Previous year UPSC questions – Ancient and Medieval India – Set 1

1. Which of the following kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha?

1. Avanti
2. Gandhara
3. Kosala
4. Magadha

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

2. Who of the following founded a new city on the south bank of a tributary to river Krishna and undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of a deity to whom all the land south of the river Krishna was supposed to belong?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

3. In the context of the history of India, consider the following pairs:

Term: Description

1. Eripatti: Land, revenue from which was set apart for the maintenance of the village tank
2. Taniyurs: Villages donated to a single Brahmin or a group of Brahmins
3. Ghatikas: Colleges generally attached to the temples

Which of the pairs given above correctly matched?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

4. Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

5. With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

6. With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:

1. Aurang – In-charge of treasury of the State
2. Banian – Indian agent of the East India Company
3. Mirasidar – Designated revenue payer to the State

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

7. Consider the following events in the history of India:

1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja
2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman-I
3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka-I
4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala

What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

8. Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

9. With reference to the history of India, the terms ‘kulyavapa’ and ‘dronavapa’ denote

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

10. Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?

“Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely.”

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

11. With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:

Famous Place                          Present State

1. Bhilsa –              Madhya Pradesh
2. Dwarasamudra –              Maharashtra
3. Girinagar –              Gujarat
4. Sthanesvara –              Uttar Pradesh

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

12. With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were known as

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

13. Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

14. From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India?

1. The Guptas of Magadha
2. The Paramaras of Malwa
3. The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar
4. The Maukharis of Kanauj
5. The Yadavas of Devagiri
6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

15. With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes.
2. In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim right to the property.
3. The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

16. Consider the following Bhakti Saints:

1. DaduDayal
2. Guru Nanak
3. Tyagaraja

Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2013 Prelims]

17. In medieval India, the designations ‘Mahattara’ and ‘Pattakila’ were used for

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

18. Consider the following pairs:

Medieval Indian State: Present Region

1. Champaka: Central India
2. Durgara: Jammu
3. Kuluta: Malabar

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

19. Consider the following:

The arrival of Babur into India led to the

1. introduction of gunpowder in the subcontinent
2. introduction of the arch and dome in the region’s architecture
3. establishment of Timurid dynasty in the region

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

20. With reference to Indian history, which of the following is/are the essential element/elements of the feudal system?

1. A very strong centralized political authority and a very weak provincial or local political authority
2. Emergence of administrative structure based on control and possession of land
3. Creation of lord-vassal relationship between the feudal lord and his overlord

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

21. With reference to the economic history of medieval India, the term ‘Araghatta’ refers to

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

22. Regarding the taxation system of Krishna Deva, the ruler of Vijayanagar, consider the following statements:

1. The tax rate on land was fixed depending on the quality of the land.
2. Private owners of workshops paid an industries tax.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

23. Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were generally

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

24. Which one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]

25. With reference to Mughal India, what is/are the difference/differences between Jagirdar and Zamindar?

1. Jagirdars were holders of land assignments in lieu of judicial and police duties, whereas Zamindars were holders of revenue rights without obligation to perform any duty other than revenue collection.
2. Land assignments to Jagirdars were hereditary and revenue rights of Zamindars were not hereditary.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]