MCQ on Indian History for UPSC, Civil Services and TPSC, WBSC, APSC, TCS & TPS examinations

Q. 4371

👁 14 views

The famous Iron Pillar near Qutab-Minar belongs to

AMauryas
BGuptas
CVardhanas
DKushanas

Correct Option: B [ Guptas ]

The Iron Pillar near Qutub Minar was built during the reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta dynasty, 4th century CE), and it is world-famous for its remarkable rust-resistant iron that showcases the advanced metallurgical skills of ancient India.

Q. 4288

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Arrange the following social reforms by the British government in chronological order :

(i) Regulations against infanticide

(ii) Regulations declaring Sati illegal

(iii) Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act

(iv) Abolition of slavery

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

A (ii), (i), (iii), (iv)
B (i), (ii), (iv), (iii)
C (ii), (i), (iv), (iii)
D (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

Correct Option: B [ (i), (ii), (iv), (iii) ] Stored explanation

Correct order: (i), (ii), (iv), (iii)

(i) Regulations against infanticide were earlier measures to curb killing of newborns, laying the groundwork for social reform.
(ii) Regulations declaring Sati illegal followed (1829), banning a major social evil.
(iv) Abolition of slavery came next with the Slavery Abolition Act (1833), ending legal slavery in most British colonies.
(iii) Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act (1856) granted widows the right to remarry, completing reforms.

Why others are incorrect: - A: places sati after slavery and widows’ remarriage, wrong sequence. - C/D: misplace either infanticide regulation or sati ban relative to slavery.

Q. 4280

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Match the associations (List-I) with the years of their establishments (List-II):

	List-I		List-II
a.	East India Association, London	1.	1852
b.	Bombay Association	2.	1866
c.	Madras Mahajan Sabha	3.	1876
d.	Indian Association, Bengal	4.	1884

A a-2, b-1, c-3, d-4
B a-1, b-2, c-4, d-3
C a-3, b-4, c-1, d-2
D a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3

Correct Option: D [ a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3 ] Stored explanation

Correct match: a-2, b-1, c-4, d-3

East India Association, London — established in 1866 (option a-2).
Bombay Association — founded in 1852 (option b-1).
Madras Mahajan Sabha — formed in 1884 (option c-4).
Indian Association, Bengal — started in 1876 (option d-3).

Why others are incorrect:

Option A and D would misplace any one pairing, e.g., c with 3 or d with 4, which contradicts established dates.
Option B misaligns multiple pairs (a-1 instead of a-2, etc.).

Q. 4279

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Find the correct chronology of the following Governor Generals of India :

(i) Sir John Macpherson

(ii) The Earl Cornwallis

(iii) Sir Alured Clarke

(iv) The Earl of Mornington

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

A (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
B (i), (ii), (iv), (iii)
C (ii), (i), (iii), (iv)
D (ii), (iii), (i), (iv)

Correct Option: A [ (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) ] Stored explanation

Explanation

(i) Sir John Macpherson served first as Governor-General of India.
(ii) The Earl Cornwallis followed, taking office after Macpherson.
(iii) Sir Alured Clarke came next in the sequence.
(iv) The Earl of Mornington was the last among the four to serve.

Thus the chronological order is (i) → (ii) → (iii) → (iv).

Correct option: A

Q. 4278

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The verses of which of the following Sufi saints are found in the Adi Granth of the Sikhs?

(i) Nizamuddin Auliya

(ii) Farid-ud-Din

(iii) Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti

(iv) Bakhtiar Kaki

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

A Only (1)
B Only (ii) and (iii)
C Only (iv)
D Only (ii)

Correct Option: D [ Only (ii) ] Stored explanation

Explanation

The Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib) includes hymns by Baba Farid (Farid-ud-Din) as part of its bani. This is why option (ii) is correct.
Verses of Nizamuddin Auliya, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, and Bakhtiar Kaki are not included in the Adi Granth, so options (i), (iii), and (iv) are incorrect.
The correct choice is Only (ii).

Q. 4277

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For which of the following items, Alauddin Khilji sought to fix the cost?

(i) Sugarcane

(ii) Diamond

(iii) Grain

(iv) Fish

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

A Only (ii) and (iii)
B Only (i) and (ii)
C Only (i), (iii) and (iv)
D (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)

Correct Option: C [ Only (i), (iii) and (iv) ] Stored explanation

Explanation

Correct answer: C – Only (i), (iii) and (iv)
Alauddin Khilji fixed prices for essential commodities like sugarcane, grains and fish to control prices and prevent hoarding.
He did not fix prices for diamonds, a luxury item, hence (ii) is incorrect.
Therefore, options including only (ii) or excluding one of (i)/(iii)/(iv) are wrong; the correct set is (i), (iii), and (iv).

Q. 4276

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Consider the following statements about Vedic literature :

(i) Vedic literature is broadly divided into two parts : Shruti and Smriti.

(ii) The language used in four Vedas is classical Sanskrit.

(iii) The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are two major important components of Vedic literature.

Select the correct statement(s) using the codes given below.

A Only (i)
B Both (i) and (ii)
C Both (ii) and (iii)
D (i), (ii) and (iii)

Correct Option: A [ Only (i) ] Stored explanation

Correct option: A

(i) Correct: Vedic literature is broadly divided into Shruti (heard/revealed) and Smriti (remembered). This is a standard classification.
(ii) Incorrect: The Vedas are composed in Vedic Sanskrit, not classical Sanskrit, which is a later development.
(iii) Incorrect: The Ramayana and Mahabharata are epic Smriti literature, not part of the Vedic Shruti corpus.

Q. 4257

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Consider the following pairs:

Places : Events in the life of Buddha

(i) Lumbini : Birth

(ii) Sarnath: Dharmachakrapravartana

(iii) Kushinagar : The Enlightenment

(iv) Benaras : The Miracles

Select the correctly matched pairs using the codes given below.

A (i) and (iv) only
B (i) and (ii) only
C (i) and (iii) only
D (i), (ii) and (iii) only

Correct Option: B [ (i) and (ii) only ] Stored explanation

Explanation:

Correct option is B. Lumbini is traditionally the place of the Buddha’s birth, and Sarnath is where he delivered the Dharmachakrapravartana (first sermon). Kushinagar is associated with the Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana (death), not the Enlightenment. Benaras (Varanasi) is linked to miracles in some texts, not to the Enlightenment or the main Buddha events. Therefore, only (i) and (ii) are correctly matched.

? Did You Know?

The Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, under the Bodhi tree.

? Remember:

Lumbini = Birth; Sarnath = Dharmachakrapravartana; Kushinagar = Parinirvana.

Q. 4256

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Consider the following events pertaining to the Freedom Movement of India :

(i) Mountbatten Plan

(ii) Quit India Movement

(iii) Wavell Plan

(iv) Royal Indian Navy Mutiny

Select the correct chronological order of these events using the codes given below.

A (ii)-(iii)-(iv)-(i)
B (ii)-(i)-(iii)-(iv)
C (ii)-(iv)-(i)-(iii)
D (ii)-(i)-(iv)-(iii)

Correct Option: A [ (ii)-(iii)-(iv)-(i) ] Stored explanation

Correct order: (ii) Quit India Movement → (iii) Wavell Plan → (iv) Royal Indian Navy Mutiny → (i) Mountbatten Plan

Quit India Movement (1942) was the earliest among them, launched by Gandhi to demand complete independence.
Wavell Plan (1945) followed, proposing a constitutional framework and elections, after British wartime policies shifted.
Royal Indian Navy Mutiny (1946) occurred next, showing rising discontent in 1946 and accelerating British timelines toward transfer of power.
Mountbatten Plan (1947) was the final event, detailing the plan for independence and partition.

Why others are wrong:

Any order placing Mountbatten Plan before naval mutiny or after 1946 is incorrect.
Wavell Plan cannot precede Quit India, which occurred earlier in 1942.

Q. 4255

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With reference to the Khajuraho Group of Monuments, consider the following statements:

(i) The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty.

(ii) The temples at Khajuraho are associated with Hinduism and Jainism.

(iii) The temples were built in Dravidian-style architecture.

(iv) These are situated in Chhatarpur district of Maharashtra.

Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.

A (i) only
B (i) and (ii) only
C (i), (ii) and (iii) only
D (i) and (iv) only

Correct Option: B [ (i) and (ii) only ] Stored explanation

Explanation:

(i) Correct. The Khajuraho temples were built by the Chandella dynasty.
(ii) Correct. They are associated with both Hinduism and Jainism.
(iii) Incorrect. The temples showcase a North Indian (Nagara) style, not Dravidian.
(iv) Incorrect. They are located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, not Maharashtra.

Answer: B

Indian History MCQ Practice