UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — South Indian epigraphy

Q1. In the context of South Indian epigraphy, the term 'Vatteluttu' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A cursive, rounded script formerly used to write Tamil and Malayalam
  • B. The script used in the Tamil country to write Sanskrit
  • C. The earliest script used for writing the Tamil language
  • D. A class of copper-plate charters recording land grants to Brahmanas

Q2. The Archaeological Survey of India, which acts as the nodal body for epigraphical research in India, functions under which one of the following Union ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Culture
  • B. Ministry of Education
  • C. Ministry of Tourism
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q3. In which year was the Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India first established?

  • A. 1861
  • B. 1886
  • C. 1887
  • D. 1903

Q4. Under Section 4 of the AMASR Act, 1958 — the framework the ASI invokes to safeguard inscribed monuments from vandalism and decay — how many monuments/sites have been declared of national importance?

  • A. 3,686
  • B. 2,686
  • C. 4,868
  • D. 5,000

Q5. The 'Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy' series, the periodic record through which the ASI documents newly noticed and endangered inscriptions, was first initiated in which year?

  • A. 1861
  • B. 1886
  • C. 1887
  • D. 1958

Q6. The 'South Indian Inscriptions (SII)' series, which catalogues Tamil and Sanskrit records engraved on stone and copper plates, is compiled and published by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. Archaeological Survey of India
  • B. Indian Council of Historical Research
  • C. National Archives of India
  • D. Sahitya Akademi

Q7. Which one of the following is the flagship all-India journal maintained by the ASI for the publication of inscriptions?

  • A. Epigraphia Indica
  • B. South Indian Inscriptions
  • C. Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy
  • D. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum

Q8. The Uttaramerur inscription, regarded as the most detailed epigraphic record of village self-government in early medieval South India, belongs to the reign of which one of the following rulers?

  • A. Parantaka Chola I
  • B. Rajaraja Chola I
  • C. Pulakeshin II
  • D. Rudradaman I

Q9. Which one of the following is the principal legislation under which the ASI protects and conserves centrally protected monuments and inscribed sites in India?

  • A. Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
  • B. Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904
  • C. Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972
  • D. Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878