Under theme: History of India
44 PYQs. Learn elimination tricks first, then attempt the questions below.
Timed practice
Every PYQ in this subtopic — exam mode with autosave, negative marking, and explanations after you submit.
Sign in to open your timed test
Common distractors and how to eliminate wrong options in this subtopic.
Associate major political transitions (e.g., fall of Lodi, rise of Mughals) with their specific years.
Associate rulers with their known contributions in literature, art, or administration to aid recall.
“Yogavasistha” was translated into Persian by Nizamuddin Panipati during the reign of:
Nizamuddin Panipati, a Persian scholar, translated the "Yogavasistha" into Persian during the reign of Emperor Akbar, who ruled the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1605. This translation occurred as part of Akbar's efforts to promote cultural exchange and translations of various works into Persian, the administrative language of the Mughal Empire.
Consider the following pairs:
| King | Dynasty |
|--------------|---------------------|
|1. Nannuka | Chandela |
| 2. Jayashakti | Paramara |
| 3. Nagabhata II | Gurjara-Pratihara |
| 4. Bhoja | Rashtrakuta |
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
Pair 1 is correctly matched. Nannuka was the founder of the Chandela dynasty. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched. Jayashakti belonged to the Chandel dynasty, not the Paramara dynasty. Pair 3 is correctly matched. Nagabhata II was indeed a ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched. Bhoja belonged to the Paramara dynasty, not the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:
1. The Dutch established their factories/werehouses 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 Vijayanagaraempire.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. Next to the Portuguese, the Dutch set their feet in India. In 1602, the United East India Company of the Netherlands was formed and permitted by the Dutch government to trade in the East Indies including India. Gajapati Rule declined in 1541. The last ruler was Kakharua Deva. Please note: Gajapati rulers only ruled in the Orissa region. But, the Dutch had their factories in many locations on the east coast of India. Hence, it is clear that they may have acquired lands from different rulers across the east coast. Statement 2 is correct. Alfanso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur sultanate king Adil Shahis with the help of the Vijayanagara Empire. Statement 3 is correct. The English East India Company established a factory in Madras in 1639 on land leased from representatives of the Vijayanagara Empire called the Nayakas.
88 min · −33% negative · explanations after submit
With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:
1. The first Mongol invasion of India happened during the reign of Jalal-ud-din Khalji.
2. 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 north-west of his kingdom to Mongols.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The first Mongol raid into India actually occurred in 1221 during the reign of Iltutmish of the Delhi Sultanate. Jalal-ud-din Khalji ruled much later (1296-1298 CE). Statement 2 is correct. A major Mongol invasion led by Kadar did indeed reach Delhi and lay siege to the city during the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji (1296-1316 CE). However, his forces successfully repelled the invaders. Statement 3 is incorrect. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq faced Mongol invasions during his reign, but there is no historical evidence to suggest that he temporarily lost portions of the northwest of his kingdom to the Mongols. Therefore, the correct answer is "2 only".
With reference to Indian history, who of the following were known as “KulahDaran”?
The Sayyids were claimed to descend from the Prophet through his daughter Fatima. They commanded special respect in Muslim society. Even Timur protected the life of Sayyids during his invasion of India, although his policy was one of general slaughter. The Sayyids put on a pointed cap (kulah) and they were known as KulahDaran during the Delhi Sultanate.
In medieval India, the term “Fanam” referred to:
In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to a unit of currency, particularly a gold coin used in South India, especially in regions like the Vijayanagara Empire, the Nayakas of Madurai, and the various states of the Deccan. The Fanam was often minted in small denominations and was widely used for trade and commerce in the region.
88 min · −33% negative · explanations after submit
From the declines 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 Kanauj
5. The Yadavas of Devagiri
6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
1. The Guptas of Magadha: The Later Gupta dynasty did indeed succeed the imperial Guptas and ruled parts of Magadha during the early 7th century. 2. The Paramaras of Malwa: The Paramara dynasty emerged much later, around the 9th century, and ruled in central India (Malwa region). 3. The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar: The Pushyabhuti dynasty, also known as Vardhana, flourished in the 6th and 7th centuries and held power in parts of North India, including Thanesar. 4. The Maukharis of Kanauj: The Maukhari dynasty rose to prominence after the Guptas and controlled Kanauj for some time. 5. The Yadavas of Devagiri: The Yadava dynasty, also known as the Seuna dynasty, established their kingdom much later, around the 12th century, in western India. 6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi: The Maitrakas were contemporaries of the Guptas and established an independent kingdom in western India (Gujarat) after being tributary chiefs for a while. Therefore, the correct answer is 1, 3, 4 and 6.
According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were expert in which of the following areas?
1. Wrestling
2. Astrology
3. Accounting
4. Soothsaying
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
All the statements are correct. Being employed in a Royal Household of the Vijayanagar empire implies that women served a variety of roles and were crucial to the workings of the palace. It was during the zenith of the Vijayanagar empire that female artists were encouraged to contribute to literature. Krishnadevaraya, besides having dominion over peninsular India, patronised female writers and poets. According to Portuguese writer Ferno Nuniz, the women in the Vijayanagara Empire were experts in various fields, including : - Wrestling (skilled in martial arts) - Astrology (predicted celestial events) - Accounting (managed financial records) - Soothsaying (foretold the future based on signs and omens) So the correct answer is 1, 2, 3 and 4.
With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?
The correct sequence in ascending order of size for administrative divisions in medieval India is 1. Pargana 2. Sarkar 3. Suba Pargana: The smallest unit was the Pargana, which typically comprised a group of villages. It was the most basic level of administration. Sarkar: A group of Parganas formed a Sarkar, which can be understood as a district or province. Suba: The largest administrative division was the Suba, which encompassed several Sarkars. It was equivalent to a modern-day state or province.
Consider the following statements:
1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khawarezm 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 Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: In 1221, during the reign of Iltutmish, the Mongol leader Genghis Khan reached the banks of the Indus while pursuing Jalal-ad-Din Mangubarni, the crown prince of the Khwarazmian Empire. Iltutmish diplomatically refused to grant asylum to the prince, thereby saving the Delhi Sultanate from a direct Mongol invasion. Statement 2 is incorrect: Taimur (Timur) invaded India in 1398, which was during the reign of Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughlaq (the last ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty). Muhammad bin Tughluq had died much earlier, in 1351. Furthermore, while Taimur led the overall campaign, it was his grandson, Pir Muhammad, who occupied Multan before Taimur crossed the Indus to join the main force. Statement 3 is incorrect: Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Calicut (Kerala) in 1498. At this time, the Vijayanagara Empire was ruled by Immadi Narasimha Raya of the Saluva Dynasty. Deva Raya II, of the Sangama Dynasty, ruled earlier from 1422 to 1446 and had been dead for over 50 years by the time the Portuguese arrived.