of the above assertion?

1. The Nadi-Sukta of the Rigveda

2. The explorations of the Sutlej and the Yamuna by Robert Bruce Foote

3. The presence of the same species of dolphins in both the Indus and the Ganga river systems

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 2 (d) 3

Key proper nouns / terms

• Pleistocene period: Geological epoch (~2.58 million to ~11,700 years ago) during which major Himalayan tectonic upheavals, climate shifts, and river-course changes (including possible Yamuna–Sutlej diversions) are thought to have occurred.

• Yamuna, Indus, Sutlej, Ganga: Major Himalayan rivers of the northern plains. The assertion concerns possible Pleistocene channel shifts/avulsions that temporarily linked the Indus and Ganga basins (e.g., Yamuna flowing toward the Indus, or Sutlej toward the Yamuna/Ganga system).

• Nadi-Sukta (Nadistuti Sukta) of the Rigveda: Hymn 10.75 of the Rigveda (10th Mandala). It lists rivers in roughly east-to-west order (Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Shutudri/Sutlej, etc.) and is important for reconstructing Vedic-period geography (roughly 2nd millennium BCE / Holocene). It is not geological evidence for Pleistocene events.

• Robert Bruce Foote (1834–1912): British geologist and archaeologist, widely called the “Father of Indian Prehistory.” He discovered India’s first Palaeolithic hand-axe at Pallavaram (near Madras/Chennai) in 1863 while working for the Geological Survey of India. His work focused on stone tools, stratigraphy, and sites mainly in southern and western India; he is not associated with explorations of Sutlej–Yamuna Pleistocene drainage shifts.

• Same species (or closely related) dolphins in the Indus and Ganga systems: South Asian river dolphins of the genus Platanista (historically treated as one species P. gangetica with Indus and Ganges subspecies; more recent genetic work often treats them as separate species P. minor and P. gangetica). Their presence in two now-separate basins, inability to cross salt water, and estimated divergence ~550,000 years ago (Middle–Late Pleistocene) provide biogeographical evidence of past freshwater connectivity via river capture/avulsion.

Why only 3 is the basis: Freshwater dolphins cannot migrate between disconnected basins. Their shared ancestry and distribution are classic biological evidence for former hydrological links during the Pleistocene. The Nadi-Sukta reflects later (Vedic/Holocene) geography and cannot date deep-time geological events. Foote’s work is unrelated to northern-plains fluvial geomorphology of this type.

Where they appear

NCERT and standard textbooks

• Pleistocene epoch, Himalayan tectonics, and general evolution of the Indo-Gangetic drainage appear in Class 11 Geography (India – Physical Environment) and related physical-geography chapters.

• River systems (Indus, Ganga, Yamuna, Sutlej) and basic geomorphology are standard.

• Rigvedic rivers / Nadi-Sukta geography is covered in Class 11/12 History (early Vedic period) and sometimes Culture texts.

• Robert Bruce Foote appears in discussions of Indian prehistory and Palaeolithic archaeology (Class 11 History or archaeology supplements).

• River dolphins and Indus–Ganga connectivity are more specialised and usually appear in higher-level geography, biogeography, or environmental-studies materials rather than core NCERT.

Newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English dailies)

• Nadi-Sukta / Rigvedic rivers: Occasional features on Vedic geography, the Sarasvati debate, or cultural history; not typically framed as Pleistocene evidence.

• Robert Bruce Foote: Appears in historical/archaeological articles, museum features, or obituaries of Indian prehistory; mainly static or anniversary coverage rather than current news.

• River dolphins (Indus and Ganges): Frequent in environment/conservation reporting (endangered status, barrages, pollution, population surveys). Scientific explanations of their shared ancestry or past river connectivity appear occasionally in science pages or specialised features.

12. What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography?

(a) The meditation of the Buddha

(b) The Buddha's First Sermon

(c) The Buddha's Mahaparinibbana

(d) The Buddha's Mahabhinishkramana

Proper nouns and key terms, with sources of appearance

The correct answer is (a) The meditation of the Buddha.

In the early aniconic phase of Buddhist art (roughly 3rd/2nd century BCE to 1st century CE, at sites such as Bharhut, Sanchi, and Amaravati), the Buddha was not shown in human form. Symbols indicated his presence or key life events. An empty seat (or vacant throne / vajrasana), often under a Bodhi/pipal tree with a parasol and worshippers, specifically represents the Buddha’s meditation leading to enlightenment (Bodhi / Mahabodhi) at Bodh Gaya.

Key proper nouns / terms and their meanings

• Empty seat / empty throne / vajrasana: Aniconic symbol for the Buddha’s meditation and enlightenment.

• Early Buddhist iconography / aniconic phase: The period and artistic convention that avoided anthropomorphic images of the Buddha.

• Mahaparinibbana (or Mahaparinirvana): The Buddha’s final passing / great decease at Kushinagar; symbolised by the stupa.

• Mahabhinishkramana (Great Departure / Great Renunciation): The Buddha’s departure from palace life; typically shown by a riderless horse (Kanthaka) with a parasol above an empty space.

• First Sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana at Sarnath): Represented by the wheel (dharmachakra).

• Related symbols: Bodhi tree (enlightenment), footprints (buddhapada), etc.

Other options are therefore incorrect on standard iconographic mapping.

Where these appear

NCERT textbooks (primary and most authoritative source for this exact wording)

• NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History – Part I, Chapter 4 (“Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings”, c. 600 BCE–600 CE).

  
  

  Exact or near-exact statement: early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form; they used symbols. “The empty seat was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and the stupa was meant to represent the mahaparinibbana.”

13. Which of the following pairs of ancient and modern names of rivers is/are correctly matched?

1. Vitasta : Chenab

2. Asikni Jhelum

3. Parushni : Ravi

4. Yavyavati : Beas

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 and 4 (c) 3 only (d) 4 only

Correct matchingOnly pair 3 is correctly matched. The answer is therefore (c) 3 only.

• Vitasta = Jhelum (Greek: Hydaspes; site of Alexander vs. Porus, 326 BCE). Pair 1 (Vitasta : Chenab) is incorrect.

• Asikni (“dark-coloured”) = Chenab (Greek: Acesines). Pair 2 (Asikni : Jhelum) is incorrect.

• Parushni (also later Iravati) = Ravi (Greek: Hydraotes). Pair 3 is correct. This is the site of the Battle of the Ten Kings (Dasarajna) described in Rigveda Mandala 7.

• Yavyavati ≠ Beas. The standard ancient name for the Beas is Vipasa / Vipash (Greek: Hyphasis; eastern limit of Alexander’s advance). Yavyavati is a less frequently mentioned Rigvedic river (RV 6.27.6); scholarly identifications include the Zhob river (Baluchistan, Michael Witzel and others) or occasionally a stream near the Drishadvati / Ghaggar system. Pair 4 is incorrect.

Standard mnemonic sequence (east to west among the five Punjab rivers + Indus): Vipasa (Beas) – Parushni (Ravi) – Asikni (Chenab) – Vitasta (Jhelum) – Shutudri (Sutlej) – Sindhu (Indus).

Where the terms appear

NCERT and school/college textbooksRigvedic geography, the Sapta Sindhu, and the major river identifications (Vitasta–Jhelum, Asikni–Chenab, Parushni–Ravi, Vipasa–Beas, Shutudri–Sutlej, Sindhu–Indus) are standard content in Class 6–12 History (chapters on the Vedic period / Early Societies) and more detailed Class 11/12 or undergraduate ancient Indian history texts. The Nadistuti Sukta listing is frequently summarised. Yavyavati is rarely emphasised at school level because of its obscurity and disputed identification.

NIOS and similar open-school materials on the Vedic Age list the main rivers and modern equivalents.

14. Which of the following statements on the Amaravati Stupa and its relief sculpture is/are correct?

1. It was located in the lower Krishna valley.

2. In India, it was next only to the Sanchi Stupa in size.

3. The Amaravati school of sculpture made a lasting impact on the later South Indian sculpture, and its products were carried to Sri Lanka and South-east Asia.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3

The correct option is (b) 1 and 3 only.

• Statement 1 is correct: The Amaravati Stupa (Mahachaitya / great stupa at ancient Dhanyakataka) stood on the southern/right bank of the lower Krishna River in present-day Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

• Statement 2 is incorrect: Amaravati was larger than the Great Stupa at Sanchi (Amaravati drum/dome diameter roughly 42–50 m or more with outer railing ~59 m; original height estimates ~27–35 m or higher in some reconstructions). Sanchi’s Great Stupa has a diameter of about 36.5–36.6 m and a lower height. Amaravati was among the largest (often described as the grandest) stupas in ancient India, not “next only to” Sanchi.

• Statement 3 is correct: The Amaravati (or Andhra/Vengi) school of limestone relief sculpture (dynamic narrative panels, fluid forms, ornate style, mainly 2nd century BCE–3rd century CE under Satavahana and Ikshvaku patronage) influenced later South Indian sculpture (e.g., Pallava and related traditions) and spread via maritime Buddhist networks to Sri Lanka (especially Anuradhapura-period art) and parts of Southeast Asia (e.g., early images and styles in Thailand/Dvaravati, Indonesia, Myanmar).

Key proper nouns / terms

• Amaravati Stupa (also Mahachaitya of Amaravati / Dhanyakataka): Major early Buddhist stupa complex with elaborate limestone reliefs depicting Jataka stories and scenes from the Buddha’s life.

• Lower Krishna valley: The region in coastal Andhra (Guntur area) that was a major centre of Buddhism and trade.

• Sanchi Stupa: The well-preserved Great Stupa (Stupa 1) at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh (Mauryan foundations, later enlargement).

• Amaravati school of sculpture: Distinctive southern Indian Buddhist sculptural tradition using white/cream Palnad limestone; known for narrative depth and elegance.

• South Indian sculpture, Sri Lanka, South-east Asia: Regions influenced by the style and exported sculptural products/ideas through trade and missionary activity.

Where they appear

NCERT and standard textbooks

• Amaravati Stupa, the Andhra/Amaravati school of art, its limestone reliefs, and comparison with other schools (Gandhara, Mathura, Sanchi) appear in NCERT Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art (Part I) and Class 12 themes on early historic art and architecture. Location in the Krishna valley and the school’s characteristics (narrative reliefs) are standard. Influence on later southern art and overseas contacts is noted in broader discussions of Buddhist art diffusion. Detailed size comparisons with Sanchi are less emphasised in basic NCERTs and appear more fully in advanced texts (e.g., works by Upinder Singh or specialised art-history references).

Newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English dailies)

• Static / educational coverage: Periodic features on Buddhist heritage, Satavahana art, and major stupas in The Hindu’s culture/history pages and Indian Express research/education sections.

• Recent / contextual coverage: Indian Express (June 2024 research article) discussed Amaravati as one of the greatest Buddhist sites in South Asia, noting it as the largest Buddhist stupa in the region and covering its rediscovery, destruction, and historical significance in the context of Andhra politics and heritage. Broader mentions of Amaravati’s artistic legacy, limestone sculptures, and cultural links appear in heritage and tourism reporting. Times of India and similar outlets occasionally cover related archaeological finds or “bigger than Sanchi” claims for other sites, keeping the comparative scale theme alive.

15. Which of the following pairs of the king and his dynasty in early historical Tamilakam is/are not correctly matched?

1. Senguttuvan : Chera

2. Udiyanjeral: Chola

3. Nedunjeliyan : Pandya

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 (d) 3 only

This is a question on early historical Tamilakam (Sangam Age, roughly 3rd century BCE–3rd century CE). The three major dynasties (Muvendar) were the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas.

Correct matching and answer

• Senguttuvan (Cheran Senguttuvan / “Red Chera”) : Chera — Correct. Celebrated Chera ruler; central figure in the epic Silappatikaram (attributed to his brother Ilango Adigal); associated with the Pattini cult (worship of Kannagi) and a northern expedition.

• Udiyanjeral (Udiyanjeral / Uthiyan Cheralathan / Perumchottu Udiyan) : Chola — Incorrect. He was an early Chera ruler (often regarded as one of the first historically attested Chera kings), mentioned in Sangam poems (e.g., Pathitrupathu, Purananuru). Famous in tradition for feeding the armies of the Mahabharata war. The prominent early Chola was Karikala.

• Nedunjeliyan : Pandya — Correct. Title/name of prominent Pandya kings; one is linked to the Silappatikaram story (execution of Kovalan); another (often called Aryappadai Kadantha Nedunjeliyan) is celebrated for the victory at the Battle of Talaiyalanganam against a confederacy of Cheras, Cholas, and Velir chiefs.

Only pair 2 is incorrectly matched, so the answer is (b) 2 only.

Key proper nouns

• Senguttuvan / Cheran Senguttuvan: Greatest/most celebrated early Chera king in Sangam tradition and Silappatikaram.

• Udiyanjeral / Uthiyan Cheralathan: Early Chera king (not Chola).

• Nedunjeliyan: Prominent Pandya ruler(s).

• Chera, Chola, Pandya: The three crowned kings (Muvendar) of Tamilakam.

• Tamilakam / early historical Tamilakam: The ancient Tamil country corresponding largely to present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala, known from Sangam literature.

Where they appear

NCERT and school/state textbooks

• Basic coverage of the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms, Sangam Age, and major rulers appears in NCERT Class 6 (Our Pasts – I) and Class 11/12 History books on early South Indian polities.

• More detailed lists of rulers (including Senguttuvan as Chera, Nedunjeliyan as Pandya, and Uthiyan/Udiyan as Chera) are found in Tamil Nadu Board Class 11 History textbooks (Sangam Age unit) and standard UPSC reference works such as Upinder Singh’s A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India and R.S. Sharma’s writings on early India.

16. Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939?

1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi.

2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose.

3. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours.

4. The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2 and 4 only

The historically accepted factors align with statements 1, 2, and 4; statement 3 is generally treated as incorrect or overstated because Communists provided limited/initial support before later divergences.

Key proper nouns / terms

• Forward Bloc (All India Forward Bloc): Political grouping founded by Subhas Chandra Bose on 3 May 1939 (announced in Calcutta/Makur area) as a platform inside the Congress to rally radical, anti-imperialist, and left-wing elements for a more militant struggle. It later evolved into a distinct party.

• Subhas Chandra Bose: Congress President (1938–39); re-elected at the Tripuri session (1939) against Gandhi’s preferred candidate (Pattabhi Sitaramayya); resigned in late April 1939 after the Pant Resolution and inability to form a Working Committee acceptable to the Congress leadership.

• Mahatma Gandhi: Opposed Bose’s re-election and radical line; treated Sitaramayya’s defeat as his own; the Pant Resolution effectively required Bose to constitute the Working Committee according to Gandhi’s wishes, leading to deadlock and Bose’s resignation.

• Congress Left: Broad, disunited spectrum of socialists, radicals, and left-nationalists within the Indian National Congress; failed to present a cohesive front in support of Bose during the Tripuri crisis.

• Communists (Communist Party of India / CPI elements): Had complex relations with Bose; some initial engagement or support for left consolidation occurred, but they did not form a reliable or sustained backing that prevented the need for a separate platform (hence statement 3 is usually rejected).

• M.N. Roy (and supporters / Royists / Radical Democrats): Left leaders who preferred overall Congress unity under the existing leadership rather than fully backing Bose’s confrontational stance.

• Jayaprakash Narayan (and Congress Socialist Party / CSP): Socialist leader whose group, while ideologically closer to Bose on many issues, prioritised Congress organisational unity over supporting a split or separate bloc during the critical votes/resolutions.

• Indian National Congress / Congress: The parent organisation; Tripuri session (1939), Pant Resolution, and the subsequent expulsion/disciplinary action against Bose form the immediate context.

These developments are linked to the broader left–right tensions inside the Congress in the late 1930s, Bose’s preference for immediate mass struggle (especially with the approaching World War), and the failure of left consolidation.

Where they appear

NCERT and standard textbooks

• Covered in NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History (Part III) and related chapters on the national movement, Congress politics in the 1930s, and the rise of left-wing currents.

• More detailed treatment appears in widely used references such as Bipan Chandra et al., India’s Struggle for Independence, and other modern Indian history texts that discuss the Tripuri crisis, Bose’s resignation, and the formation of the Forward Bloc as part of left consolidation efforts.

Newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English dailies)

  The Hindu and other papers carry periodic Forward Bloc-related news (e.g., contemporary party statements on Netaji’s legacy, ashes, or commemorations) and occasional historical retrospectives.

  Other English newspapers (Times of India, etc.) have run features on Netaji papers, left–right divides inside Congress, and Forward Bloc history, especially around birth/death anniversaries or declassification debates.

17. Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856:

1. The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts.

2. A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856 assuming that the taluqdars were outsiders.

3. The British believed in taking revenue directly from the peasants by removing the taluqdars.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 and 3 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 2 only

The historically accurate statements are 2 and 3; statement 1 is incorrect. The correct option is therefore (a) 2 and 3 only.

Key proper nouns / terms

• Awadh (also spelled Oudh or Avadh): The kingdom in present-day Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the Nawabs (last Nawab: Wajid Ali Shah). Annexed by the East India Company under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie on 7 February 1856 on the pretext of “misgovernance.”

• Taluqdars (or talukdars): Powerful landed intermediaries / large estate-holders in Awadh who controlled a majority of villages (roughly two-thirds before 1856), collected revenue, maintained private armies, and held forts. They stood between the Nawab/state and the cultivators.

• Summary Revenue Settlement of 1856: The first British land-revenue settlement in Awadh after annexation. It was a short-term (initially three-year) settlement made village by village, deliberately aiming to deal with actual occupants of the soil (village zamindars or proprietary communities) rather than middlemen.

• Related policy ideas: The British treated taluqdars as “interlopers,” “outsiders,” or usurpers who had gained control through force or fraud and therefore had no permanent proprietary rights; the goal was to remove them as intermediaries and collect revenue more directly from peasants/village proprietors.

Statement evaluation (for context)

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Taluqdars were largely dispossessed of estates, but the British systematically dismantled their military power—forts were demolished or razed and armed retainers were disbanded/disarmed. They were not allowed to retain arms and forts.

• Statement 2 is correct: The Summary Settlement explicitly rested on the assumption that taluqdars were outsiders/interlopers.

• Statement 3 is correct: British policy aimed at removing the taluqdars as middlemen and settling/taking revenue more directly from the actual cultivators or village communities (influenced by utilitarian and ryotwari ideas).

The dispossession (taluqdari control of villages fell sharply, e.g., from ~67% to ~38%) and the breakdown of the old social order contributed significantly to the intensity of the 1857 Revolt in Awadh.

Where these appear

NCERT textbooks

• Core coverage is in Class 12 Themes in Indian History – Part III, Theme/Chapter on “Rebels and the Raj: The Revolt of 1857 and Its Representations” (section on Awadh in Revolt).

• Exact or near-exact language appears for the Summary Settlement of 1856 being based on the assumption that “the taluqdars were interlopers with no permanent stakes in land: they had established their hold over land through force and fraud.” The text also describes the dispossession of taluqdars, the attempt to settle with village proprietors, and the consequent breakdown of the social order. Annexation details (Dalhousie, Wajid Ali Shah, “cherry that will drop into our mouth”) are also standard here.

• Broader context of Awadh, subsidiary alliance (1801), and the 1857 Revolt appears in Class 8 and other modern-history chapters.

18. Consider the following assertion:

The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919.

Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion?

1. Reforms retained and extended the principle of separate electorates.

2. Separate electorates were supposed to counter Indian nationalism, which was growing stronger.

3. Deprived classes rallied around the favours inherent in separate electorates.

Select the answer using the code given below :

(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three supporting statements are treated as correct in standard analyses (answer typically (d) 1, 2 and 3), because the reforms retained and expanded communal representation, which was designed partly to fragment growing nationalism and later encouraged various groups (including marginalised ones) to organise around those provisions.

Key proper nouns / terms

• Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919 (also spelled Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms or Mont-Ford Reforms; formally the Government of India Act 1919): Named after Edwin Samuel Montagu (Secretary of State for India) and Lord Chelmsford (Viceroy). Based on their 1918 Report; introduced dyarchy in the provinces, expanded legislatures, direct elections (limited franchise), and retained/extended separate (communal) electorates.

• Separate electorates (communal representation / communal electorates): System under which members of a community elect their own representatives from constituencies reserved for that community. First introduced for Muslims by the Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act 1909); retained for Muslims and extended by the 1919 Act to Sikhs (especially in Punjab), Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, and Europeans.

• Indian nationalism: Refers to the growing cross-community nationalist movement (especially the Indian National Congress) in the post-Lucknow Pact (1916) and post-World War I period.

• Deprived classes: Refers to socially and politically marginalised or “depressed” groups (later associated more prominently with the Communal Award of 1932 for Depressed Classes/Dalits). In the context of 1919, it covers communities that began organising around the benefits of separate or reserved representation.

Where they appear

NCERT and standard textbooks

• Covered in Class 12 NCERT Themes in Indian History (or equivalent modern India sections) and Class 11/12 political science/history volumes under constitutional developments, the freedom struggle, and the growth of communalism.

• Detailed treatment appears in standard UPSC reference books (e.g., Bipan Chandra’s India’s Struggle for Independence, Spectrum’s A Brief History of Modern India, and works on constitutional history). These texts note that the 1919 Act retained Muslim separate electorates and extended the principle, thereby institutionalising community-based politics and contributing to the later Communal Award.

Newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English dailies)

• Static / historical coverage: The reforms and the issue of separate electorates appear regularly in anniversary features, book reviews, and historical analyses in The Hindu and Indian Express (especially in education or “From the Archives” sections). Coverage typically links 1909–1919 communal provisions to the long-term trajectory of communal politics, the Communal Award (1932), and Partition.

• Recent / ongoing: Specific references surface in articles on the history of communal representation, debates over reservation or joint vs. separate electorates, and analyses of colonial “divide and rule.” They recur in opinion pieces and special history supplements when related contemporary issues (e.g., minority representation, constitutional history) arise.

19. Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represented the:

(a) Agra Gharana

(b) Gwalior Gharana

(c) Patiala Gharana

(d) Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana

Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur (also spelled Mallikarjun Mansoor; 1910–1992) represented the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. The correct option is therefore (d). He was a leading Hindustani classical (khyal) vocalist from Dharwad, Karnataka. He received early training in Carnatic music and then in the Gwalior style under Nilkanth Bua Alurmath, but his mature style and identity were shaped by intensive training under Ustad Manji Khan and later Ustad Bhurji Khan (sons of Ustad Alladiya Khan, founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana). He is widely recognised as a foremost male exponent of that gharana, especially noted for rare (aprachalit) and compound ragas.

Proper nouns and their appearances

Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur / Mallikarjun Mansur

• Born 31 December 1910 in Mansur village (near Dharwad, Karnataka); died 12 September 1992 in Dharwad. Recipient of Padma Shri (1970), Padma Bhushan (1976), Padma Vibhushan (1992), and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1982). Autobiography: Nanna Rasa Yatre (translated as My Journey in Music).

Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana (also written Jaipur-Atrauli or Jaipur Atrauli)

• Founded by Ustad Alladiya Khan in the late 19th century; named after Jaipur (where he was associated) and Atrauli (his ancestral place). Known for complex khayal gayaki, rare/compound ragas, and rigorous structure. Other notable exponents include Mogubai Kurdikar and Kishori Amonkar.

Other gharanas in the options (for contrast)

• Agra Gharana: Associated with robust voice production and nom-tom alap (e.g., Ustad Faiyaz Khan).

• Gwalior Gharana: Oldest major khayal gharana; Mansur had early training here but did not represent it as his primary school.

• Patiala Gharana: Known for intricate taans and expressive style (e.g., Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan).

Where these appear

NCERT / educational materials

• Gharanas of Hindustani music (including Jaipur-Atrauli, Gwalior, Agra, Patiala) are covered in Class 11/12 Fine Arts / Art & Culture sections and related NCERT or CBSE materials on Indian classical music.

Government websites / official sources

• Padma Awards lists (Government of India) record his three Padma honours.

• Sangeet Natak Akademi records list him as a Fellow and award recipient.

• Karnataka government and local administration sites (e.g., older Dharwad district pages) note his legacy; a cultural centre/auditorium named after him in Dharwad has received state grants.

• India Post issued a commemorative stamp in 2014.

The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English newspapers

• The Hindu: Features on his birth centenary (2010), tributes describing his Gwalior + Jaipur-Atrauli training and style, and recent coverage (e.g., January 2026) of additional grants sought for the Mallikarjun Mansur cultural centre/auditorium in Dharwad.

• Indian Express: Articles and editorials on his son and disciple Rajshekhar Mansur (who continued the Jaipur-Atrauli tradition of rare and jod ragas), with clear references to Mallikarjun’s gharana lineage.

• Other English outlets (New Indian Express, independent obituaries, music magazines) regularly identify him as a Jaipur-Atrauli exponent when discussing his life, rare-raga repertoire, or Dharwad’s Hindustani music tradition. Coverage is largely static/historical (centenaries, obituaries, legacy pieces) rather than frequent breaking news, though cultural-centre developments keep the name in local and state news.

20. In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni (‘mistress of the field') originate?

(a) Rigveda

(b) Atharvaveda

(c) Ashtadhyayi

(d) Arthashastra

The correct option is (b) Atharvaveda.

Key proper nouns / terms

• The term kṣétrasya pátnī ("mistress/queen of the field or soil") appears in Vedic literature as a feminine counterpart to kṣétrapati ("lord of the field"). It is found in the Atharvaveda (Śaunakīya recension AVŚ 2.8.5) within a hymn invoking cosmic and earthly powers for protection and healing.

• Rigveda: The oldest Veda. It contains the related masculine form kshetrapati / kshetrasya pati (“lord/protector of the field”), notably in hymns such as RV 4.57 (an agricultural hymn invoking fertility, ploughing, and protection of fields). It does not contain the explicit feminine form kshetra-patni.

• Ashtadhyayi (Aṣṭādhyāyī): Pāṇini’s foundational Sanskrit grammar (c. 5th–4th century BCE). It systematically treats compound formation and linguistic rules and may use or analyse kshetra-related compounds in a grammatical sense, but it is not the origin of the Vedic ritual/agricultural term.

• Arthashastra: Kautilya’s (Chanakya’s) treatise on statecraft and political economy (c. 4th–3rd century BCE). It discusses agriculture extensively in administrative and fiscal terms (e.g., sitadhyaksha / superintendent of agriculture, crown lands), but uses later technical vocabulary and post-dates the Vedic texts by centuries.

Distinction summary: Rigveda → masculine kshetrapati; Atharvaveda → feminine kshetra-patni. Later texts (Ashtadhyayi, Arthashastra) do not originate the term in its Vedic ritual sense.

Where these appear

NCERT and standard educational materials

• Vedic literature, the transition from pastoral to agricultural life, and early economic/social organisation are covered in NCERT Class 6–12 History textbooks (themes on early societies, Vedic period, and later developments). Specific technical terms like kshetra-patni are generally too specialised for core NCERT but appear in more advanced discussions of Vedic economy and gender/land associations.

• Detailed treatments occur in university-level and UPSC-oriented materials, including IGNOU/eGyanKosh units on the economic life of the Vedic period (explicitly cited in some analyses as linking the feminine form to the Atharvaveda).