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PSEB SS PHC practice questions

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Question 1Punjab History and Culture

The ancient city of Harappa, a typewriter of the Indus Valley Civilisation, is located in which present-day district of Punjab (Pakistan)?

  1. Lahore
  2. Sahiwal Correct answer.
  3. Multan
  4. Rawalpindi

Explanation

Harappa lies near the Ravi in the Sahiwal district of Punjab, Pakistan, and was first excavated in the 1920s under Daya Ram Sahni. It is one of the two type-sites of the civilisation, the other being Mohenjo-daro in Sindh.

Question 2Punjab History and Culture

Which Sikh Guru founded the city of Amritsar and began the excavation of the pool around which the Golden Temple stands?

  1. Guru Arjan
  2. Guru Ram Das Correct answer.
  3. Guru Nanak
  4. Guru Gobind Singh

Explanation

Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru, founded the settlement of Ramdaspur, which grew into Amritsar, and started the sacred pool. His son Guru Arjan later completed the pool and installed the Adi Granth in the Harmandir Sahib.

Question 3Punjab History and Culture

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 took place in which city?

  1. Jalandhar
  2. Amritsar Correct answer.
  3. Lahore
  4. Patiala

Explanation

On 13 April 1919, troops under General Dyer fired on a gathering at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar during protests against the Rowlatt Act. The site is now a memorial maintained near the Golden Temple.

Question 4Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi poet is celebrated as the author of the tragic romance 'Heer Ranjha' in its most famous version?

  1. Bulleh Shah
  2. Sultan Bahu
  3. Shah Hussain
  4. Waris Shah Correct answer.

Explanation

Waris Shah composed his celebrated version of Heer Ranjha in the eighteenth century, and it is regarded as a masterpiece of Punjabi Sufi romance poetry. The other poets named are known for Sufi kafi verse rather than this romance.

Question 5Punjab History and Culture

The Bhangra dance, today associated with Punjabi celebration and harvest, traditionally originated among the farmers of which region?

  1. The Majha region Correct answer.
  2. The Potohar plateau
  3. The Doaba region
  4. The Malwa region

Explanation

Bhangra is traditionally traced to the Majha region of Punjab, where farmers performed it to mark the wheat harvest. Over time it spread across Punjab and into the diaspora as a popular folk form.

Question 6Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi festival is celebrated on the last day of the month of Phagun with a bonfire, marking the end of winter?

  1. Baisakhi
  2. Karva Chauth
  3. Teej
  4. Lohri Correct answer.

Explanation

Lohri falls on the last night of the Punjabi month of Paush/Phagun season and is marked with a bonfire, songs and offerings, traditionally linked to the end of winter. Baisakhi marks the harvest in April, while Teej and Karva Chauth are other seasonal or marital observances.

Question 7Punjab History and Culture

The Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib begins with which composition, regarded as the root of the text?

  1. Sukhmani Sahib
  2. Rehras Sahib
  3. Japji Sahib Correct answer.
  4. Anand Sahib

Explanation

The Guru Granth Sahib opens with the Mool Mantar and then the Japji Sahib, the composition of Guru Nanak that serves as the foundational morning prayer. The other works are also part of Sikh liturgy but appear elsewhere or in the daily prayer schedule.

Question 8Punjab History and Culture

The Partition of Punjab in 1947 divided the province along which basis, with the Radcliffe Line drawn through the region?

  1. Religious majority of districts Correct answer.
  2. Princely state agreements
  3. River boundaries alone
  4. Language spoken in districts

Explanation

The Radcliffe Award divided Punjab largely according to the religious majority of contiguous districts, placing Muslim-majority areas in Pakistan and the rest in India. Rivers and princely states influenced details but were not the governing principle of the award.

Question 9Punjab History and Culture

Which Mughal emperor built the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

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

Explanation

Shah Jahan commissioned the Shalimar Gardens at Lahore in 1641, and they were laid out under the supervision of Ali Mardan Khan. They are a classic example of Mughal charbagh garden design with terraces and water channels.

Question 10Punjab History and Culture

The Maharaja Ranjit Singh's empire was consolidated in 1799 when he captured which city, making it his capital?

  1. Lahore Correct answer.
  2. Peshawar
  3. Multan
  4. Kashmir

Explanation

Ranjit Singh took Lahore in 1799 with the help of Zaman Shah Durrani and made it the capital of his expanding Sikh state. Multan, Kashmir and Peshawar were conquered later during his campaigns.

Question 11Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi Sufi poet is remembered for the verse line 'Ilmon bas kareen, o yaar' and for challenging ritual formalism?

  1. Waris Shah
  2. Hashim Shah
  3. Mian Muhammad
  4. Bulleh Shah Correct answer.

Explanation

Bulleh Shah, an eighteenth-century Sufi poet of Punjab, is famous for kafis that criticise empty ritual and emphasise inner realisation, including the well-known line urging the reader to go beyond bookish learning. The other poets are associated with different romances or devotional styles.

Question 12Punjab History and Culture

The treaty of 1849 that ended the Second Anglo-Sikh War resulted in the annexation of Punjab and the deposition of which young ruler?

  1. Maharaja Ranjit Singh
  2. Maharaja Sher Singh
  3. Maharaja Kharak Singh
  4. Maharaja Dalip Singh Correct answer.

Explanation

After the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the young Maharaja Dalip Singh was deposed and Punjab was annexed to British India in 1849. Ranjit Singh, Kharak Singh and Sher Singh had all ruled or died before that annexation.

Question 13Punjab History and Culture

The Ghadar Party, which organised Punjabi emigrants against British rule, was founded in 1913 in which city?

  1. Vancouver
  2. London
  3. San Francisco Correct answer.
  4. Shanghai

Explanation

The Ghadar Party was founded in San Francisco in 1913 by Punjabi immigrants, mainly Sikhs, and published the paper Ghadar. It later attempted to foment revolt in Punjab during the First World War.

Question 14Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi folk dance is traditionally performed by women in a circle with clapping, often during Teej and festive gatherings?

  1. Bhangra
  2. Jhumar
  3. Giddha Correct answer.
  4. Luddi

Explanation

Giddha is the women's folk dance of Punjab, performed in a circle with rhythmic clapping and boliyan verses. Bhangra, Jhumar and Luddi are associated with male performances or other regional traditions.

Question 15Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi festival of Baisakhi is significant to Sikhs because it commemorates which event of 1699?

  1. The martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur
  2. The compilation of the Adi Granth
  3. The founding of the Khalsa Correct answer.
  4. The building of the Golden Temple

Explanation

On Baisakhi in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh initiated the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib, giving Sikhs a distinct brotherhood and code. The other events occurred on different dates and are commemorated separately.

Question 16Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi writer is regarded as the leading figure of the Progressive Writers' Movement in Punjabi and wrote the novel 'Marhi Da Deeva'?

  1. Gurbaksh Singh Preetlari
  2. Kartar Singh Duggal
  3. Gurdial Singh Correct answer.
  4. Dalip Kaur Tiwana

Explanation

Gurdial Singh's novel Marhi Da Deeva, published in 1964, is a landmark of Punjabi progressive fiction dealing with caste and rural life. The other writers are important Punjabi authors but did not write this novel.

Question 17Punjab History and Culture

The Sikh shrine of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, one of the five temporal seats of authority, is located in which town?

  1. Anandpur Sahib Correct answer.
  2. Patna
  3. Amritsar
  4. Nanded

Explanation

Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib is at Anandpur Sahib, where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in 1699. The other locations host different takhts or shrines and are not Kesgarh.

Question 18Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi word 'Sufi' poetry of Shah Hussain is closely associated with which annual festival in Lahore?

  1. Urs of Data Ganj Bakhsh
  2. Mela Maghi
  3. Hola Mohalla
  4. Mela Chiraghan Correct answer.

Explanation

Mela Chiraghan, the festival of lamps, is held at the shrine of Shah Hussain in Lahore and commemorates the Sufi poet. Mela Maghi and Hola Mohalla are Sikh festivals, and the Data Ganj Bakhsh urs honours a different saint.

Question 19Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi Suba movement of the 1950s and 1960s led to the reorganisation of Punjab in which year, creating the present state?

  1. 1966 Correct answer.
  2. 1956
  3. 1971
  4. 1947

Explanation

The Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 divided the erstwhile state into Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, with some hill areas transferred to Himachal Pradesh. The movement had demanded a Punjabi-speaking state.

Question 20Punjab History and Culture

Which ancient Punjab site, excavated in the Potohar region, is noted for its Gandhara-style Buddhist stupas and monastery?

  1. Taxila Correct answer.
  2. Harappa
  3. Sanghol
  4. Ropar

Explanation

Taxila, in the Potohar region near Rawalpindi, is famed for its Gandhara Buddhist remains including stupas and monasteries at Dharmarajika and Jaulian. The other sites are Indus or later historic sites rather than Gandhara complexes.

Question 21Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi folk instrument 'tumbi', used to accompany bhangra and folk songs, is best described as which kind of instrument?

  1. A double-headed drum
  2. A single-stringed plucked lute Correct answer.
  3. A bowed fiddle
  4. A bamboo flute

Explanation

The tumbi is a small single-stringed plucked instrument with a gourd resonator, central to Punjabi folk and modern bhangra music. Drums, flutes and bowed fiddles are represented by other instruments such as the dhol, bansuri and sarangi.

Question 22Punjab History and Culture

Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army included European officers, of whom which pair served as generals in his Fauj-i-Khas?

  1. Clive and Warren
  2. Elphinstone and Metcalfe
  3. Ventura and Allard Correct answer.
  4. Napier and Lawrence

Explanation

Jean-Francois Allard and Jean-Baptiste Ventura were among the European officers who trained and commanded units of Ranjit Singh's modernised army. The other pairs are British officials associated with the East India Company and its diplomacy.

Question 23Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi folk tale of 'Mirza Sahiban' ends tragically because Mirza breaks which promise, leading to the couple's death?

  1. He refuses to marry Sahiban
  2. He uses his bow instead of fighting with a sword Correct answer.
  3. He fails to bring the wedding gifts
  4. He abandons Sahiban at the river

Explanation

In the legend, Mirza promises Sahiban not to use his bow against her brothers, but breaks the promise when they attack, and he is killed while his quiver is empty. The story turns on this broken vow and the lovers' deaths.

Question 24Punjab History and Culture

Which factor best explains why the Ghadar Party's planned uprising in Punjab in 1915 failed to materialise?

  1. The leaders were arrested and the plan was leaked to the police Correct answer.
  2. The movement was confined to Bengal
  3. The party had no contact with Punjab
  4. The British had already left India

Explanation

The Ghadar plan for a February 1915 rising collapsed after police infiltration and arrests of key organisers, and many returning emigrants were detained or restricted. The party did have networks in Punjab, so lack of contact is not the explanation.

Question 25Punjab History and Culture

The division of Punjab in 1947 displaced millions; which feature of the Radcliffe Award made the boundary especially contentious?

  1. It was drawn by a Punjabi commission
  2. It ignored district-level population data
  3. It awarded all of Punjab to India
  4. It was published after Partition had already been announced Correct answer.

Explanation

The Radcliffe Award was kept secret until after the independence arrangements were announced, leaving communities on both sides uncertain and contributing to the violence of the transfer. The award did not give all of Punjab to India and was drawn by a British-led commission.

Question 26Punjab History and Culture

The ancient city of Harappa, a type of site first identified in the Punjab region, belongs to which archaeological culture?

  1. Indus Valley Civilisation Correct answer.
  2. Ahar-Banas culture
  3. Gandhara grave culture
  4. Painted Grey Ware culture

Explanation

Harappa in the Punjab was the first site of the Indus Valley Civilisation to be excavated, and it gives its name to the Harappan phase of that urban culture. The other cultures listed are either later or located outside the core Punjab plain.

Question 27Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi Sufi poet is known for the kafi 'Mera Ranjhan Mustaq Hai' and for using the Ranjhan metaphor in his verses?

  1. Bulleh Shah Correct answer.
  2. Sultan Bahu
  3. Waris Shah
  4. Shah Hussain

Explanation

Bulleh Shah's kafis frequently use the figure of Ranjhan to express the soul's longing for the divine, and 'Mera Ranjhan Mustaq Hai' is among his best-known verses. Shah Hussain and Sultan Bahu wrote in related genres but are not associated with this specific kafi.

Question 28Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi folk dance 'Giddha' is traditionally performed by women in a circle, often with which accompanying feature?

  1. Sword balancing
  2. Sticks and dhol
  3. Masked mime
  4. Clapping and boliyan Correct answer.

Explanation

Giddha is a women's circle dance in which participants clap rhythmically and recite boliyan, short witty couplets. The other features belong to different folk forms such as bhangra or martial displays.

Question 29Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi folk instrument 'tumbi' is best described as which kind of instrument?

  1. A bowed fiddle
  2. A single-stringed plucked lute Correct answer.
  3. A bamboo flute
  4. A double-headed drum

Explanation

The tumbi is a small single-stringed plucked instrument with a gourd resonator, used to carry the melody in bhangra and folk songs. The drum, flute, and bowed fiddle correspond to other instruments such as the dhol, bansuri, and sarangi.

Question 30Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi folk tale ends tragically because Mirza breaks his promise to Sahiban and falls asleep under a tree, allowing her brothers to attack?

  1. Mirza Sahiban Correct answer.
  2. Heer Ranjha
  3. Sassi Punnu
  4. Sohni Mahiwal

Explanation

In the tale of Mirza Sahiban, Mirza promises to stay awake to guard Sahiban but falls asleep, and her brothers surprise and kill him. The other tales have different plots and endings.

Question 31Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi festival of Lohri is traditionally associated with the end of the winter solstice and is celebrated with a bonfire on the last day of which month?

  1. Chet
  2. Magh
  3. Phagun
  4. Poh Correct answer.

Explanation

Lohri falls on the last day of the Punjabi month of Poh, on the eve of Maghi, and is marked by a bonfire and folk songs. Phagun and Chet belong to later spring months and are linked to other festivals.

Question 32Punjab History and Culture

The Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib opens with which composition, regarded as the root or seed of the text?

  1. Sukhmani Sahib
  2. Anand Sahib
  3. Japji Sahib Correct answer.
  4. Rehras Sahib

Explanation

The Guru Granth Sahib begins with Guru Nanak's Japji Sahib, which is considered the foundational composition of the scripture. The other compositions appear later in the text or in the daily prayer cycle.

Question 33Punjab History and Culture

The Partition of Punjab in 1947 divided the province primarily along which basis?

  1. Language distribution
  2. River boundaries
  3. Religious demography Correct answer.
  4. Caste composition

Explanation

The Radcliffe Award divided Punjab chiefly according to the religious composition of its districts, with Muslim-majority areas going to Pakistan and non-Muslim-majority areas to India. Language, rivers, and caste were not the governing principle.

Question 34Punjab History and Culture

Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Fauj-i-Khas included which pair of European officers who served as generals?

  1. Lawrence and Nicholson
  2. Ventura and Allard Correct answer.
  3. Napier and Outram
  4. Elphinstone and Metcalfe

Explanation

Jean-François Allard and Jean-Baptiste Ventura were European officers who trained and commanded units of Ranjit Singh's army. The other pairs are associated with the British administration or army, not with the Sikh Fauj-i-Khas.

Question 35Punjab History and Culture

The Ghadar Party's planned uprising in Punjab in 1915 failed to materialise mainly because of which factor?

  1. Widespread arrests and informer networks Correct answer.
  2. Withdrawal of German support before 1914
  3. Refusal of Punjabi emigrants to return
  4. Lack of any published propaganda

Explanation

British intelligence infiltrated the Ghadar network, arrested many leaders, and intercepted returning emigrants, which disrupted coordination for the February 1915 rising. The party did publish propaganda and did receive some German support, so those options do not explain the failure.

Question 36Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi Suba movement of the 1950s and 1960s led to the reorganisation of Punjab in which year, creating the present-day state of Punjab?

  1. 1947
  2. 1966 Correct answer.
  3. 1956
  4. 1971

Explanation

The Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 divided the erstwhile Punjab into Punjab, Haryana, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, with some hill areas transferred to Himachal Pradesh. The other years do not correspond to this reorganisation.

Question 37Punjab History and Culture

Which ancient Punjab site in the Potohar region is noted for its Gandhara-style Buddhist stupas and monasteries, including the Dharmarajika complex?

  1. Mohenjo-daro
  2. Harappa
  3. Taxila Correct answer.
  4. Mehrgarh

Explanation

Taxila, in the Potohar region, contains extensive Gandhara Buddhist remains such as the Dharmarajika stupa and nearby monasteries. The other sites are either Indus Valley settlements or a Neolithic site, not Gandhara Buddhist complexes.

Question 38Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi Sufi poet Shah Hussain is closely associated with which annual festival in Lahore?

  1. Basant
  2. Lohri
  3. Hola Mohalla
  4. Mela Chiraghan Correct answer.

Explanation

Mela Chiraghan, the festival of lights, is held annually at the shrine of Shah Hussain in Lahore to commemorate the poet. Basant is a kite festival, Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival, and Lohri is a winter bonfire festival.

Question 39Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi writer is regarded as a leading figure of the Progressive Writers' Movement in Punjabi and wrote the novel 'Marhi Da Deeva'?

  1. Gurdial Singh Correct answer.
  2. Amrita Pritam
  3. Nanak Singh
  4. Kartar Singh Duggal

Explanation

Gurdial Singh's novel 'Marhi Da Deeva' is a landmark of Punjabi progressive fiction, and he is associated with the Progressive Writers' Movement. The other writers are major Punjabi authors but did not write this novel.

Question 40Punjab History and Culture

The treaty that ended the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 resulted in the annexation of Punjab and the deposition of which minor ruler?

  1. Sher Singh
  2. Ranjit Singh
  3. Dalip Singh Correct answer.
  4. Kharak Singh

Explanation

The Treaty of Lahore of 1849 followed the Second Anglo-Sikh War and led to the annexation of Punjab and the deposition of the young Maharaja Dalip Singh. The other rulers belonged to earlier phases of Sikh history.

Question 41Punjab History and Culture

Which Mughal emperor is credited with laying out the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore, a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

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

Explanation

The Shalimar Gardens of Lahore were built under the patronage of Emperor Shah Jahan in the seventeenth century. The other emperors ruled before or after this construction and are not credited with this garden.

Question 42Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi poet is remembered for the verse line 'Ilmon bas kareen, o yaar' and for challenging ritual formalism?

  1. Waris Shah
  2. Sultan Bahu
  3. Bulleh Shah Correct answer.
  4. Shah Hussain

Explanation

Bulleh Shah's verse 'Ilmon bas kareen, o yaar' criticises empty ritual and emphasises inner knowledge. The other poets wrote in Punjabi but are not associated with this specific line.

Question 43Punjab History and Culture

The division of Punjab in 1947 displaced millions; which feature of the Radcliffe Award made the boundary especially controversial?

  1. It was decided by the United Nations
  2. It was based on a plebiscite in each district
  3. It was drawn hastily and published after the transfer of power Correct answer.
  4. It followed the course of the Sutlej river exactly

Explanation

The Radcliffe Award was prepared quickly and its details were published only after the transfer of power, leaving little time for populations to prepare or for disputes to be resolved. The other options misstate the process.

Question 44Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi folk dance 'Bhangra' is traditionally associated with which season and agricultural activity?

  1. Autumn picking of cotton
  2. Winter fishing in rivers
  3. Harvest of the rabi crop Correct answer.
  4. Monsoon sowing of rice

Explanation

Bhangra originated as a celebration of the rabi harvest in the Punjab, especially around Baisakhi. The other activities are not the traditional context of bhangra.

Question 45Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi folk tale features the heroine Sohni, who crosses the river each night on a baked pot to meet Mahiwal?

  1. Mirza Sahiban
  2. Sohni Mahiwal Correct answer.
  3. Heer Ranjha
  4. Sassi Punnu

Explanation

In the tale of Sohni Mahiwal, Sohni uses a baked pot to float across the river to meet her lover Mahiwal. The other tales involve different characters and plots.

Question 46Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi festival of Teej is traditionally celebrated by women with which activity?

  1. Bonfire jumping
  2. Swinging and singing Correct answer.
  3. Boat racing
  4. Kite flying

Explanation

Teej is celebrated by women with swings, songs, and festive gatherings, often marking the monsoon season. The other activities belong to different festivals.

Question 47Punjab History and Culture

Which Punjabi folk tale ends tragically because Mirza breaks his promise to Sahiban and falls asleep under a tree, allowing her brothers to catch them?

  1. Heer Ranjha
  2. Mirza Sahiban Correct answer.
  3. Sassi Punnun
  4. Sohni Mahiwal

Explanation

In the tale of Mirza Sahiban, Mirza falls asleep under a tree despite Sahiban's warning, and her brothers overtake and kill him. Sahiban then takes her own life, giving the story its tragic end.

Question 48Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi festival of Lohri is traditionally associated with the end of the winter solstice and is celebrated with which activity?

  1. Lighting bonfires and singing folk songs Correct answer.
  2. Boat races
  3. Fasting for a full day
  4. Colour-throwing

Explanation

Lohri is celebrated with bonfires around which people gather, sing folk songs, and throw offerings such as sesame and jaggery. It marks the end of the winter solstice period in Punjab.

Question 49Punjab History and Culture

The Punjabi Suba movement of the 1950s and 1960s led to the reorganisation of Punjab in which year, creating the present-day state of Punjab and Haryana?

  1. 1971
  2. 1966 Correct answer.
  3. 1956
  4. 1984

Explanation

The Punjab Reorganisation Act was passed in 1966, creating Punjab and Haryana and transferring hill areas to Himachal Pradesh. This followed the Punjabi Suba movement led by the Akali Dal.

Question 50Punjab History and Culture

Which ancient Punjab site in the Potohar region is noted for its Gandhara-style Buddhist stupas and monasteries, including a large stupa and a monastery with a central court?

  1. Mohenjo-daro
  2. Taxila
  3. Harappa
  4. Takht-i-Bahi Correct answer.

Explanation

Takht-i-Bahi is a well-preserved Gandhara Buddhist monastic complex in the Potohar region, known for its stupa and monastery remains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.