Indian History Questions & Answers 

1. The term ‘nishka’ which meant an ornament in the Vedic period was used in later times to denote a/an—
A. Weapon
B. Agricultural implement
C. Script
D. Coin
Ans : (D)
 

2. Which one of the following pairs of kings of ancient and medieval periods of Indian history and the works authored by them is correctly matched ?
A. Krishnadevaraya : Samaranganasutradhra
B. Mehendravarman : Mattavilasaprahasana
C. Bhojadeva : Manasollasa
D. Somesvara : Amuktamalyada
Ans : (B)
 

3. The founder of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides movement was—
A. Charles Andrews
B. Robert Montgomery
C. Richard Temple
D. Baden Powell
Ans : (D)
 

4. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
A. Dharamsastra : Works on religion and philosophy
B. Chaturvarnya : Four Ashrams
C. Shudra : Service to three varnas
D. Mahamatra : Superior Officials
Manidha Naeyam
Ans : (B)
 

5. Chanakya was known as—
A. Bhattasvamin
B. Rajasekhara
C. Vishnugupta
D. Visakhadatta
Ans : (C)
 

6. A lot of details regarding the village administration under the Cholas is provided by the inscriptions at—
A. Thanjavur
B. Uraiyur
C. Kanchipuram
D. Uttaramerur
Ans : (D)
 

7. In Jainism ‘perfect knowledge’ is referred to as—
A. Jina
B. Ratna
C. Kaivalya
D. Nirvanas
Ans : (C)
 

8. Who among the following is NOT associated with medicine in ancient India ?
A. Dhanvantri
B. Bhaskaracharya
C. Charaka
D. Susruta
Ans : (B)
 

9. In Mughal paintings one notices the adoption of the principles of foreshortening whereby near and distant people and things could be placed in perspective. This was due to the influence of the—
A. British
B. Dutch
C. Portuguese
D. Danish
Ans : (C)
 

10. Ashokan inscriptions were first deciphered by—
A. Buhler
B. Robert Sewell
C. James Prinsep
D. Codrington
Ans : (C)
 

11. Among the four works mentioned below which one is encyclopaedic in nature ?
A. Amarakosa
B. Siddhantasiromani
C. Brhat Samhita
D. Ashtangahrdaya
Ans : (A)
 

12. Consider the following passage—
In the course of a career on the road spanning almost thirty years, he crossed the breadth of the Eastern hemisphere, visited territories equivalent to about 44 modern countries and put behind him a total distance of approximately 73000 miles.The world's greatest traveller of pre-modern times to whom the above passage refers is—
A. Megasthenes
B. Fa Hien
C. Marco Polo
D. Ibn Battuta
Ans : (C)
 

13. The first political organisation established in India in 1838 was known as—
A. British India Society
B. Bengal British India Society
C. Settlers Association
D. Zamindary Association
Ans : (D)
 

14. The foundation of modern education system in India was laid by—
A. The Charter Act of 1813
B. Macaulay's Minutes of 1835
C. The Hunter Commission of 1882
D. Wood's Despatch of 1854
Ans : (B)
 

15. Uplift of the backward classes was the main programme of the—
A. Prarthana Samaj
B. Satya Shodhak Samaj
C. Arya Samaj
D. Ramakrishna Mission
Ans : (B)
 

16. The Ryotwari settlement was introduced by the British in the—
A. Bengal Presidency
B. Madras Presidency
C. Bombay Presidency
D. Madras and Bombay Presidencies
Ans : (D)
 

17. The Buddhist Sect Mahayana formally came into existence during the reign of—
A. Ajatashatru
B. Ashoka
C. Dharmapala
D. Kanishka
Ans : (D)
 

18. The last in succession of Jaina Tirthankaras was—
A. Parsvanatha
B. Rishabha
C. Mahavira
D. Manisubrata
Ans : (C)
 

19. The earliest rock cut caves in western India are those at—
A. Nasik, Ellora and Ajanta
Manidha Naeyam
B. Junnar,Kalyan and Pitalkhora
C. Ajanta, Bhaja and Kondane
D. Bhaja, Pitalkhora and Kondane
Ans : (A)
 

20. The name by which Ashoka is generally referred to in his inscriptions is—
A. Chakravarti
B. Dharmadeva
C. Dharmakirti
D. Priyadarsi
Ans : (D)
 

21. Which one of the following is a monument constructed by Sher Shah ?
A. Kila-i-Kuhna mosque at Delhi
B. Atala Masjid at Jaunpur
C. Barasona Masjid at Gaur
D. Quiwwat-al-Islam mosque at Delhi
Ans : (A)
 

22. Which among the following cities is considered as one of the oldest surviving cities in the world ?
A. Mathura
B. Varanasi
C. Hardwar
D. Ayodhya
Ans : (A)
 

23. The earliest evidence of silver in India is found in the—
A. Harappan culture
B. Chalcolithic cultures of Western India
C. Vedic texts
D. Silver punch marked coins
Ans : (A)
 

24. Which one of the following is a language of Baluchistan but linguistically Dravidian ?
Manidha Naeyam
A. Brahui
B. Kui
C. Parji
D. Pengo
Ans : (A)
 

25. Which one of the following is the most fundamental difference between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism ?
A. Emphasis on ahimsa
B. Casteless society
C. Worship of gods and goddesses
D. Worship of stupa
Ans : (C)