Consider the following statements relating to the use of the place-value system in India:

1. The earliest epigraphic use of the place-value system in India is found in the Mankani plates from Gujarat (AD 595-596).
2. In the ninth century, place-values become general in inscriptions all over India.
3. The place-values have been found in Sanskrit inscriptions in South-east Asia as early as the seventh century.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The earliest epigraphic evidence of the decimal place-value system in India is found in the Mankani Copper Plates (also known as the Sankheda plates), dated to 595–596 CE.

Statement 2 is correct

• By the ninth century, the place-value numeral system had become widely used across inscriptions in different parts of India, indicating its broad acceptance.

Statement 3 is correct

• Indian mathematical and cultural influence spread to Southeast Asia through trade and religious contacts. The place-values have been found in Sanskrit inscriptions in South-east Asia as early as the seventh century.
• Note: Questions of this nature are often designed by UPSC to maintain unpredictability and keep the cutoff balanced. It is neither practical nor necessary for an aspirant to know every such highly specific fact. Therefore, students should approach these questions strategically rather than emotionally. An aspirant should attempt such questions only when they possess sufficient conceptual clarity or can eliminate options confidently through contextual understanding. If the question appears excessively specialised and no logical elimination is possible, it is often wiser to take a calculated decision to skip it rather than risk unnecessary negative marking. UPSC rewards smart decision-making as much as knowledge. The ability to identify which questions to leave is also an important examination skill. A good aspirant is not the one who attempts every question, but the one who maximises accuracy through intelligent risk management.

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Hard