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Maharashtra HSC History study materials
Maharashtra HSC History study resources

Maharashtra HSC History practice questions

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Question 1Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The Maharashtra HSC History syllabus distinguishes between 'historiography' and the mere narration of past events. Which statement best describes what historiography studies?

  1. The biographies of kings written by their court poets
  2. The chronological list of dynasties that ruled a region
  3. The methods, sources and interpretive frameworks historians use to reconstruct the past Correct answer.
  4. The collection of coins and inscriptions kept in museums

Explanation

Historiography is the study of how history is written: it examines the sources chosen, the methods applied and the theoretical assumptions behind a historian's account. Merely listing dynasties or preserving artefacts belongs to the raw material of history, not to the analysis of historical writing itself.

Question 2Ancient Indian History and Historiography

In the context of ancient Indian historiography, which term refers to the genre of legendary-cum-historical narratives about kings and sages transmitted in the Puranas?

  1. Itihasa Correct answer.
  2. Vedanga
  3. Smriti
  4. Shruti

Explanation

Itihasa, literally 'thus it was', denotes the epic and legendary narrative tradition, including the Puranic king-lists and genealogies that historians use cautiously. Shruti and Smriti refer to categories of sacred revealed and remembered texts, while the Vedangas are auxiliary disciplines for Vedic study.

Question 3Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which ancient Indian source composed by Kautilya is valued by historians chiefly for its detailed treatment of statecraft, administration and taxation?

  1. Ashtadhyayi
  2. Mudrarakshasa
  3. Manusmriti
  4. Arthashastra Correct answer.

Explanation

The Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya, is a systematic manual on governance, economy, espionage and diplomacy, and historians mine it for Mauryan-era administrative practice. The Ashtadhyayi is Panini's grammar, the Manusmriti a legal code, and the Mudrarakshasa a later Sanskrit drama.

Question 4Ancient Indian History and Historiography

A historian studying the Mauryan period treats Megasthenes' account as a useful but problematic source. Which limitation is most commonly cited about this text?

  1. It was written centuries after the Mauryan empire had ended
  2. It was composed in Sanskrit and is therefore unreliable for Greek readers
  3. The original is lost and survives only in fragments quoted by later writers Correct answer.
  4. It deals exclusively with religious rituals and ignores administration

Explanation

Megasthenes' Indica survives only as fragments quoted by later Greek and Latin authors, so its wording and context are uncertain. Historians must also allow for an outsider's perspective and possible hearsay, but the loss of the original text is the standard textual limitation.

Question 5Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Ashokan edicts are prized by historians primarily because they provide which kind of evidence?

  1. Excavated pottery sequences from urban sites
  2. Accounts written by foreign travellers visiting the court
  3. Contemporary inscriptional records issued in the king's own name Correct answer.
  4. Later Puranic genealogies compiled by Brahmin priests

Explanation

The edicts are contemporaneous public inscriptions issued under Ashoka, giving direct evidence of his policies, Dhamma and administrative reach. Puranic genealogies are later and schematic, foreign accounts are external, and pottery is archaeological rather than textual.

Question 6Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which script was deciphered by James Prinsep, thereby opening the Ashokan edicts to historical study?

  1. Grantha
  2. Brahmi Correct answer.
  3. Kharoshthi
  4. Devanagari

Explanation

James Prinsep deciphered Brahmi in the 1830s, identifying it as the script of most Ashokan edicts and thus unlocking their content. Kharoshthi was used in the northwest and was deciphered through other scholarship, while Devanagari and Grantha are later scripts.

Question 7Ancient Indian History and Historiography

A student compares the Harappan civilization with the Vedic period. Which statement correctly reflects the nature of the evidence available for each?

  1. Harappan evidence is mainly literary, while Vedic evidence is mainly archaeological
  2. Harappan evidence is mainly archaeological, while Vedic evidence is mainly literary Correct answer.
  3. Both periods are known mainly through deciphered royal inscriptions
  4. Both periods are known mainly through coins issued by their kings

Explanation

The Harappan script remains undeciphered, so knowledge of the civilization rests largely on archaeological remains such as seals, drains and town plans. The Vedic period, by contrast, is reconstructed chiefly from the literary corpus of the Vedas and related texts.

Question 8Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which of the following is an example of a primary source for the study of ancient Indian history?

  1. A documentary film on the Indus Valley
  2. A punch-marked coin recovered from an excavated site Correct answer.
  3. A textbook chapter summarising Mauryan administration
  4. A modern encyclopaedia entry on Ashoka

Explanation

A primary source is a contemporary artefact or document produced in the period under study; a punch-marked coin from an excavation is exactly that. Textbooks, films and encyclopaedia entries are secondary works that interpret such material.

Question 9Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The travel account of Fa-Hien is used by historians of ancient India mainly to describe conditions during which dynasty?

  1. The Mauryan period
  2. The Gupta period Correct answer.
  3. The Chola period
  4. The Satavahana period

Explanation

Fa-Hien, a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, travelled in India around the early fifth century CE, during the Gupta era, and his account is a key external source for that period. He was far too late for the Mauryas and does not describe the Chola country of the far south.

Question 10Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Hiuen Tsang's Si-yu-ki is especially valuable for historians because it records which of the following about seventh-century India?

  1. Observations on monasteries, universities and the political condition of kingdoms Correct answer.
  2. A complete list of Mauryan provincial governors
  3. Detailed genealogies of the Harappan ruling families
  4. The text of Ashoka's Dhamma edicts in translation

Explanation

Hiuen Tsang travelled in India in the seventh century CE and described Buddhist institutions such as Nalanda, along with the condition of kingdoms he visited. His account is thus useful for the post-Gupta and early medieval political landscape, not for the Mauryan or Harappan past.

Question 11Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Inscriptions on copper plates that record grants of land to Brahmin beneficiaries are known as which type of source?

  1. Pillar edicts
  2. Punch-marked coins
  3. Tamrashasana or copper-plate charters Correct answer.
  4. Seals and sealings

Explanation

Copper-plate charters, often called tamrashasanas, record royal donations of land and rights to recipients and are central to the study of early medieval land relations. Pillar edicts, seals and coins are different categories of evidence with different purposes.

Question 12Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Why do historians treat the Puranic king-lists with caution as historical evidence?

  1. They were compiled long after the events and mix genealogy with legend Correct answer.
  2. They contain only economic data and no royal names
  3. They were written in a script that remains undeciphered
  4. They were composed by foreign travellers unfamiliar with India

Explanation

The Puranas were transmitted and compiled over centuries, so their king-lists combine genuine tradition with myth, repetition and schematic chronology. Historians therefore cross-check them against inscriptions and coins rather than accepting them at face value.

Question 13Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The term 'numismatics' refers to the study of which category of historical source?

  1. Monuments
  2. Manuscripts
  3. Coins Correct answer.
  4. Inscriptions

Explanation

Numismatics is the systematic study of coins, including their weight, metal, legend and circulation, which helps date rulers and trace trade. Inscriptions belong to epigraphy, manuscripts to palaeography and textual study, and monuments to archaeology and architectural history.

Question 14Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which feature of Ashoka's Dhamma policy is best supported by the edicts themselves?

  1. Introduction of a silver currency bearing his portrait
  2. Appointment of officials called Dhamma Mahamatta to promote ethical conduct Correct answer.
  3. Establishment of the Nalanda university
  4. Construction of the Grand Trunk Road from Bengal to Punjab

Explanation

The edicts explicitly mention the appointment of Dhamma Mahamatta, officers charged with promoting Dhamma and welfare among the people. The other claims are either later traditions or unsupported by the inscriptional record.

Question 15Ancient Indian History and Historiography

A historian finds that a copper-plate grant names a king not mentioned in the Puranic lists. What is the most reasonable methodological response?

  1. Assume the grant is a forgery without further examination
  2. Discard both sources as unreliable
  3. Reject the inscription because the Puranas are older
  4. Treat the inscription as contemporary evidence and revise the chronology accordingly Correct answer.

Explanation

A contemporary inscription carries strong evidentiary weight because it was produced close to the events it records. When it conflicts with a later, schematic tradition such as the Puranic lists, the historian revises the chronology rather than automatically preferring the older compilation.

Question 16Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which ruler's inscriptions at Junagadh and elsewhere are studied for the history of the Western Kshatrapas and the Satavahana conflict?

  1. Pulakeshin II
  2. Kanishka
  3. Harshavardhana
  4. Rudradaman Correct answer.

Explanation

Rudradaman, the Western Kshatrapa ruler, is known from the Junagadh rock inscription, which also records repairs to the Sudarshana lake and his conflicts with the Satavahanas. Kanishka, Harshavardhana and Pulakeshin II belong to other dynasties and regions.

Question 17Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The Allahabad pillar inscription, also called the Prayaga Prashasti, is the principal source for the achievements of which ruler?

  1. Kharavela
  2. Chandragupta Maurya
  3. Samudragupta Correct answer.
  4. Ashoka

Explanation

The Prayaga Prashasti, composed by Harishena, eulogises Samudragupta's military campaigns and conquests and is a key Gupta source. The same pillar also carries Ashokan edicts, but the prashasti itself concerns Samudragupta.

Question 18Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The Hathigumpha inscription is associated with which ruler and region?

  1. Samudragupta of Magadha
  2. Harshavardhana of Kanauj
  3. Kharavela of Kalinga Correct answer.
  4. Gautamiputra Satakarni of the Deccan

Explanation

The Hathigumpha inscription in the Udayagiri caves near Bhubaneswar records the reign of Kharavela of Kalinga and is a major source for early Odisha. The other rulers are known from different inscriptions and regions.

Question 19Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which approach best describes the colonial-era tendency in Indian historiography that later historians criticised?

  1. Periodising Indian history as Hindu, Muslim and British on a communal basis Correct answer.
  2. Studying ancient India exclusively through archaeological excavation
  3. Relying only on Indian-language manuscripts and ignoring foreign accounts
  4. Refusing to use coins as a source of dating

Explanation

Colonial historiography often divided Indian history into Hindu, Muslim and British periods, which imposed a communal framework on complex processes. Nationalist and later historians criticised this periodisation for reducing history to religious identities.

Question 20Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The term 'Orientalist' in the context of Indian historiography refers to scholars who did which of the following?

  1. Confined their work to the excavation of Harappan sites
  2. Studied Indian languages, texts and antiquities, often through translation Correct answer.
  3. Rejected all study of Indian texts as worthless
  4. Wrote only about the modern Indian freedom struggle

Explanation

Orientalists such as William Jones studied Sanskrit and Persian texts and translated them, laying foundations for Indology while also carrying colonial assumptions. Their work was textual and linguistic, not a rejection of Indian learning.

Question 21Ancient Indian History and Historiography

A scholar argues that Indian historical traditions existed before colonial contact. Which evidence would best support this claim?

  1. The absence of any inscriptions in ancient India
  2. The fact that Sanskrit had no grammar
  3. The presence of vamshavalis and chronicles recording dynastic succession Correct answer.
  4. The claim that ancient Indians did not use coins

Explanation

Vamshavalis, dynastic chronicles and biographical texts show that Indian traditions did record succession and events, even if in forms different from modern historiography. The other options rest on false factual claims about ancient India.

Question 22Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which of the following best explains why the Harappan script remains a barrier to historical reconstruction?

  1. It survives only in later copies made by scribes
  2. It was written in a language known to be Sanskrit
  3. It was used only for religious rituals, not administration
  4. It has not been deciphered, so written records cannot be read Correct answer.

Explanation

Because the Harappan script is undeciphered, historians cannot read the seals and inscriptions and must rely on material remains. Claims about its language or exclusive ritual use remain speculative and cannot be treated as established fact.

Question 23Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The Nasik inscriptions are important for the history of which dynasty?

  1. The Pallavas
  2. The Satavahanas Correct answer.
  3. The Mauryas
  4. The Guptas

Explanation

The Nasik cave inscriptions, associated with Gautamiputra Satakarni and his successors, are a key source for Satavahana history and their conflict with the Western Kshatrapas. The other dynasties are documented mainly through different regional corpora.

Question 24Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which statement best captures the relationship between archaeology and literary sources in reconstructing ancient Indian history?

  1. The two are unrelated and should be studied in isolation
  2. Archaeology is always superior and literary sources can be ignored
  3. They are complementary, with material remains often confirming or correcting textual claims Correct answer.
  4. Literary sources are always superior and excavation is unnecessary

Explanation

Archaeological and literary evidence are complementary: excavation can confirm settlement patterns or dates suggested by texts, while texts supply names and events that material remains cannot articulate. Sound reconstruction weighs both together rather than privileging one absolutely.

Question 25Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The 'Great Bath' at Mohenjo-daro is cited by historians primarily as evidence of which aspect of Harappan society?

  1. The presence of a written legal code
  2. The existence of a standing army
  3. Organised public architecture and possibly ritual bathing Correct answer.
  4. The use of iron weapons

Explanation

The Great Bath reflects planned civic architecture and water management, and its function is often linked to ritual purification. It offers no evidence for armies, iron weaponry or a written legal code, none of which is attested for the Harappan civilisation.

Question 26Ancient Indian History and Historiography

The Indica, a Greek account of Mauryan India, is attributed to which ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya?

  1. Deimachus
  2. Kautilya
  3. Megasthenes Correct answer.
  4. Seleucus Nicator

Explanation

Megasthenes was the Greek envoy of Seleucus Nicator stationed at Chandragupta Maurya's court, and his account Indica is a key foreign source for Mauryan administration and society. Although the original is lost, fragments preserved by later writers are used by historians.

Question 27Ancient Indian History and Historiography

In the study of ancient Indian history, which of the following is classified as a primary source?

  1. A modern textbook on the Mauryas
  2. A documentary film on Harappan sites
  3. A rock edict of Ashoka Correct answer.
  4. A historical novel set in the Gupta period

Explanation

Primary sources are contemporary records produced in the period under study, and Ashoka's rock edicts are inscriptions issued by the king himself. Modern textbooks, novels, and films are secondary or interpretative works created later.

Question 28Ancient Indian History and Historiography

A historian studying the Satavahana period finds that the Nasik inscriptions record land grants and royal genealogies. Which conclusion about their value as source material is most appropriate?

  1. They are reliable only if they match the Puranic king-lists exactly.
  2. They provide contemporary evidence for administrative and dynastic history when read alongside coins and literary texts. Correct answer.
  3. They must be rejected because they are in Prakrit.
  4. They are useless because they were commissioned by kings.

Explanation

Inscriptions are contemporary primary sources, but their royal patronage means they must be cross-checked with other evidence such as coins, monuments, and literary traditions. This combined method is standard in ancient Indian historiography.

Question 29Ancient Indian History and Historiography

Which statement best explains why the Harappan script is a major obstacle to writing Harappan history?

  1. It was written on perishable material, so no examples survive.
  2. It is identical to the Brahmi script and therefore adds no new information.
  3. It has been deciphered but survives only in fragmentary form.
  4. It is undeciphered, so the language, names, and administrative records of the Harappans remain unknown. Correct answer.

Explanation

Without a decipherment, historians cannot read Harappan seals and tablets, so they cannot recover personal names, titles, laws, or narrative accounts. Harappan history therefore depends largely on archaeological reconstruction rather than textual evidence.

Question 30Ancient Indian History and Historiography

A researcher argues that the colonial-era 'Orientalist' approach to ancient India was not simply a neutral recovery of the past. Which feature of that approach best supports this argument?

  1. It rejected the use of Sanskrit texts altogether.
  2. It relied exclusively on archaeological excavation.
  3. It often framed Indian civilization as static and declined, serving colonial administrative assumptions. Correct answer.
  4. It was developed mainly by Indian scholars in the twentieth century.

Explanation

Orientalist scholarship, while recovering Sanskrit texts and chronology, frequently constructed a narrative of Indian stagnation and decline that supported colonial rule. Later historians criticised this ideological framing, distinguishing it from the genuine philological achievements of the Orientalists.

Question 31Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

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

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

Explanation

Qutb-ud-din Aibak, a former slave and general of Muhammad Ghori, took charge of the Ghurid territories in India after Ghori's death in 1206 and ruled from Lahore, beginning the Slave dynasty. Iltutmish and Balban were later rulers of the same dynasty, and Razia was Iltutmish's daughter.

Question 32Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Which Delhi Sultan shifted the capital from Lahore to Delhi and issued the silver tanka and copper jital coins?

  1. Qutb-ud-din Aibak
  2. Alauddin Khalji
  3. Firoz Shah Tughlaq
  4. Iltutmish Correct answer.

Explanation

Iltutmish (1211–1236) consolidated the Sultanate, made Delhi the capital, and introduced the silver tanka and the copper jital, which became the standard currency of the Sultanate. Aibak ruled mainly from Lahore, and the other rulers came later.

Question 33Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The Khalji dynasty ruler who introduced strict market regulations and price controls in Delhi was:

  1. Mubarak Khalji
  2. Jalal-ud-din Khalji
  3. Khusrau Khan
  4. Alauddin Khalji Correct answer.

Explanation

Alauddin Khalji (1296–1316) introduced market regulations, fixed prices of essential commodities, appointed a market superintendent (shahna-i-mandi), and controlled the grain trade to sustain a large army. The other rulers did not carry out this system of controls.

Question 34Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Which Sultan is known for building the Qutb Minar to its present height and for the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque complex at Delhi?

  1. Qutb-ud-din Aibak
  2. Alauddin Khalji
  3. Iltutmish Correct answer.
  4. Sikandar Lodi

Explanation

Aibak began the Qutb Minar, but Iltutmish completed it to its present height and also extended the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque with the famous arched screen. This makes Iltutmish the ruler credited with the monument's present form.

Question 35Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The Mongol threat during Alauddin Khalji's reign was countered by his general:

  1. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq
  2. Malik Kafur
  3. Zafar Khan Correct answer.
  4. Ain-ul-Mulk Multani

Explanation

Zafar Khan was Alauddin's general who defeated a major Mongol invasion near Delhi around 1299 and died fighting the Mongols soon after. Malik Kafur was famous for southern campaigns, and Ain-ul-Mulk was a governor, so Zafar Khan is the correct answer.

Question 36Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Muhammad bin Tughlaq's decision to shift the capital from Delhi to which city proved unsuccessful?

  1. Agra
  2. Mandu
  3. Daulatabad Correct answer.
  4. Fatehpur Sikri

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughlaq moved the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (Devagiri) in the Deccan, but the plan failed because of the distance, water scarcity, and the disruption it caused, and the capital was later shifted back. Agra and Fatehpur Sikri are associated with the Mughals, and Mandu with the Malwa Sultanate.

Question 37Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The battle of 1398 in which Timur defeated the Delhi Sultanate army and sacked Delhi took place during the reign of which Sultan?

  1. Firoz Shah Tughlaq
  2. Khizr Khan
  3. Nasir-ud-din Mahmud Tughlaq Correct answer.
  4. Muhammad bin Tughlaq

Explanation

Timur invaded India in 1398 and defeated the army of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud Tughlaq, the last effective Tughlaq ruler, then sacked Delhi. This invasion accelerated the decline of the Tughlaq dynasty and led to Sayyid rule under Khizr Khan.

Question 38Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Which of the following was a key feature of the Iqta system in the Delhi Sultanate?

  1. A system of military conscription of peasants
  2. Hereditary land grants to temples
  3. Revenue assignments given to officers in lieu of salary Correct answer.
  4. A tax levied only on non-Muslim merchants

Explanation

In the Iqta system, officers (muqtis) received revenue assignments from which they collected revenue and maintained troops, effectively serving as a salary mechanism. The assignments were generally transferable and not hereditary in principle, making the first option correct.

Question 39Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The Khilji ruler Alauddin's market regulations were chiefly aimed at:

  1. Increasing the salaries of nobles
  2. Promoting foreign trade with Europe
  3. Maintaining a large army at low cost Correct answer.
  4. Reducing the power of the ulema

Explanation

Alauddin fixed prices of food grains, pulses, and other goods so that a large standing army could be maintained cheaply, and he paid soldiers in cash. The regulations were economic and military in purpose, not aimed at promoting European trade or reducing the ulema's power.

Question 40Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The 'token currency' experiment of Muhammad bin Tughlaq involved the issue of coins made of:

  1. Bronze and copper Correct answer.
  2. Iron and steel
  3. Gold and silver
  4. Lead and tin

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued token coins of bronze and copper intended to circulate at the value of silver tankas, but forging was widespread and the experiment had to be withdrawn. The coins were base-metal tokens, not precious-metal coins.

Question 41Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Which Sultan of the Slave dynasty is credited with defeating the Mongol threat and organizing the Chalisa, a group of forty loyal nobles?

  1. Balban Correct answer.
  2. Aram Shah
  3. Iltutmish
  4. Razia Sultan

Explanation

Balban (1266–1287) organized the Chalisa, a corps of forty Turkish nobles loyal to him, and strengthened the army against Mongol incursions. He also introduced strict court etiquette, making him the correct answer.

Question 42Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The Lodi dynasty's last ruler, defeated by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, was:

  1. Daulat Khan Lodi
  2. Bahlul Lodi
  3. Sikandar Lodi
  4. Ibrahim Lodi Correct answer.

Explanation

Ibrahim Lodi was defeated and killed by Babur at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, ending the Lodi dynasty and the Delhi Sultanate. Bahlul founded the dynasty, Sikandar was his predecessor, and Daulat Khan was a governor who invited Babur.

Question 43Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The Sayyid dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate was founded by:

  1. Khizr Khan Correct answer.
  2. Alam Shah
  3. Muhammad Shah
  4. Mubarak Shah

Explanation

Khizr Khan founded the Sayyid dynasty in 1414 after the decline of Tughlaq authority following Timur's invasion. His successors included Mubarak Shah and Muhammad Shah, who ruled later.

Question 44Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The 'Alai Darwaza' at the Qutb complex was built by:

  1. Alauddin Khalji Correct answer.
  2. Iltutmish
  3. Firoz Shah Tughlaq
  4. Balban

Explanation

The Alai Darwaza, an ornate gateway with true arches and lotus-bud decorations, was built by Alauddin Khalji in 1311 as part of his extension of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. The other rulers built different monuments.

Question 45Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Which institution did the Delhi Sultans use to legitimize their rule by obtaining the Caliph's recognition?

  1. The Barid-i-Mumalik
  2. The Diwan-i-Arz
  3. The Khilafat or Caliphal investiture Correct answer.
  4. The Diwan-i-Wizarat

Explanation

Sultans such as Iltutmish and later rulers sought recognition from the Abbasid Caliph, and their coins and khutba sometimes mentioned the Caliph's name. This investiture gave religious legitimacy to their rule. The other options are administrative departments, not sources of legitimacy.

Question 46Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The revenue department of the Delhi Sultanate, headed by the wazir, was known as:

  1. Diwan-i-Wizarat Correct answer.
  2. Diwan-i-Arz
  3. Diwan-i-Risalat
  4. Diwan-i-Insha

Explanation

The Diwan-i-Wizarat was the finance department under the wazir, who supervised revenue collection and expenditure. The Diwan-i-Arz handled the military, while the Diwan-i-Risalat and Diwan-i-Insha dealt with religious and correspondence matters respectively.

Question 47Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The 'jizya' in the Delhi Sultanate was a tax levied on:

  1. Non-Muslim subjects Correct answer.
  2. Lands held by nobles
  3. Muslim soldiers
  4. Goods imported from abroad

Explanation

Jizya was a poll tax imposed on non-Muslim subjects (dhimmis) in lieu of military service, in accordance with Islamic law as applied by the Sultanate. It was distinct from land revenue (kharaj) and customs duties.

Question 48Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Muhammad bin Tughlaq's agricultural reforms included the creation of a separate department for agriculture, known as:

  1. Diwan-i-Wizarat
  2. Diwan-i-Kohi Correct answer.
  3. Diwan-i-Insha
  4. Diwan-i-Arz

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughlaq set up the Diwan-i-Kohi to promote agriculture by giving loans and improving cultivation, though the scheme largely failed. The other departments handled military, finance, and correspondence respectively.

Question 49Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

Which sultan is famous for introducing the 'dagh' (branding of horses) and 'chehra' (descriptive roll of soldiers) systems to maintain an efficient army?

  1. Firoz Shah Tughlaq
  2. Alauddin Khalji Correct answer.
  3. Balban
  4. Iltutmish

Explanation

Alauddin Khalji introduced the dagh (horse branding) and chehra (soldier description) systems so that soldiers could not claim pay for horses or men they did not actually maintain. This strengthened his military administration and supported his market controls.

Question 50Medieval Indian History and the Delhi Sultanate

The famous Sufi saint who settled in Delhi during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and whose khanqah was at Ghiyaspur was:

  1. Sheikh Salim Chishti
  2. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
  3. Nizamuddin Auliya Correct answer.
  4. Baba Farid

Explanation

Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya was a major Chishti saint whose khanqah at Ghiyaspur, near Delhi, flourished during Alauddin Khalji's reign. Moinuddin Chishti was at Ajmer, Baba Farid at Pakpattan, and Salim Chishti was a later Mughal-era figure at Fatehpur Sikri.