SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 12 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Awareness · Question 2 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

Which ancient ruler’s administration is noted for its highly centralized structure?

(a)Harshavardhana
(b)Samudragupta
(c)Chandragupta Maurya
(d)Pulakeshin II

Answer

Why

Correct — C. Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire around 320 BCE, and his is the state described as highly centralised.

The Arthashastra lays down minute details of administrative and military organisation. Megasthenes, sent to his court by Seleucus I, describes Pataliputra run by thirty commissioners in six boards, and the army by six boards of five → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Harshavardhana — Harshavardhana ruled from Kanauj in the 7th century CE and is known through Banabhatta's Harshacharita. The centralised machinery of the Arthashastra and Megasthenes belongs to the Mauryas, not to him.
(b)
Samudragupta — Samudragupta (c. 4th century CE) is known from Harishena's Allahabad Pillar prashasti. NCERT notes that Gupta-era states depended on samantas, local lords owing homage and troops, a looser arrangement than the Mauryan one.
(d)
Pulakeshin II — Pulakeshin II, the Chalukya king of Vatapi, is famous for repelling Harsha on the Narmada, as Ravikirti's Aihole inscription celebrates. His fame is military, not an administrative model.

Concept

Centralised rule means power flows from one capital through officials the king appoints, rather than through local lords who keep their own resources.

The Mauryan sources describe that design. Asokan inscriptions name five political centres: the capital Pataliputra and the provincial centres of Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri.

By the fourth century CE the picture changes. NCERT notes that many states, the Gupta Empire among them, depended on samantas, men who lived off local resources including land and offered homage and military support.

NCERT's Class XII history adds a caution: the empire was too diverse for one uniform system, and control was strongest around the capital and the provincial centres. 'Highly centralised' describes the model in the sources, which is how the key uses it.

Key facts

Seleucus I Nicator sent Megasthenes as ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya's court.
Asokan inscriptions name five Mauryan political centres: Pataliputra, Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri.
Harishena, court poet of Samudragupta, composed the Allahabad Pillar prashasti.
Banabhatta, court poet of Harshavardhana, wrote the Harshacharita.

Study next

Mauryan administration in the ArthashastraSamantas and administration under the GuptasAsoka's edicts and the provincial centres

Common traps

Picking Samudragupta for the size of his conquests: a large empire is not the same as a centralised one.
Crediting Harsha with Mauryan-style rule because both ruled much of north India.

Here a ruler is matched to the character of his administration. Megasthenes is also asked at 25 Sep 2024, 12:30, GA Q.9 (who sent him to Chandragupta Maurya, keyed Seleucus I Nicator), and Gupta officials at 18 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.3.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: History — all 218 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.