Which one of the following statements is correct? a) Brahmi, used for writing many Ashokan inscriptions, shows local variations. b) The system of hieroglyphic writing was developed in ancient Mesopotamia. c) The system of cuneiform writing developed around 3rd millennium BCE in Egypt. d) An ancient script, Kharosthi was widely used in the southern part of India.

The Brahmi script, used extensively for Ashokan inscriptions, is the ancestor of most modern Indian scripts and exhibited regional variations as it evolved [1][3]. While Ashokan Brahmi was relatively standardized, paleographic studies highlight regional variations in character shapes across different parts of the empire [3]. Option (b) is incorrect because hieroglyphic writing was developed in ancient Egypt, not Mesopotamia, which used cuneiform [1]. Option (c) is incorrect because cuneiform originated in Mesopotamia, not Egypt [1]. Option (d) is incorrect because the Kharosthi script was primarily used in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent (Gandhara region) and written from right to left, whereas the southern regions primarily used variants like Tamil-Brahmi [2][4][5]. Thus, only the statement regarding Brahmi's local variations is historically accurate.

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > 7.1 Deciphering Brahmi > p. 46
2. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: The Rise of Empires > THINK ABOUT IT > p. 105
3. [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > Languages and scripts > p. 32
4. [4] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Evolution of Society in South India > Epigraphic > p. 63
5. [5] https://www.msuniv.ac.in/images/distance%20education/learning%20materials/ug%20pg%202023/pg%202021/MA%20history%20%202023%20%20english%20medium/sy_2324_mahistory2023_eng_2_IntroductiontoEpigraphy.pdf