1. Prologue
  2. Medieval Dictionary Terms
  3. Mughal Painting, Travellers & Authors
  4. Freedom Struggle: art-culture, edu & Social Reforms
  5. Pratik Nayak’s Full course on Art & Culture
  6. Freedom Struggle: 1857 to entry of Gandhi
  7. Freedom Struggle: Entry of Gandhi onwards

Prologue

  • Time Limit: 30 minutes. 2 Marks for correct answer; -0.66 marks for wrong answers.
  • Mitron, my [T25] series contains 25 Mock MCQ sets primarily aimed at UPSC IAS/IPS Civil Service exam aspirants.
  • I usually don’t give direct answers below the MCQs but indirect hints. Because, then you’ve read the MCQ again & apply logical reasoning skills. This will improve your mental faculties compared to a scenario where direct answers are spoon-fed.
  • This 41st set contains  Freedom Struggle to Medieval History questions from UPSC’s CISF exam and Geoscientist exam 2020 and CDS-2020 exams
  • Since UPSC Examiner has lifted Majority of these Questions from (NEW) NCERTs so better you read/revise them first, before attempting!
  • धीरे धीरे करते हुए, so far I’ve done 41 sets x 25 questions each = 1025 ORIGINAL MCQs और पता भी नहीं चला!
  • Given the fact that UPSC Prelims even asks contemporary topics even from 2-3 years preceding the exam, so you should go through all of them available at Mrunal.org/Prelims

Medieval Dictionary Terms

Q. The term Pahi-Kashta refers to  which  one  of the following  (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Resident cultivators
  2. Landless cultivators
  3. Non-resident cultivators
  4. Peasants with more than 5 acres of land

HINT:

  • In the 17th century’s Mughal period there were two types of peasants
  • 1. khud-kashta – residents of the village in which they held their lands.
  • 2. pahi-kashta- non-resident cultivators who  belonged to some other village, but cultivated lands  elsewhere on a contractual basis.
  • Ref: Page 198 of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. During the Mughal period, the word wakil referred to (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. lawyers in the Imperial Court.
  2. lawyers in a Civil Court.
  3. agents of nobles and regional rulers.
  4. None of the above

HINT:

  • Court writers- waqia nawis.
  • Imperial orders-  farman.
  • agents of nobles- wakil
  • Ref: Page 246 of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. During  the  Mughal  period,  the  term ‘Milkiyat’  denoted  which one of the following  (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Jagirs held by J agirdars
  2. Ijaras held by Ijaradars
  3. Personal lands of Zamindars
  4. Personal property of Mansabdars

HINT:

  • Milkiyat – zamindars held extensive personal lands.
  • Lands were cultivated for the private use of zamindars, often with the help of hired or servile labour.
  • Hence the correct answer is (c ).
  • Ref: Page 211  of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. Kuddapah-kar : Rocky wastelands
  2. Nancai : Wet fields
  3. Puncai : Dry fields
  4. Tottakal : Garden lands

HINT:

साला इतना डिटेल मे कौन तैयार करता है!?

  • As per google books, Rice was principal crop in Vijayanagara age. Harvesting was done in two crop areas 1) Kuddapah-car and 2) Samba-Pashanam.
  • Tottakal = land appropriated to cultivate garden produce like fruits, vegetables etc.

Mughal Painting UPSC Prelims MCQ

Mughal Painting, Travellers & Authors

Q. Jahangir got impressed by the Turkish fluency of which one of the following European travellers and made him a Mansabdar of 400 sawar?(UPSC-Geologist-2020)

  1. William Hawkins
  2. Ralph Fitch
  3. William Finch
  4. Thomas Coryat

HINT:

As per google books

Q. Seydi Ali Reis was a Turkish traveller to India in the _ _ _ . (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. 18th Century.
  2. 14th Century.
  3. 13 th Century.
  4. 16th Century.

HINT:

Sixteenth century following travellers visited India-

  • 1518 Duarte Barbosa  (from Portugal)
  • 1562 Seydi Ali Reis (from Turkey)
  • 1536-1600 Antonio Monserrate (from Spain)
  • Hence the correct answer is (d).
  • Ref: Page 137  of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. The famous Mughal painting, depicting Jahangir embracing the Safavid king Shah Abbas, was painted by which one of the following Mughal painters? (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. Abd al-Samad
  2. Abul Hasan
  3. Dasavant
  4. Bishandas

HINT:

  • Abu’l Hasan painted a scene portraying the two rulers – Jahangir and the Safavid Shah Abbas – in friendly embrace. Main features of the painting are as following:
  • Both kings are depicted in their traditional costumes.
  • The figure of the Shah is based upon portraits made by Bishandas.
  • This gave a sense of authenticity to a scene which is fictional, as the two rulers had never met.
  • Ref:- Page 249 of NCERT KINGS AND CHRONICLES – THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II

Q. The work Siyar-ul-Mutakherin, which describes the Battle of Plassey, 1757, was written by (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. Salabat Jung
  2. Qasim Khan
  3. Ghulam Husain
  4. Ram Mohan Roy

HINT:

  • The Battle of Plassey  (1757) was fought between- Sirajuddaulah Vs East India Company
  • Reason of war- Sirajuddaulah asked the Company to stop meddling in the political affairs of his dominion, stop fortification, and pay the revenues.
  • Robert Clive led the Company’s army against Sirajuddaulah at Plassey.
  • Reasons for  the defeat of the Nawab-  Nawab’s forces led by Mir Jafar, who never fought the battle in favour of Nawab.
  • Siyar-ul-Mutakherin – Written by – Ghulam Husain Khan
  • Ref: NCERT OUR PASTS – III Page 12.

Q. Of  the following visitors, who compared medieval Vijayanagara with Rome (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Nicolo de Conti
  2. Afanasy Nikitin
  3. Domingo Paes
  4. Fernao Nuniz

HINT:

  • Domingo Paes’s description of  Vijayanagara: Vijayanagara- lies between several ranges of hills – compare it with Rome for its largeness
  • Ref: Page 176 of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. Who wrote the book of travels called Rihla  (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Ibn Battuta
  2. Al-Biruni
  3. Shaikh Ali Hazin
  4. Abdur Razzaq

HINT:

  • Rihla: Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta’s book  of travels,Written in Arabic.
  • Provides details about the social and cultural life in the subcontinent in the fourteenth century.
  • Ref: Page 118  of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. Which traveller described the postal system prevalent in India in the medieval period in detail (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Abdur Razzaq
  2. Ibn Battuta
  3. Pelsaert
  4. Bernier

HINT:

  • Ibn Battuta- described two kinds of postal system in India.
    • 1.The horsepost, called uluq, is run by royal horses stationed at a distance of every four miles.
    • 2. The foot-post- has three stations per mile; it is called dawa, that is one-third of a
    • mile . Features- Foot-post is quicker than the horse-post; and often it is used to transport the fruits of Khurasan .
  • Ref: Page 129  of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Q. Muhammad Husayn of Kashmir (1575 –  1605),   a   contemporary of  Emperor Akbar, was a _ _ _ _ . (UPSC-CISF-2020)

  1. reputed Mansabdar.
  2. painter at Court.
  3. Mughal General.
  4. reputed calligrapher.

HINT:

  • Folio in nastaliq-   the work of Muhammad Husayn of Kashmir.
  • Muhammad Husayn- one of the finest calligraphers at Akbar’s court.
  • Husayn- honoured with the title “zarrin qalam”
  • Ref: Page 228  of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART II NCERT.

Freedom Struggle: art-culture, edu & Social Reforms

Q. Which one of the following pairs is NOT correctly matched?(UPSC-Geologist-2020)

  1. Mohammedan Literary Society – Abdul Latif
  2. National Mohammedan Association – Syed Amir Ali
  3. Mohammedan Educational Conference – Sayyid Ahmad Khan
  4. Anglo-Mohammedan Defence Association – Nawab Muhsin-ul-Mulk

HINT:
difficult to memorize so many low-profile associations!

Organization Leaders / Place Features
Mohammedan Literary Society Nawab Abdul Latif, Kolkata The goal of the society was the education of Muslim youth in English medium schools that would allow them to compete with their English and Hindu peers.
National Mohammedan Association Syed Amir Ali
Mohammedan Educational Conference Sayyid Ahmad Khan To Strengthen The Aligarh Movement
Anglo-Mohammedan Defence Association Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Q. The Hunter Commission (1882) appointed to survey the state of education in India (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. deprecated University education
  2. overruled the Despatch of 1854
  3. endorsed the Despatch of 1854 with greater emphasis on primary education
  4. criticized the grants-in-aid system of schooling

HINT:

  • HUNTER EDUCATION COMMISSION (1882-83): to review the progress of education in the country.
  • Scope- primary and secondary education.
  • Recommendation-
  • (i) emphasised on primary education +  primary education should be imparted through vernacular.
  • (ii) transfer of control of primary education to district and municipal boards.
  • (iii) Divided the secondary education- literary (leading upto university) and vocational (for commercial careers).
  • (iii) Attention required for inadequate facilities of female education.

Q. Which one of the following pairs of founder and newspaper is NOT correctly matched?(UPSC-Geologist-2020)

  1. Bande Mataram – Bankim Chandra
  2. Kesari – Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  3. Bombay Samachar – Fardonjee Marzban
  4. Al Hilal – Abul Kalam Azad

HINT:

  • Kesari (Marathi daily)- published in Bombay 1881, founder – Tilak, Chiplunkar, Agarkar
  • Bombay Samachar- (first paper in Gujarati) published in Bombay 1822, founder – Fardonjee Marzban
  • Al Hilal (weekly Urdu) published in 1912 -founder – Abul Kalam Azad.
  • Bande Mataram- Published in Paris, founder – madam Bhikaji Cama

Q. Who among the following was one of the founders of the Indian Society of Oriental Art? (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. Rabindranath Tagore
  2. Abanindranath Tagore
  3. Dwarakanath Tagore
  4. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya

HINT:

  • Gaganendranath Tagore, along with his brother Abanindranath → founder of Indian Society of Oriental Art .
  • Indian Society of Oriental Art- founded in 1907.
  • In painting, Abanindranath Tagore promoted indian art + inspired from Mughal, Ajanta and Rajput paintings.
  • So the answer is (b)

Q. Who serialized the autobiography called AmarKatha between 1910 and 1931 (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Binodini Dasi
  2. Girish Chandra Ghosh
  3. Rabindranath Tagore
  4. M.G.Ranade

HINT:

  • Binodini Dasi – pioneering figure in Bengali theatre.
  • One of the prime movers behind the setting up of the Star Theatre (1883) in Calcutta.
  • Between 1910 and 1913 she serialised her autobiography, Amar Katha (My Story).
  • She exemplified the problem women faced in recasting their roles in society.
  • Ref: NCERT page 329   of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART III.

Q. The Tattvabodhini Sabha’ was established by (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. Devendranath Tagore in 1839
  2. Keshab Chandra Sen in 1857
  3. Akshay Kumar Datta in 1850
  4. Dwarakanath Tagore in 1840

HINT:

  • Tattvabodhini founded by Debendranath Tagore in 1839.
  • To propagate Rammohun Roy’s ideas.
  • Tatvabodhini Patrika- organ of Tatvabodhini Sabha- to promote systematic study of India’s past in the Bengali language.
  • Ref:- Page 99 of old Ncert Modern India and Page 24 of Spectrum Modern India by Rajiv Ahir.

Q. Who founded the ‘Seva Samiti’ at Allahabad in 1914? (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. Hridayanath Kunzru
  2. G. K. Gokhale
  3. Shri Ram Bajpai
  4. T. B. Sapru
  • Explanation:
  • Seva Samiti- founded in 1914 @ Allahabad.
  • Founder- hridaynath Kunzru.
  • Purpose- Improving the status of the suffering classes through social service, education.
  • Ref: Page 393 of Modern History -Spectrum by Rajiv Ahir.

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Freedom Struggle: 1857 to entry of Gandhi

Q. During the revolt of 1857, who mobilised the headmen of Eighty  Four  Villages  (chaurasee des) (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah
  2. Shah Mal
  3. Nana Sahib
  4. Rao Tula Ram

HINT:

  • Shah Mal Barout in Uttar Pradesh belonged to a clan of Jat cultivators.
  • Kinship ties extended over chaurasee des (eighty-four villages).
  • Chaurasee des-  The lands in the region were irrigated and fertile, with rich dark loam soil.
  • Villagers saw land revenue system as oppressive + cultivators were losing land to outsiders, to traders and moneylenders who were coming into the area.
  • Shah Mal  mobilised the headmen and cultivators of chaurasee des, moving at night from village to village, urging people to rebel against the British.
  • Ref: Page 293  of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART III NCERT.

Q. In 1797, under a clause of which one of the following settlements, Raja of Burdwan’s estate was auctioned when he failed to pay the revenue to the East India Company?(UPSC-Geologist-2020)

  1. Taluqdari
  2. Ryotwari
  3. Permanent
  4. Mahalwari

HINT:

  • The Permanent Settlement came into force 1793.
  • The East India Company  fixed the revenue each zamindar had to pay.
  • The estates of those who failed to pay were to be auctioned to recover the revenue.
  • Since the raja had accumulated huge arrears, his estates had been put up for auction.
  • Ref: Page 258 of THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART III

Q. Which one of the following groups of movements/revolts/rebellions/riots is in chronological order (starting from the earliest)?(UPSC-Geologist-2020)

  1. Santhal uprising, Tebhaga movement, Deccan riots
  2. Kol rebellion, Santhal uprising, Deccan riots
  3. Santhal uprising, Tebhaga movement, Kol rebellion
  4. Kuka revolt, Deccan riots, Santhal uprising

HINT:

Revolt/uprising Year and place Leaders and reason
Kol rebellion 1831- Chottanagpur Buddho Bhagat.Against expansion of British rule on their lands.
Kuka revolt 1840- Punjab Bhagat Jawahar Mal, religious purification campaign later turned into a political one.
Santhal 1855-56- Bihar Sido and Kanhu. Against the practices of zamindars → later turned anti-british.
Deccan riots 1874- Western India Social boycott movement organised by the ryots against the

“outsider” moneylenders.
Tabhaga movement 1946 Bengal  Due to share cropping system.

Q. Who among the following was popularly called Danka Shah in the years 1856 – 57  (UPSC-CISF-2020)?

  1. Shah Mal
  2. Ahmadullah Shah
  3. Zahir Dehlvi
  4. Ghulam Hussain

HINT:

  • Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah-  played an important part in the revolt of 1857.
  • Seen moving from village to village preaching jehad (religious war) against the British and urging people to rebel.
  • He was therefore popularly called Danka Shah – the maulvi with the drum (danka).
  • Fought in the famous Battle of Chinhat in which the British forces under Henry Lawrence were defeated
  • Hence the correct answer is (b).

Ref: THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY – PART III NCERT Page 293.

Freedom Struggle: Entry of Gandhi onwards

Q. Which one among the following groups was known as ‘no-changers’ opposing Congress Party’s entry into Legislative Council following the withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement?(UPSC-Geologist-2020)

  1. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. M.A. Ansari
  2. C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru and S.C. Mitra
  3. Anil Baran Roy, Subhash Bose and S. Satyamurti
  4. Srinivas Iyengar and B.S. Munje

HINT:

  • The ‘No-changers’ opposed council entry + advocated ,concentration on constructive work, and continuation of boycott + noncooperation and quiet preparation for resumption of the suspended civil disobedience programme.
  • Vallabhbhai Patel,Rajendra Prasad, C. Rajagopalachari and M.A. Ansari came to be known as the ‘No-changers’.

Q. The State of Hyderabad in the Deccan officially acceded to the Indian Union in the year (UPSC-CDS-i-2020)

  1. 1948
  2. 1950
  3. 1949
  4. 1947

HINT:

  • Hyderabad wanted a sovereign status. It signed a Standstill Agreement with India in November 1947.
  • Operation POLO: The Nizam wanted an outlet to the sea (Goa).  leads to violence + supply of foreign arms  promoted Indian troops to move in 1948  described as “a police action to restore law and order”.
  • Hyderabad acceded in November 1949.

Visit Mrunal.org/prelims for Previous Rounds of [T25] Mock MCQ Question / Answers.