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KSEAB II PUC History practice questions

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Question 1Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Great Bath of the Indus Valley Civilization was discovered at which site?

  1. Kalibangan
  2. Lothal
  3. Mohenjo-daro Correct answer.
  4. Harappa

Explanation

The Great Bath is a large brick-lined tank at Mohenjo-daro, part of the citadel mound, and is generally interpreted as a structure linked to ritual purification. It is the best-known example of civic architecture from the Harappan period.

Question 2Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which Harappan site is best known for a large brick structure interpreted as a dockyard?

  1. Dholavira
  2. Lothal Correct answer.
  3. Chanhudaro
  4. Banawali

Explanation

Lothal in Gujarat contains a large rectangular basin with inlet and outlet channels, widely interpreted as a dockyard linking the settlement to the Sabarmati system and maritime trade. The site also yielded a bead-making workshop and seals.

Question 3Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Harappan script is generally described as which of the following?

  1. Alphabetic with about twenty-two letters
  2. Deciphered through bilingual seals
  3. Derived from the Brahmi script
  4. Logo-syllabic and still undeciphered Correct answer.

Explanation

Harappan writing appears on seals, pottery and copper tablets in short strings of signs, and scholars treat it as logo-syllabic or logo-phonetic. No bilingual text exists, so the script remains undeciphered.

Question 4Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which metal was NOT commonly used by the Harappans?

  1. Gold
  2. Bronze
  3. Iron Correct answer.
  4. Copper

Explanation

The Harappans worked copper, bronze, gold and silver but had no knowledge of iron smelting; iron appears in the subcontinent only in the later Vedic period. Their material culture is therefore classed as Chalcolithic or Bronze Age.

Question 5Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Harappan site of Dholavira is located in which modern Indian state?

  1. Haryana
  2. Rajasthan
  3. Gujarat Correct answer.
  4. Punjab

Explanation

Dholavira lies on Khadir Bet in the Kutch district of Gujarat and is noted for three-part town planning, elaborate stone reservoirs and a large signboard. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

Question 6Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which of the following best describes the layout of a typical Harappan city?

  1. A circular settlement around a central temple
  2. A single mound with a palace at its centre
  3. A citadel and a lower town divided by a grid of streets Correct answer.
  4. A riverside village without planned streets

Explanation

Most large Harappan settlements show two parts, a raised citadel and a lower town, with streets laid out on a grid and houses built of standardised burnt bricks. This planned, standardised layout is a defining feature of the civilization.

Question 7Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Rigveda is divided into how many mandalas?

  1. Eight
  2. Twelve
  3. Twenty-four
  4. Ten Correct answer.

Explanation

The Rigveda contains ten mandalas, with the second to seventh being the oldest family books and the first and tenth generally later additions. Mandala ten includes the Purusha Sukta.

Question 8Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which Vedic text is a collection of melodies and is closely associated with the Soma ritual?

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

Explanation

The Samaveda consists largely of verses drawn from the Rigveda set to melody for singing during the Soma sacrifice, and it is regarded as the root of Indian musical tradition. The other Vedas serve different ritual functions.

Question 9Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

In the later Vedic period, the term 'grihapati' referred to which of the following?

  1. The head of a guild of merchants
  2. The chief priest of a kingdom
  3. The head of a household Correct answer.
  4. The commander of the army

Explanation

Grihapati denotes the householder, the head of the family unit who performed domestic sacrifices and controlled household property. The term reflects the growing importance of the household in later Vedic society.

Question 10Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which of the following was the most important change in the position of the rajan during the later Vedic period?

  1. The office became elective and annual
  2. The office became hereditary and was strengthened by large sacrifices Correct answer.
  3. The office was merged with that of the purohita
  4. The office was abolished in favour of a council of elders

Explanation

In the later Vedic period kingship became increasingly hereditary and the rajan's power grew, supported by elaborate sacrifices such as the Rajasuya and Ashvamedha and by a standing retinue. Tribal assemblies like the sabha and samiti declined in importance.

Question 11Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The doctrine of 'four ashramas' is first systematically elaborated in which type of text?

  1. The Puranas
  2. The Brahmanas
  3. The Aranyakas
  4. The Dharmasutras Correct answer.

Explanation

The Dharmasutras, and later the Dharmashastras such as the Manusmriti, set out the four stages of brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. Earlier Vedic texts refer to stages of life only sporadically.

Question 12Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The doctrine of transmigration of the soul and the law of karma received their fullest early expression in which texts?

  1. The Upanishads Correct answer.
  2. The Brahmanas
  3. The Samhitas
  4. The Sutras

Explanation

The Upanishads develop ideas of atman, rebirth and karma as a moral causal law governing the soul's future births. These doctrines became central to later Indian philosophical and religious traditions.

Question 13Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment at which place?

  1. Sarnath
  2. Lumbini
  3. Bodh Gaya Correct answer.
  4. Kushinagar

Explanation

Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya in present-day Bihar, after which he became known as the Buddha. He then preached his first sermon at Sarnath.

Question 14Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The first Buddhist council is traditionally said to have been held at which place?

  1. Vaishali
  2. Rajagriha Correct answer.
  3. Kundalavana
  4. Pataliputra

Explanation

According to tradition the first council was convened at Rajagriha shortly after the Buddha's death, under the patronage of Ajatashatru, to recite the teachings. The second was held at Vaishali and the third at Pataliputra.

Question 15Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Jain principle of ahimsa is most directly linked to which of the following?

  1. The strict prohibition of injury to living beings Correct answer.
  2. The belief in a creator god
  3. The acceptance of Vedic sacrifice
  4. The doctrine of anekantavada

Explanation

Ahimsa in Jainism means the avoidance of harm to any living being, and it shaped rules on diet, occupation and monastic conduct. It is closely linked with the doctrines of karma and the multiple-sidedness of truth.

Question 16Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The founder of the Ajivika sect was which of the following teachers?

  1. Ajita Kesakambalin
  2. Purana Kassapa
  3. Sanjaya Belatthiputta
  4. Makkhali Gosala Correct answer.

Explanation

Makkhali Gosala founded the Ajivika sect, which taught a strict fatalism in which all beings pass through a fixed series of births. The other named teachers led different heterodox schools recorded in Buddhist sources.

Question 17Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Magadha kingdom's rise was aided by which of the following geographical advantages?

  1. Access to iron ore and fertile river plains Correct answer.
  2. Control of the Indus trade routes
  3. Proximity to the Himalayan passes
  4. Possession of a long coastline

Explanation

Magadha benefited from fertile alluvial soil watered by the Ganga, Son and other rivers, and from nearby iron deposits that supported better tools and weapons. Its position also gave it control of riverine trade and communication.

Question 18Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which ruler of Magadha is credited with founding the Haryanka dynasty and with building the fort at Rajagriha?

  1. Ajatashatru
  2. Bimbisara Correct answer.
  3. Shishunaga
  4. Mahapadma Nanda

Explanation

Bimbisara founded the Haryanka dynasty and is associated with the early fortification of Rajagriha. He was a contemporary of the Buddha and expanded Magadha through marriage alliances and conquest.

Question 19Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Persian invasion of the north-west of the subcontinent is associated with which ruler?

  1. Alexander
  2. Cyrus the Great
  3. Darius I Correct answer.
  4. Xerxes

Explanation

Darius I of the Achaemenid empire annexed territories in the north-west, including Gandhara and Sindhu, as recorded in his inscriptions and in Greek accounts. This contact influenced Indian administration and the Kharosthi script.

Question 20Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BCE was fought between Alexander and which Indian ruler?

  1. Chandragupta Maurya
  2. Ambhi
  3. Dhana Nanda
  4. Porus Correct answer.

Explanation

Alexander defeated Porus, the ruler of the region between the Jhelum and Chenab, at the Hydaspes in 326 BCE, and then restored him as a subordinate ally. Ambhi of Taxila had already submitted to Alexander.

Question 21Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Chandragupta Maurya is said to have overthrown which dynasty to establish Mauryan rule?

  1. Haryanka
  2. Kanva
  3. Shishunaga
  4. Nanda Correct answer.

Explanation

Chandragupta, with the guidance of Chanakya, overthrew the Nanda ruler Dhana Nanda and founded the Mauryan empire around 321 BCE. The Nandas had ruled Magadha with a large army and centralised taxation.

Question 22Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

According to Megasthenes, the Mauryan administration included a committee of how many members dealing with military affairs?

  1. Ten
  2. Five
  3. Six Correct answer.
  4. Three

Explanation

Megasthenes described six boards of five members each in the Mauryan administration, one of which handled military affairs. This account in his Indica gives an important, though partly idealised, picture of Mauryan governance.

Question 23Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Kalinga war, after which Ashoka embraced Buddhism, is described in which of his edicts?

  1. The Minor Rock Edict I
  2. The Rock Edict XIII Correct answer.
  3. The Rock Edict II
  4. The Pillar Edict VII

Explanation

Rock Edict XIII records Ashoka's remorse after the Kalinga war, in which many were killed and deported, and his subsequent turn to dhamma. It is the principal source for the ethical change in his policy.

Question 24Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which of the following best explains why Ashoka's dhamma is described as a policy rather than a religion?

  1. It required the worship of a single deity
  2. It emphasised ethical conduct and tolerance among all sects Correct answer.
  3. It replaced the sangha with royal officials
  4. It was enforced only by military means

Explanation

Ashoka's dhamma stressed moral duties such as respect for elders, kindness to servants and tolerance among religious sects, and it was propagated through officials and inscriptions rather than as a doctrinal faith. It sought social harmony within a multi-sectarian empire.

Question 25Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Mauryan economy was primarily based on which of the following?

  1. Tribute from foreign conquests
  2. Maritime trade alone
  3. Agriculture supported by state control of land revenue Correct answer.
  4. Pastoral nomadism

Explanation

Agriculture formed the economic base of the Mauryan empire, and the state collected a share of produce as land revenue, described in sources such as the Arthashastra. Trade and crafts were important but secondary to agrarian revenue.

Question 26Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro is best interpreted by archaeologists as evidence of which feature of Harappan society?

  1. A royal burial chamber for Harappan kings
  2. Organised public ritual bathing and civic planning Correct answer.
  3. A granary for storing surplus barley
  4. A workshop for manufacturing bronze tools

Explanation

The Great Bath is a large, finely built structure with steps, a bitumen-lined tank and drains, located near public buildings in the citadel area. Its design points to collective ritual bathing and deliberate civic planning rather than domestic or industrial use. No burials, grain storage or bronze working are associated with this structure.

Question 27Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

In the Mauryan administrative system described by Megasthenes, the city of Pataliputra was governed by a body of how many committees?

  1. Eight
  2. Six Correct answer.
  3. Five
  4. Three

Explanation

Megasthenes' account, preserved in later Greek and Latin sources, reports that the municipal administration of Pataliputra was divided into six boards, each handling a separate department such as trade, taxation, or care of foreigners. This detail is frequently cited as evidence of a highly organised urban bureaucracy under the Mauryas.

Question 28Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

A historian examining the rock edicts of Ashoka finds that they address officials and ordinary subjects directly in local dialects rather than in a single priestly language. This feature best supports which conclusion about Ashoka's dhamma?

  1. It was a secret doctrine reserved for Buddhist monks
  2. It was intended to communicate a public ethical code to a wide population Correct answer.
  3. It was modelled on the Greek civic religion of the Seleucid court
  4. It was enforced only through military garrisons in frontier areas

Explanation

Ashoka's edicts use Prakrit in Brahmi and Kharoshthi scripts, and some were translated into Greek and Aramaic, showing an effort to reach ordinary people across the empire. The content stresses moral conduct, tolerance and welfare measures, which fits a public ethical programme rather than an esoteric doctrine. This is why dhamma is usually described as a policy of state rather than a sectarian creed.

Question 29Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

The Sanchi stupa's carved gateways, added in the Satavahana period, are most significant to historians because they

  1. contain the original relics of the Buddha placed by Ashoka
  2. record the military campaigns of the Satavahana kings in inscriptions
  3. depict scenes of the Buddha's life and Jataka stories as visual narratives Correct answer.
  4. show the earliest known use of true arches in Indian architecture

Explanation

The toranas at Sanchi carry dense relief panels illustrating episodes from the Buddha's life, Jataka tales and popular deities, functioning as visual storytelling for pilgrims. They are valuable evidence for the religious and artistic culture of the post-Mauryan period. The gateways are not primarily military records, structural experiments in archery, or relic containers.

Question 30Ancient Indian History (Indus Valley Civilization through the Mauryas and post-Mauryan period)

Which of the following correctly pairs a post-Mauryan ruling house with the region it controlled?

  1. Satavahanas - western Deccan and the Godavari valley Correct answer.
  2. Shungas - the north-west frontier around Gandhara
  3. Kushanas - the Kaveri delta in the far south
  4. Indo-Greeks - the lower Ganga valley around Pataliputra

Explanation

The Satavahanas, also called Andhras, ruled from the western Deccan with centres such as Pratishthana and extended their power into the Godavari valley and coastal Andhra. Their inscriptions and coins document this regional base. The other pairings place each dynasty in a region it did not primarily control.

Question 31Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Who founded the Slave Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate in 1206 CE?

  1. Razia Sultana
  2. Balban
  3. Qutb-ud-din Aibak Correct answer.
  4. Iltutmish

Explanation

Qutb-ud-din Aibak, a former slave and general of Muhammad of Ghor, established the Mamluk or Slave Dynasty after his master's death in 1206. He ruled from Lahore and is remembered for beginning the Qutb Minar at Delhi. Iltutmish, Balban and Razia came later within the same dynasty.

Question 32Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

The Battle of Talikota in 1565 CE resulted in the defeat of which empire?

  1. Bahmani Sultanate
  2. Delhi Sultanate
  3. Vijayanagara Empire Correct answer.
  4. Mughal Empire

Explanation

At Talikota (Rakshasa-Tangadi) in 1565, a coalition of the Deccan Sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara army, after which the capital was sacked and the empire declined. This ended the dominance of Vijayanagara in southern India. The Bahmani Sultanate had already fragmented into the Deccan Sultanates by that time.

Question 33Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Which ruler shifted the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi and built the Red Fort there?

  1. Shah Jahan Correct answer.
  2. Akbar
  3. Jahangir
  4. Aurangzeb

Explanation

Shah Jahan moved the imperial capital from Agra to Delhi in the 1640s and built the walled city of Shahjahanabad, whose Red Fort still stands. Akbar's capital was at Fatehpur Sikri and later Agra. Jahangir and Aurangzeb ruled from existing capitals rather than founding this new one.

Question 34Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Krishnadevaraya, the most celebrated ruler of Vijayanagara, belonged to which dynasty?

  1. Sangama
  2. Aravidu
  3. Tuluva Correct answer.
  4. Saluva

Explanation

Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529) belonged to the Tuluva dynasty, the third of the four Vijayanagara dynasties. His reign is noted for military success against the Deccan Sultanates and for the Telugu classic Amuktamalyada. The Sangama, Saluva and Aravidu dynasties preceded or followed the Tuluva line.

Question 35Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Who was the first ruler of the Bahmani Sultanate, founded in 1347 CE?

  1. Firuz Shah Bahmani
  2. Mahmud Gawan
  3. Alauddin Bahman Shah Correct answer.
  4. Muhammad bin Tughluq

Explanation

Alauddin Bahman Shah, also called Hasan Gangu, revolted against the Tughluq governor and founded the Bahmani Sultanate in 1347 with its capital at Gulbarga. Mahmud Gawan was a later minister, not the founder. Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Delhi Sultan whose authority the Bahmanis rejected.

Question 36Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

The Mansabdari system of the Mughals primarily determined which of the following?

  1. The trade duties levied on foreign merchants
  2. The succession order within the royal family
  3. The rank and military obligation of an officer Correct answer.
  4. The land revenue rate paid by peasants

Explanation

The mansabdari system graded officers by a numerical rank (zat and sawar) that fixed their status, salary and obligation to maintain a specified number of horsemen. It was an administrative and military device rather than a revenue or commercial regulation. Succession was not governed by mansab rank.

Question 37Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

The First Battle of Panipat in 1526 CE established which dynasty on the Delhi throne?

  1. Sur dynasty
  2. Mughal dynasty Correct answer.
  3. Sayyid dynasty
  4. Lodi dynasty

Explanation

Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat in 1526, ending the Lodi dynasty and founding Mughal rule in India. He used field artillery and the tulughma flanking tactic to overcome a larger force. The Sayyid dynasty had ended earlier, and the Sur dynasty rose only in the 1540s.

Question 38Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Which traveller left a detailed account of the Vijayanagara capital during Krishnadevaraya's reign?

  1. Al-Biruni
  2. Marco Polo
  3. Ibn Battuta
  4. Domingo Paes Correct answer.

Explanation

Domingo Paes, a Portuguese visitor, described the city of Vijayanagara, its markets, palaces and fortifications in the early sixteenth century. His account is a key source for the empire's urban life. Ibn Battuta and Al-Biruni wrote about the Delhi Sultanate in earlier centuries, and Marco Polo described regions elsewhere.

Question 39Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

An inscription records that a local chief was confirmed in his lands after he accepted the overlordship of a Rashtrakuta king and agreed to pay annual tribute. Which feature of early medieval Indian polity does this best illustrate?

  1. Direct rule by elected village assemblies
  2. Complete absence of any hierarchy of authority
  3. Centralised bureaucratic rule by salaried officials
  4. A fragmented system of subordinate and dominant lordships Correct answer.

Explanation

Early medieval polities often rested on layered relations in which lesser rulers retained local power while acknowledging a dominant overlord through tribute and homage. This is usually described as a segmented or feudal-type political order rather than a salaried bureaucracy. Village assemblies existed but did not replace this hierarchy.

Question 40Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Why is Iltutmish's introduction of the silver tanka and copper jital significant in Delhi Sultanate history?

  1. It replaced all gold coinage with barter exchange
  2. It abolished taxation on agricultural produce
  3. It was the first coinage issued by a Mughal ruler
  4. It created a standardised currency that supported trade and revenue collection Correct answer.

Explanation

Iltutmish issued the silver tanka and the copper jital, giving the Sultanate a stable, standardised metallic currency. This facilitated trade and made revenue and salary payments more predictable. The reform did not abolish taxation or introduce barter, and it predates the Mughals.

Question 41Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Alauddin Khalji's market control measures were chiefly designed to achieve which outcome?

  1. Reducing the Sultan's dependence on the army
  2. Encouraging foreign merchants to settle in Delhi
  3. Keeping prices low so a large standing army could be maintained cheaply Correct answer.
  4. Increasing the land holdings of the nobility

Explanation

Alauddin Khalji fixed prices for essential goods, regulated markets and controlled grain supply so that soldiers could be paid and maintained at low cost. This supported his large standing army and his campaigns of conquest. The measures aimed at army economy rather than at expanding noble estates or reducing military strength.

Question 42Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Muhammad bin Tughluq's plan to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad failed mainly because of which factor?

  1. The nobility refused to serve outside Delhi
  2. Delhi was closer to the Himalayan trade routes
  3. Daulatabad was already controlled by the Bahmanis
  4. The new site lacked a secure water supply and strategic hinterland Correct answer.

Explanation

Daulatabad lay in the Deccan, far from Delhi's political base, and did not offer the water, revenue and strategic advantages needed to sustain an imperial capital. The forced migration also caused hardship and unrest. The Bahmanis did not control the city at the time and Delhi was not a Himalayan entrepôt.

Question 43Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

In Vijayanagara administration, the ayagar system is best described as which of the following?

  1. A council of ministers advising the king
  2. A group of village-level functionaries who managed local affairs Correct answer.
  3. A military unit recruited from the Nayakas
  4. A body of merchants controlling overseas trade

Explanation

The ayagar system refers to the hereditary village functionaries who handled revenue, irrigation, temple and civic duties at the local level. It shows that Vijayanagara governance relied on village institutions alongside royal and provincial officers. It was not a central council, a merchant guild or a military corps.

Question 44Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Mahmud Gawan's reforms in the Bahmani Sultanate included which measure?

  1. Dividing the kingdom into provinces and curbing noble factions Correct answer.
  2. Ending all trade with the Vijayanagara Empire
  3. Abolishing the office of the prime minister
  4. Transferring the capital permanently to Delhi

Explanation

Mahmud Gawan reorganised the Bahmani administration by dividing the kingdom into provinces and trying to curb the factionalism of the nobility. He also promoted education and learning. He did not abolish his own office, end trade with Vijayanagara, or move the capital to Delhi.

Question 45Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

The Battle of Raichur in 1520 CE is significant because it demonstrated which of the following?

  1. The naval superiority of the Portuguese over the Mughals
  2. The final collapse of the Bahmani Sultanate
  3. The end of Mughal expansion into the Deccan
  4. Krishnadevaraya's military strength against the Bijapur Sultanate Correct answer.

Explanation

At Raichur in 1520, Krishnadevaraya defeated the forces of Bijapur and captured the fortress, showing Vijayanagara's military and artillery strength. The victory was celebrated in contemporary accounts. The Bahmani Sultanate had already fragmented, and the Mughals were not involved in this battle.

Question 46Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Sher Shah Suri's revenue reforms, later adopted by the Mughals, were based on which principle?

  1. A fixed poll tax on all adult males
  2. Collection in kind at arbitrary rates set by village headmen
  3. Abolition of land revenue in favour of customs duties
  4. Measurement of land and assessment of revenue on its produce Correct answer.

Explanation

Sher Shah Suri measured cultivated land and assessed revenue based on its produce, with rates expressed in cash. Akbar's later zabti system built on this approach. The reform did not rest on arbitrary village rates, a poll tax, or the abolition of land revenue.

Question 47Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

Akbar's policy of sulh-i kul, or universal peace, was reflected in which practice?

  1. Restricting high offices to Sunni nobles only
  2. Granting religious freedom and including Hindus in high imperial service Correct answer.
  3. Banning the construction of non-Muslim places of worship
  4. Imposing the jizya on all non-Muslims

Explanation

Sulh-i kul meant the Mughal state treated subjects of different faiths with tolerance and opened high service to Hindus as well as Muslims. It was expressed in Akbar's appointments, marriage alliances and the debates at the Ibadat Khana. The other options describe policies of a more narrowly sectarian character.

Question 48Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

The jagir system under the Mughals meant that which of the following occurred?

  1. Officers received revenue assignments in lieu of cash salaries Correct answer.
  2. Temples were exempted from all state control
  3. Peasants were granted permanent ownership of their land
  4. Military commanders received hereditary estates free of obligation

Explanation

A jagir was a revenue assignment given to an officer in place of a cash salary, and the holder transferred periodically to prevent it becoming hereditary. This linked military service to land revenue. It did not create peasant ownership or hereditary estates, nor did it exempt temples from state authority.

Question 49Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

The Deccan Sultanates that emerged after the break-up of the Bahmani Sultanate included all of the following except which one?

  1. Bijapur
  2. Ahmadnagar
  3. Gulbarga Correct answer.
  4. Golconda

Explanation

The five successor states of the Bahmani Sultanate were Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar and Berar. Gulbarga was the earlier Bahmani capital and did not become one of the five successor sultanates. The question asks which name does not belong to that group of five.

Question 50Medieval Indian History (early medieval kingdoms, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms, Mughal Empire)

A historian argues that the Vijayanagara empire's control over the western ports was central to its prosperity. Which evidence would best support this argument?

  1. Records of horse imports and customs revenue from ports such as Goa and Bhatkal Correct answer.
  2. Genealogies tracing the dynasty to lunar and solar lineages
  3. Descriptions of temple festivals in the capital
  4. Lists of Sanskrit titles assumed by the Rayas

Explanation

Control of west-coast ports gave Vijayanagara access to imported horses, luxury goods and customs income, which directly supports an economic argument about prosperity. Titles, festival descriptions and genealogies are political or religious evidence and do not bear on maritime revenue. A sound argument needs evidence matching the claim.