1.


The Indus Valley Civilization was famous for
(a) Well-planned cities
(b) Efficient civil organization
(c) Development of Art and Architecture
(d) All of these


Answers: (d)

2.


The Red Fort of Delhi was built by
(a) Akbar
(b) Shahjehan
(c) Jahangir
(d) Sher Shah


Answers: (b)

3.


The Sarvodaya Movement was started by
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Jayprakash Narayan
(c) Vinoba Bhave
(d) Datta Dharmodhikari


Answers: (c)

4.


The Simon Commission was appointed in
(a) 1927
(b) 1928
(c) 1929
(d) 1930


Answers: (c)

5.


The term socialist was added in the Preamble by the...amendment
(a) 40th
(b) 42nd
(c) 44th
(d) 49th


Answers: (b)

6.


What was the only permanent effect of hte invasions of Mahmud Ghaznavi?
(a) Control over Western India
(b) Control over Kashmir
(c) Annexation of Punjab
(d) Acceptance of subordinate position by rulers of North India


Answers: (c)

7.


What was the real name of Chanakya?
(a) Kautilya
(b) Bishnu Gupta
(c) Ramtanu Mishra
(d) None of these


Answers: (b)

8.


What were the districts called in the Vijayanagar Empire?
(a) Nadu
(b) Khurram
(c) Kottam
(d) Janpad


Answers: (c)

9.


When did Vasco-da-Gama come to India
(a) 1492
(b) 1498
(c) 1398
(d) 1542


Answers: (b)

10.


When the fully developed splendid form of temple architecture emerged in India?
(a) First century B. C.
(b) Fourth century B. C.
(c) Sixth century A. D.
(d) Eight century A. D.


Answers: (d)

11.


When was Burma separated from India
(a) 1947
(b) 1942
(c) 1937
(c) 1932


Answers: (c)

12.


Where did Rigvedic Aryans live in India?
(a) Northern India
(b) All over India
(c) Eastern part of India
(d) Sapta Sindhu area


Answers: (d)

13.


Which of the following was the most significant feature of the Indus Valley Civilization?
(a) Economic System
(b) Religious life
(c) Town Planning
(d) Social life


Answers: (c)

14.


Which one of the following began with the Dandi March? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Home rule Movement
(b) Non-Cooperation Movement
(c) Civil disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement


Answers: (c)

15.


Which one of the following settlements comprised Zamindar as middleman to collect the land revenue?
(a) Mahalwari Settlement
(b) Ryotwari Settlement
(c) Permanent Settlement
(d) None of the above


Answers: (c)

16.


Which ruler went to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism
(a) Ashoka
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Sanghamitra
(d) Chitragupta


Answers: (c)

17.


Which was the first National News Agency of India?
(a) The Indian Review
(b) The Free Press of India
(c) The Associated Press of India
(d) None of the above


Answers: (c)

18.


Who among the following had the longest tenure as the Prime Minister of India?
(a) Morarji Desai
(b) Charan Singh
(c) V. P. Singh
(d) Lal Bahadur Shastri


Answers: (a)

19.


Who amongst the following is regarded as the historical founder of Jainism?
(a) Mahavira
(b) Sisunaga
(c) Rishabha
(d) Gautama


Answers: (a)

20.


Who gave the slogan "You give me blood, I promise you freedom"?
(a) Bhagat Singh
(b) Chandra Shekhar Azad
(c) Subhash Chandra Bose
(d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak


Answers: (d)

21.


Who is the founder of Mahabalipuram?
(a) Rajaraja Chola
(b) Mahendra Varman
(c) Narsimha Varman
(d) Narsimha Chola


Answers: (c)

22.


Who is the founder of the Capital city of Agra?
(a) Akbar
(b) Babar
(c) Sikinder Lodi
(d) Mubarak Shah Sayyad


Answers: (c)

23.


Who of the following kings was an ardent follower of Jainism?
(a) Bimbisara
(b) Mahapadma Nanda
(c) Kharavela
(d) Pulakesin - II


Answers: (c)

24.


Who of the following Prime Ministers sent Cripps Mission to India? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) James Ramsay MacDonald
(b) Stanley Baldwin
(c) Neville Chamberlain
(d) Winston Churchill


Answers: (d)

25.


Who was the first Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Calcutta?
(a) Hyde
(b) Elijah Impey
(c) Lemaistre
(d) Monson


Answers: (b)

26.


Who was the founder of All India Muslim League?
(a) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
(b) Nawab Saleem Ullah Khan
(c) Liyaqat Ali Khan
(d) Mohammad Ali Jinnah


Answers: (b)

27.


Why Indian kings were called the kings of wisdom?
(a) Because of their interest in yoga
(b) Because of their interest in Poetry
(c) Because of their interest in sciences
(d) Because of all the above


Answers: (c)

28.


With which one of the following movements is the slogan "Do or die" associated? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Swadeshi Movement
(b) Non-Cooperation Movement
(c) Civil Disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement


Answers: (d)

29.


Who was Francisco De Almeida?
(a) Dutch Viceroy in India
(b) Portuguese Viceroy in India
(c) French Viceroy in India
(d) English Viceroy in India


Answers: (b)

30.


With whose permission did the English set up their first factory in Surat? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Aurangzeb
Answers: (b)


1.


Among the following, which Mughal Emperor introduced the policy of Sulh-i-kul?
(a) Babar
(b) Humayun
(c) Akbar
(d) Shahjahan


Answers: (c)

2.


Among the following, who is given the credit of carrying Jainism in South India?
(a) Sudharmana
(b) Indrabhuti
(c) Bhadrabahu
(d) Sthulabhadra


Answers: (c)


1.


By which of the following Acts were the Commercial Rights of East India Company abolished?
(a) Regulating Act of 1773
(b) Charter Act of 1813
(c) Charter Act of 1833
(d) Charter Act of 1853


Answer: (c)

2.


Among the following Presidents of India, who was also the Secretary General of Non-Aligned Movement for some period? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(b) Varahagiri Venkatagiri
(c) Giani Zail Singh
(d) Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma


Answer: (c)

3.


Anekantavada is a core theory and philosophy of which one of the following? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Buddhism
(b) Jainism
(c) Sikhism
(d) Vaishnavism


Answer: (b)

4.


In the context of the Indian freedom struggle, 16th October 1905 is well known for which one of the following reasons? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) The formal proclamation of Swadeshi Movement was made in Calcutta town hall
(b) Partition of Bengal took effect
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji declared that the goal of India National Congress was Swaraj
(d) Lokmanya Tilak started Swadeshi Movement in Poona


Answer: (b)

5.


Azad Hind Fauj was founded in 1943 in
(a) Mandalay
(b) Singapore
(c) Midnapore
(d) Kuala Lumpur


Answer: (b)

6.


Chandragupta Maurya built the first great empire in India with the help of
(a) Mahapadmananda
(b) Bindusara
(c) Seleucus
(d) Kautilya


Answer: (d)

7.


Consider the following statements:
The Cripps Proposals include the provision for
1. Full independence for India.
2. Creation of Constitution-making body.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2


Answer: (b)

8.


Consider the following statements:
1. The discussions in the Third Round Table Conference eventually led to the passing of the Government of India Act of 1935
2. The government of India Act of 1935 provided for the establishment of an All India Federation to be based on a Union of the provinces of British India and the Princely States.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2


Answer: (c)

9.


Consider the following statements:
1. The first telegraph line in India was laid between Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and Diamond Harbour.
2. The first Export processing zone in India was set up in Kandla.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2


Answer: (c)

10.


Consider the following statements:
1. The Cholas defeated Pandya and Chera rulers and established their domination over peninsular India in the early medieval times.
2. The Cholas sent an expedition against Sailendra empire of South East Asia and conquered some of the areas.
Which of these statements is/are correct? [UPSC 2003]
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 & 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2


Answer: (c)

11.


During indian freedom struggle, which one of the following happened earlist?
(a) Simon Commission
(b) Gaya Session of Congress
(c) Tripuri Session of congress
(d) Gandhi-Irwin Pact


Answer: (a)

12.


During the freedom struggle, Aruna Asaf Ali was a major woman organizer of underground activity in [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Civil Disobedience Movement
(b) Non-Cooperation Movement
(c) Quit India Movement
(d) Swadeshi Movement


Answer: (c)

13.


During the Indian Freedom Struggle, why did Rowlatt Act arouse popular indignation? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) It curtailed the freedom of religion.
(b) it suppressed the Indian traditional education
(c) it authorized the government to imprison people without trial
(d) it curbed the trade union activities


Answer: (c)

14.


During whose Governor Generalship the Maratha confederacy ended?
(a) Wellesley
(b) Cornwallis
(c) Lord Hastings
(d) Dalhousie


Answer: (c)

15.


From which one of the following did Kosovo declare its independence?
(a) Bulgaria
(b) Croatia
(c) Macedonia
(d) Serbia


Answer: (d)

16.


From which period large scale land grants were given to officers and other importanr person?
(a) Mauryan period
(b) Kushan age
(c) Harsha's Administration
(d) Gupta period


Answer: (d)

17.


Gandhiji started Satyagraha in 1919 to protest against the
(a) Rowlatt Act
(b) Salt Law
(c) Act of 1909
(d) Jallianwala Bagh Messacre


Answer: (a)

18.


Historians are of the view that the British signed the Treaty of Bassien (1802) with a 'Cypher'. Who was this 'Cypher'?
(a) Baji Rao II
(b) Raghunath Rao
(c) Nana Phadanvis
(d) Daulat Rao Sindhia


Answer: (a)

19.


How did Hiuen Tsang undertake journey from and to India?
(a) He came by land route and also returned by land route
(b) He came by land route but returned by sea route
(c) He came by sea route and returned by land route
(d) He came by sea route and also returned by sea route


Answer: (a)

20.


How did Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak die?
(a) He was treacherously stabled to death by one of his ambitious nobles
(b) He was killed in a battle with Taj-u-din Yildiz, the rular of Ghazni who entered into a contest with him over the capture of Punjab
(c) He sustained injuries while besieging the fortress of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand and succumbed to death later
(d) He died after a fall from his horse while playing Chaugan


Answer: (d)

21.


How many times the preamble was amended
(a) once
(b) twice
(c) thrice
(d) four times


Answer: (a)

22.


In 305 BC, which Maurya ruler defeated Alexander's general Seleucus Nicator and received the territories of Kabul and Balochistan?
(a) Bindusara
(b) Ashok the Great
(c) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) Dasharatha Maurya


Answer: (c)

23.


In collaboration with Dravid hare and Alexander Duff, who of the following established Hindu College at Calcutta? [UPSC 2009(CS-P)]
(a) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
(b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(c) Keshab Chandra Sen
(d) Raja Rammohan Roy


Answer: (d)

24.


In his autobiography, Babur has given less details about which of the following?
(a) Description of Nature
(b) Scoial life and the pattern of the life of people
(c) Wars
(d) Political condition of India


Answer: (c)

25.


Aryabhatta and Varahamihira belong to which age?
(a) Guptas
(b) Cholas
(c) Mauryas
(d) Mughals


Answer: (a)

26.


In which Governor-General’s reign railway lines in India were established?
(a) Lord William Bentick
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Kenning
(d) Lord Dalhousie


Answer: (d)

27.


Mahamastakabhisheka, a great religious event, is associated with and done for who of the following?
(a) Bahubali
(b) Buddha
(c) Mahavir
(d) Nataraja


Answer: (a)

28.


Mahatma Gandhi was born in
(a) Wardha
(b) Porbander
(c) Sabarmati
(d) Ahmedabad


Answer: (b)

29.


Mention the most important social issue taken up by Ghandhiji for reforms
(a) Religion
(b) Cast
(c) Women's status
(d) Orthodoxy in Hinduism


Answer: (b)

30.


Panini, the first Grammarian of Sanskrit language in India, lived during the:
(a) 2nd Century B. C.
(b) 6th -5th Century B. C.
(c) 2nd Century A. D.
(d) 5th-6th Century A. D.


Answer: (b)

31.


Sikkim became a full fledged state of the Indian Union, in the year?
(a) 1972
(b) 1973
(c) 1974
(d) 1975


Answer: (d)

32.


Sir Thomas Rose visited the court of
(a) Akbar
(b) Jehangir
(c) Shajahan
(d) Aurangazeeb


Answer: (b)

33.


Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah was the contemporary of
(a) Akbar
(b) Aurangzeb
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Muhammad Shah


Answer: (d)

34.


Temple architecture was most developed under
(a) Rastrakutas
(b) Pallavas
(c) Pandyas
(d) Cheras


Answer: (b)

35.


The ancient kingdom of "Avanti" had its capital at
(a) Vaishali
(b) Kausambi
(c) Ujjain
(d) Ayodhya


Answer: (c)

36.


The ancient name of the city of Patna is
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Kanauj
(c) Kausambi
(d) Kapilavastu


Answer: (a)

37.


The battle at Waihind in 1008-09 A.D was fought between
(a) Mahmud of Ghazni and Jayapala
(b) Mahmud of Ghazni and Anandapala
(c) Muhammad Ghori and Prithviraj
(d) Muhammad Ghori and Jaichandra


Answer: (b)

38.


The battle of Dharmat was fought between
(a) Muhammad Gori and Jai Chand
(b) Babar and the Afghans
(c) Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh
(d) Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Maratha


Answer: (c)

39.


The battle that was fought between Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Marathas in 1761 was
(a) 2nd battle of Panipat
(b) 1st battle of Panipat
(c) 3rd battle of Panipat
(d) the battle of Tarain


Answer: (c)

40.


The Britishers come to India as traders and formed company named
(a) Indo-British Company
(b) The Great Britain Company
(c) Eastern India Company
(d) East India Company


Answer: (d)

41.


The depiction of the stones of the previous lives of Gautama Buddha was first done in the art of
(a) Sarnath Pillar of Asoka
(b) Bharhut Stupa
(c) Ajanta Caves
(d) Ellora Caves


Answer: (b)

42.


The earliest known Indian script is
(a) Mori
(b) Devanagari
(c) Brahmi
(d) Kharosti


Answer: (c)

43.


The earliest movement which took up the cause of lower cast against Brahmana domination was
(a) Nair Service Society
(b) Satya Shodak Society
(c) Mahajan Sangam
(d) Vokkaliga Sangha


Answer: (b)

44.


The earliest Veda is the
(a) Rigveda
(b) Yajurveda
(c) Samveda
(d) Atharvaveda


Answer: (a)

45.


The era which is counted from 78 A.D. is the
(a) Vikram era
(b) Kollam era
(c) Saka era
(d) Salivahana era


Answer: (c)

46.


The foreign traveler who visited India during the rule of the Guptas was
(a) Hiuen Tsang
(b) Beriner
(c) Fa-Hein
(d) Manucci


Answer: (c)

47.


The Gandhara school of Art was influenced most by the
(a) Greeks
(b) Shakas
(c) persians
(d) Kushans


Answer: (a)

48.


The General who gave the firing order at Jallianwala Bag was
(a) Tegart
(b) Cornwallis
(c) Simpson
(d) O. Dwyer


Answer: (d)

49.


The Indian ruler known as the Napoleon of Indian was
(a) Samudragupta
(b) Ashoka
(c) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) None of the above


Answer: (a)

50.


The Indus religion did not include the worship of
(a) Forces of Nature
(b) Mother Goddess
(c) Certain animal chimeras and their anthropic figure
(d) Trees and their spirits


Answer: (a)
3.


Amongst the following, who cooperated with Raja Ram Mohan Roy in the implementation of his educational programmes?
(a) Dwarkanath Tagore
(b) David Hare
(c) Henri Derozio
(d) William Jones


Answers: (b)

4.


Consider the following statement :
1. Jainism in ancient India condemned the varna system.
2. Jain religious literature was written in Ardhamgadhi.
3. Mahavira admitted women into the order of his follows.
Which if these statement is/are correct?
(a) all of the above
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) only 3


Answers: (b)

5.


During the Mughal period, which one of the following trades were the first to come to India?
(a) Portuguese
(b) Dutch
(c) Danish
(d) English


Answers: (a)

6.


Malik Kafur was whose General?
(a) Balban
(b) Ala-ud-din khilji
(c) Muhammad bin Tughluq
(d) Firoz Shah Tughluq


Answers: (b)

7.


The aim of education as stated by the Wood's despatch of 1854 was
(a) the creation of employment opportunity for native Indians
(b) the spread of western culture in India
(c) the promotion of literacy among the people using English medium of language
(d) the introduction of scientific research and rationalism in the traditional Indian education


Answers: (b)

8.


The Chinese pilgrim Fa – Hien visited India during the reign of
(a) Kanishka
(b) Chandragupta I
(c) Chandragupta II
(d) Harshavardhana


Answers: (c)

9.


The Sun Temple of Konark was built by Narasimhadeva I. To which dynasty did he belong to?
(a) Somavamsi dynasty
(b) Eastern Ganga dynasty
(c) Suryavamsi Gajapati dynasty
(d) Bhoi dynasty


Answers: (b)

10.


What is the correct chronological order in which the following kings ruled in India?
1. Bimbisara
2. Mahapadma Nanda
3. Kanishka I
4. Skandagupta
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Code:
(a) 1-2-3- 4
(b) 4-3-2-1
(c) 2-3-4-1
(d) 3-1-4-2


Answers: (a)

11.


What was the main difference between the Indus Valley Civilization and Vedic Civilization?
(a) Indus Valley Civilization was urban, while the Vedic Civilization was rural.
(b) "Pipal" tree was worshiped in Indus Valley Civilization, while "Burgad" tree was worshiped in Vedic Civilization.
(c) The main emphasis in Indus Valley Civilization was on trade while in the Vedic Age was on religion.
(d) Indus Valley Civilization believed in non-violence while Vedic Civilization had no hard and fast rules about violence.


Answers: (a)

12.


What was the reason or ground for the British Empire to annex Sambalpur in 1850?
(a) Lack of proper governance
(b) Death of its ruler without any heir
(c) Subsidiary Alliance
(d) Its involvement in a conspiracy against British Rule


Answers: (b)

13.


What were the ahdis of Akbar’s time?
(a) Village level money-lenders
(b) Village guards
(c) Cashiers working in diwani
(d) Foot-soldiers in the army


Answers: (b)

14.


Where did Buddha die?
(a) Lumbini
(b) Kusinagara
(c) Pavapuri
(d) Magadha


Answers: (b)

15.


Which is the most accepted date of the composition of the Rigveda?
(a) 1500 BC
(b) 1500 BC to 1000 BC
(c) 1000 BC
(d) About 4500 BC


Answers: (b)

16.


Which of the following is associated with Lord Wellesley, the Governor General of India from 1798 to 1805?
(a) Doctrine of Lapse
(b) Subsidiary Alliance
(c) First Mysore War
(d) Conquest of Rajputana


Answers: (b)

17.


Which of the following kings of ancient India embraced Jainism and became a Sanyasi?
(a) Bimbisara
(b) Chandra Gupta Maurya
(c) Pushyamitra
(d) Harsha


Answers: (b)

18.


Which of the following was the court language during the reign of Akbar?
(a) Hindi
(b) Urdu
(c) Persian
(d) Arabic


Answers: (c)

19.


Which one of the following is correctly matched?
(a) Second Battle of Panipat - Akbar and Ibrahim Lodi
(b) Battle of Khanwa - Akbar and Rana Sanga
(c) Battle of Chausa - Humayun and Sher Shah
(d) First battle of Tarian - Mahmud Ghaznavi and Prithviraj Chauhan


Answers: (c)

20.


Which one of the following is not a feature of North Indian temple Architecture?
(a) Sikhara
(b) Garbha Griba
(c) Gopura
(d) Pradakshina


Answers: (c)

21.


Which one the following kingdoms was founded by Raja Odeyar?
(a) Tanjore
(b) Jinji
(c) Mysore
(d) Madura


Answers: (c)

22.


Which Philosophical system was founded by Vallabhacharya?
(a) Maharashtra Dharma
(b)Shuddhadvaita
(c) Anekantavada
(d) Visistadvaita


Answers: (b)

23.


Whichone of the following newspaper was launched by Motilal Nehru?
(a) Leader
(b) The Independent
(c) Hindustan Times
(d) National Herald


Answers: (b)

24.


Who among the following Indian freedom fighters made an attempt to estimate the per capital income of India?
(a) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(b) Feroze Shah Mehta
(c) Surendranath Banerjee
(d) Dadabhai Naorji


Answers: (d)

25.


Who among the following was appointed by Ashoka to administer justice in his empire?
(a) Shramana
(b) Uparika
(c) Rajuka
(d) Kumaramatya


Answers: (c)

26.


Who built the Ibadatkhana at Fatehpur Sikri?
(a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan
(d) Auranangzeb


Answers: (a)

27.


Who compared the Dandi March to Napoleon's March to Paris on his return from Elba?
(a) Dadabhai Naoroji
(b) Lala Lajpat Rai
(c) Subhash Chandra Bose
(d) B.G. Tilak


Answers: (c)

28.


Who had demarcated the border-line between India and Pakistan?
(a) McMohan
(b) Lord Durand
(c) Redcliffe
(d) None of these


Answers: (c)

29.


Who propounded the Saptanga Theory?
(a) Manu
(b) Charaka
(c) Kautilya
(d) Tulsidas


Answers: (c)

30


Who put an end to the system of Dual Government in Bengal?
(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Clive
(c) Regulating Act
(d) British Parliament