- Purna Swaraj was adopted as the Congress goal at —
- Calcutta, 1928
- Lahore, 1929
- Karachi, 1931
- Lucknow, 1936
Show answer
Answer: (B) Lahore, 1929
Under Jawaharlal Nehru; 26 January 1930 was the first Independence Day.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - How did Sambhaji directly challenge Aurangzeb?
- By harassing Mughal armies
- By capturing Mughal forts
- By sheltering Aurangzeb’s rebel son, Prince Akbar
- By collecting chauth from new Mughal lands
Show answer
Answer: (C) By sheltering Aurangzeb’s rebel son, Prince Akbar
Prince Akbar fled to Sambhaji in 1681.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which ancient Indian is famed for surgery, including rhinoplasty and cataract operations? (IAS 1996 type)
- Saumilla
- Shudraka
- Shaunaka
- Sushruta
Show answer
Answer: (D) Sushruta
Sushruta Samhita deals with surgery.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Sidhu was associated with which rebellion?
- Santhal
- Munda
- Kol
- Sanyasi
Show answer
Answer: (A) Santhal
With his brother Kanhu. (WBPSC 2008)
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The two philosophical schools of Mahayana were —
- Madhyamika and Yogachara
- Vijnanavada and Sthaviravada
- Mahasanghika and Theravada
- Acharyavada and Sarvastivada
Show answer
Answer: (A) Madhyamika and Yogachara
Nagarjuna founded the Madhyamika.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Sufi mystics practised — 1. meditation and breath control 2. hard ascetic exercises in solitude 3. holy songs to rouse ecstasy (IAS 2012)
- 1 and 2
- 2 and 3
- 3 only
- All three
Show answer
Answer: (D) All three
All three were Sufi practices.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Under whom was the first railway line opened?
- Canning
- Hardinge I
- Dalhousie
- Auckland
- Which battle made the Company a ruling power by bringing the Mughal emperor, the Nawab of Awadh and Mir Qasim to defeat together?
- Plassey
- Buxar
- Wandiwash
- Bedara
Show answer
Answer: (B) Buxar
Buxar (1764) led to the Treaty of Allahabad (1765).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Consider: 1. The Lucknow Pact (1916) brought the Congress and the League closer together. 2. Tilak was against the Lucknow Pact. Which is/are correct? (SCRA 2012)
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1 only
Tilak was the chief architect of the pact.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which school accepts four pramanas — perception, inference, comparison and testimony?
- Samkhya
- Nyaya
- Charvaka
- Mimamsa
Show answer
Answer: (B) Nyaya
Charvaka accepts perception alone.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Which ruler of Jaunpur is credited with popularising Khayal in the 15th century?
- Ibrahim Shah Sharqi
- Hussain Shah Sharqi
- Mahmud Shah Sharqi
- Mubarak Shah
Show answer
Answer: (B) Hussain Shah Sharqi
Khayal was later perfected by Sadarang and Adarang at Muhammad Shah’s court.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Mahmud Gawan was called an “Afaqi” because he —
- was born in the Deccan
- was of foreign (Persian) origin
- was a Sufi saint
- was a converted Hindu noble
Show answer
Answer: (B) was of foreign (Persian) origin
Afaqis or Gharibs were newcomers from abroad; Deccanis were the local nobles.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The Dasarajna war was mainly about
- Non-Aryans had seized Vedic cattle
- How the Ravi’s water was to be shared
- Panis had stolen Bharata cattle
- Tvastra refused to release the Ravi's water
Show answer
Answer: (B) How the Ravi’s water was to be shared
Fought on the Parushni (Ravi); priestly rivalry of Vashishtha and Vishvamitra lay behind it.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Under the Doctrine of Lapse, which state was annexed first?
- Jhansi
- Nagpur
- Satara
- Sambalpur
- Correct order: 1. Cripps Mission 2. Cabinet Mission 3. Quit India 4. Individual Satyagraha 5. RIN mutiny
- 1, 4, 2, 3, 5
- 4, 1, 3, 5, 2
- 4, 1, 3, 2, 5
- 4, 1, 2, 3, 5
Show answer
Answer: (B) 4, 1, 3, 5, 2
1940 → Mar 1942 → Aug 1942 → Feb 1946 → Mar 1946.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who called Gandhi the "Father of the Nation" first, in a radio broadcast?
- Jawaharlal Nehru
- Subhas Chandra Bose
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Sarojini Naidu
Show answer
Answer: (B) Subhas Chandra Bose
On Azad Hind Radio in 1944; Gandhi called Bose the "Prince among Patriots".
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The main purpose of Hiuen Tsang’s visit to India was —
- to visit Buddhist holy places and study
- to set up political ties
- to gather wealth
- to map India
Show answer
Answer: (A) to visit Buddhist holy places and study
He studied at Nalanda.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who founded Hyderabad city and built the Charminar?
- Ahmad Quli Qutb Shah
- Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah
- Ibrahim Qutb Shah
- Quli Qutb Shah
Show answer
Answer: (B) Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah founded the city in 1591.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which feature(s) did Buddhism and Jainism share? 1. Avoiding the extremes of penance and enjoyment 2. Indifference to Vedic authority 3. Denial that rituals work (IAS 1996)
- 1 only
- 2 and 3
- 1 and 3
- All three
Show answer
Answer: (B) 2 and 3
The middle path is Buddhist only; Jainism favoured severe penance.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these is NOT true of a janapada?
- It literally means the land where the people set foot
- It was basically a farming settlement
- It was often named after the dominant Kshatriya clan
- Its rise shows that trade had become the chief factor in life
Show answer
Answer: (D) Its rise shows that trade had become the chief factor in life
Janapadas were agricultural settlements; trade grew later.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Harsha’s great distribution of gifts at Prayag was held every —
- year
- three years
- five years
- twelve years
Show answer
Answer: (C) five years
The Mahamoksha Parishad, lasting 75 days.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Once firmly in power, Balban took which grand title? (IAS 1997)
- Tuti-i-Hind
- Kaisar-i-Hind
- Zil-i-Ilahi
- Din-i-Ilahi
Show answer
Answer: (C) Zil-i-Ilahi
Zil-i-Ilahi — “shadow of God”. Tuti-i-Hind was Amir Khusrau’s epithet.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who led the Kol revolt (1831–32)?
- Buddhu Bhagat
- Surga
- Singrai
- Jatra Bhagat
- On what occasion did Bombay pass from Portugal to England?
- Freedom of Portugal from Spain
- Marriage of Charles II with Catherine of Braganza
- Defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588)
- Treaty of Madrid (1630)
Show answer
Answer: (B) Marriage of Charles II with Catherine of Braganza
It was part of the dowry in 1661.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who worked with Ram Mohan Roy on his educational programme?
- Dwarkanath Tagore
- David Hare
- Henry Derozio
- William Jones
Show answer
Answer: (B) David Hare
David Hare was the main force behind Hindu College.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - From whom did Ranjit Singh obtain the Koh-i-noor?
- Nadir Shah
- Zaman Shah
- Shah Shuja
- Dost Muhammad
Show answer
Answer: (C) Shah Shuja
Shah Shuja gave it up in 1813.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - In the Indian national calendar, 1 Chaitra in a leap year falls on —
- 22 March
- 21 March
- 23 March
- 14 April
Show answer
Answer: (B) 21 March
In other years it is 22 March.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which statement about Shashanka is INCORRECT?
- He began as a feudatory (mahasamanta) in Magadha
- Buddhist tradition accuses him of felling the Bodhi tree
- His capital was Karnasuvarna
- He beat Harsha and Bhaskaravarman when they fought him together
Show answer
Answer: (D) He beat Harsha and Bhaskaravarman when they fought him together
No such victory is recorded.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Mewar submitted to the Mughals under Jahangir mainly because of the command of —
- Prince Parviz
- Prince Khurram
- Mahabat Khan
- Prince Khusrau
Show answer
Answer: (B) Prince Khurram
Rana Amar Singh made peace in 1615.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Consider: 1. Champaran was Gandhi’s first satyagraha in India. 2. It took up the grievances of peasants forced to grow indigo. Which is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- Neither
Show answer
Answer: (C) Both
The tinkathia system tied tenants to indigo on 3/20 of their land.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Bhakta Tukaram lived in the reign of which Mughal emperor? (IAS 2006)
- Babur
- Akbar
- Jahangir
- Aurangzeb
Show answer
Answer: (C) Jahangir
Tukaram (1608–1650) lived under Jahangir and Shah Jahan.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The English set up their first factory at Surat with the permission of which emperor? (IAS 2009)
- Akbar
- Jahangir
- Shah Jahan
- Aurangzeb
Show answer
Answer: (B) Jahangir
Jahangir’s farman of 1613 allowed the Surat factory.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - A: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq left Delhi and lived for two years in a camp called Swargadwari. R: Delhi was then hit by a plague-like epidemic and many died. (IAS 2002)
- Both true, R explains A
- Both true, R does not explain A
- A true, R false
- A false, R true
Show answer
Answer: (A) Both true, R explains A
The official key is (a). Famine and disease emptied Delhi; the Sultan camped at Swargadwari on the Ganga near Kannauj.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct order of the later Mughals?
- Bahadur Shah I, Farrukhsiyar, Jahandar Shah, Muhammad Shah
- Farrukhsiyar, Bahadur Shah I, Jahandar Shah, Muhammad Shah
- Bahadur Shah I, Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Muhammad Shah
- Jahandar Shah, Bahadur Shah I, Muhammad Shah, Farrukhsiyar
Show answer
Answer: (C) Bahadur Shah I, Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Muhammad Shah
"Ba-Ja-Fa-Mu".
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which tomb, set in the middle of a large garden, is the prototype of the Taj Mahal?
- Akbar’s tomb, Sikandra
- Itimad-ud-Daulah’s tomb, Agra
- Sher Shah’s tomb, Sasaram
- Humayun’s tomb, Delhi
- Which of these Bengal factories was Portuguese?
- Kasimbazar
- Chinsurah
- Hughli
- Serampore
Show answer
Answer: (C) Hughli
Chinsurah was Dutch, Serampore Danish. (UPPCS 2004)
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Black-and-red ware is the hallmark of which culture?
- Kayatha
- Ahar
- Savalda
- Rangpur
Show answer
Answer: (B) Ahar
Ahar (Banas) culture of Rajasthan — Ahar, Balathal, Gilund.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The officer who kept land-transaction records was the —
- Uparika
- Pustapala
- Dandapashika
- Vishayapati
Show answer
Answer: (B) Pustapala
Uparika headed a bhukti; Vishayapati a district.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Aurangzeb ordered English factories seized (1686–90) because the English —
- refused local duties in Bengal
- attacked Mughal ships on the west coast
- fortified their trading stations
- all of these
Show answer
Answer: (D) all of these
This was the Anglo-Mughal war, settled in 1690.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The Shulva Sutra, India's oldest work on geometry, is attached to the
- Grihya Sutra
- Dharma Sutra
- Shrauta Sutra
- Nirukta
Show answer
Answer: (C) Shrauta Sutra
It gives measurements for building fire-altars.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- The Sultanate-period term for measuring land was — (IAS 2012)
- Kismat-i-Ghalla
- Ghalla-Bakhshi
- Masahat
- Ghazi
Show answer
Answer: (C) Masahat
Ala-ud-din’s revenue was fixed on masahat, with the biswa as the unit.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Society’s four varnas are first named in
- Yajur Veda
- Purusha Sukta of the Rig Veda
- Hiranyagarbha Sukta
- Shatapatha Brahmana
Show answer
Answer: (B) Purusha Sukta of the Rig Veda
A late hymn of the 10th mandala.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The Huna threat first troubled the empire in the last years of —
- Kumaragupta I
- Budhagupta
- Chandragupta II
- Purugupta
Show answer
Answer: (A) Kumaragupta I
His son Skandagupta repulsed the Hunas.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which Maurya king gave the Nagarjuni hill caves and used the title Devanampiya?
- Ashoka
- Dasharatha
- Bindusara
- Brihadratha
- The Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta was composed by —
- Ravikirti
- Vatsabhatti
- Harishena
- Kalidasa
Show answer
Answer: (C) Harishena
Ravikirti — Aihole; Vatsabhatti — Mandsaur.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Neel Darpan (1860) portrays the oppression of peasants by —
- artisans
- handloom weavers
- moneylenders
- indigo planters
Show answer
Answer: (D) indigo planters
By Dinabandhu Mitra.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - At Aurangzeb’s death (1707), Maratha leadership was in the hands of — (UPPCS 2012)
- Sambhaji
- Rajaram
- Jijabai
- Tarabai
Show answer
Answer: (D) Tarabai
She was regent for her son Shivaji II.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Guru Nanak’s idea of religion was —
- severely practical
- ethical
- both practical and ethical
- purely spiritual
Show answer
Answer: (C) both practical and ethical
He stressed honest work, sharing and remembering God’s name.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Match the governors with events: A. Clive B. Vansittart C. Cartier D. Warren Hastings — 1. ended dual government 2. famine of 1770 3. Buxar 4. dual government set up
- A-4 B-2 C-3 D-1
- A-4 B-3 C-2 D-1
- A-1 B-3 C-2 D-4
- A-1 B-2 C-3 D-4
Show answer
Answer: (B) A-4 B-3 C-2 D-1
Clive–dual govt, Vansittart–Buxar, Cartier–famine, Hastings–ended it.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which Muslim ruler was hailed as “Jagadguru” for his tolerance? (IAS 2000)
- Husain Shah
- Zain-ul-Abidin
- Ibrahim Adil Shah II
- Mahmud II
Show answer
Answer: (C) Ibrahim Adil Shah II
Bijapur’s Ibrahim Adil Shah II. Zain-ul-Abidin of Kashmir is the “Akbar of Kashmir”.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Correct order of these Satavahana kings:
- Gautamiputra, Yajna Sri, Hala, Pulumavi
- Pulumavi, Hala, Gautamiputra, Yajna Sri
- Hala, Gautamiputra, Pulumavi, Yajna Sri
- Pulumavi, Yajna Sri, Hala, Gautamiputra
Show answer
Answer: (C) Hala, Gautamiputra, Pulumavi, Yajna Sri
Hala (1st c. AD) → Gautamiputra → Pulumavi → Yajna Sri (late 2nd c.).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who spoke for the Liberals at the Second RTC?
- Muhammad Iqbal
- G.D. Birla
- B.R. Ambedkar
- T.B. Sapru
Show answer
Answer: (D) T.B. Sapru
Iqbal — Muslims; Birla — capitalists; Ambedkar — Depressed Classes.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Match: A. Annie Besant B. E.M.S. Namboodiripad C. Mahatma Gandhi D. Sarojini Naidu — 1. Conquest of Self 2. Crisis into Chaos 3. The Golden Threshold 4. Wake Up India
- 4 2 1 3
- 3 1 2 4
- 4 1 2 3
- 3 2 1 4
Show answer
Answer: (A) 4 2 1 3
Besant — Wake Up India; Namboodiripad — Crisis into Chaos; Gandhi — Conquest of Self; Naidu — The Golden Threshold.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which class did NOT support the rebellion?
- The princes
- Peasants and artisans
- Landed aristocracy and zamindars
- The new educated middle class
Show answer
Answer: (D) The new educated middle class
The English-educated middle class kept away; some princes and zamindars did rebel.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which pair is wrongly matched?
- Eka — Madari Pasi
- Rampa — Alluri Sitarama Raju
- Kittur — Rani Chennamma
- Pabna — Baba Ramchandra
Show answer
Answer: (D) Pabna — Baba Ramchandra
Pabna — Ishan Chandra Roy; Baba Ramchandra led the Awadh Kisan Sabha.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Harsha’s southward march was stopped on the Narmada by (IAS 2003):
- Pulakesin I
- Pulakesin II
- Vikramaditya I
- Vikramaditya II
Show answer
Answer: (B) Pulakesin II
Recorded in Ravikirti’s Aihole inscription.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Chand Bibi belonged to which kingdom?
- Bijapur
- Berar
- Golconda
- Ahmednagar
Show answer
Answer: (D) Ahmednagar
She defended Ahmednagar against Akbar’s army in 1595.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Ryotwari system was worked out by —
- Cornwallis and John Shore
- Alexander Read and Thomas Munro
- Holt Mackenzie
- Dalhousie
Show answer
Answer: (B) Alexander Read and Thomas Munro
Mahalwari is linked with Holt Mackenzie.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The first evidence of cultivation in the subcontinent comes from
- Mohenjo-daro
- Mehrgarh
- Nal
- Ghaligai
Show answer
Answer: (B) Mehrgarh
Mehrgarh in Baluchistan, about 7000 BC.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which is NOT one of the four Kumbh sites?
- Nashik
- Ujjain
- Pushkar
- Haridwar
Show answer
Answer: (C) Pushkar
The four: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- How many elephants did Megasthenes say Chandragupta’s army had?
- 900
- 9,000
- 30,000
- 6,00,000
Show answer
Answer: (B) 9,000
30,000 was the cavalry and 6,00,000 the infantry.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which teacher held that actions bring neither merit nor sin (Akriyavada)?
- Ajita Kesakambali
- Purana Kassapa
- Pakudha Kachchayana
- Sanjaya Belatthiputta
- Shah Jahan’s Balkh campaign was meant to —
- install a ruler friendly to the Mughals in Balkh–Badakhshan, beside Kabul
- win back Samarkand and Farghana
- fix the frontier on the Amu Darya
- build an empire beyond the subcontinent
Show answer
Answer: (A) install a ruler friendly to the Mughals in Balkh–Badakhshan, beside Kabul
A friendly buffer was the aim; the campaign failed.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Whose efforts led to the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act of 1856?
- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy
- H.V. Derozio
- None of these
Show answer
Answer: (A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Vidyasagar backed his case with the shastras and petitions.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these places also have mural paintings? 1. Ajanta caves 2. Lepakshi temple 3. Sanchi stupa (UPSC 2013)
- 1 only
- 1 and 2
- 1, 2 and 3
- None
Show answer
Answer: (B) 1 and 2
Lepakshi has Vijayanagara ceiling murals; Sanchi is famous for carved gateways, not murals.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Slavery in India was declared illegal by —
- Charter Act of 1833
- Act V of 1843
- Regulation X of 1811
- Act of 1856
Show answer
Answer: (B) Act V of 1843
Under Ellenborough; the 1833 Charter only directed abolition.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Match: A. Kalibangan B. Lothal C. Chanhudaro D. Mohenjodaro — 1. pottery 2. terracotta toys 3. Pashupati seal 4. brick platform
- A1 B2 C3 D4
- A2 B3 C4 D1
- A3 B4 C1 D2
- A4 B1 C2 D3
Show answer
Answer: (D) A4 B1 C2 D3
Kalibangan — brick (fire-altar) platforms; Mohenjodaro — Pashupati seal.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct chronological order of invaders in ancient India (IAS 2006):
- Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas
- Greeks, Kushanas, Sakas
- Sakas, Greeks, Kushanas
- Sakas, Kushanas, Greeks
Show answer
Answer: (A) Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas
Indo-Greeks (2nd c. BC) → Sakas (1st c. BC) → Kushanas (1st c. AD).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - "Aryan" or "Indo-European" primarily denotes (IAS 1999)
- an ethnic group
- a nomadic people
- a speech group
- a superior race
Show answer
Answer: (C) a speech group
It is a language family.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The Allahabad pillar inscription is associated with — (IAS 2006)
- Mahapadma Nanda
- Chandragupta Maurya
- Ashoka
- Samudragupta
Show answer
Answer: (D) Samudragupta
Harishena’s Prayag Prashasti of Samudragupta is engraved on Ashoka’s pillar.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Who wrote the Tirukkural?
- Tolkappiyar
- Thiruvalluvar
- Nakkirar
- Sattanar
Show answer
Answer: (B) Thiruvalluvar
It is called the Bible (Veda) of the Tamil land.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Annie Besant — 1. led the Home Rule movement 2. founded the Theosophical Society 3. was once Congress President. Which are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3
- 1 and 3
- All three
Show answer
Answer: (C) 1 and 3
Blavatsky and Olcott founded the Society; Besant presided over the Congress in 1917.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these pairs are correctly matched? 1. Garba — Gujarat 2. Mohiniyattam — Odisha 3. Yakshagana — Karnataka (UPSC 2014)
- 1 only
- 2 and 3
- 1 and 3
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (C) 1 and 3
Mohiniyattam belongs to Kerala.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who translated the Upanishads into Persian?
- Faizi
- Abul Fazl
- Dara Shikoh
- Badauni
Show answer
Answer: (C) Dara Shikoh
As Sirr-i-Akbar (1657).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Yapaniya was a sect of — (IAS 2003)
- Buddhism
- Jainism
- Shaivism
- Vaishnavism
Show answer
Answer: (B) Jainism
A Jain sect that combined Digambara and Shvetambara practices.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which is the least important source for Mauryan history?
- Coins
- Literary works
- Inscriptions
- Foreign accounts
Show answer
Answer: (A) Coins
Mauryan punch-marked coins carry no royal names.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - "Tat tvam asi" occurs in which Upanishad?
- Chandogya
- Mundaka
- Mandukya
- Ishavasya
Show answer
Answer: (A) Chandogya
"Satyameva jayate" is from the Mundaka.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which best describes nirvana in Buddhism? (IAS 2013)
- Extinction of the flame of desire
- Complete annihilation of the self
- A restful, blissful state
- A mental stage beyond comprehension
Show answer
Answer: (A) Extinction of the flame of desire
—
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Assertion (A): Lord Ripon repealed the Vernacular Press Act in 1882. Reason (R): The Act did not discriminate between English and vernacular papers.
- Both true, R explains A
- Both true, R does not explain A
- A true, R false
- A false, R true
Show answer
Answer: (C) A true, R false
Discrimination against the vernacular press was the Act’s worst feature.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Lavani is a dance of —
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Sikkim
- Maharashtra
Show answer
Answer: (D) Maharashtra
Lavani often goes with Tamasha theatre.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Who called Samudragupta the "Napoleon of India"?
- R.C. Majumdar
- V.A. Smith
- R.S. Sharma
- A.L. Basham
Show answer
Answer: (B) V.A. Smith
Because of his sweeping campaigns.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who became the first elected President of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1925?
- Motilal Nehru
- Vithalbhai Patel
- Lala Lajpat Rai
- C.R. Das
Show answer
Answer: (B) Vithalbhai Patel
Elected in August 1925.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which statement on Gandhian movements is NOT correct?
- Gandhi favoured mass movements
- Gandhian movements were non-violent
- Leaders did not matter in Gandhian movements
- Gandhi took care to set satyagraha apart from mere passive resistance
Show answer
Answer: (C) Leaders did not matter in Gandhian movements
Gandhi’s own leadership — and that of his lieutenants — was central to every campaign.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which is the correct sequence of dynasties of Magadha?
- Brihadratha, Haryanka, Shishunaga, Nanda
- Haryanka, Brihadratha, Shishunaga, Nanda
- Haryanka, Shishunaga, Nanda, Brihadratha
- Brihadratha, Shishunaga, Haryanka, Nanda
Show answer
Answer: (A) Brihadratha, Haryanka, Shishunaga, Nanda
The legendary Brihadrathas came first; the Nandas last before the Mauryas.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who linked the end of Harappan cities to an epidemic?
- M.R. Sahni
- Kenneth Kennedy
- Walter Fairservis
- Aurel Stein
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Answer: (B) Kenneth Kennedy
Sahni — floods; Fairservis — ecology; Stein — climate.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The Sargent Plan (1944) proposed free and compulsory education for which age group?
- 6–11
- 6–14
- 11–17
- 3–6
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Answer: (B) 6–14
Junior basic 6–11 plus senior basic 11–14.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who founded the Arya Mahila Samaj and made an early effort to educate widows?
- Pandita Ramabai
- Muthulakshmi Reddy
- Vidyasagar
- Sarala Devi Chaudhurani
- Which Mahajanapada was a republic (gana-sangha)?
- Avanti
- Vatsa
- Malla
- Anga
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Answer: (C) Malla
Vajji, Malla and Kamboja were the republics among the sixteen.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which is/are correct about Shivaji’s ministers? 1. Panditrao had no army command. 2. Sachiv was also called Surnavis. 3. Mantri looked after intelligence.
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- Consider: 1. The Cholas beat the Pandyas and Cheras and dominated the peninsula in early medieval times. 2. The Cholas sent a naval expedition against the Sailendra empire of South-East Asia. Correct? (IAS 2003)
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- Neither
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Answer: (C) Both
Both are true of the imperial Cholas (Rajendra I).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Which department did Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq create?
- Diwan-i-Riyasat
- Diwan-i-Amir-i-Kohi
- Diwan-i-Khairat
- Diwan-i-Waqf
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Answer: (B) Diwan-i-Amir-i-Kohi
The department of agriculture; he also gave sondhar loans to peasants.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Under the Poona Pact, seats reserved for the Depressed Classes were —
- increased
- decreased
- kept the same
- abolished
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Answer: (A) increased
71 under the Award → 148 under the Pact, but in a joint electorate.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - About the Indus civilisation (IAS 2011): 1. It was mainly secular; religion was present but did not dominate. 2. Cotton was used to make textiles.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither
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Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Both are accepted features.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Bassein was taken from the Portuguese in 1739 by —
- Balaji Vishwanath
- Chimaji Appa
- Kanhoji Angre
- Sadashiv Rao Bhau
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Answer: (B) Chimaji Appa
Chimaji Appa was Baji Rao I’s brother.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The earliest evidence of rice cultivation comes from
- Central Ganga valley
- Belan valley
- Gomal valley
- Bolan valley
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Answer: (B) Belan valley
Koldihwa in the Belan valley (Prayagraj) — 6th millennium BC.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Kannagi, for whom temples were raised, was revered as the goddess of —
- learning
- chastity
- victory
- wealth
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Answer: (B) chastity
Senguttuvan started the Pattini (chaste wife) cult.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which author–book pair is wrongly matched?
- T.R. Holmes — A History of the Indian Mutiny
- P.C. Joshi — 1857 in India
- Eric Stokes — The Peasant and the Raj
- Ashok Mehta — 1857: The Great Rebellion
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Answer: (B) P.C. Joshi — 1857 in India
1857 in India is by A.T. Embree; P.C. Joshi wrote Rebellion 1857.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The term "Sangam" in Tamil history refers to —
- court poetry of the Pallavas of Kanchi
- a literary academy of Tamil poets held under Pandya patronage at Madurai
- praise-poems of Chola kings
- a Buddhist council
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Answer: (B) a literary academy of Tamil poets held under Pandya patronage at Madurai
Sangam = an academy of poets; the third met at Madurai.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Who built a new capital on the south bank of a tributary of the Krishna and ruled it as the agent of a deity believed to own all land south of the Krishna? (IAS 2015)
- Amoghavarsha I
- Ballala II
- Harihara I
- Prataparudra II
Show answer
Answer: (C) Harihara I
Harihara I founded Vijayanagara on the Tungabhadra and ruled in the name of Virupaksha.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The capital of the Kamboja Mahajanapada was —
- Rajapura
- Taxila
- Suktimati
- Potana
Show answer
Answer: (A) Rajapura
Kamboja lay in the far north-west; Taxila was Gandhara’s capital.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
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