WBCS.LIVE practice question

From among the following Mahajanapadas, identify the gana/sangha (oligarchy):

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. Magadha
  2. Vajji
  3. Avanti
  4. Kosala

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: Vajji

Explanation: The correct answer is B. Vajji. The Vajji Mahajanapada was one of the most important gana-sangha (oligarchic republics) in ancient India during the 6th century BCE. The term ‘gana’ or ‘sangha’ refers to a type of government where power was shared by a group of people or clans, rather than a single hereditary monarch. Decisions were made collectively by assemblies of elders or chiefs, unlike monarchies which had a king.