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Assam HSLC Class 10 Elective History study materials
Assam HSLC Class 10 Elective History study resources

Assam HSLC Class 10 Elective History practice questions

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Question 1Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Indus Valley site of Lothal is best known for which of the following features?

  1. A massive stone gateway with carved pillars
  2. A circular fire altar used for Vedic sacrifices
  3. A dockyard linked to a tidal river channel Correct answer.
  4. A royal burial complex with gold masks

Explanation

Lothal, in coastal Gujarat, contained a large basin interpreted as a dockyard connected to the Sabarmati system, showing maritime trade with the Persian Gulf. The site also had a bead factory and a walled acropolis. The other features belong to different periods or are not attested there.

Question 2Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Which crop combination is most securely attested at Harappan sites such as Mohenjo-daro?

  1. Tea and cottonseed
  2. Maize and potato
  3. Barley and wheat Correct answer.
  4. Rice and millet

Explanation

Charred grains from Harappan levels show barley and wheat as staple cereals, with peas, sesame and cotton also present. Rice appears mainly in later or eastern contexts. Maize and potato are New World crops introduced long after.

Question 3Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Harappan script is described as undeciphered chiefly because

  1. the seals were all destroyed by later invaders
  2. it uses an alphabet of more than two hundred letters
  3. the script was written only on perishable palm leaf
  4. no bilingual text has been found and the signs are too few and short Correct answer.

Explanation

Inscriptions are short, often on seals, and no parallel text in a known language exists to anchor readings. Without a bilingual key, sign values remain uncertain. Claims of decipherment have not been accepted by specialists.

Question 4Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro is generally interpreted as evidence of

  1. a private bathroom of a single merchant family
  2. public ritual bathing within a planned citadel area Correct answer.
  3. a grain storage silo for the whole city
  4. a workshop for copper smelting

Explanation

The tank, with steps, bitumen lining and adjoining rooms, sits in the citadel and suggests collective ritual or purification use. Its scale and location point to public rather than domestic function. No industrial residue supports a workshop reading.

Question 5Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Which Vedic text is a collection of hymns addressed to deities and is the oldest of the four Vedas?

  1. Atharvaveda
  2. Rigveda Correct answer.
  3. Yajurveda
  4. Samaveda

Explanation

The Rigveda contains the family books of hymns to gods such as Agni and Indra and is regarded as the earliest Veda. The Samaveda draws melodies largely from Rigvedic verses, while the Yajurveda holds sacrificial formulas and the Atharvaveda spells and charms.

Question 6Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

In Rigvedic society the term 'sabha' most likely referred to

  1. a type of war chariot
  2. an assembly for deliberation and dispute settlement Correct answer.
  3. a unit of land measurement
  4. a tax collected in barley

Explanation

The sabha and samiti appear in the Rigveda as gatherings where matters were discussed, alongside the vidatha. They indicate collective decision-making among the elites of the period. They are not measures, taxes or vehicles.

Question 7Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Rigvedic term 'gavishthi' literally means

  1. a boundary marker of a village
  2. a hymn sung at dawn
  3. a gift given to priests
  4. a search for cows, used for battle Correct answer.

Explanation

Gavishthi combines 'go' (cow) with a root meaning to seek or strive, and is used in the Rigveda for armed conflict over cattle. Cattle were the principal measure of wealth in this period. The other meanings attach to different words.

Question 8Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The fourfold varna order is first systematically described in which text?

  1. The Arthashastra of Kautilya
  2. The Indica of Megasthenes
  3. The Purusha-sukta of the Rigveda Correct answer.
  4. The Rajatarangini of Kalhana

Explanation

The Purusha-sukta, in the tenth mandala of the Rigveda, presents the brahmana, rajanya, vaishya and shudra as emerging from the body of the primal being. This is the earliest clear statement of the fourfold order. The other works are far later or of different genre.

Question 9Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Which of the following was the capital of the Mauryan empire under Chandragupta and Ashoka?

  1. Taxila
  2. Kaushambi
  3. Ujjain
  4. Pataliputra Correct answer.

Explanation

Pataliputra, modern Patna, was the Mauryan capital on the Ganga and the seat of administration described by Megasthenes. Taxila, Ujjain and Kaushambi were important provincial or regional centres under Mauryan control but not the imperial capital.

Question 10Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Ashoka's Dhamma as presented in his edicts emphasised

  1. moral conduct, tolerance among sects and welfare measures Correct answer.
  2. the abolition of all trade with foreign kingdoms
  3. the conquest of new territories by military campaigns
  4. the exclusive performance of Vedic animal sacrifice

Explanation

The edicts stress respect for elders, generosity to brahmanas and shramanas, restraint in violence and welfare works such as wells and rest houses. Ashoka publicly regretted the Kalinga war, so further conquest is not the message. Dhamma was presented as a broad ethical code rather than a sectarian doctrine.

Question 11Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Mauryan official known as the 'rajuka' in Ashokan inscriptions was mainly responsible for

  1. minting silver punch-marked coins
  2. rural administration and revenue assessment Correct answer.
  3. performing state religious rituals
  4. commanding the imperial cavalry

Explanation

The rajuka, mentioned in the Major Rock Edicts, worked in the countryside, assessing revenue and promoting Dhamma among rural people. The office was a link between the central government and village-level society. Military command and minting were separate functions.

Question 12Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Which source provides the most detailed surviving description of Mauryan administration, including superintendents and espionage?

  1. The Harshacharita of Banabhatta
  2. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
  3. The Arthashastra attributed to Kautilya Correct answer.
  4. The Mudrarakshasa of Vishakhadatta

Explanation

The Arthashastra is a Sanskrit treatise on statecraft that discusses taxation, superintendents, spies and diplomacy, and is generally placed in the Mauryan or slightly later context. The other works are a drama, a trade manual and a royal biography of different periods.

Question 13Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Megasthenes, whose account of India survives in fragments, was sent to the Mauryan court as an ambassador of

  1. Ptolemy Philadelphus
  2. Antiochos the Great
  3. Alexander of Macedon
  4. Seleukos Nikator Correct answer.

Explanation

Megasthenes represented Seleukos Nikator, the Hellenistic ruler who concluded a treaty with Chandragupta Maurya. His Indica described Pataliputra, society and administration. Alexander had already left India before the Mauryan empire consolidated.

Question 14Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The decline of the Mauryan empire after Ashoka is often linked to

  1. the abandonment of Pataliputra in favour of Taxila
  2. financial strain, provincial revolts and the rise of new powers Correct answer.
  3. the total disappearance of iron technology
  4. a single decisive defeat by the Cholas

Explanation

Historians point to the heavy cost of administration and warfare, the difficulty of holding distant provinces, and the emergence of regional powers such as the Shungas and Indo-Greeks. No single cause is agreed. The Cholas were a southern power of later importance.

Question 15Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Gupta ruler Samudragupta's military achievements are chiefly known from

  1. the Junagadh rock inscription of Rudradaman
  2. the Aihole inscription of Ravikirti
  3. the Allahabad pillar inscription composed by Harishena Correct answer.
  4. the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela

Explanation

Harishena's panegyric on the Allahabad pillar lists Samudragupta's campaigns, including his southern expedition and the submission of frontier kings. It is a key source for Gupta political geography. The other inscriptions belong to different dynasties and centuries.

Question 16Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Chinese pilgrim who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II and left a detailed travel account was

  1. Faxian Correct answer.
  2. Huiyan
  3. Yijing
  4. Xuanzang

Explanation

Faxian travelled in India around 400-411 CE and described monasteries, pilgrimage sites and Gupta rule. Xuanzang came in the seventh century under Harsha, and Yijing later still. Their accounts are often confused, so the dates matter.

Question 17Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Gupta period is often called a classical age in Indian history mainly because of

  1. achievements in Sanskrit literature, mathematics, astronomy and temple art Correct answer.
  2. the creation of the first Indian empire covering the whole subcontinent
  3. the introduction of iron tools and horse riding
  4. the earliest use of stone inscriptions in India

Explanation

Kalidasa's poetry and drama, Aryabhata's astronomy, advances in mathematics and early stone temple architecture date to Gupta times. The label reflects cultural achievement, not political unification, which the Guptas did not fully achieve. Iron and inscriptions predate them.

Question 18Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Aryabhata, active in the Gupta era, is known for which contribution?

  1. Writing the earliest surviving Tamil poetry
  2. Codifying the laws of inheritance in Sanskrit
  3. Treating the earth as rotating on its axis and computing planetary positions Correct answer.
  4. Compiling the first Sanskrit grammar

Explanation

The Aryabhatiya explains eclipses and planetary motion and states that the earth rotates, while also giving methods for square and cube roots. It is a landmark of Indian mathematical astronomy. Grammar, Tamil poetry and legal codes belong to other authors.

Question 19Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The land grants recorded on copper plates in the Gupta period are historically significant because they

  1. prove that all land was owned by village assemblies
  2. record the abolition of the varna order
  3. show the growth of privileged landholders with revenue and judicial rights Correct answer.
  4. mark the beginning of coinage in India

Explanation

Copper-plate charters transferred villages or fields to brahmanas and officials along with revenue and sometimes judicial authority. They document the rise of intermediate landed groups and the decentralisation of power. They do not show communal ownership or the end of varna.

Question 20Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The earliest evidence of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent, at sites such as Mehrgarh, dates to about

  1. 1000 BCE
  2. 500 CE
  3. 7000 BCE Correct answer.
  4. 2500 BCE

Explanation

Mehrgarh in Baluchistan shows wheat and barley cultivation and animal domestication from roughly 7000 BCE, making it one of the earliest farming sites in South Asia. It predates the mature Harappan cities by several millennia. The other dates are too late for the earliest farming evidence.

Question 21Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Mesolithic rock shelters of Bhimbetka are important because they preserve

  1. the earliest iron smelting furnaces in India
  2. Ashokan edicts carved on the shelter walls
  3. a complete Harappan seal archive
  4. paintings depicting hunting, animals and communal dancing Correct answer.

Explanation

Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh contains paintings in natural pigments showing hunting scenes, animals and group dancing, along with occupation debris from the Stone Age onward. They are a key source for prehistoric life and art. Iron working and Harappan seals are not their significance.

Question 22Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Which statement best explains why the Harappan civilisation is described as urban rather than merely agricultural?

  1. It lacked any form of long-distance exchange
  2. Its settlements were all small seasonal camps
  3. It depended entirely on hunting and gathering
  4. It had planned streets, drainage, standardised bricks and specialised crafts Correct answer.

Explanation

Cities such as Mohenjo-daro show grid-like streets, covered drains, uniform brick ratios and evidence of specialised craft production and trade. These features distinguish urban centres from farming villages. Hunting and gathering and small camps describe earlier phases.

Question 23Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

In the later Vedic period the term 'jana' gave way in importance to 'janapada', which meant

  1. the territory where a people settled under a ruling lineage Correct answer.
  2. a hymn collection used in royal rituals
  3. a wandering band of pastoralists
  4. a tax paid to the king in cattle

Explanation

Janapada literally means the foothold of a people and denotes a settled territorial unit with a ruling clan, as in Panchala or Kuru. The shift from jana to janapada marks the growth of territorial states in the Ganga-Yamuna region. It is not a tax or a text.

Question 24Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The term 'maharaja-adhiraja' appearing on coins of the Gupta period is significant because it

  1. suggests claims of overlordship over lesser kings Correct answer.
  2. proves that the Guptas ruled all of South India
  3. indicates the end of monarchy in India
  4. records the abolition of land grants

Explanation

Titles such as maharaja-adhiraja, 'great king of kings', express a hierarchy in which the ruler claimed supremacy over subordinate rulers. They reflect political aspiration and the language of overlordship. They do not prove direct control of the far south or any end of monarchy.

Question 25Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Sudarshana lake at Girnar is mentioned in inscriptions because it was

  1. a battlefield of the Kalinga war
  2. a Buddhist monastery founded by Ashoka
  3. a reservoir repaired by officials under Chandragupta and later Rudradaman Correct answer.
  4. a Mauryan mint for silver coins

Explanation

The Junagadh rock inscription of Rudradaman records that the Sudarshana lake, originally built under Chandragupta Maurya, was repaired after storm damage. The same rock also carries an Ashokan edict. It was an irrigation reservoir, not a monastery, mint or battlefield.

Question 26Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Harappan site of Lothal is best known for which of the following features?

  1. A dockyard and warehouse complex Correct answer.
  2. A cemetery with royal burials
  3. A large granary and circular threshing floor
  4. A Great Bath and pillared hall

Explanation

Lothal, located in Gujarat, is widely interpreted as a port town with a basin that served as a dockyard and adjacent warehouse structures. Its location near the Gulf of Khambhat and its bead-making workshops support its identification as a centre of maritime trade. The Great Bath is characteristic of Mohenjo-daro, not Lothal.

Question 27Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Vedic term 'grihapati' most likely referred to which of the following?

  1. A royal chariot commander
  2. The head of a household Correct answer.
  3. A priest who officiated at soma sacrifices
  4. A wandering ascetic

Explanation

In the Rigvedic context, 'grihapati' denotes the master or head of a household, the senior male who controlled the domestic unit and its property. The term combines 'griha' (house) with 'pati' (lord or master). It is distinct from terms for priests or warriors.

Question 28Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Indus Valley script remains undeciphered. Which statement best explains why this undeciphered status limits historical reconstruction of Harappan society?

  1. Undeciphered scripts are always religious in content and therefore irrelevant to political history.
  2. The absence of a script means that Harappan people had no system of recording transactions or ideas.
  3. Without a deciphered script, inferences about Harappan political organisation and beliefs must rely on material remains rather than written records. Correct answer.
  4. Because the script is undeciphered, Harappan seals cannot be used to study trade networks.

Explanation

Historians reconstruct Harappan society primarily from archaeology because the script has not been read. Material evidence such as seals, weights, drains, and granaries supports inferences about craft, trade, and civic planning, but not about named rulers, laws, or religious doctrines. A script's undeciphered status does not imply that no writing system existed.

Question 29Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

In the Mauryan administrative system, the term 'pradeshika' most likely denoted which of the following?

  1. A superintendent of mines
  2. A village headman
  3. A district-level official Correct answer.
  4. A provincial governor of royal blood

Explanation

Ashokan inscriptions and the Arthashastra indicate a hierarchy of territorial officials. The 'pradeshika' appears as a district-level officer below the provincial governors (kumara or aryaputra) and above village-level functionaries. The term is connected with 'pradesha', a district or locality.

Question 30Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Gupta ruler Skandagupta is chiefly remembered for which of the following?

  1. Composing the Allahabad Pillar inscription
  2. Founding the Nalanda monastic university
  3. Leading a naval expedition to Southeast Asia
  4. Repelling Huna invasions and restoring Gupta power Correct answer.

Explanation

Skandagupta's inscriptions, including the Junagadh rock inscription, record his successful resistance to Huna (Alchon Hun) incursions and his efforts to stabilise the empire during a period of external pressure. His reign is often seen as a temporary recovery before the later decline of Gupta authority. The Allahabad Pillar inscription belongs to Samudragupta.

Question 31Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Gupta gold coins called 'dinaras' are historically significant primarily because they

  1. Circulated only within the Gupta capital city
  2. Provide evidence of the Gupta rulers' claims to titles, religious affiliations, and military achievements through their legends and iconography Correct answer.
  3. Were made of silver and used mainly for local barter
  4. Were the first coins minted in the Indian subcontinent

Explanation

Gupta dinaras carry legends naming the ruler and sometimes his titles, while their types depict scenes such as the king with a bow, a lion-slayer, or a veena player. These details offer evidence for royal self-presentation, religious patronage, and the imagery of kingship. They are not the earliest coins in India, since punch-marked coins are earlier.

Question 32Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The term 'brahmadeya' in early medieval Indian inscriptions refers to which of the following?

  1. A ritual performed by Brahmin priests for kings
  2. A tax on Brahmin households
  3. A council of Brahmin priests at the royal court
  4. Land granted to Brahmins Correct answer.

Explanation

Brahmadeya denotes land donated to Brahmin individuals or groups, often recorded on copper-plate charters. Such grants frequently carried exemptions from certain taxes and transferred rights over the produce of the land. The term is central to debates about the growth of landed intermediaries in early medieval India.

Question 33Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

Which of the following best explains why the term 'janapada' came to supersede 'jana' in the later Vedic period?

  1. It referred to the pastoral movement of cattle-herding groups across the plains.
  2. It denoted the priestly class that performed sacrifices for the kings.
  3. It reflected the territorial consolidation of tribes into settled regions with defined boundaries and political centres. Correct answer.
  4. It was a term used exclusively for the assemblies of the Rigvedic period.

Explanation

In the later Vedic texts, 'janapada' literally means the place where a jana settles, indicating a shift from tribal identity to territorial identity. This shift is associated with the growth of agriculture, the emergence of fortified settlements, and the formation of states in regions such as Kuru-Panchala and Kosala-Videha. The change in terminology thus reflects broader political and economic transformations.

Question 34Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Ashokan edicts that address the 'samgha' (Buddhist monastic community) are historically important because they

  1. Record the construction of the Sudarshana lake by Chandragupta Maurya
  2. Show the Mauryan state communicating directly with a religious order and seeking to regulate its affairs Correct answer.
  3. Describe the administrative system of the Mauryan empire in exhaustive detail
  4. Prove that Ashoka abolished the death penalty throughout the empire

Explanation

Several Ashokan inscriptions are addressed to the samgha, and some record royal concern about schism within the Buddhist order. These edicts provide evidence that the Mauryan state engaged directly with monastic institutions and sought to influence their cohesion. They do not constitute a comprehensive administrative manual or a record of the Sudarshana lake.

Question 35Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Bhirrana and Kunal sites in Haryana are significant for the study of the Indus Valley tradition because they

  1. Provide evidence of early phases preceding the mature Harappan urban period Correct answer.
  2. Contain the only known Harappan dockyard
  3. Contain royal tombs with gold masks
  4. Yield the largest collection of Harappan seals

Explanation

Bhirrana and Kunal have yielded cultural sequences that include pre-Harappan and early Harappan phases, helping scholars understand the development of the Indus tradition before the mature urban phase. Their importance lies in the evidence they provide for continuity and change in the region. They are not known for dockyards, royal tombs, or the largest seal collections.

Question 36Ancient and Early Medieval India (prehistory, Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, early state formation)

The Rigvedic term 'gavishthi' is best understood as referring to which of the following?

  1. A type of chariot used in battle
  2. A desire for cattle or a cattle raid Correct answer.
  3. A measure of grain
  4. A hymn sung at the soma sacrifice

Explanation

The term 'gavishthi' is derived from 'go' (cow) and is used in the Rigveda in contexts of seeking or fighting for cattle. It reflects the centrality of cattle in Rigvedic economy and warfare. It does not denote a ritual hymn, a chariot type, or a grain measure.

Question 37Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Who founded the Delhi Sultanate's Mamluk (Slave) dynasty in 1206 CE after Muhammad of Ghor's death?

  1. Raziyya Sultan
  2. Iltutmish
  3. Balban
  4. Qutb al-Din Aibak Correct answer.

Explanation

Qutb al-Din Aibak, a former slave commander of Muhammad of Ghor, took control of the Ghurid territories in India and ruled from Lahore, founding the Mamluk dynasty in 1206. Iltutmish was his successor, not the founder.

Question 38Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

The Khalji ruler Alauddin Khalji is best remembered for which set of economic and military measures?

  1. Granting jagirs to nobles in exchange for troops
  2. Abolition of the jizya and disbanding of the army
  3. Market price controls and a large standing army paid in cash Correct answer.
  4. Introduction of the mansabdari system

Explanation

Alauddin Khalji fixed prices of essential goods in Delhi, set up regulated markets and a spy network, and maintained a large standing army paid in cash rather than through land grants. These measures were designed to keep the army loyal and the nobility weak.

Question 39Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Muhammad bin Tughluq's decision to transfer the capital from Delhi to which city proved a costly failure?

  1. Fatehpur Sikri
  2. Agra
  3. Daulatabad (Devagiri) Correct answer.
  4. Lahore

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughluq shifted the capital to Daulatabad, formerly Devagiri in the Deccan, around 1327, hoping to control the south better. The forced migration caused hardship and the move was largely reversed, making it a classic example of a failed experiment.

Question 40Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

The Vijayanagara empire's founding in 1336 is traditionally associated with which pair of brothers?

  1. Harihara and Bukka Correct answer.
  2. Rama Raya and Tirumala
  3. Krishnadevaraya and Achyutaraya
  4. Devaraya I and Devaraya II

Explanation

Harihara I and Bukka I are credited with founding Vijayanagara in 1336 on the Tungabhadra river, initially as a chieftaincy that grew into a major empire. Later rulers such as Krishnadevaraya expanded it greatly.

Question 41Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

The battle of Talikota in 1565 resulted in which outcome for Vijayanagara?

  1. The establishment of Portuguese rule over the empire
  2. A victory that extended Vijayanagara control to the Deccan sultanates
  3. A decisive defeat that led to the abandonment of the capital and the empire's decline Correct answer.
  4. The conversion of the empire to Islam

Explanation

At Talikota (Rakshasa-Tangadi) in 1565, the allied Deccan sultanates defeated Vijayanagara's forces and killed Rama Raya. The capital was sacked and abandoned, and although a reduced empire survived, it never recovered its former power.

Question 42Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara is known as the author of which Telugu work?

  1. Rajatarangini
  2. Amuktamalyada Correct answer.
  3. Padmavat
  4. Baburnama

Explanation

Krishnadevaraya, a great patron of Telugu and Sanskrit literature, composed the Amuktamalyada, a Telugu poem on the devotion of Andal. The other works listed belong to different authors and periods.

Question 43Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

The First Battle of Panipat in 1526 established Mughal power in India by defeating which ruler?

  1. Ibrahim Lodi Correct answer.
  2. Sher Shah Suri
  3. Rana Sanga
  4. Hemu

Explanation

Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last sultan of the Lodi dynasty, at Panipat in 1526 using field artillery and the tulughma flanking tactic. This victory ended the Delhi Sultanate and founded the Mughal empire.

Question 44Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Which Mughal emperor introduced the mansabdari system as a graded ranking of officials?

  1. Babur
  2. Shah Jahan
  3. Akbar Correct answer.
  4. Humayun

Explanation

Akbar systematised the mansabdari system, grading nobles by the number of cavalrymen they were expected to maintain (zat and sawar ranks). It became the backbone of Mughal administration and military organisation.

Question 45Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Akbar's policy of sulh-i kul, often translated as 'universal peace', was most clearly expressed in which initiative?

  1. The Ibadat Khana discussions and the Din-i Ilahi Correct answer.
  2. The reimposition of the jizya on all non-Muslims
  3. The construction of the Buland Darwaza
  4. The conquest of Bengal

Explanation

Akbar built the Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri for inter-faith debate and later promulgated the Din-i Ilahi, a syncretic order of loyalty. These reflected sulh-i kul, a policy of tolerance and conciliation towards all religious communities.

Question 46Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya in 1679. What was the jizya?

  1. A tax levied on non-Muslim subjects in lieu of military service Correct answer.
  2. A land revenue tax paid only by Mughal nobles
  3. A religious tithe collected from Muslims
  4. A customs duty on foreign merchants

Explanation

The jizya was a poll tax traditionally imposed on non-Muslim subjects (dhimmis) in an Islamic state, in return for protection and exemption from certain obligations. Aurangzeb's reimposition of it in 1679 marked a shift towards a more orthodox policy.

Question 47Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Shivaji's administration included a council of eight ministers known as the Ashta Pradhan. Which minister handled foreign affairs and correspondence?

  1. The Sachiv Correct answer.
  2. The Senapati
  3. The Nyayadhish
  4. The Peshwa

Explanation

In Shivaji's Ashta Pradhan, the Sachiv was responsible for royal correspondence and foreign affairs, while the Peshwa was the prime minister. The Senapati commanded the army and the Nyayadhish dispensed justice.

Question 48Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

The Bhakti saint Basavanna founded which tradition in the twelfth century?

  1. Chishti silsila in Ajmer
  2. Lingayat or Virashaiva movement in Karnataka Correct answer.
  3. Sikh Khalsa in Punjab
  4. Vaishnava Alvar tradition in Tamil Nadu

Explanation

Basavanna, a minister in the Kalachuri court, led the Virashaiva or Lingayat movement in Karnataka, rejecting caste hierarchy and temple ritual in favour of personal devotion to Shiva. The movement used Kannada vachana poetry to spread its ideas.

Question 49Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Which Chishti Sufi saint settled at Ajmer and is venerated as the founder of the Chishti order in India?

  1. Nizamuddin Auliya
  2. Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti Correct answer.
  3. Shaikh Salim Chishti
  4. Baba Farid

Explanation

Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti arrived in India in the late twelfth century and settled at Ajmer, where his dargah became a major pilgrimage centre. The Chishti order spread through his successors across northern India.

Question 50Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara, Mughals, regional kingdoms, Bhakti and Sufi movements)

Guru Nanak's teachings, which form the basis of Sikhism, emphasised which central idea?

  1. Strict observance of Vedic sacrifice performed by Brahmins
  2. Worship of the one formless God through devotion and honest living Correct answer.
  3. Renunciation of the world through extreme asceticism
  4. Exclusive reliance on pilgrimage to Mecca

Explanation

Guru Nanak taught the oneness of God (Ik Onkar), the rejection of ritualism and caste distinctions, and the value of nam simaran, honest labour and sharing with others. His verses are preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib.