UPSC CAPF (AC) History PYQs
Every History question asked in the UPSC CAPF (AC) papers on this site, grouped by topic. Answers come from UPSC's provisional answer key; each has a short explanation.
Practise History onlineAncient India
Which one of the following does not find mention in the works of the astronomers of ancient India?
- Sun
- Mercury
- Uranus
- Venus
प्राचीन भारत के खगोलविदों की कृतियों में, निम्नलिखित में से किसका उल्लेख नहीं मिलता है?
- सूर्य
- बुध
- अरुण (यूरेनस)
- शुक्र
Show answer
Answer: (3) Uranus
उत्तर: (3) अरुण (यूरेनस)
Ancient Indian astronomers such as Aryabhata, Varahamihira and Brahmagupta dealt with the Sun, the Moon and the five naked-eye planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). Uranus is barely visible to the naked eye and was recognised as a planet only in 1781, when William Herschel discovered it with a telescope.
Which one among the following about Kodumanal is correct?
- An archaeological site in Tamil Nadu
- A Chera king
- An Alvar saint
- A celebrated dance form of South India
कोडुमानल के बारे में निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा सही है?
- तमिलनाडु में एक पुरातात्त्विक स्थल
- एक चेर राजा
- एक अलवर संत
- दक्षिण भारत का एक प्रसिद्ध नृत्य रूप
Show answer
Answer: (1) An archaeological site in Tamil Nadu
उत्तर: (1) तमिलनाडु में एक पुरातात्त्विक स्थल
Kodumanal is an archaeological site on the bank of the Noyyal river in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, identified with 'Kodumanam' of the Sangam text Patittruppattu. Excavations there revealed an ancient craft and trade centre known for beads, iron working and Tamil-Brahmi inscribed pottery.
Which one of the following inscriptions refers to a confederacy of Tamil States?
- The Second Major Rock Edict of Ashoka
- Hathigumpha Inscription of Kharavela
- Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta
- Junagadh Inscription of Rudradaman
निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा शिलालेख, तमिल राज्यों के एक संघ (confederacy) से संबंधित है?
- अशोक का द्वितीय बृहत् शिलालेख—धर्मादेश (Rock Edict)
- खारवेल का हाथीगुम्फा शिलालेख
- समुद्रगुप्त का इलाहाबाद स्तंभ शिलालेख
- रुद्रदमन का जूनागढ़ शिलालेख
Show answer
Answer: (2) Hathigumpha Inscription of Kharavela
उत्तर: (2) खारवेल का हाथीगुम्फा शिलालेख
Kharavela's Hathigumpha inscription (Udayagiri, Odisha) records that he broke up a confederacy of Tamil states (Tramira-desa-sanghata) that had existed for 113 years. Ashoka's Second Major Rock Edict only names the Cholas, Pandyas, Satiyaputras and Keralaputras as neighbours to whom he sent medical help, not a confederacy.
Who among the following Vedic deities was considered the guardian of compacts and marriages?
- Marut
- Varuna
- Aryaman
- Agni
इन वैदिक देवताओं में से किसे वचनों (compacts) और विवाहों का संरक्षक माना जाता था?
- मारुत
- वरुण
- आर्यमन
- अग्नि
Show answer
Answer: (3) Aryaman
उत्तर: (3) आर्यमन
Aryaman, one of the Adityas, was the Vedic god of hospitality, compacts and marriage, and is invoked in the Rigvedic wedding hymn. Varuna is the upholder of rta (cosmic and moral order), the Maruts are storm gods and Agni is the fire god.
In which one of the following Vedas does the term 'Gotra' appear for the first time as representing a clan?
- Rigveda
- Atharvaveda
- Samaveda
- Yajurveda
किसी कुल (clan) को निरूपित करने वाले शब्द 'गोत्र' का सर्वप्रथम उल्लेख निम्नलिखित में से किस वेद में मिलता है?
- ऋग्वेद
- अथर्ववेद
- सामवेद
- यजुर्वेद
Show answer
Answer: (2) Atharvaveda
उत्तर: (2) अथर्ववेद
In the Rigveda 'gotra' mainly means a cow-pen or herd; its use for a clan, a group descended from a common ancestor, first appears in the Atharvaveda. The gotra institution took shape in the later Vedic period.
Medieval India
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: List-I (Sufi Work) List-II (Nature of Composition) A. Kashf-ul Mahjub 1. Biographical accounts of saints B. Fawa'id-al Fu'ad 2. Manuals dealing with Sufi thought C. Siyar-ul Auliya 3. Letters of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi D. Maktubat-i Imam Rabbani 4. Conversations of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya
- A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
- A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
सूची-I को सूची-II के साथ सुमेलित कीजिए और सूचियों के नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर सही उत्तर चुनिए : सूची-I (सूफी कृति) सूची-II (रचना की प्रकृति) A. कशफुल महजूब 1. संतों के जीवन-वृत्तांत B. फ़वाइद-उल-फुआद 2. सूफी विचारधारा से संबंधित पुस्तिका C. सियार-उल-औलिया 3. शेख अहमद सरहिंदी के पत्र D. मकतूबत-ए-इमाम रब्बानी 4. शेख निजामुद्दीन औलिया के वार्तालाप
- A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
- A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
Show answer
Answer: (3) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
उत्तर: (3) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
Al-Hujwiri's Kashf-ul Mahjub is a manual of Sufi thought, Fawa'id-al Fu'ad (compiled by Amir Hasan Sijzi) records the conversations of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya, Siyar-ul Auliya gives biographical accounts of Chishti saints, and Maktubat-i Imam Rabbani collects the letters of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi. Hence A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3.
Which one of the following statements about the 'Amara-Nayaka' system is not correct?
- The Amara-Nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire.
- The Amara-Nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the Raya.
- The Amara-Nayakas collected taxes and retained part of the revenue for personal use and for maintaining their contingents.
- The territories held by the Amara-Nayakas were hereditary and were therefore non-transferrable.
'अमर-नायक' प्रणाली के बारे में निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा कथन सही नहीं है?
- अमर-नायक प्रणाली विजयनगर साम्राज्य की एक प्रमुख राजनीतिक खोज थी।
- अमर-नायक सैन्य कमांडर थे, जिन्हें राय द्वारा शासन करने के लिए राज्य-क्षेत्र दिए गए थे।
- अमर-नायक करों का संग्रह करते थे और व्यक्तिगत उपयोग तथा अपने सैन्य-दल के रख-रखाव हेतु राजस्व का भाग रखते थे।
- अमर-नायकों के अधीन राज्य-क्षेत्र वंशानुगत थे और इस कारण वे अहस्तांतरणीय थे।
Show answer
Answer: (4) The territories held by the Amara-Nayakas were hereditary and were therefore non-transferrable.
उत्तर: (4) अमर-नायकों के अधीन राज्य-क्षेत्र वंशानुगत थे और इस कारण वे अहस्तांतरणीय थे।
The last statement is wrong: amara territories were not hereditary in the Vijayanagara period, and the Raya kept the amara-nayakas under control by transferring them from one place to another from time to time (only in the 17th century did many nayakas set up independent kingdoms). The other three statements correctly describe the system: military commanders given territories by the Raya, who collected taxes and kept part of the revenue for themselves and for maintaining troops, horses and elephants.
Consider the following statements about the Zawar mines: 1. Zinc was present, mixed with ores of copper, lead and silver. 2. By the 14th century, zinc began to be isolated by the distillation method. 3. Abul Fazl described zinc as a newly discovered metal unknown to the ancients. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
जावर की खानों के बारे में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए : 1. ताँबा, सीसा और चाँदी के अयस्कों में जस्ता मिश्रित रूप में मिलता था। 2. 14वीं शताब्दी तक आसवन विधि द्वारा जस्ते का पृथक्करण आरंभ हो गया था। 3. अबुल फ़ज़ल ने नई खोजी गई धातु के रूप में जस्ते का वर्णन किया है, जिससे प्राचीन लोग अनभिज्ञ थे। उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-से सही हैं?
- केवल 1 और 2
- केवल 2 और 3
- केवल 1 और 3
- 1, 2 और 3
Show answer
Answer: (4) 1, 2 and 3
उत्तर: (4) 1, 2 और 3
All three are correct: at Zawar (near Udaipur, Rajasthan) zinc occurs mixed with lead, copper and silver ores, and by about the 14th century it was being isolated there by distillation in retorts, one of the earliest such processes in the world. Abul Fazl, in the Ain-i-Akbari, treats zinc as a newly discovered metal that the ancients did not know.
Modern India
Which one among the following events of Indian history was the earliest to take place?
- Dandi March
- Chauri Chaura Incident
- Partition of Bengal
- Champaran Satyagraha
भारतीय इतिहास की निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सी घटना सबसे पहले घटित हुई थी?
- दांडी मार्च
- चौरी चौरा घटना
- बंगाल का विभाजन
- चंपारण सत्याग्रह
Show answer
Answer: (3) Partition of Bengal
उत्तर: (3) बंगाल का विभाजन
The Partition of Bengal took effect in 1905, well before the Champaran Satyagraha (1917), the Chauri Chaura incident (1922) and the Dandi March (1930).
Consider the following statements: 1. The first book in the Tamil script was printed in 1578. 2. The first printing press at Bombay was imported from England by the efforts of Bhimji Parikh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए : 1. तमिल लिपि में प्रथम पुस्तक का मुद्रण वर्ष 1578 में हुआ था। 2. भीमजी पारेख के प्रयासों से इंग्लैंड से बॉम्बे में प्रथम प्रिंटिंग प्रेस का आयात किया गया। उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/कौन-से सही है/हैं?
- केवल 1
- केवल 2
- 1 और 2 दोनों
- न तो 1 और न ही 2
Show answer
Answer: (3) Both 1 and 2
उत्तर: (3) 1 और 2 दोनों
Thambiran Vanakkam, the first book printed in Tamil script, came out at Quilon (Kollam) in 1578. In 1674-75 the Gujarati merchant Bhimji Parikh had a printing press sent from England to Bombay through the East India Company, so both statements are correct.
Who among the following Congressmen was not a member of the 'No-Changers' group?
- C. Rajagopalachari
- Rajendra Prasad
- Vithalbhai Patel
- Vallabhbhai Patel
इन काँग्रेसी सदस्यों में से कौन, 'अपरिवर्तनवादी (नो-चेंजर्स)' समूह के सदस्य नहीं थे?
- सी॰ राजगोपालाचारी
- राजेन्द्र प्रसाद
- विट्ठलभाई पटेल
- वल्लभभाई पटेल
Show answer
Answer: (3) Vithalbhai Patel
उत्तर: (3) विट्ठलभाई पटेल
After the Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn in 1922, the No-Changers (C. Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad, Vallabhbhai Patel, M.A. Ansari) opposed council entry and stressed constructive work. Vithalbhai Patel was a pro-changer who joined C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru in the Swaraj Party and became President of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1925.
Arrange the following events in the correct chronological order: 1. Formation of the Azad Hind Government 2. Setting-up of the Indian Legion 3. Beginning of the INA trials 4. The Bombay Naval Strike Select the answer using the code given below.
- 2-1-3-4
- 3-1-4-2
- 2-1-4-3
- 1-2-3-4
निम्नलिखित घटनाओं को सही कालानुक्रमिक रूप से व्यवस्थित कीजिए : 1. आज़ाद हिन्द सरकार का गठन 2. इंडियन लीजन (Indian Legion) की स्थापना 3. INA विचारणों (trials) का प्रारंभ 4. बॉम्बे नौसैनिक विद्रोह नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर उत्तर चुनिए।
- 2-1-3-4
- 3-1-4-2
- 2-1-4-3
- 1-2-3-4
Show answer
Answer: (1) 2-1-3-4
उत्तर: (1) 2-1-3-4
The Indian Legion was raised in Germany under Subhas Chandra Bose in 1941-42 (2); the Provisional Government of Azad Hind was proclaimed at Singapore on 21 October 1943 (1); the INA trials began at the Red Fort in November 1945 (3); and the Royal Indian Navy strike at Bombay broke out in February 1946 (4). So the order is 2-1-3-4.
Art & Culture
Which of the following is an offshoot of the Chaitanya tradition originating in Nadia in Bengal and followed by both Hindus and Muslims?
- Ekasarana Dharma
- Sahajiya
- Gaudiya Vaishnavism
- Baul
निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सी, बंगाल के नदिया में उत्पन्न चैतन्य परंपरा की एक प्रशाखा है तथा जिसके अनुयायी हिन्दू और मुसलमान दोनों हैं?
- एकशरण धर्म
- सहजिया
- गौड़ीय वैष्णववाद
- बाउल
Show answer
Answer: (4) Baul
उत्तर: (4) बाउल
The Bauls, the wandering mystic minstrels of Bengal, drew on the Chaitanya-inspired Vaishnava Sahajiya current of Nadia blended with Sufi ideas, and their followers include both Hindus and Muslims. Gaudiya Vaishnavism is Chaitanya's own tradition rather than an offshoot, and Ekasarana Dharma was founded by Sankaradeva in Assam.
The 'Descent of the Ganga' is a
- relief sculpture at Mamallapuram
- poem by Bhatti
- temple built by Rashtrakutas
- painting at Ajanta
'गंगा का अवतरण (Descent of the Ganga)' क्या है?
- मामल्लापुरम का उद्भृत मूर्तिशिल्प (relief sculpture)
- भट्टी द्वारा रचित कविता
- राष्ट्रकूटों द्वारा निर्मित मंदिर
- अजंता की चित्रकारी (painting)
Show answer
Answer: (1) relief sculpture at Mamallapuram
उत्तर: (1) मामल्लापुरम का उद्भृत मूर्तिशिल्प (relief sculpture)
The 'Descent of the Ganga' (also called Arjuna's Penance) is a huge open-air rock relief carved by the Pallavas in the 7th century on two adjoining boulders at Mamallapuram. Bhatti wrote the Bhattikavya, and the Rashtrakutas are known for the Kailasa temple at Ellora.