22 free History MCQs written in the UPSC Prelims exam pattern, each with a step-by-step solution. Tap an option for instant feedback — no sign-up, no ads.
Revise with smart repetition →✍️ These are original practice questions written in the UPSC Prelims pattern for the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary exam — not questions from any official past paper.
Q1. The Quit India Movement was launched in the year:
B. 1942 — The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942 at the Bombay session of the Congress. 1930 was the Civil Disobedience/Salt Movement and 1919 the Rowlatt/Jallianwala Bagh events.
Q2. Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
B. Lord Mountbatten — Lord Mountbatten was the first Governor-General of independent India (1947–48). C. Rajagopalachari was the first and only Indian to hold the post, who succeeded him.
Q3. The Indian National Congress was founded in the year:
B. 1885 — The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885, with A. O. Hume playing a key role and W. C. Bonnerjee as its first president. 1857 was the Revolt; 1905 the Partition of Bengal.
Q4. The Battle of Plassey, which paved the way for British rule in Bengal, was fought in:
A. 1757 — The Battle of Plassey (1757) was won by Robert Clive against Siraj-ud-Daulah. The Battle of Buxar followed in 1764; the Revolt of 1857 came a century later.
Q5. Who gave the famous call 'Do or Die' during the Quit India Movement?
C. Mahatma Gandhi — Mahatma Gandhi gave the 'Do or Die' call in his Quit India speech of August 1942. (Subhas Chandra Bose's slogan was 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom'.)
Q6. The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilisation is especially noted for its:
B. Planned towns and drainage — The Harappan Civilisation is famous for its well-planned towns, grid street layout, and advanced drainage/sanitation. It was a Bronze Age culture (iron was not yet in use).
Q7. The Gandhara school of art, known for its Greco-Roman influence on Buddhist sculpture, flourished primarily under the patronage of which dynasty?
A. The Kushanas — The Gandhara school reached its peak under the Kushana rulers, especially Kanishka, blending Hellenistic techniques with Buddhist themes.
Q8. Which of the following was NOT one of the four noble truths preached by Gautama Buddha?
D. Rituals and sacrifices lead to salvation — Buddha rejected elaborate rituals and sacrifices. The Four Noble Truths concern suffering, its cause (desire), its cessation, and the path to end it.
Q9. The Vijayanagara Empire was founded by Harihara and Bukka, who are associated with which dynasty?
A. Sangama dynasty — Harihara I and Bukka I founded Vijayanagara in 1336 and belonged to the Sangama dynasty, the first of the four dynasties that ruled the empire.
Q10. The doctrine of 'Lapse', used to annex Indian states, is most closely associated with which Governor-General?
A. Lord Dalhousie — Lord Dalhousie applied the Doctrine of Lapse to annex states like Satara, Jhansi and Nagpur when a ruler died without a natural heir.
Q11. Which Mughal emperor abolished the pilgrimage tax and the jizya, promoting a policy of religious tolerance?
A. Akbar — Akbar abolished the jizya (tax on non-Muslims) and the pilgrimage tax as part of his policy of sulh-i-kul (universal peace).
Q12. The Ryotwari system of land revenue, under which settlement was made directly with the cultivator, was introduced primarily in which region?
A. Madras and Bombay Presidencies — The Ryotwari system, developed by Thomas Munro and Alexander Read, was introduced mainly in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies, making the ryot (cultivator) the revenue payer.
Q13. The 'Arya Samaj' was founded in 1875 by which social reformer?
A. Swami Dayananda Saraswati — Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875, advocating a return to the Vedas and opposing idolatry and caste rigidity.
Q14. Which edict-issuing ancient Indian ruler adopted 'Dhamma' as a code of moral conduct after the Kalinga war?
A. Ashoka — Ashoka embraced Buddhism and propagated Dhamma through his rock and pillar edicts after being moved by the bloodshed of the Kalinga war.
Q15. The Ghadar Party, formed to overthrow British rule through armed revolt, was established in 1913 in which country?
A. United States — The Ghadar Party was founded in San Francisco, USA, in 1913 by Indian immigrants including Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna.
Q16. Who among the following presided over the first session of the Indian National Congress in 1885?
A. W. C. Bonnerjee — Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was the president of the first Congress session held in Bombay in 1885; A. O. Hume was the general secretary.
Q17. The Rowlatt Act of 1919, which the British passed despite Indian opposition, is best described as a law that allowed:
A. Detention without trial — The Rowlatt Act empowered the government to imprison people without trial, provoking nationwide protest and leading to the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.
Q18. The famous Iron Pillar at Mehrauli, noted for its rust-resistant composition, dates to which period?
A. Gupta period — The Mehrauli Iron Pillar, bearing an inscription referring to a king 'Chandra', is generally attributed to the Gupta period and reflects advanced metallurgy.
Q19. Which Sikh Guru compiled the Adi Granth, the original version of the Sikh holy scripture?
A. Guru Arjan Dev — Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, compiled the Adi Granth in 1604 at Amritsar, incorporating hymns of earlier Gurus and various saints.
Q20. The 'Permanent Settlement' of 1793, which fixed land revenue in perpetuity, was introduced by which official?
A. Lord Cornwallis — Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari system) in Bengal in 1793, fixing revenue payable by zamindars permanently.
Q21. Kanishka, one of the greatest Kushana rulers, is credited with convening the Fourth Buddhist Council, which was held in:
A. Kashmir — The Fourth Buddhist Council was held in Kashmir under Kanishka's patronage, and it is associated with the formal rise of Mahayana Buddhism.
Q22. The 'Poona Pact' of 1932 was an agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and which leader concerning representation of the depressed classes?
A. B. R. Ambedkar — The Poona Pact was signed between Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar, replacing separate electorates for the depressed classes with reserved seats within the general electorate.
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