INDIAN HISTORY - PAGE 15 - UPSC STUDYMATERIALS

INDIAN HISTORY - PAGE 15

1. Match List-I (authors) with List-II (definitions of history) and select the correct answer with the help of the codes given below :
List – I (Authors)
List – II (Definitions of History)
(a) Oakshott (i) All history is history of thought.
(b) Travelyan (ii) History is herself simply a science, no less and no more.
(c) Collingwood (iii) The fact is … that the past in history varies with the present.
(d) Bury (iv) The value of history is not scientific. Its true value is educational.
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)
(B) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
(C) (iv) (ii) (iii) (i)
(D) (iv) (iii) (i) (ii)
Ans: A

2. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List – I List – II
(a) Palaeolithic (i) Ground stone tools
(b) Mesolithic (ii) Rock painting
(c) Neolithic (iii) Flaked stone tools
(d) Upper Palaeolithic (iv) Microlithic tools
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (i) (iv) (ii) (iii)
(B) (iii) (i) (iv) (ii)
(C) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)
(D) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
Ans: C

3. The largest number of Harappan sites have been found on the bank of the river
(A) Indus
(B) Satluj
(C) Saraswati
(D) Ravi
Ans: C

4. What was the unique feature of the Harappan civilization which was unknown to other contemporary civilizations ?
(A) Cotton Cloth
(B) Palatial Houses
(C) Steatite Seals
(D) Carnelian Beads
Ans: A

5. Match List-I (Place name) with List-II (Geographical location) and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List – I List – II
(a) Meluha (i) Bahrin
(b) Dilmun (ii) Indus Region
(c) Makan (iii) Central Asia
(d) Kurgaon (iv) Makaran Coast
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (i) (iii) (iv) (ii)
(B) (iv) (i) (ii) (iii)
(C) (ii) (i) (iv) (iii)
(D) (iii) (i) (iv) (ii)
Ans: C

6. Who was the first to propound the theory of Aryan invasion on India ?
(A) R.E.M. Wheeler
(B) Gorden V. Childe
(C) J. Marshall
(D) R.P. Chanda
Ans: D

7. The famous philosopher king of the kingdom of Panchala during the later Vedic period was
(A) Ajatasatru
(B) Parikshita
(C) Pravahana Jaivali
(D) Svetaketu
Ans: C

8. Who among the following Dharmasutra writers does not approve the system of Niyoga ?
(A) Gautama
(B) Apastamba
(C) Baudhayana
(D) Vasishtha
Ans: B

9. Several names of Kautilya have been mentioned in which one of the following ?
(A) Devi-Chandra-Guptam
(B) Dasa-Kumara-Charita
(C) Mudrarakshasa
(D) Abhidhana-Chintamani
Ans: D

10. Which among the following places is not associated with the Megalithic culture ?
(A) Chandragiri
(B) Brahmagiri
(C) Adichchanallur
(D) Utnur
Ans: C

11. What is the correct chronological order of the following Greco-Roman authors ?
(a) Ktesias
(b) Pliny
(c) Strabo
(d) Ptolemy
(A) (b), (c), (d), (a)
(B) (a), (c), (b), (d)
(C) (c), (d), (a), (b)
(D) (d), (b), (c), (a)
Ans: B

12. The seat of the third great Sangam of Tamil authors was at
(A) Gangaikond Cholapuram
(B) Kanchi
(C) Madura
(D) Tanjavur
Ans: C

13. Which among the following was not a port city during the ancient period ?
(A) Tuticorin
(B) Poompuhar
(C) Tamralipti
(D) Nagapatnam
Ans: A

14. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List – I List – II
(a) Romaka Sidhanta (i) Arabian’s influence
(b) Rouletted Ware (ii) Greek’s influence
(c) Surkhi (iii) Roman’s influence
(d) Algebra (iv) Kushan’s influence
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
(B) (iii) (ii) (iv) (i)
(C) (iv) (ii) (iii) (i)
(D) (i) (iii) (ii) (iv)
Ans: A

15. Which one of the following inscriptions mentions the names of both Chandragupta and Ashoka ?
(A) Allahabad Pillar inscription of Samudragupta.
(B) Junagarh inscription of Rudradaman.
(C) Shahbajgarhi inscription of Ashoka.
(D) Hathigumpha inscription of Kharvela.
Ans: B

16. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List – I List – II
(a) Nyāya (i) Jamini
(b) Vaiseshika (ii) Kapila
(c) Sānkhya (iii) Ka āda
(d) Mimansa (iv) Gautam
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (iii) (iv) (ii) (i)
(B) (ii) (iii) (i) (iv)
(C) (iv) (iii) (ii) (i)
(D) (iv) (i) (iii) (ii)
Ans: C

17. In connection with Satvahana coins which one of the following statement is not correct ?
(A) They did not issue gold coins.
(B) They issued gold coins.
(C) They issued lead coins.
(D) They issued potin coins.
Ans: B

18. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from codes given below :
List – I List – II
(a) Kodumanal (i) Pallava Temple
(b) Gangaikondan (ii) Port City
(c) Mahabalipuram (iii) Trade Centre
(d) Poompuhar (iv) Chola Seat of Power
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (ii) (iv) (i) (iii)
(B) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
(C) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
(D) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)
Ans: D

19. With which of the following eras was the Malava-reckoning identical ?
(A) Vikrama
(B) Śaka
(C) Gupta
(D) Kali
Ans: A

20. In which among the following a reference to the trading activities of the Tamils is found ?
(A) Mullaippattu
(B) Nedunalvadai
(C) Silappadigaram
(D) Manimekhalai
Ans: C

21. The writer of Kural, the famous Deccan epic was
(A) Kamban
(B) Ottakuttan
(C) Puglenid
(D) Tiru-Valluvar
Ans: D

22. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List – I List – II
(a) Tolkāppiyama (i) Jain Philosophy
(b) Tirukkural – (ii) Love Story
(c) Silappadikāram (iii) Tamil Grammar
(d) Paripādal (iv) Philosophy
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (iii) (ii) (i) (iv)
(B) (iii) (i) (ii) (iv)
(C) (i) (iii) (ii) (iv)
(D) (ii) (i) (iii) (iv)
Ans: B

23. Which Indian epigraph yields the first evidence of zero ?
(A) Apsad inscription of Adityasena.
(B) Gwalior inscription of Bhojdeva.
(C) Nasik inscription of Gotamiputra Satkarni.
(D) Hathigumpha inscription of Kharvela.
Ans: B

24. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A) : Pallava King Mahendra-Varman I built some of the finest rock-cut Hindu temples, including, those at Mahabalipuram.
Reason (R) : Mahendra-Varman I began life as a Jaina but was converted to Shaivism.
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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans: A

25. Arrange the following into sequential order and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
(i) Rajaraja Chola I
(ii) Aditya Chola
(iii) Rajendra Chola
(iv) Parantaka Chola I
Codes :
(A) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
(B) (ii), (iv), (i), (iii)
(C) (iii), (iv), (ii), (i)
(D) (iv), (iii), (i), (ii)
Ans: B

26. Which of the following statements are not correct ?
1. Iltutmish’s tomb is an indication of the mixing of the Hindu and Muslim traditions of architecture.
2. First true arch was used in the tomb of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud.
3. The horse shoe arch was used for the first time in the construction of Alai Darwaza.
4. Architectural device known as double dome was not used in any building constructed during the Sultanate period.
Select your answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(A) 1, 3, 4
(B) 2, 4
(C) 1, 3
(D) 2, 3, 4
Ans: B

27. The period from 1236 to 1296 witnessed the reign of
(A) Five Sultans
(B) Seven Sultans
(C) Ten Sultans
(D) Twelve Sultans
Ans: C

28. Which of the following statements is not correct ?
(A) In Delhi Sultanate use of slave labour in craft production was significant.
(B) Slaves were also used for unskilled, domestic work.
(C) Sultan Firuz Tughlaq had 12,000 artisans among his slaves.
(D) Immigrant Muslim masons were employed for the construction of Sultanate buildings, including both mosques and tombs.
Ans: D

29. Which crops were not cultivated in India during the Sultanate period ?
1. Potato 2. Barley
3. Sesame 4. Maize
Select your answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(A) 1, 2, 3
(B) 1, 2
(C) 1, 4
(D) 3, 4
Ans: C

30. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
List – I List – II
(Rulers of Delhi Sultanate)
(Measure or event)
(a) Jalaluddin Khalji (i) Conquest of Bengal
(b) Alauddin Khalji (ii) Establishment of the Department of Public Works
(c) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (iii) Execution of Sidi Maula
(d) Firuz Shah Tughlaq (iv) Conquest of Malwa and Gujarat
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (i) (iv) (iii) (ii)
(B) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)
(C) (iv) (iii) (i) (ii)
(D) (i) (iii) (iv) (ii)
Ans: B

31. The names of the three successors of Khizr Khan, the founder of the Saiyyid dynasty, are given below :
(i) Mabarak Shah
(ii) Alauddin Alam Shah
(iii) Muhammad Shah
Which of the following sequences represents the correct chronological order ?
(A) (i), (ii), (iii)
(B) (i), (iii), (ii)
(C) (iii), (ii), (i)
(D) (ii), (iii), (i)
Ans: B

32. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
List – I (Sufi terminology)
List – II (Meaning)
(a) Futuh (i) Sufi musical gathering
(b) Sama (ii) Conversations of Sufi saints
(c) Barkat (iii) Unasked for charity
(d) Malfuz (iv) Spiritual grace acquired by a Sufi
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) (i) (iii) (ii) (iv)
(B) (iii) (i) (iv) (ii)
(C) (iii) (ii) (i) (iv)
(D) (iv) (iii) (ii) (i)
Ans: B

33. Who calls the political economy of the Vijayanagara regime of the sixteenth century as feudal ?
(A) N. Karashima
(B) Burton Stein
(C) K.V. Ramesh
(D) N. Venkataramanyya
Ans: A

34. Consider the following statements :
(i) Guru Nanak was interested in all the major forms of contemporary religious beliefs and practices whether “Hindu” or “Muslim”.
(ii) Guru Nanak was soft on the Jain monks.
(iii) He considered ritual reading of scriptures as waste of time.
(iv) During the last fifteen years of his life Guru Nanak settled at Kiratpur.
Which of the above statements are not correct ? Select your answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(A) (i) and (ii)
(B) (i) and (iv)
(C) (ii) and (iii)
(D) (ii) and (iv)
Ans: D

35. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A) : Like his father and Surs, Humayan was not willing to recognize any power politically superior to him.
Reason (R) : He himself assumed the title of Khalifa.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the followings is correct ?
Codes :
(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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans: C

36. Who stated that the ‘best place for a woman is the purdah or the grave ?
(A) Amir Khusrau
(B) Isami
(C) Badauni
(D) Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi
Ans: C

37. Who justified Mughal attack on Malwa by saying that Baz Bahadur occupied himself with “unlawful and vicious practices” ?
(A) Nizamuddin Ahmad
(B) Abdul Qadir Badauni
(C) Arif Qandhari
(D) Abul Fazl
Ans: A

38. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A) : The art of painting reached its highest watermark during Jahanagir’s reign.
Reason (R) : He was not interested in other forms of art.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct ?
Codes :
(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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans: C

39. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and other labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : The advent of the European trading companies in India adversely affected India’s export trade during the seventeenth century.
Reason (R) : Large quantities of silver found its way into India due to the trading activities of the English East India Company in the seventeenth century.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct ? Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans: D

40. Which of the following officers was not associated with the administration of cities in the Mughal empire ?
(A) Nazim
(B) Qazi
(C) Mir-i-adl
(D) Kotwal
Ans: A

41. Consider the following statements :
(i) Shah Jahan discontinued Jharokha darshan and tula dana.
(ii) ShahJahan refused to grant land to Shanti Das, the leading Jain Jeweller and banker of Ahmedabad to build a resting place for Jain saints.
(iii) Shah Jahan banned mixed marriages between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir.
(iv) Shah Jahan exempted the theologians from offering Sijda.
Which of the above statements are not correct. Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(A) (i) and (ii)
(B) (ii) and (iii)
(C) (ii) and (iv)
(D) (i) and (iv)
Ans: A

42. Which Mughal Court Chronicle given an account of the Ahom Kingdom of Assam ?
(A) Padshahnama
(B) Alamgirnama
(C) Futuhat-i-Alamgiri
(D) Maasir-i-Alamgiri
Ans: B

43. Which historian has spoken of tripartite relationship between zamindars, jagirdars and peasants as the reason for the crisis of the Mughal Empire and its decline ?
(A) Stephan P. Blake
(B) M. Athar Ali
(C) Satish Chandra
(D) C.A. Bayly
Ans: C

44. Consider the following statements :
(i) Shivaji could check the Deccan power from intruding into his swaraj territory.
(ii) He could plunder Surat in 1664.
(iii) He could withstand the attacks of Shaista Khan and Mirza Raja Jai Singh.
(iv) Bijapur and Golkunda were annexed by the Mughals to undermine the position of Shivaji.
Which of the above statements are not correct. Select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(A) (i) and (iii)
(B) (i) and (iv)
(C) (ii) and (iii)
(D) (iii) and (iv)
Ans: D

45. Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
(A) Ahdi -Gentleman trooper
(B) Ashraf -A person of noble birth
(C) Jama-i-Kamil -Assessment of revenue at normal rate
(D) Siwanah Nigar- News reporter
Ans: C

46. Which of the following statements is not correct ?
(A) Horses constituted a very large item of India’s overland import.
(B) Virji Vohra was one of the prominent merchants of Surat during the 17th century.
(C) The Portuguese dominated India’s maritime trade during the 17th century.
(D) Many Mughal nobles participated in trade and commerce during the 17th century.
Ans: C

47. Which of the following statements is not correct ?
(A) Monetary system of the Mughals was largely based on silver rupaiya.
(B) The Mughal rulers from Babur to Shahjahan continued to harbour territorial ambitions in Central Asia.
(C) There was no middle class in Mughal India.
(D) The period 1605-1658 witnessed significant changes in the Mansab and Jagir systems.
Ans: C

48. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A) : With the acquisition of Diwani of Bengal the Company directly organised the ‘drain of wealth’.
Reason (R) : The Company began to send to England the revenue of Bengal through what were called “Investment”.
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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans: A

49. The biggest British capital investment in India was made in
(A) The Jute Mills
(B) The Railways, Banking, Insurance and Shipping.
(C) The Tea and Coffee Plantations.
(D) The Indigo Plantations.
Ans: B

50. Who said : ‘The misery hardly finds a parallel in the history of commerce. The bones of the cotton weavers are bleaching the plains of India.” ?
(A) William Bentinck
(B) G.M. Travelyan
(C) C. Metcalfe
(D) Lord. Auckland
Ans: A

51. Who said, “Imparting education to natives is our moral duty” ?
(A) Warren Hastings
(B) Wellesly
(C) William Bentinck
(D) Lord Moira
Ans: D

52. After 1833 the single biggest source of drain of Indian wealth to Britain was
(A) Export of opium
(B) Export of indigo
(C) British capital investment in India
(D) Export of cotton
Ans: C

53. Which of the following is not one of the causes responsible for the rise of moneylenders in British India ?
(A) New Revenue Policy
(B) New Legal System
(C) New Educational System
(D) Commercialization of Agriculture
Ans: C

54. What was the common feature between the Wahabi and Kuka movements ?
(A) Both began as religious movement, but drifted to became political movement.
(B) Both were political and economical movement.
(C) Both followed the path of Ahinsa.
(D) Both not suffered from certain weaknesses, such as communal passions, fanaticism and division with ranks.
Ans: A

55. Who of the following was the biographer of Raja Rammohan Roy ?
(A) Armstrong
(B) Mary Carpenter
(C) David Havel
(D) Lawrence
Ans: B

56. The LexLoci Act gave
(A) no right over the ancestral properties for the Christian converts.
(B) the Christian converts, the right to inherit their ancestral properties.
(C) no right over the ancestral properties for the converts from Budhist religion.
(D) the right to inherit the ancestral properties for the converts from Jain religion.
Ans: B

57. Due to whose efforts Widow Remarriage Act was passed ?
(A) Raja Rammohan Roy
(B) Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar
(C) D.K. Karve
(D) M.G. Ranade
Ans: B

58. In which year the Indian association for the cultivation of science was established ?
(A) 1874
(B) 1875
(C) 1876
(D) 1877
Ans: C

59. The Act Prohibiting Child Marriages was passed in 1891 due to the efforts of
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Jyotiba Phule.
(B) Mahadev Govind Ranade and Jyotiba Phule.
(C) Keshab Chandra Sen and Behramji Malabari.
(D) Keshab Chandra Sen and Mahadev Govind Ranade.
Ans: C

60. Shri Narayan Dharma Paripalana Yogam of Kerala worked for
(A) Upliftment of dalits and peasants.
(B) Women’s education.
(C) Eradication of child labour.
(D) The Hindu widow remarriage.
Ans: A

61. The name ‘Indian National Congress’ was given by
(A) Dadabhai Naoroji
(B) M.G. Ranade
(C) S.N. Bannerjee
(D) A.O. Hume
Ans: A

62. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer with the help of the codes given below :
List – I List – II
(Name) (Newspaper)
(a) Abul Kalam Azad i Bombay Chronicle
(b) Pheroze Shah Mehta ii Al Hilal
(c) Mrs. Annie Besant iii Young India
(d) Mahatma Gandhi iv New India
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) ii i iv iii
(B) i ii iv iii
(C) ii i iii iv
(D) iv i ii iii
Ans: A

63. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : Avesta is the sacred book of Parsis.
Reason (R) : Madam Cama made significant contribution in reforming the Parsi society and uplifting the Parsi women.
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: B

64. The first woman who got nominated to the Madras Legislative Council in 1927 was
(A) Muthulakshmi Reddy
(B) Sister Subbalakshmi
(C) Mehribai Tata
(D) Margaret Counsins
Ans: A

65. The Indian National Congress became a real mass based political party after the
(A) Nagpur Session of the Congress in 1891.
(B) Nagpur Session of the Congress in 1920.
(C) Kanpur Session of the Congress in 1928.
(D) Faizpur Session of the Congress in 1936.
Ans: B

66. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : Soon after the resignation of the Congress Ministries in the provinces in 1939, the Muslim League observed a deliverance day.
Reason (R) : Ambedkar supported it.
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 and (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: B

67. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : After the Civil War in U.S.A. blacks faced difficulty regarding voting right.
Reason (R) : Some Southern States of U.S.A. made it mandatory to have either the name of grandfather or father in the electoral list of 1860.
(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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true and (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false and (R) is true.
Ans: A

68. Who among the following said: “To define the postmodernism is not just to define a term. It is to characterize the present age and to asses how we should respond to it.” ?
(A) J.F. Lyotard
(B) Arran Gare
(C) J.G. Merquior
(D) None of the above
Ans: B

69. Consider the following statements and point out the one which is incorrect in the context of research methodology :
(A) Subjective approach in Historical writing makes it possible to present a true picture of the past.
(B) External and internal criticism helps the historian to establish the authenticity of the records.
(C) To critically analyse the past happenings the historian needs to know the order of their occurance.
(D) Historical records of the past may not be wholly authentic or genuine to ascertain facts.
Ans: A

70. Consider the following statement :
‘Before the scientific revolution of 17th century, history writing in the west suffered from certain weaknesses.’ Which one of the following justifies the above ?
(A) Most of the writers were ignorant about the idea of change through time.
(B) The subject matter of history was treated more or less as a branch of literature or philosophy.
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above
Ans: C

The recruitment of the company’s army in the eighteenth century was not just building on the existing traditions of the North Indian military labour market; those traditions were being adopted to British imperial preferences. The recruitment system for example, endorsed the traditional British preference for peasants as best potential recruits and followed the colonial stereotypes that wheat-eating Indians rather than the rice-eating groups were physically more suitable for the job, although such ethnic stereotyping became a much more important factor in army recruitment in the late nineteenth century rather than in the eighteenth. During the initial formative phase, Hastings did not want to disturb the existing caste rules in the affairs of the army. So the Company’s army consisted mainly of upper caste Brahman and Rajput landed peasants from Awadh and the Rajput and Bhumihar Brahman peasants from north and south Bihar-both wheateating regions. These people joined the Company’s army because the pay, allowances, pension and resettlement provisions offered by the Company were much better than those offered by the regional States, and what was most important, salaries were paid regularly. The deliberate policy of respecting caste, dietary, travel and others religious practices of the Sepoys fostered a high caste identity of the Company’s army. By joining it many of the upcoming socially ambitious castes like the BhumiharBrahmans could fulfill their aspirations for social mobility. Cornwallis, despite his preference for Anglicisation, did not disturb this specific organization of the army, and as a result, the Company came to possess a high caste army, which was prone to revolt when their social privileges and pecuniary benefits were cut from the 1820s. As the Company’s territories expanded to the west beyond the Bengal frontiers into the mountainous Jungle Terai, in the 1770s and then into the Ceded and Conquered Districts in 1802 there was another attempt to recruit from among the hill tribes. While in the plains the Company ran permanent recruitment centres, in the hills recruitment was made through local notables and payment was offered through the Mughal system of ghatwali service tenures. The defeat of the Indian States, particularly of Mysore in the late eighteenth and of the Marathas in the early nineteenth centuries created another vast reservoir of surplus armed manpower to recruit from; but the Company’s army could not absorb all the disbanded soldiers of the Indian princes. Then from 1815 there was another experiment to recruit Gurkha soldiers from among the Nepalis, Garwahlis, and Sirmouri hill men. A skilful blending of the Nepali martial tradition and European training and discipline made the Gurkhas the most trusted soldiers in the British army.

71. The recruitment of the Company’s army was based on
(A) The existing traditions of military labour market.
(B) Preferred peasants as best potential recruits.
(C) Colonial stereotypes.
(D) Physically suitable.
Ans: B

72. The Company’s army consisted of
(A) Upper Caste Brahman and Rajput.
(B) Landed Peasants from Bihar and Bengal.
(C) People from rice eating regions.
(D) People only from South.
Ans: A

73. What kind of payment system British followed in army recruitment ?
(A) Malgujari
(B) Ghatwali
(C) Mahalwari
(D) Yadgari
Ans: B

74. Company could not absorb disbanded soldiers after early nineteenth century because
(A) It had surplus army.
(B) Company was weak economically.
(C) Company did not want more Indian force.
(D) Of religious considerations.
Ans: A

75. Gurkhas became most trusted soldiers because
(A) They were experts in martial art.
(B) They were hill men.
(C) They were disciplined.
(D) They were experts in Guerilla war.
Ans: C

76. Which one of the following is not correctly matched ?
Author - Text
(A) Sharangadeva – Samgita ratnakara
(B) Damodara – Samgita darpana
(C) Anonymous – Ghunyat’ul Munya
(D) Banarasidas – Hitopadesha
Ans: D

77. Firdausi, the author of Shah Namah, was the poet-laureate in the court of
(A) Mahmud Ghaznavi
(B) Muhammad Ghori
(C) Qutbuddin Aibak
(D) Iltutmish
Ans: A

78. Amuktamalyada of Krishnadeva Rai of Vijayanagar Empire literally means :
(A) Garland of gold
(B) Garland of silver
(C) Garland of pearls
(D) Garland of flowers
Ans: C

79. The Qur Khanah means :
(A) The imperial armoury
(B) The royal stable
(C) The royal kitchen
(D) The hunting ground
Ans: A

80. Diwan-i-amir-i-Kohi, a separate department to improve cultivation was set up by
(A) Ghiyas-ud-din Khilji
(B) Alauddin Khilji
(C) Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
(D) Firoze Shah Tughlaq
Ans: C

81. Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A) : Measures of expansion and centralization continued under Alauddin Khilji’s successors.
Reason (R) : Bengal was re-annexed (1324) and the area of direct control extended almost to the extreme southern point of Indian peninsula under Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct ?
Codes :
(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 the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Ans: A

82. Select the correct chronological order of succession of the Saiyyid Sultans to the throne of Delhi mentioned below :
(A) Khizr Khan – Muhammad Shah – Mubarak Shah – Alauddin Shah
(B) Khizr Khan – Mubarak Shah – Muhammad Shah – Alauddin Shah
(C) Mubarak Shah – Khizr Khan – Alauddin Shah – Muhammad Shah
(D) Alauddin Shah – Muhammad Shah – Khizr Khan – Mubarak Shah
Ans: B

83. Sultan Firoze Shah Tughlaq was supposed to possess 1,80,000 slaves. Out of these how many worked as artisans ?
(A) 11,000
(B) 12,000
(C) 13,000
(D) 14,000
Ans: B

84. Which one of the following policy document was called the ‘Magna Carta’ of Western education system in India ?
(A) MaCaulay’s Minute of 1835
(B) Indian Education Commission Report of 1882
(C) Charles Woods Despatch of 1854
(D) Releigh Commission Report of 1902
Ans: C

85. In whose honour Gateway of India was built ?
(A) King George V
(B) King George VI
(C) Prince of Wales
(D) Queen Victoria
Ans: A

86. Match the List – I with List – II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
List – I List – II
a. Dadabhai Naoroji 1. Indian Mirror
b. Dwarakanath Vidyabhushan 2. Rast Goftar
c. Devendranath Tagore 3. Swadeshamitram
d. G.S. Aiyer 4. Somaprakasha
Codes :
a b c d
(A) 3 2 4 1
(B) 2 4 3 1
(C) 2 1 3 4
(D) 2 4 1 3
Ans: D

87. Veda Samaj founded under the initiative of Kesab Chandra Sen in 1864 in Madras was renamed as the Brahmo Samaj of South India in
1871 by
(A) Sir R. Venkataratnam Naidu
(B) Rajagopala Naidu
(C) Subbarayala Chetti
(D) K. Sreedharalu Naidu
Ans: D

88. Arrange the following Viceroys in chronological order and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
(i) Lord Reading
(ii) Earl of Willingdon
(iii) Sir John Lawrence
(iv) Earl of Dufferin
Codes :
(A) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)
(B) (iii) (i) (ii) (iv)
(C) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
(D) (iv) (ii) (i) (iii)
Ans: A

89. Given below are the two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other is labelled as Reason (R) :
Assertion (A) : Indian States Commission reiterated that ‘Paramountcy must remain Paramount’.
Reason (R) : The British were disenchanted with the new corporate princely culture.
Read the above statements and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Codes :
(A) (A) is correct but (R) is false.
(B) (A) is incorrect but (R) is correct.
(C) Both are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(D) Both are correct and (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
Ans: C

90. Arrange the following Commissions in the chronological order and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
(i) Kothari Commission
(ii) Radhakrishnan Commission
(iii) Sadler Commission
(iv) University Grants Commission
Codes :
(A) (iii) (ii) (iv) (i)
(B) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
(C) (iv) (iii) (i) (ii)
(D) (iii) (ii) (i) (iv)
Ans: A

91. Mrs. Annie Besant became the first woman President of Indian National Congress in the year
(A) 1916
(B) 1917
(C) 1919
(D) 1921
Ans: B

92. Who said in 1904 that “Bengal United is a power”, “Bengal divided will pull in several different ways.” ?
(A) Lord Curzon
(B) Herbert Risley
(C) Lord Minto
(D) Sir Lancelot Hare
Ans: B

93. Shyamji Krishna Varma set up the India House in London to work for India’s freedom in the year
(A) 1902
(B) 1905
(C) 1907
(D) 1909
Ans: B

94. Who has called Gopal Krishna Gokhale a rare combination of “the practical, strenuous worker and the mystic dreamer of dreams” ?
(A) Mrs. Sarojini Naidu
(B) Mrs. Annie Besant
(C) Ganesh Savarkar
(D) V.D. Savarkar
Ans: A

95. Vaikom Satyagraha was launched by Gandhiji in Kerala to
(A) ban devadasi system in temple services.
(B) remove untouchability
(C) for the appointment of nonBrahmins as priests
(D) open the temples for the entry of avarnas or lower castes.
Ans: D

96. Match the List – I with List – II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
List – I List – II
a. Collins, Larry and Lapierre 1. Satanic Verses
b. Judith Brown 2. The Great Divide : Britain-India Pakistan
c. Salman Rushdie 3. Freedom At Midnight
d. H.V. Hudson 4. Gandhi’s Rise to Power
Codes :
a b c d
(A) 3 4 1 2
(B) 4 2 3 1
(C) 1 3 4 2
(D) 3 1 4 2
Ans: A

97. Who has remarked, ‘history is more interesting than a novel’ ?
(A) David Hume (B) Toynbee
(C) Livy (D) Tacitus
Ans: A

98. Concerning relation of history with other subjects which one of the following statements is not correct ?
(A) Modern economic history is supported by statistical data to a considerable extent.
(B) For a long time history was not considered as a branch of literature.
(C) The relation between creative ideas and their impact on society has resulted in the formation of intellectual history.
(D) Time and space factors give history its correct perspective.
Ans: B

99. Who among the following declared that the postmodernist ideas were a menace to historical study ?
(A) Arthur Marvic
(B) Holden Furber
(C) Richard J. Evans
(D) H.E. Barnes
Ans: A

100. Consider the following observations relating to Renaissance and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
(i) Renaissance was marked with a new kind of learning signified by a spirit of inquiry into every aspect of human thought.
(ii) More emphasis was given to man and humanism than to god and spiritualism.
(iii) The study of the works produced by ancient Greek and Roman scholars was not given importance.
(iv) The humanist movement which ushered in Renaissance could not emancipate the western thought from the bondage of medieval Christianity.
Codes :
(A) (i) and(ii)
(B) (i) and (iii)
(C) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(D) (i) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
Ans: A

INDIAN HISTORY - PAGE 15

UPSC Study Materials​MCQs for Competitive Examinations

UPSC Study Materials
MCQs for Competitive Examinations