Kerala SET Paper 2 Mock Test - 3 (History) - KTET MCQ

A superior court called the Sadar Nizamat Adalat was, established at Calcutta which exercised control over Fouzdari Adalats. It was presided by an Indian judge known as the Daroga-i-Adalat who was to be assisted by the Chief Kazi, Chief Mufti and three Moulvies. These persons were appointed by the Nawab on the advice of the Governor.

James Outram was the son of Benjamin Outram of Butterley Hall, Butterley, Derbyshire, and was a civil engineer. He strongly opposed the policy of his superior, Sir Charles Napier, which led to the annexation of Sind.

The Wardha Resolution is also known as “Quit India Resolution”. This resolution was ratified in the All India Congress Committee at Bombay on August 7, 1942. Here a nonviolent mass struggle under the leadership of Gandhi was sanctioned in the “August Kranti Maidan”. On the next day, Gandhi, Nehru and many other leaders of the Indian National Congress were arrested by the British Government and Congress party was banned. The movement was not supported by Muslim League.

The correct code is i, iii and v.Key Points

• In the first half of the Gupta period, the king or the state claimed theoretical ownership of the land, though in practice the peasants had ownership rights.
• The peasants were the actual cultivators and had a strong attachment to the land.
• The state claimed ownership, in theory, to maintain control over the land and collect revenue.
• However, in practice, the peasants had ownership rights and were allowed to transfer, mortgage, or sell their land. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The Poona Copper Plate of Prabhavatigupta is a copper plate grant from the Gupta period.
• It does not provide evidence for land surveys during the Gupta period.
• However, it does provide information about the administration of land revenue during the Gupta period. So statement 2 is incorrect.
• An officer called Pustapala was in charge of land revenue collection at the district level.
• Pustapala was a revenue officer who collected land revenue on behalf of the state.
• He was responsible for maintaining records of land revenue, and his role was crucial in the administration of the land revenue. Thus statement 3 is correct.
• The Gupta inscriptions from Bengal and Bihar authorise the grantees to make a further gift of their lands to others. Therefore statement 4 is incorrect.
• The Gupta inscriptions from Bengal and Bihar do not authorise the grantees to make a further gift of their lands to others.
• The Gupta land grants in central India and western India give not only fiscal rights but also rights of judicial administration to the recipients.

• Statement 5 is true and is supported by historical evidence.

So we can conclude that the correct code is i, iii and v.

1) In the third century B.C. Prakrit served as the lingua franca of the country. Throughout the major portion of India, Ashoka’s inscriptions were written in the prakrit language and Brahmi script.

2) Later Sanskrit acquired the same position and served as the state language in the remotest parts of the country. The process became prominent in the Gupta period in the fourth century A.D.

3) It was in North India that the varna system arose, which came to prevail almost all over the country.

Govinda III (793 - 814)

• The Rashtrakuta king who defeated the Pratihara ruler Nagabhatta II was Govinda III
• Pala King Dharmapala and his protégé Charayudh sought the help of Govinda III.
• His kingdom spread up to the Vindhyas and Malava in the north and the river Tungabhadra to the south.
• Govind III's northern campaign was not for empire expansion but for fame.
• Govind III defeated Pratihara king Nagabhatta II in 793 - 814 AD.
• Govind III further defeated the Pallava king Dantivarman in 803 at Kanchi.

Key Points

• Nagabhatta I was the first king of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty.
• Nagabhatta I established his capital at Avanti (Ujjain) in Malwa.
• Nagabhatta II (805 - 833 AD) was the son and successor of Vatsaraj.

Both Jain and Buddhist monks went from place to place throughout the year for teaching the people.

• Only in the rainy season, they stay in one place.
• Earlier, their followers built a temporary shelter for them, later permanent shelters were constructed which were known as ‘viharas’ i.e. monasteries.
• These ‘viharas’ were made of wood and then of brick.

Thus, we can say that both statements A) and B) are true and B) is not the reason for A).

Confusion Points

• Jains and Buddhists move from one place to another for spreading their religion, not to live in caves or gardens.
• They usually took shelter there to spend time and seasonal differences.
• Thus, statement B is not explaining statement A.

Additional Information

• Jainism and Buddhism share many features, terminology, and ethical principles, but emphasize them differently.[
• Jainism discourages monks and nuns from staying in a single place for a long time, except for 4 months in the rainy season (chaturmas).
• Thus most of the time the Jain monks and nuns keep wandering, staying in a place for just a few days.
• Some Theravada Buddhist monks also observe Vassa rules, but often they stay in one monastery, but they also used to wander and preach in the past.

The correct answer is None of the above.

Key Points

• The Vakataka Empire was an Indian subcontinent dynasty that arose from the Deccan in the mid-3rd century CE.
• Their state is thought to have stretched from the northern borders of Malwa and Gujarat to the Tungabhadra River in the south, as well as from the Arabian Sea in the west to the eastern borders of Chhattisgarh.
• After Pravarasena I, the Vakataka dynasty was divided into four branches, two of which are recognized and two of which are unknown.
• The Pravarapura-Nandivardhana branch and the Vatsagulma branch are the two known branches.

Important Points

• They were the most important Satavahana successors in the Deccan and lived at the same time as the Guptas in northern India. It was not after the weakening of Satavahanas that Vakataka came into power, these dynasties were existing in parallel timelines. Hence option (i) is incorrect.
• Vindhyashakti (250-270), whose name is taken from the deity Vindhyavasini, was the Vakataka dynasty's founder. Hence Option (ii) is incorrect.
• Pravarasena I (270-330), the next monarch, kept the kingdom a strong power.
• Pravar Sen was the son of Vidhya Sakti. Hence option (iii) is incorrect.
• He was the first Vakataka ruler to name himself a Samrat (universal ruler) and wage battles against the Naga rulers.

• Critical Methodology: Herodotus stands out for his developing a more critical approach to historical inquiry.
• He compared different accounts, acknowledged the limitations of oral traditions, and even visited places he wrote about to verify information. Logographers, on the other hand, generally lacked this level of critical analysis.

Additional Information

• Extensive use of oral traditions and myths: Both logographers and Herodotus relied heavily on oral traditions and myths. While Herodotus might have been more critical in his use of them, the reliance on such sources was a common feature.
• Focus on a single, unifying theme or chronological narrative: While some logographers might have focused on specific regions or topics, others did attempt chronological narratives. Herodotus, however, is known for weaving diverse elements into a grand narrative of the Greco-Persian Wars.
• Emphasis on political and military history: Both logographers and Herodotus were interested in political and military history.

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. The Battle of Koppam - Between the Rajadhiraja-I and Kulasekara Pandyan

• The Battle of Koppam (1052-53) - It was fought between the Rajadhiraja-I and Rajendra Chola-II with the Chalukya king Someshvara.
• The Battle of Pundur (1046 AD) - Between Rajadhiraja-I and Chalukya
• Battle of Velur (910 AD) - Parantaka I defeated the Pandya's king Rajasimha II and captured Madurai.
• The campaign of Ganga valley - Between Rajendra-I and Mahipal
• The Battle of Takkolam (948-49 AD) - The Battle of Takkolam was fought between the Cholas and Rashtrakuta.

The correct answer is honouring the king.

Key Points

• Ashoka was the great Mauryan ruler and grandson of the dynasty's founder Chandragupta Maurya.
• Ashoka became a Buddhist in the 9^th year of his reign i.e., a year after the conquest of Kalinga.
• Dhamma is Prakrit form of the Sanskrit word 'Dharma'.
• Ashoka’s dhamma was neither a new religion nor a new political philosophy, it was a way of life.
• Ashoka denounced all useless ceremonies and sacrifices held under the influ­ence of superstition.
• One of the striking features of Asoka’s edicts is that he regards himself as a father figure for the people. Hence honoring the king was not dhamma.

Additional Information

• Ashoka's major dhamma is inscribed in 14 rock edicts. Some of the important dhamma are:
  • Prohibition of animal sacrifices in festive and public gatherings.
  • It pleads for toleration amongst all religions.
  • Respect for others and regard even for slaves and servants and donations to sramanas and Brahmans.
  • Emphatic plea for toleration amongst the various religions.
  • Plantation of medicinal herbs and trees and digging of wells along the roads, which describes the promotion of welfare of the people.

The correct answer is 1580.

• In 1580 Akbar analyzed the state revenue statistics of the last 10 years, which contained information on price fluctuations and land productivity and averaged crop yield and prices for different regions of his empire.​

Important Points

• Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar was crowned in 1556 at the very young age of 13 years.
  • Art and Architecture: Fatehpur Sikri, Jama Masjid(UP) and its Gateway Buland Darwaza.
  • The land revenue system of Akbar was known as Zabti or Bandobasth system.
    • The land was classified as Polaj, Parauti, Chachar, Banjar.
  • Mansabdari system: The nobility and Army were organized by the system.
  • Jagirdari system: Assigning the revenue of particular territory to nobles for their services to the states.

The peasants had to pay one sixth of their produce.

Taxes were collected directly by royal agents, and generally there were no intermediate landlord between the peasant and the State. But some villages were granted to brahmanas and big merchants for their enjoyment. We also hear of large plots of land worked with the help of slaves and agricultural laborers. Rich peasants were called gahapatis (Pali term), who were almost the same as the section of the vaishyas.

• Pair 1 is correct.
  • MIR SAMAN -
    • He was in charge of the Royal household including the supply of all the provisions and articles for the use of the inmates of the harem or the female apartments.
    • Only nobles who enjoyed the complete confidence of the emperor were appointed to this office.
• Pair 2 is correct.
  • WAZIR -
    • He continued to be the head of the revenue department.
    • He was not generally a person who held a high position in the nobility.
    • Many nobles held Mansabs which were higher than the Wazir.
    • Thus, he was no longer the principal advisor to the ruler but an expert in revenue matters.
    • Akbar generally used the title of Diwan or Diwan-i-ala in preference to the word Wazir.
• Pair 3 is correct.
  • MIR BAKSHI -
    • The head of the military department was called the Mir Bakshi.
    • It was Mir Bakshi and not the Diwan who was considered the head of the nobility.
    • Therefore only the leading grandees were appointed to this post.
    • Recommendations for appointment to mansabs or promotions etc were made to the emperor through the Mir Bakshi.
    • Once the emperor had accepted the recommendation it was sent to the diwan for confirmation and for assigning a jagir to the appointee.
    • Mir Bakshi was also the head of the intelligence and information agencies of the empire. Intelligence Officers (barids) and news reporters (waqia-navis) were posted to all the parts of the empire
    • Their reports were presented to the emperor at the court through the Mir Bakshi.

The incorrect statement is "Only Buddhist texts list 16 powerful states (solasa-mahajanapada) that flourished in the early 6th century BCE."Key Points

• Buddhist and Jaina both texts list 16 powerful states (solasa-mahajanapada) that flourished in the early 6th century BCE.
• The Anguttara Nikaya(Buddhist text) and Bhagavati Sutra(Jain text) gives a list of Mahajanapada, though different from each other, but these two texts inform us about Mahajanapada.
• Anguttara Nikaya’s list of the mahajanapadas is as follows: Kasi (Kashi), Kosala (Koshala), Anga, Magadha, Vajji (Vrijji), Malla, Chetiya (Chedi), Vamsa (Vatsa), Kuru, Panchala, Machchha (Matsya), Shurasena, Assaka (Ashmaka), Avanti, Gandhara, and Kamboja.

• The Bhagavati Sutra gives a somewhat different list: Anga, Banga (Vanga), Magaha (Magadha), Malaya, Malava, Achchha, Vachchha (Vatsa), Kochchha, Ladha (Lata or Radha), Padha (Pandya or Paundra), Bajji (Vajji), Moli (Malla), Kasi (Kashi), Kosala, Avaha, and Sambhuttara.

Hence the incorrect statement is "Only Buddhist texts list 16 powerful states (solasa-mahajanapada) that flourished in the early 6th century BCE."

The correct answer is 2 only.

Key Points

Town Planning of Harappan Civilisation

• ​The Harappan culture was distinguished by its system of town planning.
• Harappa and Mohenjodaro each had their own citadel or acropolis, which was possibly occupied by members of the ruling class.
• Below the citadel in each city lay a lower town containing brick houses, which were inhabited by the common people.
• The remarkable thing about the arrangement of the houses in the cities is that they followed the grid system.
• Granaries constituted an important part of the Harappan cities.
• The use of burnt bricks in the Harappan cities is remarkable, because in the contemporary buildings of Egypt mainly dried bricks were used. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The drainage system of Mohenjodaro was very impressive.
• The underground drainage system connects all the houses to the street drains which were covered with either bricks or stone stabs and equipped with manholes.
• In almost all cities every big or small house had its own courtyard and bathroom.
• In Kalibangan many houses had their wells.
• At sites such as Dholavira and Lothal (Gujarat), the entire settlement was fortified, and sections within the town were also separated by walls.

Charter Act of 1833, section 87 stated that no person of India or the Crown would be debarred from any place, post or service subject to the Company on the ground of religion, place of birth, decent or color or any of them.

The country today practically produces no tin; this was scarce even in ancient times. We do not find many bronze objects in prehistoric times, as Bronze is made by mixing Copper with Tin. Hence, although the Harappa people used bronze tools, their number compared to those found in other places is very small and their tools carry a smaller percentage of tin. Therefore, the major portion of India had no proper Bronze age, that is, an age in which tools and implements were mostly made of bronze.

• The severity of famines in India during the colonial period was significantly influenced by several factors under British rule, particularly the emphasis on the cultivation of cash crops at the expense of subsistence crops, and the imposition of heavy taxation and exploitative land revenue systems.

Introduction of cash crops at the expense of subsistence crops:

• Under British colonial rule, there was a significant shift in agricultural practices in India, with a focus on the cultivation of cash crops such as cotton, indigo, and opium instead of traditional subsistence crops like rice and wheat that were essential for the local population's food security.
• This shift was driven by the British desire to integrate India into the global market economy as a supplier of raw materials for British industries.
• As a result, large areas of agricultural land that were previously used to grow food that could feed the local population were now used to grow crops for export.
• This transition made India more vulnerable to food shortages and famines, as the availability of edible crops decreased, especially in times of drought or other adverse natural conditions.
• The reliance on cash crops reduced the resilience of local agricultural systems to support the nutritional needs of the population during hard times.

Heavy taxation and land revenue systems:

• The British colonial administration implemented taxation and land revenue systems that were onerous for the Indian farmers.
• The land revenue systems, such as the Permanent Settlement, the Ryotwari system, and the Mahalwari system, often imposed high taxes on land and demanded revenue payments in cash rather than in kind.
• These systems put a significant financial burden on the peasants, who were forced to sell their food grains to meet the demands of the revenue collection, even during years of poor harvests.
• This financial pressure led to widespread indebtedness among the peasant population and constrained their ability to retain enough food for their subsistence.
• In years of crop failure or low agricultural output, the peasants' inability to pay taxes led to the loss of their land and further exacerbated the food scarcity in the region.
• Additionally, the prioritization of revenue collection over the well-being of the local population meant that there was little to no effort from the colonial administration to mitigate the effects of famines or to provide relief to the affected populations

​ Additional Information

• While natural environmental fluctuations, such as droughts, floods, and locust plagues, have historically contributed to famines worldwide, including India, this option is not chosen as a primary factor for the severity of famines during the colonial period for a specific reason. Natural disasters without a doubt can initiate conditions leading to famine; however, the severity and widespread impact of these famines in colonial India were significantly exacerbated by the socio-economic policies implemented by the British colonial administration, such as the shift to cash crops and the oppressive taxation and revenue systems.
• Immediate post-independence economic policies:
  This option is incorrect because the question specifically asks about the factors that contributed to the severity of famines during the colonial period, which ended with India's independence in 1947. Immediate post-independence economic policies of India pertain to the period after the colonial rule and thus are not relevant to discussing the causes of famines that occurred within the timeline of British rule in India.

• The famine resulted in the loss of millions of lives, with estimates ranging from 1.5 to 3 million or more people dying as a result of starvation, malnutrition, and related diseases.
• The scale of human suffering was immense, with widespread reports of destitution, families being torn apart, and widespread disease alongside starvation.
• The visual and written accounts from that time depict a society brought to the brink of collapse under the weight of acute food shortages. This tragedy remains one of the darkest chapters in the history of Bengal and India more broadly, illustrating the severe human cost of the famine.
• Historians and scholars have extensively debated the causes of the Great Bengal Famine, and there is now a broad consensus that British colonial policies played a significant role in exacerbating the famine's severity.
• Key factors include wartime policies such as rice hoarding, speculation, and panic buying spurred by fears of Japanese invasion during World War II, and the British military's acquisition of foodstuffs and transport vehicles.
• Additionally, the British colonial government's failure to effectively respond to the crisis, including restrictions on rice imports and inadequate relief efforts, further aggravated the situation.
• The decisions made by British authorities, rooted in considerations for the war effort and economic policies favoring exports over local consumption, significantly worsened the impact of natural cyclones and crop failures that year, making the famine more severe than it might have been under different administrative actions

Additional Information

• The effective response of the colonial administration:
  This statement is incorrect. The colonial administration's response to the famine is widely criticized for its inadequacies and, in some cases, actions that exacerbated the situation. Criticisms include delays in declaring the famine, restrictions on grain imports, failure to mobilize resources effectively, and prioritizing military and export needs over the local food crisis. The administration's response was not only ineffective but also contributed to the severity of the famine, making this option false in the context of the Great Bengal Famine of 1943.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

Confusion Points

• Asaf Jah is different from Qutub shahis.
• Both ruled over the same regions of Hyderabad.
• Qutub Shahis were part of the Bahamani Sultanate whereas the Asaf Jahis are Nizam of Hyderabad at the time of the Mughals.

Chenchu belonged from the Nallamala Hills in Andhra Pradesh. They revolted against the British Forest Laws under the leadership of K. Hanumanthu. Thodoe were from Kuki, Manipur. It was led by Rani Gindinilu and her cousin Zodanang against the presence of British in the agency areas. Naikdas were from Panchamahal hills in Gujarat. They revolted against the British policy of expansionism and interference. Kachanga were from Kacher district in Assam. They revolted under the British land revenue policy under the leadership of Sambu Dan.

Futuhat-i-Firozshahi literally means ‘Victories of Firuz Shah’. It was written by Firuz Shah Tughluq. It gives a reliable picture of the mind and attitude of Firuz Shah. It was a political pamphlet to win the sympathy and co-operation of his co-religionists. Sikander-bin-Muhammad Manzu composed his work, Mirat-i-Sikanderi, in 1611. It describes the political events, along with the social and cultural life of Gujarat. Shahjahan Nama was written by Muhammad Sadiq Khan. He recorded the events of Shah Jahan’s reign from the death of Jahangir to the accession of Aurangzeb in an intelligent and impartial manner. Abdul Hamid Lahori wrote a detailed account of the reign of Shah Jahan in two volumes under the title of Padshahnama.

With the help of the strong leadership of Albuquerque, the Portuguese started trading as well as piracy. Gradually Malabar coastal region became the main trading point of the Portuguese.

• The Assertive Nationalists, also known as Extremists in the context of the Indian National Movement, were a group of leaders within the Indian National Congress who emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were labeled as such in contrast to the earlier Moderate faction, which advocated for constitutional reforms and discussions with the British to achieve self-governance gradually.
• Assertive Nationalists such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Aurobindo Ghosh believed that mere petitions or constitutional methods would not be sufficient to secure national interests. They argued for a more aggressive stance against British rule, advocating for the adoption of Swadeshi (use of domestic goods and boycott of British goods), national education, and Swaraj. While they did promote passive resistance and were part of protests and picketing, they also did not completely rule out the use of force if it was deemed necessary in the struggle for independence. This stance distinguished them from the later Gandhian phase, which emphasized non-violence and civil disobedience as core principles.
• Their methods included the boycott of British goods, institutions, and schools, promotion of Swadeshi products, and the establishment of national schools and colleges to foster a sense of national identity and education not influenced by British ideals. The partition of Bengal in 1905 became a significant rallying point for their activities, leading to widespread protests and marked the rise of the Assertive Nationalist movement within the broader Indian freedom struggle.

Baul

• It is a folk music tradition native to the state of West Bengal.
• It has elements of Tantra, Sufism, Vaishnavism, and Buddhism. It is not adapted from the Afro-Arab music of Yemen. Hence, pair 1 is incorrect.
• It is practiced by Bauls - a syncretic religious sect of Vaishnavs and Sufis.
• It is part of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Marfa

• It is a folk music tradition native to the state of Hyderabad.
• It was adapted from the Afro-Arab music of Yemen.
• It does not have elements of Tantra, Sufism, Vaishnavism, and Buddhism. Hence, pair 2 is incorrect.
• It was introduced in the 18th century by the Siddi community.

Mando

• It is a folk music tradition native to the state of Goa.
• It has themes of love, tragedy, and political resistance during Portuguese presence.
• Hence, pair 3 is correctly matched.

Accordingly, option (d) is correct.

The correct answer is 1953.

Important Points

• Potti Sreeramulu undertook a fast unto death from 19 October 1952 demanding a separate state of Andhra Pradesh.
• Potti Sreeramulu died on 15 December 1952.
• The death of Potti Sreeramulu leads to the formation of the Andra state.
• The Prime Minister announced the formation of a separate Andhra state in December 1952.

Key Points

• The Telugu-speaking area of Andhra state was formed on 1^st October 1953.
  • Kurnool was the capital city of the Andra state.
  • T Prakasam was the first chief minister of Andra state.
• The combined Andhra Pradesh state was formed based on the gentlemen's agreement.
• Andhra State combined with the Telugu-speaking areas of the already existing Hyderabad State on 1^st November 1956.

The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.

In news

• Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has said the restoration of Sher Shah Gate is in its final stages and would take another four to five months.

Key Points

• A substantial portion of Sher Shah Gate had collapsed in August 2012 and a brick wall was raised to support the structure.
• Close to nine years after the 16th century Sher Shah Gate in Central Delhi was partially damaged in heavy rains, the restoration work on the monument is still not complete.
• The restoration of the monument has now taken longer than the work involved in restoring Humayun’s Tomb, which took six years between 2007 and 2013.
• The original deadline for completion of work was 2015-16, as per a submission made in the Lok Sabha in March 2015 by then Union Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma.
• The gate served as the southern entrance to Shergarh, a city built by Sher Shah Suri of the Sur dynasty during his reign as emperor of North India from 1540 to 1545. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Shergarh was built when Sher Shah took control of the Mughal Empire after defeating Emperor Humayun in 1540. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Delhi circle of the ASI began work at the monument in 2015. However, a year later the agency created a subdivision called the ‘mini circle’, which divided jurisdiction over monuments in the city.

'Ayyavole' means a powerful guild organization of southern India of the early medieval age.

Key Points

• The expansion of agriculture and the growth of trade from the tenth century led to the emergence of many merchant guilds or organisations in South India.
• According to Romila Thapar, the inscriptions refer to these organisations often as samaya, i.e. an organisation born out of an agreement or contract among its members to follow a set of rules and regulations.
• The most important merchant guilds of South India were the Ayyavole, Manigraman, Nagarattar, Anjavannam and Valanjiyar.
• Geographically, the area of their operation corresponded to the present day state of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh.
• The Chola kings from the tenth century onwards made a concerted effort in trade and commerce through trade missions, maritime expeditions, abolition of tolls, etc.
• It greatly increased the activities of these guilds which were involved in not only inter-regional but also inter-oceanic trade across the Bay of Bengal.
• The merchant guild called Ayyavole was also known as the guild of “the 500 Swami of Aihole” or Nanadeshi.

• The organisation might have had an initial membership of 500.

Hence, we can conclude that 'Ayyavole' means a powerful guild organization of southern India of the early medieval age.

Rebellion among the naval ratings in RIN (Royal Indian Navy) started at Bombay on 19 February 1946. Thrilled by the INA fight and trials, they wanted to contribute their strength towards India’s freedom.