Chat with us
General Studies 2026 GS Paper I 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Analyse

GS Paper I — Q1

Analyze the importance of Ashokan inscriptions for reconstructing Mauryan history. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

मौर्य इतिहास के पुनर्निर्माण के लिए अशोक के अभिलेखों के महत्त्व का विश्लेषण कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q1 of the 2026 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2026 General Studies paper
Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2026 General Studies questions

Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Ashokan inscriptions—classified into Major and Minor Rock Edicts (e.g., Dhauli, Jaugada), Separate Kalinga Edicts, Pillar Edicts (e.g., Delhi-Topra, Lauriya Nandangarh), and Barabar cave inscriptions—form the bedrock of Mauryan historiography. Written in Brahmi and Kharoshthi scripts, their decipherment by James Prinsep in 1837 provided the definitive turning point for establishing Mauryan chronology.

Territorial Reach and Administration: Find-spots ranging from Kandahar and Shahbazgarhi in the northwest to Yerragudi in the south delineate the vast imperial extent. The edicts detail administrative machinery through officials like rajukas and dhamma mahamatras, alongside state welfare measures including wells, roads, and hospitals.

Dhamma and Turning Points: Major Rock Edict XIII serves as the only near-contemporary source documenting the Kalinga War, Ashoka’s remorse, and the ideological shift toward Dhamma, accompanied by prohibitions on animal sacrifice.

Limitations: Being royal proclamations, the inscriptions lack a continuous chronology and remain silent on later Mauryan rulers. A complete historical reconstruction therefore requires corroborating epigraphic evidence with the Arthashastra, Megasthenes’ Indica, and the Puranas.

What "Analyse" is asking you to do

Break the subject into its working parts and show how they act on each other. The marks are in the interconnections — which factor drives which, and what the resulting structure explains — not in the inventory of factors.

Structure that answers it

Define the whole → separate it into its parts → show which part drives which → what that interaction produces → what the structure implies

Where marks are lost

A flat list of causes with no account of which drives which. An answer of neatly separated headings, each self-contained, scores as description.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 History: Analytical reconstruction of a period using primary sources. analyse: intro > causes > effects > stakeholders/linkages > way forward Full marks: Analytically links specific edict content to the reconstruction of Mauryan political, social, and administrative structures.

Key points expected

  • Identify inscriptions as the primary source for Mauryan history
  • Explain the political and administrative details revealed by the edicts
  • Discuss the social and religious (Dhamma) aspects of the Mauryan state
  • Mention the geographical spread of the empire as indicated by the edicts

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Explain how Ashokan inscriptions serve as the primary evidence base for Mauryan history. 10 marks · 150 words

    analyse— intro → causes → effects → stakeholders/linkages → way forward

    Must cover

    • Identify inscriptions as the primary source for Mauryan history
    • Explain the political and administrative details revealed by the edicts
    • Discuss the social and religious (Dhamma) aspects of the Mauryan state
    • Mention the geographical spread of the empire as indicated by the edicts

    Loses marks

    • Narrating the life of Ashoka chronologically
    • Focusing only on the content of Dhamma without historical context
    • Ignoring the administrative or political value of the inscriptions

    Earns more

    • Reference to specific edicts (e.g., Major Rock Edicts)
    • Mention of the script (Brahmi) and its decipherment
    • Comparison with other sources like Megasthenes' Indica
    • Mention of the 'Dhamma' policy as a state instrument

    Extra mark

    • Reference to the specific location of a major edict (e.g., Sarnath, Kandahar)
    • Mention of the 'Lipika' (script) or 'Lipikara' (scribe) mentioned in edicts

Practice this exact question

Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.

Evaluate my answer →

More from General Studies 2026 GS Paper I