ELEOS STUDY CENTRE

ONLINE TEST SERIES 2024

ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL INDIAN HISTORY
Time Allowed: 2 hours Maximum Marks: 200

1. The Indus Valley Civilization is distinguished from the other contemporary

civilisations by its:
(a) Town planning
(b) Underground drainage system
(c) Uniformity of weights and measures
(d) Large agricultural surplus
Answer: B
Explanation: One of the most remarkable features of the Indus valley civilization is that
the city was provided with an excellent closed drainage system. Each house had its own
drainage and soak pit which was connected to the public drainage. Brick laid channels
flowed through every street. They were covered and had manholes at intervals for
cleaning and clearing purposes. No other contemporary civilization gave so much
attention to cleanliness.
2. Assertion (A): There is no conclusive proof of the presence of temples or public places
of worship in the Indus civilization.
Reason (R): To the Harappans, religion was perhaps more a personal and a private
matter than a public affair.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Answer: C
Explanation: The Indus Valley Civilization contained more than 1,000 cities and
settlements. Although there were large walls and citadels, there is no evidence of
monuments, palaces, or temples.
3. Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of
water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water
into connected reservoirs?
(a) Dholavira
(b) Kalibangan
(c) Rakhigarhi
(d) Ropar
Answer: A
Explanation: The configuration of the city of Dholavira, during its heyday, is an
outstanding example of planned city with planned and segregated urban residential
areas based on possibly differential occupational activities, and a stratified society.

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 Technological advancements in water harnessing systems, water drainage systems as
well architecturally and technologically developed features are reflected in the design,
execution, and effective harnessing of local materials.
4. The study of living cultures and communities is called –
(a) Ethnography
(b) Palaeontology
(c) Epigraphy
(d) Hagiography

5. The famous Pashupati seal was discovered at –

(a) Harappa
(b) Mohenjodaro
(c) Chanhudaro
(d) Kalibangan

6. The metal which was unknown to the Harappan people was –

(a) Copper
(b) Silver
(c) Gold
(d) Iron
Explanation: Iron was not used in the the Harappan cities. Harappan cities are the part
of Indus Valley Civilisation, which was held after the Chalcolithic period of stone age.
During the Chalcolithic period copper was first used to make tools, utensils and other
objects.
7. The study of old writings used in inscriptions is known as –
(a) Epigraphy
(b) Palaeography
(c) Cryptography
(d) Ethnography

8. Evidence of rice cultivation in the Harappan civilization has been found in –

(a) Lothal and Kalibangan
(b) Harappa and Mohenjodaro
(c) Lothal and Rangpur
(d) Dholavira and Chanhudaro
Explanation: At Lothal and Rangpur, there has been found the earliest South Asian
evidence of rice cultivation, in the later Harappan period.
9. Which of the following statements about the Harappan people is incorrect?
(a) The Harappans were phallus worshippers.
(b) They worshipped gods in the form of human beings.
(c) They placed their gods in temples.
(d) They looked upon the earth as a fertility goddess.

10. The Great Bath was found at the site of –

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 (a) Harappa
(b) Mohenjodaro
(c) Lothal
(d) Kalibangan
Explanation: The Great Bath is part of a large citadel complex that was found in the
1920s during excavations of Mohenjodaro, one of the main centres of the Indus
civilization.
11. The Harappans were the earliest people to produce –
(a) Rice
(b) Jute
(c) Barley
(d) Cotton
Explanation: Farmers in the Indus valley were the first to spin and weave cotton. In
1929 archaeologists recovered fragments of cotton textiles at Mohenjodaro, in what is
now Pakistan, dating to between 3250 and 2750 BCE. Cottonseeds founds at nearby
Mehrgarh have been dated to 5000 BCE. Literary references further point to the ancient
nature of the subcontinent’s cotton industry. The Vedic scriptures, composed between
1500 and 1200 BCE allude to cotton spinning and weaving.
12. Which was the only Harappan site with an artificial brick dockyard?
(a) Lothal
(b) Kalibangan
(c) Chanhudaro
(d) Ropar
Explanation: Lothal was the port city of Indus Valley Civilization. It was located at
Saragwala, Gujarat. The dockyard was located away from the main current to avoid
deposition of silt. It is speculated that Lothal engineers studied tidal movements, and
their effects on brick-built structures, since the walls are of kiln-burnt bricks.
13. The oldest surviving texts in the Indian sub-continent is –
(a) The Vedas
(b) The Puranas
(c) The Epics
(d) The Upanishads

14. The famous figure of a dancing girl found in the excavation of Mohenjodaro was made
up of –
(a) Terracotta
(b) Steatite
(c) Bronze
(d) Red limestone

15. The most important divinity in the Rig-Vedic period was –

(a) Karma
(b) Indra

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 (c) Agni
(d) Varuna
Explanation: The main god of Rigveda was Indra. He was the chief god during the Rig
Vedic age. He was also known as the king of gods & lord of heaven.
16. Society came to be divided into four varna during –
(a) Pre-Vedic period
(b) Rig-Vedic period
(c) Later-Vedic period
(d) Post-Vedic period

17. The main source of the study of the early Aryan civilization is the –
(a) Puranas
(b) Arthashastra
(c) Upanishads
(d) Rig Veda

18. The Rig Veda contains ______ hymns.

(a) 829
(b) 928
(c) 1028
(d) 1208

19. The term ‘jana’ in the Rig Veda stood for:

(a) A tribe
(b) A clan
(c) Village people
(d) Nobility

20. The samiti in the Rig Vedic period was:

(a) Women council
(b) An assembly
(c) A council of elders
(d) Noblemen

21. Which of the following social practices did not exist in the Vedic Age?
(a) Sati
(b) Polyandry
(c) Patriarchy
(d) Child marriage

22. Most of the Vedic literature were written in which of the following languages?
(a) Pali
(b) Prakrit
(c) Urdu
(d) Sanskrit

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23. Manusmriti is a book of –
(a) Law
(b) Religion
(c) Poetry
(d) History

24. In the Vedic period, Bhagadugha were –

(a) Priests
(b) Law givers
(c) Collector of taxes
(d) Commander of the army

25. The dominant occupation of the Rig Vedic people was –

(a) Trade
(b) Pottery
(c) Agriculture
(d) Pastoralism

26. The early capital of Magadha was –

(a) Vaishali
(b) Rajagriha
(c) Pataliputra
(d) Ujjain

27. The two kinds of states included in the mahajanapadas are –

(a) Monarchies and Republics
(b) Oligarchies and Republics
(c) Monarchies and Theocracies
(d) Oligarchies and Theocracies

28. According to Buddha, nirvana could be attained by –

(a) Prayers and sacrifices
(b) Asceticism and penance
(c) Following eight-fold path
(d) Following four Noble truths

29. The main teachings and sermons of Buddha are compiled in a book called –
(a) Mahavamsa
(b) Buddhacharita
(c) Tripitaka
(d) Digambara

30. The first powerful Kshatriya king of Magadha who embraced Buddhism was –
(a) Bindusara
(b) Bimbisara

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 (c) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) Ashoka

31. Which of the following texts shows us that symbolic sati was practised by the Aryans?
(a) Rig Veda
(b) Yajur Veda
(c) Atharva Veda
(d) Aitareya Brahamana

32. Alexander invaded India in –

(a) 236 B.C.
(b) 263 B.C.
(c) 326 B.C.
(d) 362 B.C.

33. The author of ‘Arthashastra’ was –

(a) Chanakya
(b) Ajatashatru
(c) Megasthenes
(d) Milinda

34. In the Mauryan state, dharmasthas were –

(a) Missionaries
(b) Advocates of Dharma
(c) Judges
(d) New class of officers

35. The inscriptions of Ashoka were written in which of the following scripts?
(a) Pali
(b) Prakrit
(c) Sanskrit
(d) Urdu

36. The Saka Era started by Kanishka began in –

(a) 76 CE
(b) 77 CE
(c) 78 CE
(d) 79 CE

37. Who were the first rulers in India to issue gold coins on a large scale?
(a) The Mauryans
(b) The Kushanas
(c) The Guptas
(d) The Satavahanas

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38. Which of the following is known as the ‘Napolean of India’?
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Kumaragupta
(d) Bhaskaravarma

39. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller visited India during the reign of?
(a) Harshavardhana
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Samudragupta
(d) Chandragupta II

40. One of the greatest poets of the Gupta period who authored Abhijnanashakuntalam
was?
(a) Nagarjuna
(b) Harisena
(c) Banabhatta
(d) Kalidasa

41. The South Indian temple architecture reached its climax under the –
(a) Cheras
(b) Cholas
(c) Hoysalas
(d) Pandyas

42. Which of the following was regarded as the god of the Shudras?
(a) Indra
(b) Rudra
(c) Pushan
(d) Vishnu

43. Who was the author of Mudrarakshaha?

(a) Kalidasa
(b) Kautilya
(c) Bhatrihari
(d) Vishakhadatta

44. Fahien visited India during the time of –

(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Chandraguptya II
(c) Samudragupta
(d) Varshavardhana

45. Among the 16 Mahajanapadas, which of the following emerged as the most powerful?
(a) Anga
(b) Kashi

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 (c) Kosala
(d) Magadha

46. Rock-cut architecture was first found in which of the following periods?
(a) The Mauryan period
(b) The Post-Mauryan period
(c) The Gupta Period
(d) The Chola Period

47. Who were the first to begin feudalism in India?

(a) The Mauryas
(b) The Shungas
(c) The Kushanas
(d) The Satavahanas

48. The Ghandhara School of Art was influenced by –

(a) Jainism
(b) Buddhism
(c) Ajivikas
(d) Shaivism

49. The composer of the Allahabad Prashasti was –

(a) Kalidasa
(b) Ashvaghosha
(c) Harisena
(d) Banabhatta

50. After the decline of the Guptas, which one of the following cities in North India
emerged as the centre of political importance?
(a) Delhi
(b) Kanauj
(c) Vaishali
(d) Pataliputra

51. Which of the following was the first Muslim invader of India?
(a) Mahmud of Ghazni
(b) Mohammad Ghori
(c) Muhammed-bin-Qasim
(d) Chingiz Khan

52. The founder of the Slave Dynasty and the first Sultan of Delhi was –
(a) Iltutmish
(b) Qutb-ud-din-Aibak
(c) Alauddin Khalji
(d) Ghiyasuddin Balban

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53. Who was the first Sultan of Delhi who strove to make monarchy hereditary?
(a) Balban
(b) Alauddin Khalji
(c) Iltutmish
(d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

54. The policy of “blood and iron” is associated with:

(a) Babur
(b) Balban
(c) Taimur
(d) Qutub-ud-din Aibak

55. Koh-I-Noor diamond was taken away from India to Persia during the rule of which
Mughal ruler?
a) Aurangzeb
b) Muhammad Shah
c) Farrukhsiyar
d) Shah Alam

56. Consider the following pairs:

Traveler Kingdom they visited
1. Marco Polo - Mughal empire
2. Ibn Battuta - Delhi Sultanate
3. Abd al-Razzaq - Vijayanagar kingdom
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation: Marco Polo is an Italian traveller who visited India during 1288-1292
AD under the reign of Pandya Kingdom.

57. The first and the last woman to sit on the throne of Delhi was –
(a) Razya Begum
(b) Mumtaz Mahal
(c) Raziya Mahal
(d) Rani Laxmibai

58. Qutub-ud-din Aibak laid the foundation of the Qutub Minar and it was completed by
(a) Balban
(b) Iltutmish
(c) Alauddin Khalji
(d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

59. Muhammad-bin Tughlaq decided to shift his capital from Delhi to –

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 (a) Allahabad
(b) Agra
(c) Daulatabad
(d) Lahore

60. Who was the first ruler to impose the Jizya tax in India?
(a) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
(b) Iltutmish
(c) Alauddin Khalji
(d) Ghiyauddin Tughlaq

61. The Sultan of Delhi who issued a new standard coin called Jital was –
(a) Iltutmish
(b) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
(c) Alauddin Khalji
(d) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq

62. Which of the following Sultans brought the Ashokan pillar to Delhi?
(a) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
(b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
(c) Ala-ud-din Khalji
(d) Muhammad-bin Tughlaq

63. The most notable Persian scholar of the Delhi Sultanate who was regarded as the first
true representative of Indo-Islamic culture of the time was –
(a) Firdausi
(b) Minhaj Siraji
(c) Amir Khusrau
(d) Baba Farid

64. The Vijayanagar Kingdom was founded in 1346 by –

(a) Ramananda & Namdev
(b) Krishnadeva Raya
(c) Alauddin Hasan
(d) Harihara & Bukka

65. A leader of the Bhakti Movement who was greatly influenced by Islam was –
(a) Namdev
(b) Guru Nanak
(c) Kabir
(d) Chaitanya

66. The first Bhakti saint to use Hindi, the language of the masses, to propagation of his
doctrine, was –
(a) Kabir
(b) Ramanuja
(c) Chaitanya

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 (d) Ramananda

67. The Chishti Sufi Order was established in India by –

(a) Skeikh Muinuddin Chishti
(b) Skeikh Nizamuddin Auliya
(c) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
(d) Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar

68. The official language of the Delhi Sultanate was –

(a) Urdu
(b) Persian
(c) Arabic
(d) Sanskrit

69. Which prominent Mathematics text was written in the early medieval period?
(a) Lilawati
(b) Laghujataka
(c) Aryabhattiyam
(d) Suryasiddhanta

70. Who among the following was deputed to the court of Vijayanagar as an ambassador?
a) Marco Polo
b) Nicolo Conti
c) Duarte Barbosa
d) Abdul Razak

71. Who wrote Akbar Nama?

(a) Akbar
(b) Abul Fazl
(c) Faizi
(d) Humayun

72. The Second Battle of Panipat was fought between:

(a) Humayun and Sher Shah
(b) Bairam Khan and Hemu
(c) Humayun and Hemu
(d) Akbar and Hemu

73. Who was the Author of Humayun Nama?

(a) Humayun
(b) Babur
(c) Roshannara
(d) Gulbadan Begum

74. The First Battle of Panipat (1526) marked the beginning of:
(a) Mughal Rule in India

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 (b) Afghan Rule in India
(c) Turkish rule in India
(d) Sultanate Rule in India

75. Who built the Grand Trunk Road which extended from Sonargaon (Bengal) to the
Punjab?
(a) Babur
(b) Akbar
(c) Jahangir
(d) Sher Shah

76. Who introduced the branding of the horses (dagh system) which was later followed by
Akbar in the administration of the Mughal army?
(a) Ibrahim Lodi
(b) Sher Shah
(c) Babur
(d) Akbar

77. The celebrated Kohinoor diamond and the famous Peacock throne were carried away
to Persia in 1739 by –
(a) Nadir Shah
(b) Ahmad Shah Abdali
(c) Timur Shah
(d) Mahmud Ghori

78. Sati of Hindu women was prohibited during the reign of which Mughal empire?
a) Jahangir
b) Shah Jahan
c) Akbar
d) Aurangzeb

79. Who was the first Englishman to appear in the Mughal court during Jahangir’s reign?
a) Paul Canning
b) William Hawkins
c) William Edward
d) Ralph Fitch

80. Which of the following contemporary sources of the Mughal period is especially useful
for obtaining information on the agrarian conditions?
(a) Akbarnamah
(b) Ain-i-Akbari
(c) Muntakhab-ul-Lubab
(d) Babur Nama

81. Who among the following was the first Mughal Emperor to allow the British to
establish trade links with India ?

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 (a) Jahangir
(b) Shah Jahan
(c) Aurangzeb
(d) Humayun

82. The new religion promulgated by Akbar was called –

(a) Allah-Hu-Akbar
(b) Sulh-i-Kulh
(c) Ibadat Khana
(d) Din-I-Ilahi

83. In which year did Akbar abolish Jizyah?

(a) 1560
(b) 1564
(c) 1580
(d) 1578

84. What is Ibadat Khana, built in 1575 by the Mughal Emperor Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri?
(a) Hall of Prayer
(b) Public Hall of Audience
(c) Private Hall of Audience
(d) Singing Hall

85. The most important reason for collection of “Chauth” and “Sardeshmukhi” by the
Marathas was?
a) To increase the source of income.
b) To expand their territories.
c) To consolidate their political influence.
d) Because of the opposition of Muslim rulers.

86. The concept of Din-i-ilahi was introduced by Mughal Emperor Akbar and was based
on Monotheism. Who among the following was the first initiated disciple of Akbar’s
Din-i-Ilahi?
a) Birbal
b) Bhagwan Das
c) Man Singh
d) Surjan Rai

87. The Nagara, the Dravida and the Vesara are:

a) The three main social groups of the Indian Subcontinent.
b) The three main linguistic divisions into which the languages of India can be
classified.
c) The three main styles of Indian temple architecture.
d) The three main musical gharanas prevalent in India.

88. The Red Fort at Delhi was built by –

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 (a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shah Jahan
(d) Aurangzeb

89. Mughal painting reached its zenith under which Emperor?

(a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shah Jahan
(d) Aurangzeb

90. Which of the following name by Ashoka is generally referred in his inscriptions?
(a) Chakravarti
(b) Dharmadeva
(c) Dharmakirti
(d) Priyadasi
Explanation: Priyadasi was an honorific epithets used by the Indian Emperor Ashoka
in his inscriptions. Priyadasi means “He who regards others with kindness”, “Humane”.
It is generally used in conjunction with the title “Devanampriya” (“Beloved of the
Gods”).
91. Which of the following harappan trading site is famous for procuring lapis lazuli?
(a) Lothal
(b) Dholavira
(c) Kalibangan
(d) Shortughai

92. The Indus Valley Civilization people mainly traded with the people of which of these
civilizations?
(a) Romans
(b) Parthians
(c) Mesopotamians
(d) Chinese

93. During whose reign Mahayana sect of Buddhism came into existence?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Kanishka
(c) Ajatasatru
(d) Nagarjuna

94. Who was the first Indo-Greek king, who became Buddhist?
(a) Antiochus II
(b) Apollodotus I
(c) Menander II
(d) Apollodotus II

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95. Which of the following dynasties was ruling over North India at the time of Alexander’s
invasion?
(a) Nanda
(b) Maurya
(c) Sunga
(d) Kanva

96. The earliest deciphered epigraphy in India has which of the following script?
(a) Pali
(b) Tamil
(c) Brahmi
(d) Urdu

97. Who was the author of Indica?

(a) Kautilya
(b) Menander
(c) Megasthenese
(d) Ibn Battuta

98. According to Romila Thapar, the Mauryan State was –

(a) Highly Decentralized
(b) Highly Centralized
(c) Segmentary
(d) Loose confederation

99. The Sangam literature was written in the language of –

(a) Pali
(b) Prakrit
(c) Tamil
(d) Kannada

100. The earliest known Indian ruling dynasty to have allowed the Muslim traders to
settle and permitted Islam to be preached in their dominion, was:
(a) Pandyas
(b) Chalukyas
(c) Cholas
(d) Rashtrakutas

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