Previous Year Questions (PYQs): Medieval History | Additional Study Material for UPSC PDF Download

UPSC Prelims 2020: History

Q.1. Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ generally referred to in sources of the Post Harsha period?
(a) An advisory issued by the king to his subordinates
(b) A diary to be maintained for daily routine
(c) A bill of exchange
(d) An order from the feudal lord to his subordinates
Ans. (c)
Solution: Straightforward question. Hundi is a financial instrument that developed in Medieval India for use in trade and credit transactions.

UPSC Prelims 2019: History

Q.1. With reference to Mughal India, what is/are the difference/differences between Jagirdar and Zamindar?
1. Jagirdars were holders of land assignments in lieu of judicial and police duties, whereas Zamindars were holders of revenue rights without obligation to perform any duty other than revenue collection.
2. Land assignments to Jagirdars were hereditary and revenue rights of Zamindars were not hereditary.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d)
Solution: Both are incorrect. The Jagirdars were the king’s officials who enjoyed the land gifted from the King. They were the rank (mansab) holder given by the king called mansabdar. They were allotted non-inheritable land area equivalent to their fee amount called Jagir. These Jagirs are temporary in character and the Jagirdars only have the right to claim and enjoy the revenue collected from the land. The holder of land was termed as the Zamindar. They had the hereditary right over the land to claim share in the peasant’s output other than land revenues. They also have the right to detain the peasants.

Q.2. Consider the following statements:
1. In the revenue administration of Delhi Sultanate, the in-charge of revenue collection was known as ‘Amil’.
2. The Iqta system of Sultans of Delhi was an ancient indigenous institution.
3. The office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ came into existence during the reign of Khalji Sultans of Delhi.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (a)
Solution: S1: The provinces were divided into shiqs or district under a shiqdar. Each shiq comprised of a few parganas or kasba. Government officials of a pargana, after shiqdar were amil, who collected revenues. The mushrif kept accounts at the pargana level and the khazandar was incharge of the treasury. S2: Empire was divided into provinces known as Iqtas headed by Hakim/faujdar/Momin, which were divided into Sarkars (districts) manned by 2 officials, Shiqdar-i-Shiqdaran (for law and order) and Munsif-i-Munsifan (for revenue collection). The jagir of the Mughal period was similar to the iqta of the Delhi Sultanate. Iqta was not indigenous.
S3: Mir Bakshi headed military department, nobility, information and intelligence agencies during Akbar’s reign.

Q.3. Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to album and individual portrait?
(a) Humayun
(b) Akbar
(c) Jahangir
(d) Shah Jahan
Ans. (c)
Solution: Jahangir was also deeply influenced by European painting. During his reign he came into direct contact with the English Crown and was sent gifts of oil paintings, which included portraits of the King and Queen. He encouraged his royal atelier to take up the single point perspective favoured by European artists, unlike the flattened multi-layered style used in traditional miniatures. He particularly encouraged paintings depicting events of his own life, individual portraits, and studies of birds, flowers and animals.

UPSC Prelims 2016: History

Q.1. With reference to the economic history of medieval India, the term Araghatta’ refers to 
(a) bonded labour
(b) land grants made to military officers
(c) waterwheel used in the irrigation of land
(d) wasteland and converted to cultivated land
Ans. (c)
Solution: Waterwheel used in irrigation of land is termed as Araghatta.

Q.2. With reference to the cultural history of medieval India, consider the following statements :
1. Siddhas (Sittars) of Tamil region were monotheistic and condemned idolatry.
2. Lingayats of Kannada region questioned the theory of rebirth and rejected the caste hierarchy.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c)
Solution: Statement 1: Siddhas believe in oneness of the transcendental being in the world as well as charity towards men. This clearly shows they believed there is only one God, i.e. monotheism. The Siddhar tradition has also been contrasted with the Bhakti tradition. Their attitude against idol worship and their stress on yoga, knowledge right conduct distinguished them from Bhakti cults. So, clearly 1 is correct.
Statement 2: Basavanna (founder of Lingayatism) rebelled against the rigid practices of the caste system then prevalent in orthodox Hindu society and eventually began expounding his own philosophy with a casteless society at its core. Lingayats believed that there is no rebirth and on death the devotee reunites with Shiva never coming back to the World. So, 2 is also correct.

UPSC Prelims 2015: History

Q.1. Consider the following pairs :
Medieval Indian State : Present Region
1. Champaka : Central India
2. Durgara : Jammu
3. Kuluta : Malabar
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only
Ans. (b)
Solution: The ninth century saw the rise of a number of hill states in the Himalayas, some of which maintained their identity until recent years, despite their wars with each other and the frequent raids from the men of the plains. States such as Champaka (Chamba – Himachal Pradesh), Durgara (Jammu), Trigarta (jalandhar), Kuluta (Kulu – Himachal pradesh), Kumaon and Garhwal managed to remain outside the main areas of conflict in the northern plains.

Q.2. Consider the following : The arrival of Babur into India led to the
1. introduction of gunpowder
2. introduction of the arch and dome in the region’s architecture
3. establishment of Timurid dynasty
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
Ans. (b)
Solution: Statement 1: Chinese gunpowder technology is believed to have arrived in India by the mid-14th century, but could have been introduced much earlier by the Mongols, who had conquered both China and some borderlands of India, perhaps as early as the mid-13th century. The unification of a large single Mongol Empire resulted in the free transmission of previously top-secret Chinese technology into Mongol conquered parts of India. Regardless, it is believed that the Mongols used Chinese gunpowder weapons during their invasions of India. If statement 1 is wrong, the only possible option is B.

Q.3. Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were generally
(a) agriculturists
(b) warriors
(c) weavers
(d) traders
Ans. (d)
Solution: There were many different tribal groups in Medieval India. Some were hunter-gatherer nomads.
1. One such type of nomadic group was that of the banjaras.
2. They were the most important trader-nomads during the medieval period.
3. Their caravan was called tanda. Sultan Alauddin Khaljls market regulation system could become successful pnmanly because of the fact that he relied heavily on the banjaras to transport grains to the city markets.