History — UPSC Prelims Previous Year Questions

Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'?

The irrigation device called 'Araghatta' was

Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?

Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of

Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

I. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East.
II. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the 'Pradesika', 'Rajuka' and 'Yukta' were important officers at the

Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

1. The Congress declared the attainment of 'Swaraj' by all legitimate and peaceful means to be its objective.
2. It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes for the next stage only if 'Swaraj' did not come within a year and the Government resorted to repression.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

Consider the following fruits:

I. Papaya
II. Pineapple
III. Guava

How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?

With reference to ancient India (600–322 BC), consider the following pairs:

Territorial region – River flowing in the region
I. Asmaka : Godavari
II. Kamboja : Vipas
III. Avanti : Mahanadi
IV. Kosala : Sarayu

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Srivijaya?

Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme:

I. Boycott of law-courts and foreign cloth
II. Observance of strict non-violence
III. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public
IV. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes

How many of the above were parts of Non-Cooperation Programme?

Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident?

'Sedition has become my religion' was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of

With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements :

1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following pairs :

Party | Its Leader

1. |Bharatiya Jana Sangh| Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
2. | Socialist Party | C. Rajagopalachari
3. | Congress for Democracy | Jagjivan Ram
4. |Swatantra Party | Acharya Narendra Dev

How many of the above are correctly matched ?

Consider the following information :

Archaeological site | State | Description

1. Chandraketugarh | Odisha |Trading Port town
2. Inamgaon | Maharashtra | Chalcolithic site
3. Mangadu | Kerala | Megalithic site
4. Salihundam | Andhra radesh | Rock-cut Pradesh cave shrines

In which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched ?

Sanghabhuti, an Indian Buddhist monk, who travelled to China at the end of the fourth century AD, was the author of a commentary on :

Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhasa ?

Who of the following rulers of medieval India gave permission to the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal ?

With reference to ancient India, Gautama Buddha was generally known by which of the following epithets ?

1. Nayaputta
2. Shakyamuni
3. Tathagata

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Consider the following statements :

1. There are no parables in Upanishads.
2. Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements :

1. It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.
2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I:7th August is declared National Handloom Day. It was in 1905 that the Swadeshi 
Statement-II:The movement was launched on the same day.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

In which one of the following regions was Dhanyakataka, which flourished as a prominent Buddhist center under the Mahasanghikas, located?

With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar, and Muchiri were well-known as

Which one of the following explains the practice of ‘Vattakirutal' as mentioned in Sangam poems?

"Souls are not only the property of animal and plant life, but also of rocks running water and many other natural objects not looked on as living by other religious sects'
The above statement reflects one of the core beliefs of which one of the following religious sects of ancient India?

Who among the following rulers of medieval Gujarat surrendered Diu to the Portuguese?

By which one of the following Acts was the Governor General of Bengal designated as the Governor General of India?

Consider the following dynasties

1. Hoysala

2. Gahadavala

3. Kakatiya

4. Yadava
How many of the above dynasties established their kingdoms in the early eighth century AD?

Who among the following rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire constructed a large dam across the Tungabhadra River and a canal-cum-aqueduct several kilometers long from the river to the capital city?

With reference to the Indian History. Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Walter Elliot were associated with

With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts:
1. Nettipakarana
2. Parishishtaparvan3. Avadanasataka
4. Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana
Which of the above are Jaina texts?

Consider the following freedom fighters:
1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee3. Rash Behari Bose
Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?

In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to:

In the Government of India Act 1919, the functions of Provincial Government were divided into "Reserved" and "Transferred" subjects. Which of the following were treated as "Reserved" subjects?
1. Administration of Justice2. Local Self-Government3. Land Revenue4. Police
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the proposals of Cripps Mission, consider the following statements:
1. The Constituent Assembly would have members nominated by the Provincial Assemblies as well as the Princely States.
2. Any Province, which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with
3. Britain regarding its future status.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, which of the following are correct?

1. A person could be a slave as a result of judicial punishment.

2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.

3. If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to the legal status of the master's son.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to Indian history consider the following pairs:Historical person  –  Known as1. Aryadeva – Jaina scholar2. Dignaga – Buddhist scholar3. Nathamuni – Vaishnava scholar
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:
1. The first Mongol invasion of India happened during the reign of Jalal-ud-din Khalji2. During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, one Mongol assault marched up to Delhi and besieged the city.
3. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq temporarily lost portions of the northwest of his kingdom to Mongols.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to Indian history, who of the following was known as "Kulah-Daran"?

The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the new Circuit House near Somnath Temple at Veraval. Which of the following statements are correct regarding Somnath Temple?
1. Somnath Temple is one of the Jyotirlinga shrines.
2. A description of Somnath Temple was given by Al-Biruni.
3. Pran Pratishtha of Somnath Temple (installation of the present-day temple) was done by President S. Radhakrishnan.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The world's second tallest statue in the sitting pose of Ramanuja was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India in Hyderabad recently. Which one of the following statements correctly represents the teachings of Ramanuja?

"Yogavasistha" was translated into Persian by Nizamuddin Panipati during the reign of:

Consider the following pairs:Site of Ashoka's major rock edicts        –      Location in the State of1. Dhauli                        –                               Odisha2. Erragudi                    –                           Andhra Pradesh3. Jaugada                     –                         Madhya Pradesh4. Kalsi                          –                              Karnataka
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Consider the following pairs:      King                            Dynasty1. Nannuka             –          Chandela2. Jayashakti           –          Paramara3. Nagabhata II      –     Gurjara-Pratihara4. Bhoja                  –      Rashtrakuta
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:
1. The Dutch established their factories/warehouses on the east coast on lands granted to them by Gajapati rulers.
2. Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
3. The English East India Company established a factory at Madras on a plot of land leased from a representative of the
4. Vijayanagara empire.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to Chausath Yogini Temple situated near Morena, consider the following statements: (1) It is a circular temple built during the reign of the Kachchhapaghata Dynasty. (2) It is the only circular temple built in India. (3) It was meant to promote the Vaishnava cult in the region. (4) Its design has given rise to a popular belief that it was the inspiration behind the Indian Parliament building.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?

Who among the following was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School?

In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as

In the first quarter of the seventeenth century, in which of the following was/were the factory/factories of the English East India Company located? (1) Broach (2) Chicacole (3) Trichinopoly
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct? (1) The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State (2) The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire. (3) The Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

With reference to India, the terms ‘Halbi, Ho, and Kui' pertain to

From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India? (1) The Guptas of Magadha (2) The Paramaras of Malwa (3) The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar (4) The Maukharis of Kannauj (5) The Yadavas of Devagiri (6) The Maitrakas of Valabhi
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct?

Who among the following is associated with ‘Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?

Consider the following statements: (1) The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all women above the age of 21. (2) The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in the legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct? (1) Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes. (2) In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim the right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim the right to the property. (3) The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Consider the following statements: (1) It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince. (2) It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus. (3) It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were experts in which of the following areas? (1) Wrestling (2) Astrology (3) Accounting (4) Soothsaying
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following pairs :
(Historical place)(Well-known for)
1. Burzahom: Rock-cut shrines
2. Chandra-Ketugarh: Terracotta art
3. Ganeshwar : Copper artefacts

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Consider the following statements: (1) St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. (2) St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there. (3) The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to 8th August 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct?

In the Indian history, The Rakhmabai case of 1884 revolved around

Women's rights to gain education
Age of consent
Restitution of conjugal rights
Select the correct answer using the given code below-

Indigo cultivation in India declined by the beginning of the 20th century because of

With references to the history of India, consider the following pairs:

Famous Place Present State
1. Bhilsa -Madhya Pradesh
2. Dwarasamudra -Maharashtra
3. Girinagar -Gujarat
4. Sthanesvara -Uttar Pradesh

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

With reference to the history of India, ‘ulgulan' or the great tumult is the description of the which of the following?

With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, kadura and Chaul were well known as

One common agreement between Gandhism and Marxism is

Wellesley established the Fort William college at Calcutta because:

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
1. Parivrajaka – Renunciant and wanderer
2. Shramana – Priest with a high status
3. Upasaka – Lay follower of Buddhism

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

With reference to the history of India consider the following pairs:

Aurang in-charge Of treasury of the state
Banian Indian agent of the East India Company
Mirasidar designated revenue payer to the state
Which of the pairs above is/are correct?

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:

Sthaviravadins belong to mahayana Buddhism
Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism
The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered the mahayana Buddhism
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Which of the following statements correctly explains the impact of the Industrial revolution on India during the first half of the nineteenth century?

Consider the following events in the history of India:

Rise of Pratiharas under king Bhoja
Establishment of pallava power under Mahendravarman-I
Establishment of Chola power under Parantaka-I
Pala dynasty founded by Gopala
What is the correct chronological order of the above events, Starting from the earliest time?

Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi' generally referred to in sources of the Post Harsha period?

With reference to the book ‘desher Katha' written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during the freedom struggle, consider the following statements

It warned against the colonial states' hypnotic conquest of the mind
It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs
The use of ‘desh' by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Gandhi-Irwin pact included which of the following?

Invitation to Congress to participate in the round table conference
Withdrawal of ordinances promulgated in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement
Acceptance of Gandhiji's suggestion for enquiry into police excesses
Release of those prisoners who were not charged with violence
Select the correct answer using the code given below

The Vital Vidhvansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience was published by

With reference to the history of India, the terms Kulyavapa and dronavapa denote

Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?

"Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely "

With reference to the Scholars/literatures of ancient India, consider the following statements:

Panini is associated with Pushyamitra
Amarsimha is associated with Harshavardhana
Kalidasa is associated with chandragupta-II
Which of the above given statements is/are correct-

Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is ‘Ranyo Ashoka' (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?

Q5
9. Consider the following:
1. Deification of the Buddha2. Treading the path of Bodhisattvas3. Image worship and rituals
Which of the above is/are the feature/ features of Mahayana Buddhism?

With reference to forced labor (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

Q7
2. Consider the following statements:
1. In the revenue administration of Delhi Sultanate, the in-charge of revenue collection was known as ‘Amil'.
2. The Iqta system of Sultans of Delhi was an ancient indigenous institution.
3. The office of ‘Mir Bakshi' came into existence during the reign of Khalji Sultans of Delhi.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q7
4. With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements:
1. Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the abolition of the system of ‘indentured labor'.
2. In Lord Chelmsford's ‘War Conference', Mahatma Gandhi did not support the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War.
3. Consequent upon the breaking of the Salt Law by the Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal by the colonial rulers.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to Indian National Movement, consider the following pairs:
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Question 1: Consider the following pairs

       Movement/organization                          Leader 

All India Anti-Untouchability League:  Mahatma Gandhi 
All India Kisan Sabha :                    Swami Sahajanand Saraswati 
Self-Respect Movement:                     E.V.Ramaswami Naicker 
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Q77Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?

Consider the following pairs:

Movement/Organization Leader
1. All India Anti-Untouchability League Mahatma Gandhi
2. All India Kisan Sabha Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
3. Self-Respect Movement Naicker E.V. Ramaswami

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

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.

Q5
4. Consider the following statements about ‘the Charter Act of 1813':
1. It ended the trade monopoly of the East India Company in India except for trade in tea and trade with China.
2. It asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Indian territories held by the Company.
3. The revenues of India were now controlled by the British Parliament.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to Swadeshi Movement, consider the following statements:1. It contributed to the revival of indigenous artisan crafts and industries.2. The National Council of Education was established as a part of Swadeshi Movement.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were

Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?

Who among the following were the founders of the "Hind Mazdoor Sabha" established in 1948?

With reference to the religious practices in
India, the "Sthanakvasi" sect belongs to

Which one of the following foreign travellers elaborately discussed about diamonds and diamond mines of India ?

With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world ?

Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?

Which of the following led to the introduction of English Education in India?

1. Charter Act of 1813
2. General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823
3. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy
   Select the correct answer using the code given below:

In 1920, which of the following changed its name to "Swarajya Sabha" ?

Which among the following events happened earliest ?

With reference to educational institutions during colonial rule in India, consider the following pairs :
Institution - Founder
1. Sanskrit Collegeat Benaras - William Jones
2. Calcutta Madarsa - Warren Hastings
3. Fort William College — Arthur Wellesley
Which of the pairs given above is/are correct ?

Consider the following events :

1. The first democratically, elected communist party government formed in a State in India.
2. India's then largest bank, 'Imperial Bank of India', was renamed 'State Bank of India'.
3. Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier.
4. Goa became a part of independent
   India.
   Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events ?

He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America
for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was

Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the

After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what was/were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government?

1. The territories called 'Santhal Paraganas' were created.
2. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal.
   Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Regarding Wood's Dispatch, which of the following statements are true ?

1. Grants-in-Aid system was introduced.
2. Establishment of universities was recommended.
3. English as a medium of instruction at all levels of education was recommended.
   Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association
2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty - Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha
3. Surendranath Banerjee - Founder of the Indian Association
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?

Who among the following was/were associated with the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in India during the British rule ?

1. Lord Cornwallis
2. Alexander Read
3. Thomas Munro
   Select the correct answer using.the code given below :

The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for

Consider the following statements :

1. The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions.
2. N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India.
   Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events :

1. Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy
2. Quit India Movement launched
3. Second Round Table Conference
   What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events ?

Which one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom ?

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements :

1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism.
2. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form .

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to

With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct ?

1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.
2. Rigedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron.
3. Rigedie Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal.
   Select the correct answer using the code given below :

In the context of Indian history, the principle of 'Dyarchy (diarchy)' refers to

Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples?

1. Arasavalli
2. Amarakantak
3. Omkareshwar

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Satya Shodhak Samaj organized:

In the economic history of medieval India, what does the term 'Araghatta' refer to?

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?

What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907?

What plan did Sir Stafford Cripps envisage for India after the Second World War?

Regarding the taxation system of Krishna Deva, the ruler of Vijayanagar, consider the following statements:

1. The tax rate on land was fixed depending on the quality of the land.

2. Private owners of workshops paid an industries tax.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The 'Swadeshi' and 'Boycott' were adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the

The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to

What is/are common to the two historical places known as Ajanta and Mahabalipuram?

1. Both were built in the same period.
2. Both belong to the same religious denomination.
3. Both have rock-cut monuments.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following:

1. Calcutta Unitarian Committee
2. Tabernacle of New Dispensation
3. Indian Reform Association

Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above?

Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were generally:

Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?

In the context of the history of India, consider the following pairs:
TermDescription

1. EripattiLand, revenue from which was set apart for the maintenance of the village tank
2. TaniyursVillages donated to a single Brahmin or a group of Brahmins
3. GhatikasColleges generally attached to the temples

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?