1. With reference to Mughal India, what is/are the difference/ differences between Jagirdar and Zamindar?
1. Jagirdars were holders of land assignments in lieu of judicial and police duties, whereas Zamindars were holders of revenue rights without obligation to perform any duty other than revenue collection.
2. Land assignments to Jagirdars were hereditary and revenue rights of Zamindars were not hereditary.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) Two classes shared power of the State with Mughal emperor: zamindars and the nobles. The zamindars were hereditary owners of their lands who enjoyed certain privileges on hereditary basis. They occupied an important place in the empire because they helped in the collection of revenue and in local administration, for which they maintained soldiers. The nobility comprised people who were either assigned large jagirs / Mansabs or appointed Subahdars. Thus, both 1 and 2 are wrong
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
2. Consider the following statements :
1. Saint Nimbarka was a contemporary of Akbar.
2. Saint Kabir was greatly influenced by Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) – In the 13th century, Nimbarka and Vallabhacharya were also other preachers of Vaishnavite Bhakti in the Telangana region. Akbar was 15th Century, so unlikely to be contemporaries. 1 is wrong. – “Naqshbandi school degraded Sufism to the status of a handmaid of orthodox Islam. Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1563- 1624) became the leading spokesman of this school after Akbar’s death. His teachings were not confined to the reform of Islam; he advocated a crusade against the Hindus.” So, it’s unlikely that Kabir would be ‘greatly influenced’ by such hardcore radical element. 2 is wrong. Besides, Kabir Das timeline is (1398 or 1440-1518) so he was long dead before Sirhindi was even born.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
3. Who among the following Mughal Emperors Shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?
(a) Humayun (b) Akbar
(c) Jahangir (d) Shah Jahan
Ans. (c) – Under Akbar, painting appears to have been confined only to manuscript illustration. Portrait reached great heights during Jahangir’s reign. The portrait were painted with great care of details and finesse of drawing and modeling.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
4. Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were generally
(a) Agriculturists (b) Warriors
(c) Weaves (d) Traders
Ans. (d) Banjara is a biggest ethnic tribal group of India, but it is not a caste as conventionally construed. It does not fall in any “Manusmrutis Chaturna Varnas.” The name of Banjara has derived to them from Sanskrit word of Banaj / Vanijya (Trading), because of their main and age old vocation (prior to British Trade and Raj) of transportation of food grains and other commodities, the name Banjara is attached to them.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2016]
5. With reference to the cultural history of medieval India, consider the following statements :
1. Siddhas (Sittars) of Tamil region were monotheistic and condemned idolatry.
2. Lingayats of Kannada region questioned the theory of rebirth and rejected the caste hierarchy
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) Both the statements are true Siddhas are those who possessed from birth superhuman powers and also knowledge and indifference to the world”. Siddhas means the refined monotheistic creed existed. They condemned idolatory. • Lingayathism is started in the 12th century by Guru Basaveshwara; Lingayat has the aim to stop the evil, traditions, to stop bifurcating people by birth, to stop male female inequality, to provide education to people. It does not differentiate humankind on the basis of caste, creed, gender, language, country, or race.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2016]
6. With reference to the economic history of medieval India the term ‘Araghatta’ refers to
(a) bonded labour
(b) Land grants made to military officers
(c) Waterwheel used in the irrigation of land
(d) Wasteland converted to cultivated land
Ans. (c) Araghatta: The Persian wheel is a mechanical water lifting device operated usually by draught animals like bullocks, buffaloes or camels. It is used to lift water from water sources typically open wells.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2016]
7. Consider the following pairs: Medieval Indian State : Present Region
1. Champaka : Central India
2. Durgara : Jammu
3. Kuluta : Malabar
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 3 only
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
8. With reference to Indian history, which of the following is/are the essential elementary elements of the feudal system?
1. A very strong centralized political authority and a very weak provincial or local political authority
2. Emergence of administrative structure based on control and possession of land
3. Creation of lord-vassal relationship between the feudal lord and his overlord
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) Feudalism, the word derived from the Latin words feudum (“fief”) and feodalitas (services connected with the fief), was the medieval model of government predating the birth of the modern nationstate. Feudal society is a military hierarchy in which a ruler or lord offers mounted fighters a fief, a unit of land to control in exchange for a military service. The individual who accepted this land became a vassal and the man who granted the land become known as his liege or his lord. • In the initial phase of formation, the origin of political feudalism was perceived as represented by a decentralized state structure through the growth of political hierarchy. The origin of feudal economy was seen in the growth of practice of land grant with administrative right, corroding the authority of state.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
9. Who of the following founded a new city on the south bank of a tributary to river Krishna and undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of a deity to whom all the land south of the river Krishna was supposed to belong?
(a) Amoghavarsha I (b) Ballala II
(c) HariharaI (d) Prataparudra II
Ans. (c) Two brothers Harihara (Hakka) I and Bukka Raya laid the foundation of the Vijaynagar city, which was on the South bank of Tungabhadra River (a tributary of Krishna) near Anegudi Fortress.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
10. Consider the following:
The arrival of Babur into India led to the
1. Introduction of gunpowder.
2. Introduction of the arch and dome in the region’s architecture
3. Establishment of Timurid dynasty
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3
Ans. (b) Gunpowder and gunpowder weapons were transmitted to India through the Mongol invasions of India. • The arch is an architectural device that has been used by man since ancient times. The Etruscan civilization (Italy) first employed the basic principles of the arch in construction, but the Romans were the first to fully utilize the structural advantages of the true arch, vault and dome.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
11. Consider the following statements:
1. ‘Bijak’ is a composition of the teachings of Saint Dadu Dayal.
2. The Philosophy of Pushti Marg was propounded by Madhvacharya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) Bijak is the best known of the compilations of the compositions of Kabir and not of Dadu Dayal • Pushti marg (“the Path of Grace”) is a Vaishnav sect of the Hinduism, founded by Vallabhacharya not Madhvacharya.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
12. In medieval India, the designations ‘Mahattara’ and ‘Pattakila’ were used for
(a) military officers (b) village headmen
(c) specialists in Vedic rituals
(d) chiefs of craft guilds
Ans. (b) Mahattaras or Mahattam & Pattakila or Patel were the village headmen.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
13. Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri was
(a) the mosque for the use of Royal Family
(b) Akbar’s private chamber prayer
(c) the hall in which Akbar held discussions with scholars of various religions.
(d) the room in which the nobles belonging to different religions gathered to discuss religious affairs
Ans. (c) The Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 AD by the Mughal Emperor Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri to gather spiritual leaders of different religious grounds so as to conduct a discussion on the teachings of the respective religious leaders.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
14. Consider the following Bhakti Saints :
1. Dadu Dayal
2. Guru Nanak
3. Tyagaraja Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?
(a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 2
Ans. (b) Dadu Dayal (1544–1603) • Guru Nanak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. • Kakarla Tyagabrahmam (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847) Babur fought 1st battle of Panipat with Ibrahim Lodi in 1526. Obviously answer is 2 only.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
15. India maintained its early cultural contacts and trade links with southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal. For this pre-eminence of early maritime history of Bay of Bengal , which of the following could be the most convincing explanation/explanations ?
(a) As compared to other countries, India had a better shipbuilding technology in ancient and medieval times.
(b) The rulers of southern India always partronized traders , Brahmin priests and Buddhist monks in this context
(c) Monsoon winds across the bay of Bengal facilitated sea voyages.
(d) Both (a) and (b) are convincing explanations in this context.
Ans. (d) Monsoon winds across the bay of Bengal facilitated sea voyages was correct about Africa and Arab not for South east Asian Countries. So not (c) but both (a) and (b) are convincing explanations in this context.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
16. What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat?
(a) He wanted to avenge the expulsion by Marathas of his viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore
(b) The frustrated governor of Jullundhar Adina Beg Khan invited him to invade Punjab
(c) He wanted to punish Mughal administration for non-payment of the revenues of the ChaharMahal
(Gujarat, Aurangabad, Sialkot and Pasrur)
(d) He wanted to annex all the fertile plains of Punjab up to the borders of Delhi to his kingdom
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
17. Among the following, who was not a proponent of bhakti cult?
(a) Nagarjuna (b) Tukaram
(c) Tyagaraja (d) Vallabhacharya
Ans. (a) Acharya Nagarjuna (c. 150 – 250 CE) known as ‘the Medicine Buddha’, was a great ancient philosopher, who is considered to be the founder of the Madhyamaka (Middle Path) school of Mahayana And was not associated with bhakti cult.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
18. Why did Buddhism start declining in India in the early medieval times?
1. Buddha was by that time considered , as one of the incarnations of Vishnu and thus became a part of Vaishnavism.
2. The invading tribes from Central Asia till the time of last Gupta king adopted Hinduism and persecuted Buddhists.
3. The Kings of Gupta dynasty were strongly opposed to Buddhism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3
Ans. (a) Cause for decline of Buddhism in India 1. Corruptions in Buddhist Sanghas: 2. Reform in Hinduism: 3. Division among the Buddhists: Division into various splinter groups like ‘Hinayana’, ‘Mahayana’, ‘Vajrayana’, ‘Tantrayana’ and ‘Sahajayana’ led Buddhism to lose its originality. 4. Use of Sanskrit Language: 5. Patronage of Brahmanism: 6. Role of Hindu Preachers: 7. Rifts in Buddhist Order: 8. Buddha Worship: 9. Lose of Royal Patronage: 10. Huna Invasion: 11. Emergence of Rajputs: 12. Muslim Invasion:
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
19. With whose permission did the English set up their first factory in Surat?
(a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (b) In 1615 King James I of England sent Sir Thomas Roe as his ambassador to the court of Jahangir, and secured permission for the company to set up factories. Thus factories were set up at Ahmedabad, Broach and Agra.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
20. During the time of which Mughal Emperor did the English East India Company establish its first factory in India?
(a) Akbar (b) Jahangir
(c) Shah Jahan (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
21. Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the Afghan rules to the throne of Delhi?
(a) Sikandar Shah-Ibrahim Lodi-Bahlol Khan Lodi
(b) Sikandar Shah-Bahlol Khan Lodi- Ibrahim Lodi
(c) Bahlol Khan Lodi- Sikandar Shah- Ibrahim Lodi
(d) Bahlol Khan Lodi-Ibrahim Lodi- Sikandar Shah
Ans. (c) Bahlol Lodhi (1451-1489) was one of the Afghan sardars who established himself in Punjab after invasion of Timur. He founded the rule of the Lodhi dynasty by usurping the throne from the last of the Sayyid rulers. • Sikander Lodi (1489-1517), became the next ruler of the Lodi dynasty after the death of his father Bahlul Lodi in July 1489. • Ibrahim Lodhi (1517-1526): Ibrahim Lodi was the youngest son of Sikandar Lodi. After the death of Sikandar Lodi his son Ibrahim Lodi succeeded his father in 1517 AD and ruled the Delhi Sultanate till 1526 AD.He was the last king of Lodhi dynasty and the last Sultan of Delhi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
22. In Indian history, who was Abdul Hamid Lahori?
(a) An important military commander during Akbar’s reign
(b) An official historian of the reign of Shah Jahan
(c) An important noble and confidant of Aurangzeb
(d) A chronicler and poet during the reign of Muhammad Shah
Ans. (b) Abdul Hamid Lahori was a traveller and historian during the period of Shah Jahan who later became a court historian of Shah Jahan. • He wrote the book Padshahnama also referred as Badshahnama, about the reign of Shah Jahan. He has described Shah Jahan’s life and activities during the first twenty years of his reign in this book in great detail.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
23. Bhakta Tukaram was a contemporary of which Mughal Emperor?
(a) Babar (b) Akbar
(c) Jahangir (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (c) Tukaram was a 17th-century poet-saint of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra. He was contemporary of Jahangir(1605-1627).
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
24. Directions : The following question consist of two statements, one labeled as the Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). You are to examine these two statements carefully and select the answers to these items using the code given below:
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is True but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true Assertion (A) : Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued a new gold coin which was called Dinar by Ibn Batutah.
Reason (R) : Muhammad bin Tughlaq wanted to issue token currency in gold coins to Promote trade with West Asian and North African countries.
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
25. When Raja Wodeyar founded the kingdom of Mysore, who was the ruler of the Vijayanagar Empire?
(a) Sadasiva (b) Tirumala
(c) Ranga II (d) Venkata II
Ans. (d) The Kingdom of Mysore (1399–1947 C.E.), ruled by the Wodeyar family, served as a feudatory of the Vijayanagara Empire until the empire’s decline in 1565. • The dynasty was established in 1399 by Yaduraya Wodeyar. He ruled Mysore under the Vijayanagara Empire until 1423.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
26. How did the dynasty of Nizam Shahis of Ahmadnagar come to an end?
(a) Ahmadnagar was annexed into Mughal empire and Husain Shah was consigned to life imprisonment
(b) Mughal troops destroyed Daulatabad fort and killed Nizam-ul Mulk of Ahmadnagar
(c) Fateh Khan usurped the throne from Nizam-ul Mulk
(d) Malik Ambar was defeated in a battle with Mughals in 1631 and the entire royal family was killed by the Mughal troops
Ans. (a) Ahmadnagar Sultanate, known more famously as the Nizam Shahi Dynasty, was one of the five independent states that arose on the debris of the Bahmani Sultanate. The Sultanate derives its name from Ahmadnagar. Nizam Shahi dynasty was founded by Malik Ahmad, son of Hasan Nizamul Mulk, (wazir) Prime Minister of the Bahmani kingdom. Ahmednagar was annexed into Mughal empire and Hussain Shah was consigned to life imprisonment.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
27. Consider the following statement :
1. Narasimha Saluva ended the Sangama dynasty and seized the throne for himself and started the Saluva dynasty.
2. Vira Narasimha deposed the last Saluva ruler and seized the throne for himself.
3. Vira Narasimha was succeeded by his younger brother, Krishnadeva Raya.
4. Krishnadeva Raya was succeeded by his halfbrother, Achyuta Raya.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) All Statements are correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
28. Who was the last ruler of the Tughluq dynasty of the (a) Firoz Shah Tughlaq (b) Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq (c) Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (d) Nasrat Shah
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
29. Consider the following statements about Sikh Gurus:
1. Banda Bahadur was appointed as the military leader of the Sikhs by Guru Tegh Bahadur.
2. Guru Arjan Dev became the Sikh Guru after Guru Ram Das.
3. Guru Arjan Dev gave to Sikhs their own script Gurumukhi.
Which one of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1 and 2
Ans. (d) Gurmukhī is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552).
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
30. Which one of the following sequences indicates the correct chronological order?
(a) Shankaracharya—Ramanuja—Chaitanya
(b) Ramanuja—Shankaracharya—Chaitanya
(c) Ramanuja—Chaitanya—Shankaracharya
(d) Shankaracharya—Chaitanya—Ramanuja
Ans. (a) Shankaracharya: Born on 788 AD at Kaladi present day Kerala, India. One of the greatest philosophers of India, Adi Shankaracharya founded the Advaita Vedanta • Ramanuja: Ramanuja (traditionally, 1017–1137 AD) was a Hindu theologian, philosopher, and one of the most important exponent of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism. • Ramanuja presented the epistemic (doctrine of salvation) and soteriological (ujh to knowledge) importance of bhakti • Chaitanya: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534) was a Bengali spiritual teacher who founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
31. Consider the following statements:
1. The Cholas defeated Pandya and Chera rulers and established their domination over peninsular India in the early medieval times.
2. The Cholas sent an expedition against Sailendra Empire of South East Asia and conquered some of the areas.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) Here both the statement is correct so the correct option is (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
32. How did Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak die?
(a) He was treacherously stabbed to death by one of his ambitious nobles
(b) He was killed in a battle with Taj-u-din Yildiz, the ruler of Ghazni who entered into a contest with him over the capture of Punjab
(c) He sustained injuries while besieging the fortress of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand and succumbed to them later
(d) He died after a fall from his horse while playing Chaugan
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
33. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
(a) Ali Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in Bengal
(b) Maharaja Ranjit Singh set up modern foundries to manufacture cannons at Lahore
(c) Sawai Jai Singh of Amber had Euclid’s ‘Elements of Geometry’ translated into Sanskrit
(d) Sultan Tipu of Mysore gave money for the construction of the idol of Goddess Sarda in the Shringeri temple
Ans. (a) Here option (a) is incorrect • Ali Vardi Khan not Ali Mardan (1671 – 1756) introduced the system of revenue farming in Bengal. The battle of Giria made Alivardi the undisputed leader of Bengal and Bihar, but Orissa still remained beyond his control.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
34. The battle of Dharmat was fought between
(a) Muhammad Ghori and Jai Chand
(b) Babur and the Afghans
(c) Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh
(d) Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Marathas
Ans. (c) The Battle of Dharmat was fought by the rebel Mughal princes, Aurangzeb and Murad, against the leading Rajput mansabdar in the Mughal Empire, Raja Jaswant Singh, sent by Dara Shikoh on the 15th of April 1658. The battle was fought near the village of Dharmat outside the city of Ujjain, the capital of the Mughal province of Malwa (the western portion of modern India’s Madhya Pradesh state).
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
35. Alam Khan, one of those who invited Babur to invade India was :
(a) an uncle of Ibrahim Lodi and a pretender to the throne of Delhi
(b) a cousin of Ibrahim Lodi who was illtreated and expelled from the country
(c) the father of Dilawar Khan to whom cruel treatment was meted out by Ibrahim Lodi
(d) a high official in Punjab province who was very much discontented with Ibrahim Lodi’s treatment to his tribe
Ans. (a) Here the correct answer is option (a) from the following option • Some of the Historians opines that Babur had been invited to attack Delhi Sultanate by Daulat Khan Lodi, the governor of the province, Alam Khan, an uncle of Ibrahim Lodhi and Rana Sanga.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
36. In India, among the following locations, the Dutch established their earliest factory at:
(a) Surat
(b) Pulicat
(c) Cochin
(d) Cassimbazar
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
37. How did the Mughal Emperor Jahandar Shah’s reign come to an early end?
(a) He was deposed by his Wazir
(b) He died due to a slip while climbing down steps
(c) He was defeated by his nephew in a battle
(d) He died of sickness due to too much consumption of wine
Ans. (c) The inglorious reign of Jahandar Shah soon came to an end in 1713 when he was defeated by his nephew Farrukh Siyar at Agra.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
38. Assertion (A): Saluva Narasimha put an end to the old dynasty and assumed the royal title.
Reason (R): He wanted to save the kingdom from further degeneration and disintegration.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) He assumed the royal title due to his greed for power not that he wanted to save the kingdom from further degeneration and disintegration
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
39. Assertion (A): Emperor Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1581 with a huge army.
Reason (R): He was on his way to reclaim his ancestral country of Ferghana in Central Asia.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) Emperor Akbar marched towards Afghanistan in 1581 so that he could create a safety valve to his empire. He has no intention to reclaim his ancestral country of Ferghana in Central Asia.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
40. The historian Barani refused to consider the state in India under Delhi Sultans as truly Islamic because
(a) the majority of the population did not follow Islam
(b) the Muslims theologists were often disregarded
(c) the Sultan supplemented the Muslim law by framing his own regulations
(d) religious freedom was accorded to non-Muslims
Ans. (c) The basis of Muslim state was never discarded by the Sultans of Delhi and hence Delhi Sultanate continued to be a theocracy. • It is true that Sultans admitted that the Muslim law was not able to guide them in every sphere and consequently that had to depart from the law in certain cases, but that was not only in matters of detail and did not affected the basic concept of Islamic State was an organised agency founded by God Himself to propogate Islam through the instrumentality of the earthly rulers.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
41. With reference to medieval Indian rulers, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) Alauddin Khilji first set up a separate Ariz’s department
(b) Balban introduced the branding system of horses of military
(c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq was succeeded by his uncle to the Delhi throne
(d) Firoz Tughlaq set up a separate department of slaves
Ans. (d) Balban first set up a separate Ariz’s department • Alauddin Khilji introduced the branding system of horses of military • Muhammad bin Tughlaq was succeeded by nephew Firoz Shah Tughlaq. • Firuz Tughlaq set up a separate department of slaves known as Diwan-i-Bandagan
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
42. With reference to Sufism in Indian history, consider the following statements:
1. Shaikh Ahmad Sarhandi was a contemporary of Ibrahim Lodi
2. Shaikh Nasiruddin Chirag-i-Dehlavi was a disciple of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya
3. Aurangzeb was contemporary of Shaikh Salim Chisti
4. The Qadiri order of Sufis was first introduced in India by Shaikh Niamtullah and Makhdum Muhammad Jilani Which of these statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (d) Imam Rabbani Shaykh Ahmad al-Faruqi al- Sirhindi (1564–1624) was an Indian Islamic scholar, a Hanafi jurist, and a prominent member of the Naqshbandi Sufi order. • Nasiruddin Mahmud Chirag-Dehlavi 1274-1356 AD) was a 14th Century mystic-poet and a Sufi saint of the Chishti Order. He was a murid (disciple) of noted Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, and later his successor. • Salim Chishti (1478 – 1572) was a Sufi saint of the Chishti Order during the Mughal Empire in India. The Mughal Emperor Akbar came to Chishti’s home in Sikri to ask him to pray for a male heir to the throne. • The Qadiri order of Sufis was first introduced in India by Shaikh Niamtullah and Makhdum Muhammad Jilani
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
43. Who among the following was the first Bhakti saint to use Hindi for the propagation of his message?
(a) Dadu
(b) Kabir
(c) Ramananda
(d) Tulsidas
Ans. (c) Ramananda was the first bhakti saint from south India to propagate his message in hindi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
44. The motive behind Shahjahan’s Balkh campaign was to
(a) secure a friendly ruler in Balkh and Badakshan which bordered Kabul
(b) conquer Samarqand and Farghana, the Mughal homelands
(c) fix the Mughal frontier on the ‘scientific line’, the Amu Daria
(d) expand the Mughal Empire beyond the subcontinent
Ans. (a) Shahjahan’s Balkh military campaign was notable for being the only time, in all of recorded history, that an India-based power sought to annex Central Asian territory, and went on the offensive across the Hindu Kush for that purpose. • The motive behind Shah Jahan’s Balkh and Badakhshan campaign was to remove the Persian representative and secure a friendly ruler in Balkh and Badakhshan, which bordered Kabul.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
45. Assertion (A): Muhammad bin Tughlaq left Delhi, and, for two years lived in a camp called Swargadwari.
Reason (R): At that time, Delhi was ravaged by a form of plague and many people died.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) Due to plague, so many people died in Delhi so that Muhammad Bin Tughlaq left Delhi and lived in camp called Swarga Dwari for two years. The Swarga Dwari was situated near Kannauj on the bank of river Ganga.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
46. Which one of the Chola kings conquered Ceylon?
(a) Aditya I (b) Rajaraja I
(c) Rajendra (d) Vijayalaya
Ans. (b) Raja Raja Chola I (or Rajaraja Chola I) was a renowned king who ruled over the Chola kingdom of southern India between 985 and 1014 CE. During his reign, the Cholas expanded beyond South India with their domains stretching from Sri Lanka in the south to Kalinga in the north. Raja Raja Chola also launched several naval campaigns that resulted in the capture of the Malabar Coast as well as the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
47. Assertion (A): The Battle of Khanua was certainly more decisive and significant than the First Battle of Panipat.
Reason (R): Rana Sanga, the Rajput hero, was certainly a more formidable adversary than Ibrahim Lodi.
(a) Both A and R are individually true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (a) Rana Sangha was more formidable adversary than Ibrahim Lodhi because he had once defeated Ibrahim Lodhi. Defeat of the Rajput’s, at Khanwa ended the superiority of the Rajput’s which they had established successfully in the last ten years and which was an eyesore to the Muslims. Therefore the battle of Kanua was more formidable than battle of Panipat.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
48.
The shaded area in the above map shows the empire of
(a) Ala-ud-din Khilji
(b) Mohammad Tughlaq
(c) Shah Jahan
(d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
49. Who among the following presided over the Buddhist Council held during the reign of Kanishka at Kashmir?
(a) Parsva
(b) Nagarjuna
(c) Sudraka
(d) Vasumitra
Ans. (d) The Fourth Buddhist Council was held in Kashmir or at Jullundhar under the reign of Kanishka. The Council was presided over by Vasumitra and Asvaghosha and had to deal with a serious conflict between the Sarvasthivada teachers of Kashmir and Gandhara.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
@50. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List I : List II
(Bhakti Saint) : (Profession)
A. Namdev : 1. Barber
B. Kabir : 2. Weaver
C. Ravidas : 3. Tailor
D. Sena : 4. Cobbler
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 2 3 1 4 (b) 3 2 4 1
(c) 3 2 1 4 (d) 2 3 4 1
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
51. Who among the following Indian rulers established embassies in foreign countries on modern lines?
(a) Haider Ali (b) Mir Qasim
(c) Shah Alam II (d) Tipu Sultan
Ans. (d) In the year 1787, Tipu Sultan sent an embassy to the Ottoman capital Istanbul, to the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid I requesting urgent assistance against the British East India Company and had proposed an offensive and defensive consortium. • Tipu sought support from the French, who had been his traditional allies, aimed at driving his main rivals, the British East India Company, out of the subcontinent. • In February 1798, Napoleon wrote a letter to Tipu Sultan appreciating his efforts of resisting the British annexation and plans, but this letter never reached Tipu and was seized by a British spy in Muscat.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
52. Which among the following ports was called Babul Makka (Gate of Makka) during the Mughal Period?
(a) Calicut (b) Broach
(c) Cambay (d) Surat
Ans. (c) Cambay was called Babul Makka because during Mughal period the pilgrimage to Macca was made from this place.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
53. The Mongols under Gengis Khan invaded India during the reign of
(a) Balban (b) Feroz Tughlaq
(c) Iltutmish
(d) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Ans. (c) During the reign of Iltutmish, the greatest danger to the country was the possible invasion of Mongols under the leadership of Chengiz Khan. It was in 1221 A.D., Chengiz Khan; the Mongol hero appeared at the border of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
54. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Dewan-i-bandagani : Tughlaq
(b) Dewan-i-Mustakhraj : Balban
(c) Dewan-i-Kohi : Alauddin Khilji
(d) Dewan-i-Arz : Muhammad Tughlaq
Ans. (a) Diwan-i-bandagan (department of slaves) and Diwan-i-Khairat (charity department) was created by Firuz shah Tughluq. • Diwan-i-mustakharaj (to realise arrears) was created by Alauddin Khiiji. • Diwan- i-koh (department of agriculture) was created by Muhammad bin Tughluq. • Dewan-i-Arz was created by Balban. Headed by the Ariz-i-mamalik, it was the ministry of defence. He was responsible for organization and maintenance of the royal army. The review of the army and branding of the horses was done by Ariz-i-mamalik.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
55. Consider the following events:
1. Reign of Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagara.
2. Construction of Qutab Minar.
3. Arrival of Portuguese in India.
4. Death of Firoz Tughlaq.
(a) 2, 4, 3, 1 (b) 2, 4, 1, 3
(c) 4, 2, 1, 3 (d) 4, 2, 3, 1
Ans. (a) Krishnadevaraya was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529. • Death of Fruz Tughlaq: September 20, 1388, Delhi • Arrival of Portugese in India: 1498 • Construction of Qutab Minar: 1193
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
56. Who among the following streamlined the Maratha administration after Sambhaji?
(a) Raja Ram
(b) Balaji Viswanath
(c) Ganga Bai
(d) Nanaji Deshmukh
Ans. (a) Rajaram Raje Bhosale was the younger son of the first Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji, half-brother of the second Chhatrapati Sambhaji, and took over the Maratha Empire as its third Chhatrapati after his brother’s death at the hands of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb in 1689. He had a very short reign, during which he was engaged in a struggle with the Mughals.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
57. Which one of the following Muslim rulers was hailed as the ‘Jagadguru’ by his Muslim subjects because of his belief in secularism?
(a) Husain Shah (b) Zain-ul-Abidin
(c) Ibrahim Adil Shah (d) Mahmud II
Ans. (c) Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1556 – 12 September 1627) was king of the Sultanate of Bijapur and a member of the Adil Shahi dynasty. • He was a skilful administrator, artist, poet and a generous patron of the arts. • He reverted to the Sunni sect of Islam, but remained tolerant of other religions, including Christianity. • He is known in Indian history as Jagadguru Badshah.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
58. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List I : List II
A. Iqta : 1. Marathas
B. Jagir : 2. Delhi Sultans
C. Amaram : 3. Mughals
D. Mokasa : 4. Vijayanagara
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 3 2 1 4 (b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 2 3 1 4 (d) 3 2 4 1
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
59. One consistent feature found in the history of southern India was the growth of small regional kingdoms rather than large empires because of
(a) the absence of minerals like iron
(b) too many divisions in the social structure
(c) the absence of vast areas of fertile land
(d) the scarcity of manpower
Ans. (c) One of the prominent feature found in the history of southern India was the growth of small regional kingdoms rather than large empires because of the absence of vast areas of fertile land. Apart from the territory between the rivers Tungabhadra and Krishna known as Tungabhadra Doab and Krishna- Godavari delta was very fertile. Each kingdom wanted to possess it.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
60. Which one of the following pairs is NOT correctly matched?
(a) Jahangir : William Hawkins
(b) Akbar : Sir Thomas Roe
(c) Shahjahan : Travernier
(d) Aurangzeb : Manucci
Ans. (b) William Hawkins: He was an ambassador of King James I. Visited the court of Jahangir. • Sir Thomas Roe: He was the ambassador of King James I. Arrived at Jahangir’s court. • Tavernier: He visited the court of the Great Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan and made his first trip to the diamond mines. • Manucci: Arrived at Aurangzeb court.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
61. “The king was freed from his people and they from their king”. On whose death did Badauni comment thus?
(a) Balban
(b) Ala-ud-din Khalji
(c) Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
(d) Feroze Shah Tughlaq
Ans. (c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq has been described as “mixture of opposites”. If he had his virtues, he had his fault also. His many crucial decisions result in failure like token currency, shifting of capital from Delhi to Daultabad. That is why Badauni quated about Mohammad bin Tughlaq that “the king was freed from his people and they from their king”.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
62. Assertion (A): During the time of Akbar, for every ten cavalrymen, the mansabdars had to maintain twenty horses.
Reason (R): Horses had to be rested while on march and replacements were necessary in times of war.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (d) The reign of Jahangir saw an important innovation in the mansabdari system, namely the introduction of the du-aspah sih-aspah rank (literally, trooper with two or three horses) which implied that a mansabdar had to maintain and was paid for double the quota of troopers indicated by his sawar rank. • For every ten cavalry men, the mansabdar had to maintain twenty horses for horses that had to be provided rest while on a march and replacements were necessary in times of war.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
63. To which Lodi Sultan does the given map relate and what town does the site marked A on the map represent?
(a) Behlol Lodi, Jaunpur
(b) Sikandar Lodi, Aligarh
(c) Ibrahim Lodi, Jaunpur
(d) Ibrahim Lodi, Aligarh
Ans. (a) Bahlol Khan Lodi took control of the throne of Delhi on April 19th 1451 and took on the title of Bahlol Shah Ghazi. • By 1497, Lodi had defeated the Sharqi Dynaty based in Jaunpur and had taken over their territories. • Tomb of Bahlol Lodi lies near the tomb of famous Sufi saint Nasiruddin-Chirag-e-Delhi, which is located in Chirag Delhi, named after him.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
64. Assertion (A): At first the Turkish administration in India was essentially military.
Reason (R): The country was parcelled out as ‘Iqtas’ among leading military leaders.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (a) Turk invasion led to the establishment of the Muslim rule over a large part of North India, it was military in nature. • ‘Iqta’ literally means an area. Empire was divided into Iqtas or provinces. The Turkish rule put an end to the independent small kingdoms and these were replaced by Iqtas. Every Iqta was placed under the charge of a chief military commander. The head of each Iqta was designated as Iqtadar.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
65. Consider the following:
1. Tughlaquabad Fort 2. Lodi Garden
3. Qutub Minar 4. Fatehpur Sikri The correct chronological order in which they were built is
(a) 3, 1, 4, 2 (b) 3, 1, 2, 4
(c) 1, 3, 2, 4 (d) 1, 3, 4, 2
Ans. (b) Qutub Minar was constructed in 1192 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, and later completed by his successor Iltutmish. The soaring conical tower is an exquisite example of Indo-Islamic Afghan architecture. • The Tughlaqabad Fort was built by the founder of the Tughlaq Dynasty, Ghiyas-ud-din-Tughlaq in 1321. Established as the fifth historic city, the fort was later abandoned in 1327 • Lodhi garden was set up in between the 15th and 16th centuries by the Sayyid and Lodhi rulers. • Fatehpur Sikri was made the political capital of the Mughal Empire by Emperor Akbar from the period of 1571 to 1585.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
66. Assertion (A): During the reign of Shahjahan, Dara Sikoh was sent on expedition to Balkha, Badakhshan and Qandahar.
Reason (R): The expedition sent by Shahjahan to the Middle-East was a marvellous success.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (c) The Mughals, taking advantage of the political turmoil and divisions in Central Asia, now commenced their opening attacks. In August 1645, a Mughal army under Asalat Khan was sent north to occupy Badakshan. • The Mughals were unable to inflict decisive defeats on the Uzbek bands, who avoided open conflict; at the same point, the harsh climate and logistic difficulties prevented further Mughal offensives.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
67. In the given map, the shaded part represents Akbar’s empire at a certain juncture: ‘A’ stands for an independent country and ‘B’ marks the site of a city.
Which one of the following alternatives gives all correct information?
(a) Akbar in 1557 : (A) Golkunda (B) Lahore
(b) Akbar in 1557 : (A) Khandesh (B) Multan
(c) Akbar in 1605 : (A) Gondwana (B) Multan
(d) Akbar in 1605 : (A) Gondwana (B) Lahore
Ans. (d) The shaded part represents Akbar empire at the time of his death. “A” stands for Gondwana, an independent country and “B” stands for the city of Lahore.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
68. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List I : List II
A. 1556 : 1. Battle of Haldi Ghati
B. 1600 : 2. Nadir Shah’s capture of Delhi
C. 1686 : 3. Death of Shivaji
D. 1739 : 4. Grant of Charter to East India Company : 5. Accession of Akbar
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 3 4 2 1 (b) 5 4 3 2
(c) 5 2 1 4 (d) 1 5 3 2
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
69. The loss of Qandhar was a big blow to the Mughal empire from the view point of
(a) natural resources (b) buffer territory
(c) communication (d) strategic stronghold
Ans. (d) Kandahar was regarded as important to the Mughal Empire because it was one of the gateways to India, and Mughal control over Kandahar helped to prevent foreign intrusions.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
70. The member of Shivaji’s Astha Pradhana who looked after foreign affairs was
(a) Peshwa (b) Sachiv
(c) Pandit Rao (d) Sumant
Ans. (d) Shivaji’s Ashtapradhan (Council of Eight Ministers) Already Mentioned.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
71. The Sultan of Delhi who is reputed to have built the biggest network of canals in India was
(a) Iltutmish (b) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
(c) Feroz Shah Tughlaq (d) Sikandar Lodi
Ans. (c) Following four canals were constructed by Firoz Shah Tughlaq: (i) The first and the most important and the longest canal were one which carried the waters of the river Jamuna to the city of Hissar.(ii) The second canal was drawn from river Sutlej to Ghaghra. (iii) The third canal was from Mandvi and Sirmur hills to Hansi. (iv) The fourth canal ran from Ghaghra to the newly established town of Firozabad.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
72. Fawazil in the Sultanate period meant
(a) extra payment made to the nobles
(b) revenue assigned in lieu of salary
(c) excess amount paid to the exchequer by the iqtadars
(d) illegal exactions extracted from the peasants
Ans. (c) Fawazil in the Sultanate period means. excess amount paid to the exchequer by the iqtadars.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
73. Consider the following statements: Ahadis were those troopers who
1. offered their services singly.
2. did not attach themselves to any chief.
3. had the emperor as their immediate colonel.
4. attached themselves to Mirzas.
Of these statements:
(a) 1, 3 and 4 are correct
(b) 1, 2 and 3 are correct
(c) 2 and 3 are correct
(d) 1 and 4 are correct
Ans. (b) Though the Emperor depended mostly on these contingents but he maintained his own army also. Dakhilis were the troops raised by the Emperor but not paid directly by the State. They were placed under the charge of the mansabdars. • Ahadis were a class of soldiers recruited by the State but were placed under the separate command of a noble. • The Diwan and Bakhshi looked after the establishment of the Ahadis.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
74. The head of the military department under the reorganised central machinery of administration during Akbar’s reign was
(a) Diwan (b) Mir Bakshi
(c) Mir Saman (d) Bakshi
Ans. (b). The principal officers of the central government were four: 1) Diwan; 2) Mir Bakhshi; 3) Mir Saman; and 4) Sadr. • The Mir Bakhshi performed those duties which had been the responsibility of the Ariz-i-Mamalik during the earlier period. Owing to the organization of the civil services on military lines, his power extended far beyond the war office, and some foreign travelers called him the lieutenant-general or the captaingeneral of the realm.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
75. After consolidating his power, Balban assumed the grand title of
(a) Tute-i-Hind (b) Kaisr-i-Hind
(c) Zil-i-Ilahi (d) Din-i-Ilahi
Ans. (c) Ghiyasuddin Balban: 1266-1287 • Balban ascended the throne in 1266. • The Persian court model influenced balban’s conception of Kingship. He took up the title of Zil-i- Ilahi (Shadow of God)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
76. The Badami rock inscription of Pulakesin I is dated in the Saka year 465. If the same were to be dated in Vikrama Samvat, the year would be
(a) 601 (b) 300
(c) 330 (d) 407
Ans. (a) Vikram Samvat Era starts from 57 BC • Saka Era start from 78 AD • Therefore the Badami rock inscription of Pulakesin I in Samvat Era would be (465+78+57)= 601.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
77. The medieval Indian writer who refers to the discovery of America is
(a) Malik Muhammad Jayasi
(b) Amir Khusrau
(c) Raskhan
(d) Abul Fazl
Ans. (d) Shaikh Abu al-Fazal Ibn Mubarak also known as Abul Fazl, was the vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar, and author of the Akbarnama, the official history of Akbar’s reign in three volumes, (the third volume is known as the Ain-i-Akbari) and a Persian translation of the Bible. • In his book he mention about the discovery of America.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
78. Assertion (A): The sponsor and the most prominent figure of the Chisti order of Sufis in India is Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.
Reason (R): The Chisti order takes its name from a village Chisti in Ajmer.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct ?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (c) Moinuddin Chishti (1141 – 1236) also known as Gharib Nawaz. The initial spiritual chain or silsila of the Chishti order in India, comprising Chishti, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Fariduddin Ganjshakar and Nizamuddin Auliya, each successive person being the disciple of the previous, includes the great Sufi saints of Indian history. • Chisht in a city between Afghanistan and Iran
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
79. The sufi saint who maintained that devotional music was one way of coming close to God was
(a) Muin-ud-din Chishti
(b) Baba Farid
(c) Saiyid Muhammad Gesudaraz
(d) Shah Alam Bukhari
Ans. (b) Sufi mysticism is a message of love. It aims at creating harmony in the discordant elements of society. True to these ideals, Baba Farid strove day and night to create that atmosphere of love and goodwill which was, and is even today, the greatest desideratum of human society.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
80. Nastaliq was
(a) a Persian script used in medieval India
(b) a raga composed by Tansen
(c) a cess levied by the Mughal rulers
(d) a manual of code of conduct for the Ulemas
Ans. (a) Nastaliq is one of the main calligraphic hands used in writing the Persian script, and traditionally the predominant style in Persian calligraphy.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
81. In medieval India, Mansabdari system was introduced mainly for
(a) making recruitment to the army
(b) facilitating revenue collection
(c) ensuring religious harmony
(d) effecting clean administration
Ans. (d) The mansabdari system was formally introduced by Mughal Emperor Akbar who made it core foundation of administrative system of Mughal Empire. The term mansab literally means position, status or rank but in context of the structure of the Mughal administration it indicated the rank of mansabdarthat is holder of mansab – in the official hierarchy. Though it served many purposes but its main aim was effective administration
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
82. Mughal painting reached its zenith under
(a) Humayun (b) Akbar
(c) Jahangir (d) Shahjahan
Ans. (c) Under Jahangir, the Mughal school paintings acquired greater charm, refinement and dignity. The emperor Jahangir had a great fascination for nature and took delight in the portraiture of birds, animals and flowers.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
83. Ashtapradhan was a Council of Ministers
(a) in the Gupta Administration
(b) in the Chola Administration
(c) in the Vijayanagar Administration
(d) in the Maratha Administration
Ans. (d) The eight prominent officials of Marathas were known as Ashta Pradhan. They were as follows: • Peshva (Prime Minister) • Amatya or Mazumdar (Finance Minister) • Waqia-Navis (like a home minister) • Samant or Dabir (dealing with the outsiders) • Sachiv (The official correspondence) • Pandit Rao (The official religious officer) • Sar-i-Nabuat (army affairs) • Nyayadhish (judiciary)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
84. Who among the following were famous jurists of medieval India?
1. Vijnanesvara 2. Hemadri
3. Rajasekhara 4. Jimutavahana
Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 1 and 4
Ans. (c) Vijnaneshwara was a prominent jurist of twelfth century India. His treatise, the Mitakshara, dealt with inheritance, and is one of the most influential legal treatises in Hindu law. Hemadri was a diplomat, an administrator, an architect, a poet, and a theologian and scholar. Jimutavahana (c. 12th century) was an Indian Sanskrit scholar and writer of legal and religious treatises of early medieval period. But Rajshekhara (9th century), theologian, devotional poet and ruler from south India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
85. Consider the map given below:
The route indicated in the map was followed, during the course of his military exploits, by
(a) Chandragupta II (b) Harshavardhana
(c) Rajendra Chola (d) Malik Kafur
Ans. (d) Malik Kafur was originally a Hindu eunuch of Gujarat. • Malik Kafur was responsible for the conquest of the South. Ala-ud-Din put Malik Kafur in charge of the Deccen campaigns.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
86. Examine the map given below:
The places marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 were respectively the seats of powers of the
(a) Scindias, Holkars, Gaekwads and Bhonsles
(b) Holkars, Scindias, Gaekwads and Bhonsles
(c) Gaekwads, Bhonsles, Scindias and Holkars
(d) Scindias, Holkars, Bhonsles and Gaekwads
Ans. (a) Scindia/Shinde is a Hindu Maratha clan from Maharashtra. This clan included rulers of the Gwalior State which was a part of the Maratha Confederacy in the 18th and 19th centuries. • The Holkar dynasty was a Hindu Maratha royal house in India. The Holkars ruled as Maratha Rajas, and later as Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the Maratha Empire until 1818. • The Gaekwad or Gaikwad are a Hindu Kunbi Maratha clan. A dynasty belonging to this clan ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the early 18th century until 1947. • The Bhosale are a prominent group within the Maratha clan system. Shivaji successors ruled as chhatrapatis (emperors/maharajas) from their capital at Satara.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
87. The ‘Modi script’ was employed in the documents of the
(a) Wodeyars (b) Zamorins
(c) Hoysalas (d) Marathas
Ans. (d) Modi is a script used to write the Marathi language, which is the primary language spoken in the state of Maharashtra, India. There are at least two different theories concerning its origin.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
88. Who among the following is said to have witnessed the reigns of eight Delhi Sultans?
(a) Ziauddin Barani
(b) Shams-i-Siraj Afif
(c) Minhaj-us-Siraj
(d) Amir Khusrau
Ans. (d) Amir Khusrow was a Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya. He lived for 72 years, out of which 60 years he lived in the courts of as many as eight different rulers of the Delhi Sultanate.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
89. Consider the map given below:
The shaded area in the map shows the kingdom of the
(a) Satavahanas
(b) Chalukyas of Vatapi
(c) Rashtrakutas
(d) Marathas
Ans. (d) The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian power that existed from 1674 to 1818 and ruled over much of the Indian sub-continent.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
90. Who among the following ladies wrote a historical account during the Mughal period?
(a) Gulbadan Begum (b) Nurjahan Begum
(c) Jahanara Begum (d) Zebunnissa Begum
Ans. (a) Shahzadi Gulbadan Begum was a Mughal Princess, the daughter of Emperor Babur of the Mughal Empire, she is most known as the author of Humayun Nama, the account of the life of her halfbrother, Humayun.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
91. The first Indian ruler to organize Haj pilgrimage at the expense of the state was
(a) Alauddin Khilji (b) Feroz Tughlak
(c) Akbar (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (c) Akbar was the first Indian ruler to organize Haj pilgrimage at the expense of State.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
92. The Mansabdari System introduced by Akbar was borrowed from the system followed in
(a) Afghanistan (b) Turkey
(c) Mongolia (d) Persia
Ans. (c) The origins of the Mansabdari system, however, can be traced back to Changez Khan (Mangol). Changez Khan organized his army on a decimal basis, the lowest unit of his army was ten, and the highest ten thousand (toman) whose commander was known as ‘Khan.’
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
93. Assertion (A): Babur wrote his memoirs in Turki.
Reason (R): Turki was the official language of the Mughal Court.
In the context of the above two statements which one of the following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) Tuzk-e Babri is also known as the Memoirs of Babur or Baburnama. Tuzke- Babri was originally written by Babur during his intervals of leisure in his mother tongue Turki. • Mughals used Persian as the language in continuation with the legacy of the Delhi Sultanat as official Language.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
94. Which one of the following is considered to be the world’s greatest iconographical creations made by the sthapatis of south India, particularly during the Chola period?
(a) Mahishasuramardini (b) Nataraja
(c) Rama (d) Somaskanda
Ans. (b) Nataraja is a depiction of the Hindu God Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
95. Which one of the following is a monument constructed by Sher Shah?
(a) Kila-Kuhna Mosque at Delhi
(b) Atala Masjid at Jaunpur
(c) Bara Sona Masjid at Gaur
(d) Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque at Delhi
Ans. (a) The single-domed Qila-i-Kuna Mosque, built by Sher Shah in 1541 is an excellent example of a pre- Mughal design, and an early example of the extensive use of the pointed arch in the region as seen in its five doorways with the ‘true’ horseshoe-shaped arches.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
96. Consider the following passage: In the course of a career on the road spanning almost thirty years, he crossed the breadth of the Eastern hemisphere, visited territories equivalent to about 44 modern countries, and put behind him a total distance of approximately 73, 000 miles. The world greatest traveler of pre modern times to whom the above passage refers is
(a) Megasthenes (b) Fa Hien
(c) Marco Polo (d) Ibn Battuta
Ans. (c) Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) was a Venetian merchant traveller whose travels are recorded in Book of the Marvels of the World, also known as The Travels of Marco Polo,1300, a book that introduced Europeans to Central Asia and China.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
97. Who among the following introduced the famous Persian Festival of NAUROJ in India?
(a) Balban (b) Iltutmish
(c) Firuz Tughlaq (d) Ala-ud-din Khilji
Ans. (a) The festival of Navroz was introduced in India by Balban and it continued to get patronage under various rulers. The festival was discontinued by Humayun but was restored by Akbar, under whose reign it was celebrated for nine days, but again banned by Aurangzeb.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
98. Which one of the following was the name of salt tax in ancient India under the administration of Cholas?
(a) Bhaga (b) Uppayam
(c) Valiayam (d) Hiranya
Ans. (b) Uppayam indicating the tax levied on the salt or production of salt. The term Uppayam was used in the 13th century inscriptions from Venjamankudalur.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
99. One of the major towns in the Satavahana kingdom was
(a) Arikkamedu
(b) Pratishthana
(a) Korkkai
(d) Maski
Ans. (b) Paithan formerly Pratisthana, is a city and a municipal council in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, India. It was the capital of the Satavahana dynasty, which ruled from the second century BC to the second century CE.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
@100. The official associated with land revenue collection in the Maratha administration in medieval India was
(a) Patel (b) Kulkarni
(c) Mirasdar (d) Silhadar
Ans. (a) The chief village officer was Patel, who performed the tasks like judicial, revenue and other administrative functions. Patel served as the link between the village and the Peshwa.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
101. Among the following Mughal rulers who was the founder of Mansabdari System?
(a) Akbar (b) Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (a) Akbar was the architect of the Mansabdari system, an institution of political and economic significance that played a critical role in the consolidation and disintegration of the Mughal Empire.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
102. Akbar’s mausoleum is situated at
(a) Sasaram (b) Sikandraa
(c) Agra (d) New Delhi
Ans. (b) Akbar’s mausoleum is situated in Sikandara on the outskirts of the Agra City. It houses the mortal remains of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, who, during his lifetime itself had completed the tomb and laid out a beautiful garden.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
103. The Russian traveler who visited the Deccan during the medieval period of Indian history was
(a) Rastyannikov
(b) Shirokov
(c) Pavlov
(d) Nikitin
Ans. (d) Afanasy Nikitin who lived in the second part of the 15th century was the first Russian to record his unique experiences in India. He was born in the principality of Tver (now Kalinin) where two small rivers meet the great Volga. Tver was a prosperous region and major trading center.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
104. Kalhana’s Rajatarangini (twelfth century) contains
(a) A collection of stories preaching morals
(b) The history of the dynasties of Kashmir
(c) The history of early Muslim rule in India
(d) An account of the early Indian voyages
Ans. (b) Rajatarangini, (“River of Kings”) historical chronicle of early India, written in Sanskrit verse by the Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana in 1148. It covers the entire span of history in the Kashmir region from the earliest times to the date of its composition.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
105. Ramanuja, the Vaishnava Saint, was born at
(a) Srirangam
(b) Srivilliputtur
(c) Udipi
(d) None of the above
Ans. (d) In the year 1017 A.D., Ramanuja was born in the village of Perumbudur, about twenty-five miles west of Madras.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
106. Which of the following were the causes for the rapid dissolution of the Mughal empire?
1. Degeneration of the Mughal nobility
2. The absence of the Law of Succession
3. Foreign invasion
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) Causes for the rapid dissolution of the Mughal empire: Change in the theory of Kingship. no rule of succession. Moral fall of the rich and aristocrats Long warfare with the Southern states; Rise of the Marathas in Deccan. Issues with Mansabdari System; Jagirdari crisis. Corruption. Rise of Sayyid Brothers; attack of Nadir Shah
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
107. Consider the following European missions during the Mughal period:
1. Thomas Roe
2. Tavernier
3. Rudolf Acquaviva The correct chronological order of their visits is
(a) 1 — 2 — 3 (b) 2 — 3 — 1
(c) 2 — 1— 3 (d) 3 — 1— 2
Ans. (d) All the three European mission came to Mughal court, first to come was Rudolf Acquaviva then Thomas Roe and then Tavernier.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
108. Consider the following pairs :
Vaisnava Saints : Region of strong following
1. Ramanujacharya : South India
2. Chaitanya : Central India
3. Vallabhacharya : Gujarat and Braj area
4. Ramanand : North India
Of these pairs :
(a) 1, 2 and 3 are correctly matched
(b) 2, 3 and 4 are correctly matched
(c) 1 and 4 are correctly matched
(d) 1, 3 and 4 are correctly matched
Ans. (c) Ramanujacharya mostly preached in the area South India. Chief exponent of the Vishishtadvaita school of Vedanta and a great social reformer. • Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached in eastern part of India. He was a spiritual teacher who founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism. • Vallabhacharya also known as Vallabha, was a devotional philosopher, who founded the Krishnacentered Pushti sect of Vaishnavism in the Braj region of India. • Swami Ramanand is considered a pioneer of the great Bhakti Movement in Northern India. He had also been regarded as the bridge between the Bhakti Movement of the South and North.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
109. Who among the following, was known as a “Nirguna” reformer?
(a) Chaitanya (b) Kabir
(c) Surdas (d) Tulsidas
Ans. (b) Among all the mention saint, Kabir was of Nirguna saint. therefore option (b) is correct. • Nirguna bhakti is the devotion towards a formless, all-encompassing God. The word ‘nirgun’ means ‘devoid of qualities,’ referring to the lack of physical attributes in God. It is one of the two forms of devotion prevalent in Hinduism, the other one being Sagun Bhakti which sees God in a physical form. A prominent preacher of Nirgun Bhakti was Saint Kabir, one of the pioneers of the Bhakti movement.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
110. During the Mughal period, under the Zabti system, land revenue was assessed and was required to be paid
(a) In cash or kind
(b) Only in cash
(c) Only in kind
(d) By the zamindar on behalf of the peasants
Ans. (a) Under the Zabti system of Mughal period peasant were required to pay land revenue either in cash or in kind. Therefore option (a) is correct. • In 1580, Akbar instituted a new system called the Dahsala or the Bandobast Arazi or the Zabti system. Under this, the average produce of different crops as well as the average prices prevailing over the last ten years was calculated. One-third of the average produce was the state share. Further, the peasants were given option to pay either in cash or kind, whichever was convenient to them.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
111. Mahmud Gawan was the Prime Minister in
(a) Gujarat kingdom (b) Kingdom of Kashmir
(c) Bahmani kingdom (d) Kingdom of Mysore
Ans. (c) The Bahmani kingdom reached its peak under the guidance of Mahmud Gawan, a Persian merchant. He came to India at the age of forty two and joined the services of Bahmani kingdom.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
112. Most popular Sufis were the
(a) Rabia (b) Hallaj
(c) Ghazali (d) All of the above
Ans. (d) Sufism (Arabic Tasawwuf) is a name which probably has its origin in the wearing of undyed wool (suf) as a mark of personal penitence. The Sufis are also known as fakirs and dervishes. A fervent love for God, displayed by early Islamic saints as the woman Rabbi’a al-Adawiya (d. 801) became a central theme, and provided a basis for emerging Sufi mysticism. • Another Persian, Al-Hallaj (d. 922), executed for blasphemy, became celebrated as a martyr among medieval Sufis, particularly Persian poets. Ghazali set forth a synthesis of orthodox theology and mysticism.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
113. Which of the following is located in Aurangabad?
(a) Shahjehan’s tomb
(b) Tomb of Aurangzeb’s queen
(c) Akbar’s tomb
(d) Babur’s tomb
Ans. (b) The Bibi-Ka-Maqbara is a beautiful mausoleum of Rabia-ul-Daurani alias Dilras Banu Begum, the wife of the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb (1658-1707 A.D.). • This mausoleum is believed to be constructed by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother between 1651 and 1661 A.D.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
114. Mansabdari system was introduced by
(a) Akbar (b) Jahangir
(c) Sher Shah (d) Balban
Ans. (a) Akbar was the architect of the Mansabdari system, an institution of political and economic significance that played a critical role in the consolidation and disintegration of the Mughal Empire.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
115. Who among the following Bhakti leaders used the medium of dance and songs (Kirtans)to make one feel the personal presence of god near him?
(a) Shankaradeva
(b) Chandidasa
(c) Jnanadeva
(d) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Ans. (d) Chaitanya was the proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga, based on Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita. • Bhakti (devotion), conceived as complete selfsurrender to the divine will, superseded all other forms of religious practice for Chaitanya. • Chaitanya movement, intensely emotional movement of Hinduism that has flourished from the 16th century, mainly in Bengal and eastern Odisha (Orissa). • The Chaitanya movement had its beginnings in Navadwip (Bengal), the saint’s birthplace. From the first, a favourite and characteristic form of worship was group singing known as kirtana.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
116. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Abul Fazal — Ain-i-Akbari
(b) Badauni — Akbar Noma
(c) Abdul Hamid Lahori — Tabkat-i-Akbari
(d) Nizamuddin Ahmad — Badshah Nama
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
117. The Mausoleum of Sher Shah is at
(a) Rohtas (b) Agra
(c) Sasaram (d) Lahore
Ans. (c) The founder of the Sur dynasty was Sher Shah (1540- 1545), whose original name was Farid. • his most outstanding contribution to the field of architecture is the construction of his own tomb at Sasaram, Bihar which combines soberness with elegance.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
118. Akbar found the Din-i-Ilahi primarily to
(a) Put an end to the differences between the Hindus and the Muslims
(b) Establish a national religion which would be acceptable to both the Muslims and the Hindus.
(c) Ensure racial and communal harmony.
(d) Found a religious club.
Ans. (b) In 1582, Akbar promulgated a new religion called Din-i-Ilahi or Divine Faith. It contained good points of all religions. It was to Establish a national religion which would be acceptable to both the Muslims and the Hindus
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
119. Match the columns :
List-I : List-II
A. Qutub Minar : 1. Mohamed Adil Shah
B. Gol Gumbaj : 2. Iltutmish
C. Buland Darwaza : 3. Aurangzeb
D. Moti Masjid : 4. Jahangir : 5. Akbar
Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
A B C D
(a) 5 1 3 4 (b) 2 4 5 1
(c) 4 3 2 1 (d) 2 1 5 3
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
120. The ‘Char Minar’ is in
(a) Hyderabad (b) Ahmednagar
(c) Ahmedabad (d) Fatehpur Sikri
Ans. (a) The Charminar in Hyderabad was constructed in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah to commemorate the end of a deadly plague menace that had gripped the city then. It is located near the bank of the river Musi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
121. Match the columns :
A. Namdeva : 1. West Bengal
B. Chaitanaya : 2. Uttar Pradesh
C. Surdas : 3. Maharashtra
D. Nanak : 4. Punjab
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4 (b) 2 3 1 4
(c) 4 2 1 3 (d) 1 4 3 2
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
122. Which of the following is not true about Mughal army?
(a) Mughal army was mainly standing army.
(b) It had large cavalry.
(c) When Mughal army used to come out, it seemed as if population of a big city is emerging.
(d) It had large infantry.
Ans. (a) The army had no regimental structure and the soldiers were not directly recruited by the emperor. Instead, individuals, such as nobles or local leaders, would recruit their own troops, referred to as a mansab, and contribute them to the army.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
123. Musical instrument used by Amir Khusro was
(a) Sitar (b) Sarod
(c) Tabla (d) Flute
Ans. (a) Amir Khusrau (1252-1325) was the famous Persian writer of this period. The invention of sitar was also attributed to him.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
124. Who among the following Sultans declared himself as a lieutenant of Caliph?
(a) Balban (b) Iltutmish
(c) Ferozeshah Tughlaq
(d) Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
Ans. (d) The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic state with its religion Islam. Most of the Sultans kept up the pretence of regarding the caliph as the legal sovereign while they themselves were the caliph’s representatives. • They included the name of the Caliph in the khutba or prayer and inscribed it on their coins. • Muhammad bin Tughlaq (declared himself as a lieutenant of Caliph).
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
125. Alauddin Khilji maintained control on price during his reign because
(a) He wanted to keep large army at lower expenses.
(b) He had mercy with poor people.
(c) He wanted to gain popularity.
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a) Alauddin Khilji maintained control on price during his reign because he wanted to keep large army
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
126. The court language of Mughals was
(a) Urdu (b) Arabic
(c) Persian (d) Turkish
Ans. (c) Persian language became widespread in the Mughal Empire by the time of Akbar’s reign.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
127. Who among the following accepted Din-i-Ilahi?
(a) Raja Man Singh (b) Birbal
(c) Raja Tansen (d) Raja Todarmal
Ans. (b) In 1582, Akbar promulgated a new religion called Din-iilahi or Divine Faith. • It believes in one God. It was accepted first by hindu king Birbal.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
128. Which of the following statements about Mohammad-bin- Tughlaq is correct?
(a) He introduced paper currency
(b) He introduced the postal system
(c) He was the ablest man among the crowned heads of the medieval age
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-1351) was the only Delhi Sultan who had received a comprehensive literary, religious and philosophical education.But all his decision were total failures. • To meet the expenses of maintaining a large army, he increased the revenue imposed on the Doab. But, the peasants refused to acquiesce and rebelled. Though the rebellion was suppressed, the taxation policy had to be revised. • Another experiment which ended in failure was Muhammad’s attempt to popularise token currency but failed. • Muhammad also decided to move the capital from Delhi to Deogiri (which he renamed Daulatabad), to be able to control the Deccan and extend the empire into the south but soon aborted. So option c is correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
129. Which of the following statements about Hiuen-Tsang is not true?
(a) He visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana
(b) He spent some time at Nalanda University
(c) He advocated for strong Indo-China relations
(d) He influenced Buddhism
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
130. Which of the following is wrongly matched?
(a) Abul Fazl — “Baburnama”
(b) Kalhana — “Rajtarangini”
(c) Mohd. Jayasi — “Padmavat”
(d) Abdul Hamid — “Badshahnama”
Ans. (a) Baburnama was written by Babur himself and not by Abul Fazl.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
131. Who inscribed the name of Khalifa of Baghdad on his coins?
(a) Alauddin Khilji (b) Iltutmish
(c) Qutub-ud-din (d) Balban
Ans. (b) Iltutmish (1211-1236) belonged to the Ilbari tribe, he introduced the Arabic coinage into India • The silver tanka remained the basis of the modern rupee. • The earliest silver tanka has a portrait of the king on horseback on the observe. The latest type bears witness to the diploma in investiture he had received from the Khalifa of Baghdad, Al-Mustansir.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
132. ‘Ghuzak’ is the name of a place where
(a) Jayapala met his enemy Sabuktigin
(b) Mahmud crushed defeat on Jayapala
(c) Jayapala burnt himself on a funeral pyre since he was unable to survive the disgrace caused by his defeat at the hands of Mahmud
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a) Ghuzak is a place where Subuktigin (founder of Ghaznavi dynasty) defeated Jayapala to cover the territory as far as the Neelum River in Kashmir and the Indus River in what is now Pakistan.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
133. Which of the following is not included in Mughal paintings?
(a) Portraits (b) Islamic themes
(c) Flowers and plants (d) Hunting scenes
Ans. (b) Islamic themes were not included in Mughal paintings as it was against Islam.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
134. The supremacy and sovereignty of ‘Khalifa’ of Baghdad was strictly observed by Muslim kings in India because
(a) ‘Khalifa’ was treated as religious head of the Muslim community
(b) ‘Khalifa’ was treated as the legal head of the Muslim community
(c) All the Muslim States in the world used to pay tributes to him
(d) He used to decide all the cases efficiently
Ans. (a) The supreme religious and political leader of an Islamic state known as the Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, as the political successors to Muhammad.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
135. Which of the following statements regarding Adi Shankaracharya is/are correct?
1. He was one of the greatest Hindu scholars
2. He was born in Kerala
3. First ever Indian feature film in Sanskrit was made after his name
4. The above feature film was adjudged the best film for the year 1983
5. He wrote a commentary on the Upanishads
Of these statements :
(a) All are correct
(b) Only I, II and III are correct
(c) Only I, III and V are correct
(d) All except II are correct
Ans. (a) In the ninth century Sankara started a Hindu revivalist movement giving a new orientation to Hinduism. He was born in Kaladi in Kerala. • His doctrine of Advaita or Monism was too abstract to appeal to the common man. Moreover, there was a reaction against the Advaita concept of Nirgunabrahman (God without attributes) with the emergence of the idea of Sagunabrahman (God with attributes). • In 1983 a film directed by G. V. Iyer named Adi Shankaracharya was premiered, the first film ever made entirely in Sanskrit language in which all of Adi Shankaracharya’s works were compiled. • The movie received the Indian National Film Awards for Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Audiography.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
136. Match the following :
A. Amir Khusro : 1. 14th century
B. Kabir : 2. 13th century
C. Abul Fazal : 3. 15th century
D. Tukaram : 4. 16th century : 5. 17th century
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 3 4 2 5 (b) 5 2 1 4
(c) 2 3 4 5 (d) 1 3 5 4
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
137. Which of the following statements is correct?
(a) The village was the basic unit of Chola administration.
(b) The Chola kingdom was on the decline in the 9th century.
(c) Amoghavarsha is the best remembered of the Chola kings.
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a) The Chola Empire was divided into mandalams and each mandalam into valanadus and nadus. • In each nadu there were a number of autonomous villages. The royal princes or officers were in charge of mandalams.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
138. Shivaji was coronated at
(a) Raigarh (b) Aurangabad
(c) Peshawar (d) Bundela
Ans. (a) In 1674 Shivaji crowned himself at Raigarh and assumed the title Chatrapathi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
139. Assertion (A) : Hiuen Tsang came to India during Harsha’s rule.
Reason (R): His main objective was to visit the Buddhist shrines.
(a) if A and R both are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) if A and R both are correct but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) if A is incorrect but R is correct
(d) if A is correct but R is incorrect
Ans. (a) Hiuen Tsang came to India in 629 A.D. during Harsh Rule in North India • He was a pious Buddhist, and he came to visit the sacred places of Buddhism and to take with him the scriptures of the faith.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
140. Match the columns:
A. Amir Khusro : 1. 16th century
B. Dinilllahi : 2. 12th century
C. Qutub Minar : 3. 14th century
D. Chand Bardai : 4. 13th century
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 4 1 2 3 (b) 4 1 3 2
(c) 3 2 4 1 (d) 2 3 4 1
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
141. Assertion (A): Akbar introduced Din-i-Illahi which became more popular.
Reason (R): Din-i-Illahi was a religious order, suitable for the people of all religions.
(a) if A and R both are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) if A and R both are correct but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) if A is incorrect but R is correct
(d) if A is correct but R is incorrect
Ans. (c) In 1582, Akbar promulgated a new religion called Din Ilahi or Divine Faith. It contained good points of all religions. Its basis was rational. But id did not gain mass popularity.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
142. Assertion (A): The Cholas had a conquest of Southeast asia.
Reason (R): They had developed a very strong fleet.
(a) if A and R both are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) if A and R both are correct but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) if A is incorrect but R is correct
(d) if A is correct but R is incorrect
Ans. (a) The Cholas paid special attention to their navy. The naval achievements of the Tamils reached its climax under the Cholas. • They controlled the Malabar and Coromandal coasts. In fact, the Bay of Bengal became a Chola lake for some time. It was their strong which help chola to conquestion South east Asia.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
143. In whose reign Mughal painting art was at its zenith?
(a) Jahangir (b) Babur
(c) Shahjahan (d) Aurangzeb
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
144. Who established four ‘Maths’ in four corners of India?
(a) Shankaracharya (b) Bhaskara
(c) Ramanujacharya (d) None of these
Ans. (a) Shankaracharya (509-477 BC) was the originator and main teacher of advaita vedanta or (non-dualism). • Adi Shankaracharya established four peeths or maths in the four corners of India with the headquarters at Dwarka in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrikashrama in the North.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
145. Ramanujacharya advocated
(a) Dvaita (b) Advaita
(c) Bhakti cult (d) Vaishnavism
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
146. “Bhakti Cult” laid emphasis on
(a) Idol worship
(b) Universal brother hood
(c) Devotion to god
(d) None of these
Ans. (c) The Bhakti movement was a devotional transformation of medieval Hindu society, wherein Vedic rituals or alternatively ascetic monk-like lifestyle for moksha gave way to individualistic loving relationship with a personally defined god
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
147. Which of the following is not true about the paintings of Mughal period?
(a) Religious scenes were depicted
(b) Scenes of nature were depicted
(c) Court and cultural scenes were depicted to balance communal harmony
(d) Scenes of battles were depicted
Ans. (c) Court and cultural scenes were though depicted but no concrete evidence they are depicted specifically fo communal harmony.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
148. Match the following :
A. Krishnadeva Raya 1. Construction of roads and land reforms
B. Hyder Ali 2. Poems in Telugu
C. Afghans and Turks 3. Mysore Wars
D. Sher Shah 4. Construction of tombs and arches
Select the correct answer from the codes below:
(a) A—2, B—1, C—3, D-4
(b) A—2, B—3, C—4, D—1
(c) A—1, B—2, C—3, D—4
(d) A—3, B—4, C—2, D—1
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
149. Write the correct chronological order of the following events :
A. Shifting of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad
B. First Battle of Panipat
C. Second Battle of Tarain
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
(a) A, B, C (b) C, A, B
(c) C, B, A (d) A, C, B
Ans. (b) In Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, Muhammad Ghori thoroughly routed the army of Prithiviraj, who was captured and killed. • Shifting of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad: Muhammad bin Tughlaq wanted to make Devagiri his second capital so that he might be able to control South India better. In 1327 he made extensive preparations for the transfer of royal household and the ulemas and Sufis from Delhi to Devagiri, which was renamed as Daulatabad. • First Battle of Panipat:. Babur marched against Delhi and defeated and killed Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat (1526).
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
@150. Ruins of Vijayanagar empire can be seen at
(a) Hospet (b) Hampi
(c) Halebid (d) Madurni
Ans. (b) Traditionally known as Pampakshetra of Kishkindha, Hampi is situated on the southern bank of the river Tungabhadra. Once it was the seat of the mighty Vijayanagara empire.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
151. What is the correct order of the following?
A. First Battle of Panipat
B. Second Battle of Tarain
C. Establishment of East India Company
Select the correct answer from the codes below:
1. B, A, C 2. A, B, C
3. C, A, B 4. C, B, A
Ans. (a) Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, Muhammad Ghori thoroughly routed the army of Prithiviraj, who was captured and killed. • First Battle of Panipat: Sikandar Lodi was succeeded by his eldest son Ibrahim Lodi who was arrogant. • Establishment of East India Company: The East India Company had the unusual distinction of ruling an entire country. On 31 December 1600, a group of merchants who had incorporated themselves into the East India Company were given monopoly privileges on all trade with the East Indies.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
152. The following are the rulers of the slave dynasty
1. Ghiyas-ud-din Balban
2. Iltutmish
3. Qutb-ud-din Aibak
4. Nasir-ud-din Mahmud The correct order in which these sultans ruled over India is
(a) 2 3 1 4 (b) 1 4 2 3
(c) 4 1 2 3 (d) 3 2 4 1
Ans. (d) Qutbuddin Aibak (1206-1210). • Iltutmish (1211-1236): Iltutmish belonged to the Ilbari tribe and hence his dynasty was named as Ilbari dynasty. • Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (reigned:1246–1266): was the eighth sultan of the Mamluk Sultanate (Slave dynasty). • Ghiyasuddin Balban (1265-85): Court intrigue continued unabated until the emergence of Balban, who was himself a Turkish chief and rose from the position of a minister to become a Sultan in 1265.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
153. Which of the chronological order for the construction of the following is correct?
1. Taj Mahal 2. Qutab Minar
3. Fatehpur Sikri 4. Agra Fort
Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
(a) 2, 4, 3, 1 (b) 2, 4, 1, 3
(c) 1, 2, 3, 4 (d) 2, 3, 4, 1
Ans. (a) Qutub Minar: Qutub-ud-din Aibak laid the foundation of Minar in AD 1199 raised the first storey, to which were added three more storeys by his successor and son-in-law, Shamsu’d- Din Iltutmish (AD 1211-36). • . • Fatehpur Sikri: It was made the political capital of the Mughal Empire by Emperor Akbar from the period of 1571 to 1585. • Taj Mahal:.• It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal with construction starting in 1632 AD and completed in 1648 AD.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
154. Ramanuj Acharya gave stress on
(a) Bhakti (b) Moksha
(c) Dharma (d) None of these
Ans. (a) Ramanuja (1017–1137 AD) was a Hindu theologian, philosopher, and one of the most important exponent of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism. • He was born in a Tamil Brahmin family in the village of Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. • His philosophical foundations for devotionalism were influential to the Bhakti movement.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
155. The succession of Delhi Sultans to the throne was generally
(a) Hereditary
(b) After fight between brothers
(c) By killing the father (d) Invasion
Ans. (b) The history of the Delhi Sultanate shows that the death of the monarch was usually followed by a period of uncertainty. • In the absence of a law of succession, intrigues, civil war and violence became the order of the day.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
156. Which of the following statements is correct for Guru Nanak?
(a) He preached punishment for wicked
(b) He preached against Muslims
(c) He preached a war society
(d) He preached that “God is one”
Ans. (d) Guru Nanak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. • He travelled far and wide teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of His creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. • He set up a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
157. Which statement about Amir Khusrau is not true?
(a) He worked for the Hindu-Muslim Unity
(b) He was a great poet
(c) He was a great historian
(d) He wrote poetry in Hindi and Urdu
Ans. (d) Amir Khusrau (1252-1325) was the famous Persian writer of this period and not Urdu • He also wrote some Hindi verses. So correct option is d • His famous work Tughlaq Nama deals with the rise of Ghyiasuddin Tughlaq. • He also catered to the cause of peaceful co-existence of Hindu-Muslim in the society.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
158. Bijak was written by
(a) Tulsidas (b) Ramdas
(c) Guru Nanak (d) Kabirdas
Ans. (d) Literary works with compositions attributed to Kabir include Kabir Bijak, Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, Adi Granth (Sikh), and Kabir Granthawali (Rajasthan).
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
159. Which Mughal ruler introduced the Mansabdari system in India?
(a) Akbar (b) Humayun
(c) Shahjahan (d) Babar
Ans. (a) Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system in his administration. Under this system every officer was assigned a rank (mansab). The lowest rank was 10 and the highest was 5000 for the nobles.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
160. Why did Md-Bin-Tughlak change his capital from Delhi to Hyderabad/Deogiri?
(a) Because he wanted to improve trade in Deccan
(b) Because he wanted to spread Islam in the Deccan
(c) Because he wanted to punish the people of Delhi
(d) Because he wanted to escape from Mongolian invasion
Ans. (d) Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq (1325-51) succeeded his father Ghiyas-ud-din. Muhammad bin Tughlaq wanted to make Devagiri his second capital so that he might be able to control South India better. • He also felt that it would make him safe from the Mongol invasions which were mainly aimed at Delhi and regions in north India. • In 1327 he made extensive preparations for the transfer of royal household and the ulemas and Sufis from Delhi to Devagiri, which was renamed as Daulatabad.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
161. Whose name is associated with Fatehpur Sikri?
(a) Akbar (b) Babar
(c) Shah Jahan (d) Hamayun
Ans. (a) Fatehpur Sikri magnificent fortified city, 40km west of Agra, was the short-lived capital of the Mughal empire between 1571 and 1585, during the reign of Emperor Akbar. • , Akbar built his new capital here. • The city was an Indo-Islamic masterpiece, but erected in an area that supposedly suffered from water shortages and so was abandoned shortly after Akbar’s death.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
162. Which one of the following was the cause of disintegration of the Mughal Empire?
(a) War of succession among sons of Aurangzeb
(b) Attacks of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali
(c) Revolts of various communities like Jats, Sikhs, Rajputs, etc.
(d) All of the above mentioned factors contributed to the downfall of the Mughal Empire
Ans. (d) The wars of succession that plagued Delhi from 1707 to 1719 weakened the empire. • The external invasions by Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali broke the strength of the Mughal Empire. • It took a heavy toll of the imperial treasury and property and laid open the inefficiencies of the military and political administration. Revolts of various communities like Jats, Sikhs, Rajputs, etc also contruted to the fall of Mughals.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
163. Who was the famous Deccan Hindu King whose fleet crossed the Bay of Bengal with an army and conquered a number of sates in Sumatra, Java and Malaysia?
(a) Rajaraja I (b) Rajendra Chola
(c) Pulakesin (d) Mahipala II
Ans. (b) In 1025 AD, the Naval forces of Rajendra Chola I crossed the ocean and attacked the Srivijaya Kingdom (Sumatra) of Sangrama Vijayatungavarman. • The capital Kadaram (part of Malaya) was sacked and its king was made a prisoner. Along with Kadaram, the Sumatra and Malaiyur were attacked and sacked. Kedah in today’s Malaysia was also attacked and occupied.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
164. Which dynasty was well-known for excellent village administration?
(a) Pandyas (b) Pallavas
(c) Cholas (d) Chalukyas
Ans. (c) Uttaramerur inscriptions throws light on the administration of the Cholas. • The responsibility of the village administration was entrusted to the village assembly called Grama Sabha, the lowest unit of the Chola administration. • It was involved in the maintenance of roads, tanks, temples and public ponds.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
165. Who were ‘Jagirdars’ during the reign of Akbar?
(a) Large estate owners
(b) Officials of state who were given ‘jagir’ in place of cash pay
(c) Revenue collectors
(d) Autonomous rulers under Akbar
Ans. (b) The Mughal emperors also implemented this system and the areas assigned were called Jagirs and their holders, Jagirdars. • It is to be remembered in this connection that it is not land that was assigned but the right to collect revenue or income from the piece of land. • In the Delhi Sultanate period such assignments were called Iqtas and the holders Iqtadars.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
166. What was not the most important feature of land revenue system of Akbar?
(a) Collection of land revenue in kind or cash
(b) Collection of land revenue based on accurate measurement of land
(c) Collection of land revenue directly at the central treasury
(d) Fixation of rates
Ans. (c) Collection of Land revenue was not direct rather via Zamindars and Mansabdars.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
167. The Ajanta Caves were built during the period of
(a) Guptas (b) Kushans
(c) Mauryas (d) Chalukyas
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
168. Among the following who was the proponent of the ‘Bhakti Cult’ from West Bengal?
(a) Chaitanya Prabhu (b) Ramanujacharyulu
(c) Ramanand (d) Kabir
Ans. (a) Chaitanya was the proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga, based on Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita. • Chaitanya movement, intensely emotional movement of Hinduism that has flourished from the 16th century, mainly in Bengal and eastern Odisha (Orissa). It takes its name from the medieval saint Chaitanya (1485–1533), whose fervent devotion to the god Krishna inspired the movement. For Chaitanya, the legends of Krishna and his youthful beloved, Radha, symbolized the mutual love between God and the human soul and were its highest expression.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
169. Which of the following Muslim rulers enforced price control system?
(a) Alauddin Khilji (b) Mohd. Tughlaq
(c) lltutmish (d) Balban
Ans. (a) Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Khilji dynasty reigning from 1296 to 1316. The economic regulations issued by the sultan for controlling the markets were as under: • Zawabit or detailed regulations were made to control the prices of various commodities, from food grains to horses, cattle and slaves, which were fixed by the state. No change was permitted in the price of the commodities without the state’s permission.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
170. “Sufi Sect” originated and developed in
(a) Christianity (b) Islam
(c) Hinduism (d) Zoroastrianism
Ans. (b) The mystics of Islam are called Sufis. The Sufi holy men typically adhered to the shama, but they also stressed inner realisation of the divine presence, the practice of moral and physical disciplines, and the need to submit to the authority of charismatic chains of saintly authority.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
171. “Mansabdars” in Mughal period were
(a) Landlords and Zamindars
(b) Officials of the state
(c) Those who had to give revenue
(d) Revenue collectors
Ans. (b) The term ‘Mansab’ decided the status of the holder in the graded official hierarchy, it also fixed the pay of the holder or the Mansabdar and it also made it obligatory to maintain a specified number of contingent with horses and necessary equipment.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
172. The earnings of the kings in the Medieval age were mostly derived from
(a) Offerings made at the temples
(b) Land revenue
(c) Trade
(d) Industrial production
Ans. (b) Right from the time of Manu, the Land Revenue has been a major source of income of the sovereign. During Medieval times the State revenue was collected by donees of Brahmadeya, Devadana, and Agrahara Lands. The donees were feudal intermediaries who passed on a part of the revenue they collected to the King.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
173. The great philosopher Shankara advocated
(a) Dvaita (b) Advaita
(c) Hinduism (d) Altruism
Ans. (b) Shankaracharya (509-477 BC) was the originator and main teacher of advaita vedanta or (non-dualism). His philosophy forms the basis for the teachings of the path of jnana. In all his writings he stated that the soul and maya are not separate powers. • The soul is God. He described God as formless, without attributes, a non-performer of action and without any kind of internal or external distinctions.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
174. The purpose of Mohammad Ghazni’s attack on India was
(a) To plunder the wealth of India
(b) To spread Islam in India
(c) To rule over the territories of India
(d) None of these
Ans. (a) Mahmud of Ghazni raided India for the first time in AD 1000 for her wealth. Mahmud attacked Somnath, in 1025 for its wealth.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
175. What was the important reason for the fall of Vijayanagar Empire?
(a) Unity among the Muslim rulers
(b) Internal instability and weakness of Princes
(c) Moplah’s rebellion
(d) Economic bankruptcy
Ans. (a) The Battle of Talikota (or Tellikota) (January 26, 1565) constituted a watershed battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the united Deccan sultanates, resulting in a rout of Vijayanagara, ending the last great Hindu kingdom in South India. • On January 26, 1565, the Deccan Sultanates of Ahmednagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, and Golconda formed a grand alliance to meet the Vijayanagara army. They met at Talikota situated on the alluvial banks of the Krishna River, in present day Karnataka state, between the two villages Rakkasa and Tangadi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
176. During Aurangzeb’s reign, which of the following were not included in his government?
(a) Rajputs (b) Pathans
(c) Marathas (d) All of these
Ans. (c) Aurangzeb sent his army to the Deccan to curtail the rising Maratha power and to prevent them from overpowering the kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda. • The Marathas were small chieftains who owed allegiance to the Deccan kingdoms. When they saw the Deccan kingdoms being weakened by the Mughal attacks they broke away, expanded their power and began to harass the Mughal armies by resorting to guerrilla warfare.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
177. “Bijanti” government is compared to the Chola’s for
(a) Rural democracy
(b) Administrative system
(c) Land revenue collection system
(d) Display of wealth
Ans. (d) “Bijanti” Government is related to Chola empire. It indicate the wealth of that period.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]