Question Bank — State and Society up to 1000 CE

NCERT Class 9 Social Science · Chapter 5 · CBSE Board Pattern

Class 9 Social Science Chapter 5 Question Bank CBSE Board Pattern

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

  1. Which of the following assemblies in the Vedic period primarily served a judicial function?
    a) Samiti
    b) Sabha
    c) Vidhata
    d) None of these

  2. The term ‘janapada’ literally means:
    a) A group of clans
    b) Where a people first set its feet
    c) A universal ruler
    d) A council of ministers

  3. Assertion (A): The Mauryan Empire emerged from the powerful mahajanapada of Magadha.
    Reason (R): Magadha’s strategic location, fertile plains and strong rulers enabled its expansion.
    a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
    b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    c) A is true but R is false.
    d) A is false but R is true.

  4. According to Kautilya’s Saptanga theory, which of the following is NOT one of the seven constituents of the state?
    a) The king
    b) The treasury
    c) The foreign traders
    d) The allies

  5. The concept of ‘chakravarti kshetra’ referred to:
    a) The domain of a universal paramount ruler
    b) A village assembly
    c) A type of pottery
    d) A religious ritual only

  6. Assertion (A): The Vedic period shows flexibility in occupations.
    Reason (R): The Rigveda mentions a family where the father was a physician and the mother a grinder of corn.
    a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
    b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    c) A is true but R is false.
    d) A is false but R is true.

  7. The earliest Tamil literary tradition that provides information about the Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdoms is:
    a) The Vedas
    b) Sangam literature
    c) The Arthashastra
    d) The Mahabharata

  8. Which dynasty introduced the new office of ‘minister of peace and war’ (sandhivigrahika)?
    a) Mauryas
    b) Guptas
    c) Cholas
    d) Pallavas

  9. The principle of ‘samatva’ in early Indian thought emphasised:
    a) Strict hereditary occupations
    b) The underlying unity of all beings
    c) Only ritual performance
    d) Political conquest

  10. Village assemblies in the Chola period were known as:
    a) Variyams
    b) Bhuktis
    c) Mandalas
    d) None of these

Section B — Very Short Answer (6 questions, 2 marks each)

  1. Define ‘jana’ as mentioned in the Rigveda.
  2. State any two functions of the sabha in the Vedic period.
  3. Identify the four parts into which each Veda is divided.
  4. What does the term ‘Saptanga’ refer to in Kautilya’s Arthashastra?
  5. Name the three crowned kings (Vendar) of Tamilakam mentioned in Sangam literature.
  6. State the meaning of ‘dharma’ as described in the chapter (not as religion).

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

  1. Explain the transition from kinship-based janas to territory-based janapadas.
  2. Compare the roles of the sabha and samiti in early Vedic polity.
  3. Give reasons why Magadha emerged as the most powerful mahajanapada.
  4. Explain how the ideal of the chakravarti samrat promoted the idea of the Indian subcontinent as one political entity.
  5. Describe the role of guilds (shrenis) in early Indian economy with examples from the chapter.

Section D — Long Answer (3 questions, 5 marks each)

  1. Analyse the causes and consequences of the decentralisation of power in Indian kingdoms between 300 CE and 800 CE. How did village assemblies contribute to local governance?
  2. Examine the significance of dharma and ethics in early Indian governance. How did texts like the Arthashastra and Mahabharata guide rulers?
  3. Discuss the factors that contributed to social mobility in early Indian society with suitable examples from the chapter.

Section E — Source-Based (2 questions, 4 marks each)

Source 1

“Ushavadatta … has bestowed this cave on the Samgha generally; he has also given a perpetual endowment, three thousand—3000 kahapanas, which … have been invested in guild dwelling at Govadhana—2000 in a weavers’ guild, interest one pratika (monthly) for the hundred …”

  1. Which period does this inscription belong to?
  2. What does the source reveal about the economic functions of guilds?
  3. Why were guilds considered trustworthy for financial transactions?
  4. Name the donor mentioned in the inscription.

Source 2

“Only if a king is himself energetically active, do his officers follow him energetically.” (Kautilya’s Arthashastra)

  1. Which text is quoted here?
  2. What quality of the king does the source emphasise?
  3. How does this relate to the Saptanga theory?
  4. Give one example from the chapter where a ruler’s personal initiative led to administrative or welfare measures.
▶ Answer Key Attempt all questions first,
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Section A

  1. b (1 mark)
  2. b (1 mark)
  3. a (1 mark)
  4. c (1 mark)
  5. a (1 mark)
  6. a (1 mark)
  7. b (1 mark)
  8. b (1 mark)
  9. b (1 mark)
  10. a (1 mark)

Section B (any two points, 1 mark each)
1. Jana = clan or kin-based group; Rigveda mentions about thirty janas.
2. Sabha: judicial function, composed of select elites.
3. Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka, Upanishad.
4. Seven constituents of the state: king, ministers, territory, forts, treasury, army, allies.
5. Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas.
6. Duty, obligation, righteousness, moral conduct.

Section C (any three points, 1 mark each)
1. Shift from kinship ties to territorial identity; control over land and trade became important (1000–600 BCE).
2. Sabha: smaller, judicial, elites; Samiti: larger, policy decisions, broader population.
3. Strategic location in Ganga plains, fertile land, strong rulers, control over neighbouring regions.
4. Terms like Jambudvipa, Bharatavarsha, Ashvamedha yajna expressed pan-Indian sovereignty; examples of Ashoka, Rajendra I, Chera king.
5. Regulated quality and prices, acted as banks, financed temples (Nashik inscription).

Section D (any five relevant points, 1 mark each)
1. Provinces (bhuktis/mandalams), districts (vishaya/nadu), villages; village assemblies (variyams) handled irrigation, justice, taxes; self-reliant institutions.
2. King’s duty to protect subjects and ensure justice; ethical conduct emphasised in Arthashastra and Shanti Parva; Ashoka’s Dhamma.
3. Rulers from diverse backgrounds (Nandas, Mauryas, Guptas); occupational mobility (silk weavers’ guild); examples from Sangam literature and inscriptions.

Section E

Source 1

  1. 2nd century CE / Shaka period (1 mark)
  2. Guilds functioned as banks and credit institutions (1 mark)
  3. They could securely invest funds and generate steady income (1 mark)
  4. Ushavadatta (1 mark)

Source 2

  1. Arthashastra (1 mark)
  2. Personal energy and initiative of the king (1 mark)
  3. King (swami) is the most important constituent of Saptanga (1 mark)
  4. Ashoka’s edicts / Pushyagupta’s dam / Rudradaman’s repair of Sudarshana Lake (1 mark)
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All questions are answerable from the NCERT chapter text. Reviewed by GFIS faculty.