This section presents another set of 50 objective questions with answers, covering a mix of topics from Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History. These questions and detailed explanations are designed to help you prepare for various competitive examinations and deepen your understanding of India’s historical journey.
151. Who was the last ruler of the Mughal dynasty?
A) Akbar II
B) Bahadur Shah II
C) Shah Alam II
D) Aurangzeb
Answer: B
Explanation: Bahadur Shah II, also known as Bahadur Shah Zafar, was the last Mughal Emperor of India. His nominal reign ended with the British capture of Delhi during the Revolt of 1857, after which he was exiled to Rangoon.
152. The famous Kohinoor diamond was found in:
A) Golconda mines
B) Karnataka
C) Rajasthan
D) Bengal
Answer: A
Explanation: The legendary Kohinoor diamond, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, was originally mined from the Kollur Mine in the Golconda region of Andhra Pradesh, India.
153. The First Battle of Panipat marked the beginning of which empire?
A) Delhi Sultanate
B) Mughal Empire
C) British Empire
D) Maratha Empire
Answer: B
Explanation: The First Battle of Panipat, fought in 1526, saw Babur defeat Ibrahim Lodi, leading to the end of the Delhi Sultanate and the establishment of the Mughal Empire in India.
154. Who was the main architect of the Mughal garden style in India?
A) Babur
B) Akbar
C) Jahangir
D) Shah Jahan
Answer: A
Explanation: Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, brought the Persian charbagh (four-part garden) style to India. His love for symmetrical gardens laid the foundation for the distinctive Mughal garden architecture seen in places like Humayun’s Tomb and Taj Mahal.
155. The famous Dilwara Temples are located in:
A) Rajasthan
B) Madhya Pradesh
C) Gujarat
D) Maharashtra
Answer: A
Explanation: The Dilwara Temples are a group of magnificent Jain temples located near Mount Abu, in the Aravalli mountain range in Rajasthan. They are famous for their intricate marble carvings and exquisite architecture.
156. The capital of the Pallava dynasty was:
A) Kanchi
B) Madurai
C) Tanjore
D) Trichy
Answer: A
Explanation: Kanchipuram (ancient Kanchi) was the glorious capital of the Pallava dynasty, a powerful South Indian kingdom that flourished from the 3rd to 9th centuries CE. It was a renowned center of education, art, and religion.
157. The capital of the Chalukyas was:
A) Kanchi
B) Badami
C) Madurai
D) Ujjain
Answer: B
Explanation: Badami (formerly Vatapi) was the early capital of the Western Chalukya dynasty, which ruled parts of South and Central India from the 6th to 12th centuries CE. The town is known for its rock-cut cave temples.
158. The main religion during Harappan civilization was likely based on:
A) Fire worship
B) Nature worship
C) Idol worship
D) Animal sacrifice
Answer: B
Explanation: Based on archaeological findings, the religion of the Harappan civilization appears to have been largely polytheistic, centered around nature worship, fertility cults (indicated by figurines of Mother Goddess), and reverence for animals (e.g., the Pashupati seal). While there’s evidence of ritualistic practices, the specific nature of worship is inferred.
159. The Sudarshana Lake was repaired by:
A) Ashoka
B) Chandragupta Maurya
C) Rudradaman
D) Samudragupta
Answer: C
Explanation: The Sudarshana Lake, an ancient artificial reservoir in Gujarat, was originally constructed during the Maurya period. It was extensively repaired and restored by the Saka (Western Satrap) ruler Rudradaman I, as mentioned in his Junagadh rock inscription (c. 150 CE).
160. The Iron Pillar at Mehrauli is related to:
A) Ashoka
B) Chandragupta I
C) Chandragupta II
D) Samudragupta
Answer: C
Explanation: The Iron Pillar of Mehrauli, near the Qutub Minar in Delhi, is famous for its rust-resistant composition. The inscription on the pillar mentions a king named “Chandra,” who is widely identified with Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) of the Gupta dynasty.
Modern India
161. Who founded the Banaras Hindu University (BHU)?
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya
C) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
D) Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: B
Explanation: Banaras Hindu University (BHU), one of India’s premier educational institutions, was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916 with the support of many philanthropic donors and prominent figures.
162. The Champaran Satyagraha was launched by Gandhi in:
A) 1917
B) 1919
C) 1920
D) 1922
Answer: A
Explanation: The Champaran Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi’s first major satyagraha movement in India, was launched in 1917. It was a protest by indigo farmers in Champaran, Bihar, against the exploitative ‘tinkathia’ system of forced indigo cultivation.
163. The partition of Bengal took place in:
A) 1905
B) 1907
C) 1911
D) 1919
Answer: A
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal, a controversial administrative decision by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India, occurred in 1905. It aimed to divide the large province of Bengal for administrative convenience but was perceived as a move to divide Hindus and Muslims.
164. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in:
A) 1917
B) 1919
C) 1920
D) 1921
Answer: B
Explanation: The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab. British troops, under the command of General Reginald Dyer, opened fire on unarmed civilians gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, resulting in a tragic loss of life and widespread outrage.
165. The Simon Commission came to India in:
A) 1927
B) 1928
C) 1929
D) 1930
Answer: B
Explanation: The Simon Commission, a group of seven British Members of Parliament headed by Sir John Simon, arrived in India in February 1928. Its purpose was to study constitutional reform in British India, but it faced widespread protests due to the absence of any Indian members.
166. The Civil Disobedience Movement was started in:
A) 1928
B) 1929
C) 1930
D) 1931
Answer: C
Explanation: The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, began in 1930 with the famous Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha). It was a movement of nonviolent resistance against British salt laws and other oppressive policies.
167. The Round Table Conferences were held in:
A) Paris
B) London
C) Delhi
D) Geneva
Answer: B
Explanation: The three Round Table Conferences (1930, 1931, 1932) were held in London. These conferences were convened by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India.
168. The ‘Quit India Movement’ started in:
A) 1940
B) 1941
C) 1942
D) 1943
Answer: C
Explanation: The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, during World War II. It called for an immediate end to British rule in India.
169. Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
A) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
B) Lord Mountbatten
C) C. Rajagopalachari
D) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: B
Explanation: Lord Louis Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of British India and, upon India’s independence in 1947, he became the first Governor-General of independent India.
170. The Cabinet Mission came to India in:
A) 1942
B) 1945
C) 1946
D) 1947
Answer: C
Explanation: The Cabinet Mission, consisting of three British Cabinet ministers, arrived in India in March 1946. Its objective was to discuss and plan for the transfer of power from the British to Indian leadership and to propose a framework for India’s independence.
171. The Rowlatt Act was passed in:
A) 1917
B) 1919
C) 1921
D) 1923
Answer: B
Explanation: The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, commonly known as the Rowlatt Act, was passed by the Imperial Legislative Council in 1919. It allowed the British government to imprison any person without trial and conviction, leading to widespread protests.
172. The Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn due to:
A) Simon Commission
B) Chauri Chaura incident
C) Civil Disobedience
D) Gandhi’s arrest
Answer: B
Explanation: The Non-Cooperation Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, was suspended in February 1922 following the Chauri Chaura incident. In this event, a violent mob set fire to a police station, leading to the deaths of several policemen, which went against Gandhi’s principle of non-violence.
173. Who was the founder of the Indian National Congress?
A) Dadabhai Naoroji
B) A.O. Hume
C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D) Surendranath Banerjee
Answer: B
Explanation: The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, in 1885. It was established with the aim of providing a platform for educated Indians to voice their concerns.
174. The capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in:
A) 1910
B) 1911
C) 1912
D) 1913
Answer: B
Explanation: The decision to shift the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi was announced by King George V in 1911 during the Delhi Durbar. The shift officially took place in 1912.
175. The Indian National Army (INA) was formed by:
A) Subhas Chandra Bose
B) Rash Behari Bose
C) Bhagat Singh
D) Chandrasekhar Azad
Answer: B
Explanation: The concept of the Indian National Army (INA) was first conceived by Mohan Singh. However, it was formally established and organized by Rash Behari Bose in Southeast Asia in 1942. Later, Subhas Chandra Bose took over its leadership in 1943 and revitalized it.
176. Who gave the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”?
A) Bhagat Singh
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) Lala Lajpat Rai
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: A
Explanation: The slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live Revolution) was popularized by Bhagat Singh, a prominent revolutionary freedom fighter, and his Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.
177. The Lahore Session of INC in 1929 was significant for:
A) Formation of INA
B) Resolution for complete independence
C) Quit India Movement
D) Non-Cooperation Movement
Answer: B
Explanation: The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress in 1929, presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, was momentous as it passed the resolution for ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence for India. January 26, 1930, was declared as “Purna Swaraj Day.”
178. The Treaty of Versailles ended which war?
A) World War I
B) World War II
C) Franco-Prussian War
D) Cold War
Answer: A
Explanation: The Treaty of Versailles was the peace treaty signed on June 28, 1919, that officially ended World War I between the Allied powers and Germany.
179. Who was the last Viceroy of British India?
A) Lord Wavell
B) Lord Mountbatten
C) Lord Linlithgow
D) Lord Curzon
Answer: B
Explanation: Lord Louis Mountbatten served as the last Viceroy of British India, arriving in March 1947. He oversaw the partition of India and Pakistan and the transfer of power.
180. The slogan “Jai Hind” was popularized by:
A) Gandhi
B) Bhagat Singh
C) Subhas Chandra Bose
D) Nehru
Answer: C
Explanation: The patriotic slogan “Jai Hind” (Victory to India) was popularized by Subhas Chandra Bose, particularly in the context of the Indian National Army (INA), as a rallying cry for India’s independence.
181. The Vernacular Press Act was passed by:
A) Lord Curzon
B) Lord Ripon
C) Lord Lytton
D) Lord Dufferin
Answer: C
Explanation: The Vernacular Press Act of 1878, which allowed the British government to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press, was enacted by Lord Lytton, the then Viceroy of India.
182. The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in:
A) Bombay
B) Calcutta
C) Delhi
D) Lahore
Answer: A
Explanation: The inaugural session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay (now Mumbai) at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit Pathshala from December 28 to 31, 1885.
183. The Salt March started from:
A) Wardha
B) Ahmedabad
C) Sabarmati
D) Bombay
Answer: C
Explanation: The Salt March (or Dandi March) began on March 12, 1930, from Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and concluded at the coastal village of Dandi.
184. The Indian Councils Act of 1909 is also known as:
A) Morley-Minto Reforms
B) Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
C) Government of India Act
D) Pitt’s India Act
Answer: A
Explanation: The Indian Councils Act of 1909 is popularly known as the Morley-Minto Reforms, named after Lord Morley (Secretary of State for India) and Lord Minto (Viceroy of India). It introduced limited electoral principles and increased Indian representation in legislative councils.
185. The Battle of Buxar was fought in:
A) 1757
B) 1764
C) 1761
D) 1775
Answer: B
Explanation: The Battle of Buxar was fought on October 22, 1764, between the forces of the British East India Company (led by Hector Munro) and the combined armies of Mir Qasim (Nawab of Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daula (Nawab of Awadh), and Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor). This battle further consolidated British power in India.
186. Who wrote “India Wins Freedom”?
A) Nehru
B) Gandhi
C) Maulana Azad
D) Rajendra Prasad
Answer: C
Explanation: “India Wins Freedom” is an autobiographical account by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a prominent leader of the Indian independence movement and India’s first Minister of Education. The book provides his perspective on the events leading to India’s partition and independence.
187. Who started the Aligarh Movement?
A) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
B) Badruddin Tyabji
C) Abul Kalam Azad
D) Zakir Hussain
Answer: A
Explanation: The Aligarh Movement was started by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in the late 19th century. It was an educational and social reform movement among Indian Muslims, advocating for modern education and rational thinking.
188. The first President of Indian National Congress was:
A) Dadabhai Naoroji
B) W.C. Bonnerjee
C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D) A.O. Hume
Answer: B
Explanation: Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee (W.C. Bonnerjee) was the first president of the Indian National Congress, presiding over its inaugural session in Bombay in December 1885.
189. The famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright” was given by:
A) Gandhi
B) Tilak
C) Nehru
D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Answer: B
Explanation: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a prominent Indian nationalist and a leading figure of the Indian independence movement, famously declared, “Swaraj (self-rule) is my birthright, and I shall have it!”
190. Who was the first woman President of Indian National Congress?
A) Sarojini Naidu
B) Annie Besant
C) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
D) Indira Gandhi
Answer: B
Explanation: Annie Besant, an Irish Theosophist and women’s rights activist, became the first woman President of the Indian National Congress in 1917. Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman President of INC (in 1925).
191. The Khilafat Movement was started to protest against:
A) Partition of Bengal
B) British policies in India
C) Humiliation of the Caliph
D) Arrest of Gandhi
Answer: C
Explanation: The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924) was a pan-Islamic, political protest campaign launched by Indian Muslims to protest against the humiliation of the Ottoman Caliph (who was considered the spiritual leader of Muslims worldwide) after World War I by the Allied powers.
192. The Arya Samaj was founded by:
A) Dayananda Saraswati
B) Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
C) Swami Vivekananda
D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: A
Explanation: The Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement, was founded by Dayananda Saraswati in 1875. It advocated for a return to the principles of the Vedas and promoted social reforms like the abolition of untouchability and women’s education.
193. The capital of the Kalinga kingdom was:
A) Kanchipuram
B) Pataliputra
C) Tosali
D) Rajagriha
Answer: C
Explanation: Tosali (or Dhauli) was the ancient capital of the Kalinga kingdom. This region is famous for the Kalinga War, which was fought between the Mauryan Empire under Ashoka and Kalinga.
194. The Ashokan inscriptions were first deciphered by:
A) Alexander Cunningham
B) James Prinsep
C) William Jones
D) Max Müller
Answer: B
Explanation: James Prinsep, a British scholar and antiquary, was the first person to successfully decipher the Brahmi script, which was used in most of Ashoka’s inscriptions, in the 1830s.
195. The Bhoodan Movement was started by:
A) Vinoba Bhave
B) Jayaprakash Narayan
C) Gandhi
D) Nehru
Answer: A
Explanation: The Bhoodan Movement (Land Gift Movement) was initiated by Vinoba Bhave in 1951. It was a voluntary land reform movement where landowners were persuaded to donate a portion of their land to landless poor farmers.
196. The first Governor-General of Bengal was:
A) Cornwallis
B) Clive
C) Warren Hastings
D) Wellesley
Answer: C
Explanation: Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1772, following the Regulating Act of 1773. He played a crucial role in consolidating British power in Bengal.
197. The Treaty of Seringapatam was signed after which war?
A) First Mysore War
B) Second Mysore War
C) Third Mysore War
D) Fourth Mysore War
Answer: C
Explanation: The Treaty of Seringapatam was signed in 1792, ending the Third Anglo-Mysore War between Tipu Sultan and the British East India Company, along with their allies (Marathas and Nizam of Hyderabad).
198. Who was known as the “Grand Old Man of India”?
A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
B) Dadabhai Naoroji
C) Gokhale
D) Rajendra Prasad
Answer: B
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji, a prominent Parsi intellectual, educator, and politician, is widely known as the “Grand Old Man of India.” He was a key figure in the early Indian nationalist movement and a Member of Parliament in the UK House of Commons.
199. Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal?
A) Lord Cornwallis
B) Lord Wellesley
C) Lord Dalhousie
D) Lord Canning
Answer: A
Explanation: The Permanent Settlement of Bengal was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793. This land revenue system fixed the revenue demand from zamindars (landlords) in perpetuity, aiming to create a stable revenue system for the British.
200. When was the Indian Constitution adopted?
A) 15 August 1947
B) 26 November 1949
C) 26 January 1950
D) 2 October 1950
Answer: B
Explanation: The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. It came into full effect on January 26, 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day.