History & Culture — UPSC Prelims PYQs

Question 1

Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme:
1. Boycott of law-courts and foreign cloth
2. Observance of strict non-violence
3. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public
4. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes
How many of the above were parts of Non-Cooperation Programme? (A) Only one (B) Only two (C) Only three (D) All the four

Accepted Answer

(C) Only three — Correct. Boycott of law courts and foreign cloth, strict non-violence, and the establishment of panchayats for dispute resolution were all parts of the Non-Cooperation Programme. Retaining titles was not part of it; Gandhi called for their surrender.

Question 2

The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in [2025] (A) Delhi (B) Gwalior (C) Ujjain (D) Lahore

Accepted Answer

(D) Lahore — Correct. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar founded the first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Lahore in 1901 to institutionalise Hindustani classical music training outside hereditary court and gharana settings.

Question 3

Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the 'Pradesika', 'Rajuka' and 'Yukta' were important officers at the: (A) Village-level administration (B) District-level administration (C) Provincial administration (D) Level of the central administration

Accepted Answer

(B) District-level administration — Correct. Ashokan inscriptions (especially Rock Edict III) mention these officers in connection with district-level administration. Rajukas handled revenue assessment and judicial functions, Pradesikas supervised district affairs, and Yuktas served as subordinate officials assisting in record-keeping.

Question 4

Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident? (A) C. R. Das (B) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant (C) Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami (D) M. A. Jinnah

Accepted Answer

(B) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant — Correct. Madan Mohan Malaviya and his son Krishna Kant took up the legal defence of those arrested after Chauri Chaura. Their intervention significantly reduced the number of death sentences.

Question 5

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of: (A) Carnelian (B) Clay (C) Bronze (D) Gold

Accepted Answer

(C) Bronze — Correct. The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro is a bronze figurine approximately 10.5 cm tall, cast using the lost-wax (cire perdue) technique. It is one of the finest examples of Harappan metallurgical skill and artistic achievement.

Question 6

Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of: (A) Samudragupta (B) Chandragupta II (C) Kumaragupta I (D) Skandagupta

Accepted Answer

(B) Chandragupta II — Correct. Fa-hien visited India between approximately 399 and 414 CE, during the reign of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (r. c. 375–415 CE). His travelogue, Fo-Kuo-Ki, provides valuable accounts of Gupta administration, the condition of Buddhism, and social life.

Question 7

Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy:
1. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East.
2. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 only (C) Both 1 and 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Accepted Answer

(C) Both 1 and 2 — Correct. Raja Ram Mohan Roy drew heavily upon Vedantic and Upanishadic traditions, demonstrating deep respect for Eastern philosophy, while simultaneously advocating for rational inquiry, scientific temperament, women's rights, and social equality. He successfully balanced reformist zeal with reverence for India's philosophical heritage.

Question 8

With reference to ancient India (600-322 BC), consider the following pairs:
Territorial region - River flowing in the region
1. Asmaka : Godavari
2. Kamboja : Vipas
3. Avanti : Mahanadi
4. Kosala : Sarayu
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched? (A) Only one (B) Only two (C) Only three (D) All the four

Accepted Answer

(B) Only two — Correct. Asmaka was located on the banks of the Godavari in the Deccan, and Kosala was situated along the Sarayu (Rapti-Sarayu basin) in modern eastern Uttar Pradesh. Kamboja lay in the far northwest (modern Afghanistan-Pakistan border area), not along the Vipas (Beas). Avanti was in western Malwa associated with the Kshipra river, not the Mahanadi.

Question 9

'Sedition has become my religion' was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of (A) the Champaran Satyagraha (B) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi (C) attending the Second Round Table Conference in London (D) the launch of the Quit India Movement

Accepted Answer

(B) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi — Correct. The statement is associated with Gandhi's open defiance of British authority during the Salt Satyagraha, especially after breaking the Salt Law at Dandi in 1930.

Question 10

Who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Srivijaya? (A) Amoghavarsha (Rashtrakuta) (B) Prataparudra (Kakatiya) (C) Rajendra I (Chola) (D) Vishnuvardhana (Hoysala)

Accepted Answer

(C) Rajendra I (Chola) — Correct. Rajendra Chola I launched the famous naval expedition against the Srivijaya empire around 1025 CE, attacking key ports in modern-day Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula to secure Chola dominance over Bay of Bengal trade routes.

Question 11

The irrigation device called 'Araghatta' was (A) a water bag made of leather pulled over a pulley (B) a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes (C) a larger earthen pot driven by bullocks (D) a large water bucket pulled up by rope directly by hand

Accepted Answer

(B) a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes — Correct. Araghatta was a mechanical water-lifting device consisting of a large wheel with earthen pots attached to its spokes. As the wheel rotated, pots scooped water from below and emptied it into a channel at the top, representing an advance over simpler irrigation methods.

Question 12

Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'? (A) 'Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker (B) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (C) Bhaskarrao Jadhav (D) Dinkarrao Javalkar

Accepted Answer

(A) 'Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker — Correct. E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker, popularly known as Periyar, founded the Self-Respect Movement in 1925 in Tamil Nadu to challenge caste hierarchy, Brahmanical social dominance, and gender inequality. It promoted rationalism and self-respect among lower castes.

Question 13

Consider the following fruits:
1. Papaya
2. Pineapple
3. Guava
How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries? (A) Only one (B) Only two (C) All the three (D) None

Accepted Answer

(C) All the three — Correct. Papaya, pineapple, and guava are all of American origin and were brought to India by the Portuguese during the Columbian exchange in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries through their maritime trade routes connecting the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

Question 14

Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme? (A) The Poona Pact (B) The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact) (C) Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement (D) Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935

Accepted Answer

(A) The Poona Pact — Correct. The Poona Pact of 1932, reached after Gandhi's fast against separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, was followed by a vigorous campaign against untouchability, including the founding of the Harijan Sevak Sangh and the journal Harijan.

Question 15

Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta' and 'Gunabharata'? (A) Mahendravarman I (B) Simhavishnu (C) Narasimhavarman I (D) Simhavarman

Accepted Answer

(A) Mahendravarman I — Correct. Mahendravarman I of the Pallava dynasty was renowned for his literary and artistic talents. He bore these titles reflecting his versatile genius — 'Mattavilasa' (lover of fun), 'Vichitrachitta' (curious-minded), and 'Gunabharata' (one endowed with virtues). He also authored the Sanskrit farce Mattavilasa Prahasana.

Question 16

Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement:
1. The Congress declared the attainment of 'Swaraj' by all legitimate and peaceful means to be its objective.
2. It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes for the next stage only if 'Swaraj' did not come within a year and the Government resorted to repression.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 only (C) Both 1 and 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Accepted Answer

(C) Both 1 and 2 — Correct. At the Nagpur session in 1920, the Congress adopted Swaraj by legitimate and peaceful means as its goal. Gandhi's programme was staged: stronger forms like no-tax campaigns were reserved for a later phase depending on circumstances.

Question 17

Who of the following rulers of medieval India gave permission to the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal? (A) Krishnadevaraya (B) Narasimha Saluva (C) Muhammad Shah III (D) Yusuf Adil Shah

Accepted Answer

(A) Krishnadevaraya — Correct. Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire maintained friendly commercial relations with the Portuguese and permitted them to build a fort at Bhatkal, a key trading port on the western coast.

Question 18

Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO? (A) Chhau dance (B) Durga Puja (C) Garba dance (D) Kumbh Mela

Accepted Answer

(C) Garba dance — Correct. Garba of Gujarat was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023, making it the latest inclusion among the four options. Chhau was inscribed in 2010, Kumbh Mela in 2017, and Durga Puja in 2021.

Question 19

Which one of the following is a work attributed to playwright Bhasa? (A) Kavyalankara (B) Natyashastra (C) Madhyama-vyayoga (D) Mahabhashya

Accepted Answer

(C) Madhyama-vyayoga — Correct. Madhyama-vyayoga is one of the thirteen plays attributed to Bhasa, rediscovered by T. Ganapati Sastri in 1912. It deals with an episode from the Mahabharata involving Bhima and Ghatotkacha.

Question 20

With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:
1. It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.
2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 only (C) Both 1 and 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Accepted Answer

(A) 1 only — Correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Act proposed an All India Federation comprising British Indian provinces and princely states, though it never fully came into operation. Statement 2 is incorrect because Defence and Foreign Affairs were reserved subjects under the Governor-General, not under the federal legislature.

Question 21

Consider the following statements:
1. There are no parables in Upanishads.
2. Upanishads were composed earlier than the Puranas.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 only (C) Both 1 and 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Accepted Answer

(B) 2 only — Correct. The Upanishads do contain parables and allegorical teaching material, making statement 1 false. Statement 2 is correct because the principal Upanishads date to roughly 800-500 BCE, while the Puranas were compiled much later, mostly in the early centuries of the Common Era.

Question 22

Sanghabhuti, an Indian Buddhist monk who travelled to China at the end of the fourth century AD, was the author of a commentary on: (A) Prajnaparamita Sutra (B) Visuddhimagga (C) Sarvastivada Vinaya (D) Lalitavistara

Accepted Answer

(C) Sarvastivada Vinaya — Correct. Sanghabhuti was associated with the Sarvastivada tradition and worked on the Vinaya (monastic disciplinary code) literature of that school. He travelled to China and contributed to the translation and commentary of Sarvastivada Vinaya texts.

Question 23

Consider the following properties included in the World Heritage List released by UNESCO:
1. Shantiniketan
2. Rani-ki-Vav
3. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas
4. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya
How many of the above properties were included in 2023? (A) Only one (B) Only two (C) Only three (D) All four

Accepted Answer

(B) Only two — Correct. Shantiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were both inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. Rani-ki-Vav was inscribed in 2014, and the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya was inscribed in 2002.

Question 24

Consider the following pairs:
Party : Its Leader
1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh : Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
2. Socialist Party : C. Rajagopalachari
3. Congress for Democracy : Jagjivan Ram
4. Swatantra Party : Acharya Narendra Dev
How many of the above are correctly matched? (A) Only one (B) Only two (C) Only three (D) All four

Accepted Answer

(B) Only two — Correct. Bharatiya Jana Sangh was founded by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (pair 1 correct) and Congress for Democracy was formed by Jagjivan Ram in 1977 (pair 3 correct). C. Rajagopalachari founded the Swatantra Party, not the Socialist Party (pair 2 wrong). Acharya Narendra Dev was a socialist leader, not associated with the Swatantra Party (pair 4 wrong).

Question 25

With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements:
1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 only (C) Both 1 and 2 (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Accepted Answer

(B) 2 only — Correct. Under the Permanent Settlement, the Sunset Law required zamindars to pay their fixed revenue by a strict deadline. Failure meant the zamindari could be auctioned, making statement 2 accurate.

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