CBSE 12th History Question Paper 2025 (Set 2)

Prabhavati Gupta is best known as a queen of the Gupta dynasty. She was the daughter of Chandragupta II and later became the queen of the Vakataka kingdom after her marriage. Option (A) is wrong because it refers to Ashoka’s wife, which is not Prabhavati Gupta. The question is asking for her role, and the correct choice is (B) Queen.

Ashokan inscriptions are the most important source for understanding Ashoka’s administration because they are contemporary records issued by the king himself. They reveal his policies, principles of Dhamma, methods of governance, and concern for subjects' welfare. They also mention officials such as dhamma-mahamattas, provincial administration, and the king’s instructions to his officers. Since they are engraved on rocks and pillars across the empire, they provide direct and reliable evidence about the Mauryan administrative system.

The Mahabharata reflects specific features of familial relationships in the period. Kinship was very important, and descent through the male line was strongly emphasized. Fathers, sons, brothers, and paternal uncles were central to family structure. Marriage alliances were often used to strengthen political relations, as seen in the marriage of Draupadi to the Pandavas. The epic also shows tensions within families over property and succession. The dispute between the Kauravas and Pandavas was essentially a conflict over inheritance, kingship, and the right to rule. The text suggests the importance of gotra and lineage, and marriage outside the gotra was generally preferred in later Brahmanical texts. At the same time, the Mahabharata presents complex family ideals. The role of women in marriage, widowhood, and loyalty is repeatedly discussed. In some cases, the text shows women as symbols of family honour, while in others it reveals their active role in political and social life. Thus, the Mahabharata gives a rich picture of familial relationships marked by kinship ties, inheritance disputes, marriage alliances, and patriarchal values.

From the sixth century BCE onward, political power was rarely dependent only on birth, although many texts later tried to present kingship as hereditary. In reality, rulers needed control over land, labour, taxes, and resources to establish and maintain authority. The rise of mahajanapadas shows this clearly, because states such as Magadha became powerful due to fertile land, control over routes, and access to elephants, iron, and agricultural surplus. Magadha’s rise was not based merely on royal birth but on strategic advantages such as the availability of forests, mineral resources, and a strong military base. Similarly, rulers had to depend on taxes from peasants, tributes from local chiefs, and labour from subordinate groups. Control over trade routes and towns also strengthened kingship. Later empires, including the Mauryas and Guptas, expanded power by managing resources efficiently and by using officials, armies, and revenue collection. This shows that kingship was based on practical control over people and resources rather than birth alone. Thus, political authority depended on economic and social control, not simply on hereditary right.

During the Gupta period, both public and private buildings showed important developments in architecture. Public buildings included temples, monasteries, stupas, and assembly halls. These were usually located in religious or urban centres and were meant for collective worship, learning, or administrative purposes. Temples such as those at Deogarh and Bhitargaon became important examples of Gupta religious architecture. Stupas and monasteries were often built near trade routes or in places of religious importance. Private buildings were mainly residential houses, palaces, and domestic structures. These were generally located within towns and cities, often in planned settlements. Archaeological evidence suggests that many private houses were built with burnt bricks, mud, and wood, though the remains are limited because private structures were less durable than public monuments. The character of Gupta buildings was marked by simplicity, harmony, and increasing use of structural stone and brick construction. Temples began to take a distinct form, with sanctum, pillared halls, and ornamental gateways. The period also saw a gradual shift from rock-cut architecture to structural architecture. Overall, Gupta buildings reflected both religious devotion and the growing sophistication of urban and royal life.