Home / Report / Arthashastra
Report Arthashastra
Asked 5 times across 4 UPSC exams over 2 years (2022–2024), peaking in 2022.
Key insights
- Most tested in CAPF — 2 of 5 PYQs
- Most asked in 2022
- Recurs across 3 years (2022–2024)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 2022 → NDA 2022 → CAPF 2023 → EPFO 2023
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (5 of 5) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CAPF2024
In Kautilya's Arthashashtra, the conquerer king is expected to establish, in the conquered territories, a social order based on the
- A varna system only
- B dharma, varna and ashrama systems ✓
- C dharma only
- D varna and ashrama systems
✓ Correct answer: (B)
History › Ancient India
CAPF2023
Which one of the following activities was not a part of the daily time-table for a King as prescribed in Arthashastra ?
- A Receive reports on defense
- B Visit the town incognito ✓
- C Receive revenue in cash
- D Consult his Council of Ministers
✓ Correct answer: (B)
History › Ancient India
EPFO2023
Kautilya in his Arthashastra describes the availability of varieties of pearls from the
- A Madura region hills
- B Shravanabelagola hills
- C Tamraparni river in the Pandyan Kingdom ✓
- D Kaveri river in the Palakkad region
✓ Correct answer: (C)
History › Ancient India
Study how UPSC repeats — not just the papers
₹199 / 1 year · Founding Member
Full access unlocks the three things no PYQ PDF gives you:
① Cross-exam learning — see the same idea recur across CSE, CAPF, CDS and NDA.
② Topic evolution — how each idea is framed, year by year.
③ Question intelligence — every PYQ + answer, linked to related concepts and similar questions.
e.g. Round Table Conference: CDS 2017 → CSE 2017 → … → CAPF 2024
15 days free, no card required — then ₹199 for 1 year.
Start your 15-day free trial →