UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : History, Culture and Social Issues MCQs on AISHE, Pulikali dance and more(Week 52)

1. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

2. It was built by King Narasimha Deva I in the 12th century.

3. It is also known as White Pagoda.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

Cheriyal Scroll Painting is associated with:

(a) Assam

(b) Kerala

(c) Tamil Nadu

(d) Telangana

QUESTION 3

With reference to the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) 2021–22, consider the following statements:

1. The female enrolment was lower than male.

2. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme has the highest enrolment.

3. Among disciplines at undergraduate level, in 2021-22, the enrollment was highest in science.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

He was a successful and ambitious ruler of the ninth century belonging to the Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty. He successfully conquered areas of Deccan and Malwa. He conquered areas of Gujarat and Malwa from the Gujarat-Rashtrakutas. He launched a campaign towards Bengal and conquered territories of Gorakhpur from the Palas of Bengal too.

The above mentioned lines refer to:

(a) Krishna II

(b) Mihir Bhoja

(c) Amoghavarsa

(d) Dharmapala

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Pulikali dance, consider the following statements:

1. It is a form of tiger dance.

2. It is held during the Onam festival.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— The Konark Sun Temple, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, is a popular destination for pilgrims. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is situated in Odisha, approximately 35 kilometres from Puri, and served as the model for the Konark Wheel, which was presented at the G20 Summit.

— The temple is the product of seven hundred years of toil in the pursuit of excellence. Built by King Narasimha Deva I in the 12th century and paying tribute to the Sun God, it has a huge framework, symmetry, precision, and detailed artwork that never ceases to astound visitors. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The temple was fashioned like the Sun God’s chariot, which was drawn by seven horses and had twenty-four exquisitely carved wheels.

— According to some researchers, the Sun Temple was constructed in the sea to give the appearance of the Sun God rising from the water at dawn.

— Due to the perception of the temple’s roof being dark, the European sailors called the temple “Black Pagoda.” Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (d)

FYI:

— Cheriyal Scroll Painting is a popular and adapted variant of Nakashi art that is known for its extensive use of local motifs.

— This art form is peculiar to Telangana and is now primarily produced in Hyderabad.

— These scrolls are painted in a narrative structure similar to film rolls or comic strips, depicting stories from Indian mythology as well as shorter stories from the Puranas and Epics.

— Scroll paintings are known for their rich history and play an important role in Asia’s creative traditions.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: telanganatourism.gov.in)

3. (a)

FYI:

— The report of the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) 2021–22 found that 4.33 crore students are currently enrolled in a higher educational institute — up from 4.14 crore in 2020-21, and 3.42 crore in 2014-15.

— The number of women enrolled in higher educational institutes has steadily increased. The female enrolment was greater than male. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Gross Enrollment Ratio indicates how many students are part of the higher education system in a given population. The estimated GER for the age group 18-23 years in India is 28.4.

— The Gender Parity Index (GPI) shows the ratio of the female GER to male GER. A GPI of 1 indicates parity between the two genders; any number between 0 and 1 shows a disparity in favour of males, whereas a GPI greater than 1 indicates a disparity in favour of females.

— The survey showed that the Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme has the highest enrolment, with 1.13 crore students — 34.2% of total undergraduate enrolment across India. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Among disciplines at undergraduate level, in 2021-22, the enrollment is highest in Arts (34.2%), followed by science (14.8%), commerce (13.3%) and engineering and technology (11.8%). BA(Hons) accounts for 20.4 lakh (6.2%). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— Mihir Bhoj (c. 836-885 CE) was a successful and ambitious ruler of the ninth century belonging to the Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty.

— At that time, the Gurjara-Pratiharas were ruling over a vast empire, from Kashmir to Gujarat. Mihir Bhoj successfully conquered areas of Deccan and Malwa too.

— During the ninth century, the major political struggle was for control over Kannauj as it was considered that whoever conquered Kannauj would be emperor of the country. Hence, the country witnessed a tripartite struggle among three big powers of the times —the Gurjara-Pratihara, the Rashtrakutas of Deccan and the Palas of Bengal.

— In that struggle, Mihir Bhoj was, by and large, the most successful. He conquered areas of Gujarat and Malwa from the Gujarat-Rashtrakutas.

— He launched a campaign towards Bengal and conquered territories of Gorakhpur from the Palas of Bengal too.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5. (c)

FYI:

— Pulikali (Tiger Dance) is one of Kerala’s indigenous art forms. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— On the fourth day of the Onam celebration, artists paint their bodies like tigers with yellow, red, and black stripes and dance to the rhythm of traditional percussion instruments including thakil, udukku, and chenda. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The Swaraj Ground in Thrissur district hosts this funfair, which features people dressed in many unusual colours and masks, with both residents and visitors participating.

— The fundamental premise of this folk art is tiger hunting, with performers portraying both the tiger and the hunter.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: utsav.gov.in)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 52)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 51)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 51)

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