AFCAT Previous Year Important Questions with Answers

Most Important Repeated Question Answer For Afcat 

History Section

1. The Stone Age in India is divided into three phases: Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic.
2. The earliest human tools found in India belong to the Palaeolithic Stone Age.
3. The Neolithic Stone Age marks the beginning of settled life with the development of agriculture.
4. The major Stone Age sites in India include Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh and Hallur in Karnataka.
5. The Stone Age tools made from stone were primarily used for hunting and gathering.
6. The Mesolithic culture is associated with Mesolithic rock paintings found in Bhimbetka caves.
7. The transition from hunting-gathering to farming happened during the Neolithic period.
8. The Ganga and Yamuna Rivers were significant for the development of early human settlements during the Neolithic period.
9. The people of the Neolithic period in India are believed to have domesticated animals like cattle and sheep.
10. Burzahom Valley in Kashmir is one of the earliest Neolithic settlements discovered in India.

Site	River	Place	Excavator
Harappa	Ravi	Punjab, Pakistan	Dayaram Sahni
Mohenjodaro	Indus	Sindh, Pakistan	R. D. Banerjee
Chanhudaro	Indus	Sindh, Pakistan	N. G. Majumdar
Lothal	Bhogava	Gujarat	S. R. Rao
Kalibanga	Ghaggar	Rajasthan	A. Ghosh
Banawali	Ghaggar	Haryana	R. S. Bisht
Dholavira	— (Island site)	Kutch, Gujarat	J. P. Joshi
Surkotada	Saraswati	Gujarat	J. P. Joshi
Sutkagendor	Dashk River	Balochistan	Stein

1. Veda with verses drawn from the Rig Veda (1549), contains Dhrupad Raga, latest sung by Tansen, Upaveda – Gandharva Veda, Brahmana – Sadavimsha, recited by Udgatri

Answer: Samaveda

2. Book of magical formulas, last among the Vedas to be composed, Upaveda – Shilpaveda/Arthaveda, Brahmana – Gopatha

Answer: Atharvaveda

3. Procedure for performance of sacrifices, has Shukla (mantra) & Krishna (mantra + prose), Upaveda – Dhanurveda, Brahmana – Shatapatha

Answer: Yajurveda

4. Oldest Veda, contains 1028 hymns, 10 mandalas, Gayatri Mantra in Mandala 3, Purushasukta in Mandala 10, Upaveda – Ayurveda, Brahmana – Aitareya, recited by Hotri

Answer: Rigveda

Rice is mentioned in the Vedic  text as Vrihi, Tandula, and Sali.

In the later times, gold coins called Niskha were used in transactions. Bali, Bhaga and Shulka gradually ssumed the form of regular tributesnd taxes .Bhagalugha: Tax collecting officer

1. The Mahajanapada of ________ was known for its dual capital system, with Rajagriha and later ________ as its capitals.

Answer: Magadha – Pataliputra

2. The Avanti Mahajanapada was divided into two parts, with capitals at ______ and ______.

Answer: Ujjain and Mahishmati

3. The Buddha gave many sermons in the Mahajanapada of ______, with its capital at Sravasti.

Answer: Kosala

4. The Mahajanapada of ________ maintained close trade relations with regions in present-day Afghanistan and was known for its skilled artisans.

Answer: Gandhara

5. The ________ Mahajanapada was known for its democratic assembly, known as the Santhagara, which played a key role in governance.

Answer: Vajji (or Vrijji)

Names of Ashoka: Buddhashakya and Ashoka (in the Maski Edict), Dharmasoka (Sarnath inscription), Devanampiya (meaning beloved of the gods), and Piyadassi (given in the Sri Lankan Buddhist chronicles Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa).

Parishishtaparvan, written by Hemachandra.

• Panyadhyaksha - Officer in charge of commerce and trade; supervised prices, quality of goods, and market regulations.
• Samsthadhyaksha  - Officer in charge of markets/trade centers (Samsthā); regulated wholesale markets, fair prices, and storage.
• Pautavadhyaksha - Superintendent of weights and measures; ensured standardization and prevented fraud.
• Navadhyaksha  - Superintendent of ships and navigation; managed ports, boats, ferry services, and river transport.
• Sulkadhyaksha - Officer in charge of customs and tolls; collected taxes on goods entering or leaving the kingdom.
• Akaradhyaksha - Superintendent of mines; oversaw mining activities, mineral extraction, and safety regulations.

English Section

• Bleak :lacking in warmth, life, or kindliness, or lacking in warmth and cheerfulness. Example: The forecast looks bleak for the next week.
• Cordial : Warm, friendly, and sincere in manner or expression. Example: Their cordial greeting made me feel welcome at the event.
• Fatigued :Physically or mentally exhausted or tired. Example: After a long day at work, he felt fatigued and just wanted to rest.
• Clustered : growing or situated in a group. Example: The houses in the village were clustered around the central square.
• Desolate : Empty, barren, and devoid of life or inhabitants, often with a sense of loneliness and sadness. Example: The desert was vast and desolate, with nothing but sand dunes for miles.

• The word "thrived" means to grow or develop well or vigorously.
• Languished means to suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant situation.
• Retreated: means to withdraw from a position.
• Radiated means to emit energy or waves.

• The idiom "To be at daggers drawn" means to be in a state of extreme hostility or ready to fight. Example: After the heated argument, the two colleagues were at daggers drawn.
• The idiom "To cost an arm and a leg" means something that is very expensive. Example: Buying a new car can cost an arm and a leg.
• The idiom "Under the weather" means to feel unwell or sick. Example: I've been feeling under the weather since yesterday, so I decided to stay home from work.

General Knowledge Section

• Chhau is a traditional dance form primarily associated with the Eastern Indian states of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. It is performed during major festivals such as Chaitra Parva and Durga Puja.

Types of Chhau:

• Seraikella Chhau from Jharkhand
• Purulia Chhau from West Bengal
• Mayurbhanj Chhau from Odisha

• Musical Instruments: Traditional instruments like dhol (drum), shehnai (wind instrument), and dhamsa (large drum) accompany the dance.
• UNESCO Recognition: In 2010, Chhau dance was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• The Hurkiya Baul dance is done in the fields while paddy and maize are being grown.
• After executing the preceding ceremony on a set day, the dance is done in several fields to various tunes. The dance is named from the Hurka, which is the drum that provides musical accompaniment to the dance, and Baul, which is the song.
• Other important dance forms of Uttarakhand are Pandav Nritya, Bhotia Dance, Cholia Dance, Jhora Dance, and Mukhota Dance.

Festivals celebrated in West Bengal

• Basanta Utsav
• Durga Puja
• Jamai Sashti
• Kali Puja
• Lakshmi Puja
• Poush Mela

Festivals celebrated in Karnataka

• Hampi Utsav
• Makara Sankranti
• Mysore Dasara
• Pattadakkal Dance Festival
• Ugadi
• Yakshagana Utsav

Festivals celebrated in Jharkhand

• Chhau Dance Festival
• Dumka Mela
• Sohrai Mela
• Tusu Mela

• Ghurehi: It is a folk dance of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The dance is performed to the accompaniment of traditional folk music, which is played on instruments such as the flute, drum, and cymbals.
• Rai is a lively dance form of the Bundelkhand region. The performance of Rai begins with the beating of the mridang and gradually gains momentum.
• Kagyed dance, a customary dance festival, celebrated annually in Sikkim falls on the 28th and 29th day of the tenth month according to the Tibetan calendar, which according to the English calendar falls in the month of December.  It is celebrated by Buddhists n Takes place in Monasteries, particularly at the Old Rumtek Monastery The celebrations commence two days prior to the onset of Loosong.
• Mohini means beautiful woman and attam means dance. The costume is of special importance in Mohiniattam, with white and off-white being the principal colours and the presence of gold-coloured brocade designs.It is an Indian classical dance form that developed and remained popular in the state of Kerala. The dance is performed by women in honor of the Hindu god Vishnu in his incarnation as the enchantress Mohini.
• Bharatnatyam dance is a dance form of Tamil Nadu which is also known to be as ekaharya, where one dancer takes on several roles in a single performance. It is also known as Dasiattam.
• The Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur has been a center for Bharatanatyam since 1000 CE.
• In its usual form, the dance is generally divided into seven main parts — Alarippu, Jatiswaran, Shabda, Varna, Pada, Thillana and Sloka. Mrinalini Sarabhai, Shobhana, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padma Subrahmanyam, and Chithra Vishveshwaran are some of the famous contemporaries of the Bharatnatyam Dance form.
• Kathak: This dance originated in North India. It was largely a temple or village performance wherein the dancers narrated stories from ancient scriptures.
• Kuchipudi: Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh which has a long custom of dance-drama.
• Pandit Ravi Shankar was an Indian sitarist and composer. Hindustani classical music are the sitar, sarod, tambura, sahnai, sarangi, and tabla, While instruments commonly use in Carnatic classical music include the vina, mrdangam, kanjira, and violin.
• Pandit Shivkumar Sharma was a renowned player of the musical instrument called 'Santoor'.
• Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia is a renowned flutist known for his virtuosity in playing the bansuri, an Indian bamboo flute.
• Pandit Kumar Gandharva was an iconic Indian classical singer known for his unique vocal style and innovative approach to ragas.
• Pandit Shivkumar Sharma.Amjad Ali, Amaan, and Ayaan took to the staging post the felicitation of Malala and Satyarthi to perform their ' Raga For Peace'.
• Ustad Bismillah Khan, often referred to by the title Ustad, was an Indian musician credited with popularizing the shehnai.
• Pandit Ram Narayan is an Indian musician who popularised the bowed instrument sarangi.
• The Santoor is a traditional stringed instrument originating from the region of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Santoor is primarily crafted using wood, which forms the body of the instrument and provides its resonance. Steel is used for the strings of the Santoor, which are responsible for producing the musical notes when struck with mallets. Bamboo is employed in the construction of the mallets, also known as mezrab, which are used to strike the strings and create sound.
• Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is a renowned Indian classical musician who specializes in playing the Flute. The Flute plays a vital role in Carnatic music, often used to produce intricate melodies and improvisations.
• Tabla: The Tabla is a popular percussion instrument in Indian classical music, consisting of two drums: the dayan (right drum) and bayan (left drum).It is primarily associated with Hindustani classical music and is used for rhythmic accompaniment in various genres. Prominent tabla players include Zakir Hussain and Ustad Alla Rakha.
• Rudra Veena - The Rudra Veena is a string instrument associated with Dhrupad music. It is considered one of the oldest instruments in Indian classical music and is known for its deep and meditative tones. Prominent players include Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, who popularized the instrument in recent times.
• Nad is a Sushir musical instrument. It is made of Kagor wood. It has four holes.
• The Bhopas of Rajasthan play it like a musket and sing the songs of Mata Ji and Bheru Ji. In North India, it is also known as Been.
• Karna Bhil of Jaisalmer is famous for playing this instrument.
• Tat musical instrument: Stringed musical instruments such as sitar, Ektara, Veena, Kamaycha etc.
• Sushir Musical instrument: Wind instruments - eg, Flute, Shehenai, Poongi etc.
• Ghan musical instrument: A musical instrument made of metal that makes a sound when struck. Such as Chimta, khadtal, Manjira etc.

• Ali Akbar Khan was an Indian Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana. He is known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod.
• Some well-known Hindustani Gharanas include Gwalior, Agra, Jaipur-Atrauli, Patiala, and Kirana. The Gharana system became prominent during the Mughal period, where court musicians passed on their skills to disciples or family members. Each Gharana has unique characteristics in terms of raga rendition, ornamentation, and improvisation techniques, contributing to the diversity of Hindustani Classical Music.

Difference Between Hindustani and Carnatic Music:

• Hindustani: More focused on improvisation and has influences from Persian music.
• Carnatic: Structured compositions with emphasis on kritis (compositions) and devotional themes.