MH SET Paper 2 Mock Test - 1 (History) - MAHA TET MCQ

Change from informal to formal empires was driven by the idea of global and political rivalries

Key Points

• The change from an informal to a formal empire was driven by global and political rivalries, according to J. Gallagher and R. Robinson's proposal.
• The major European nations in the nineteenth century had the drive to acquire political control of tropical regions.
• The motives behind the empires' rise include greed for territory, lust for power, accidental circumstances, or economic reasons.
• According to J.A. Hobson, the empires rose to protect European investments abroad, and competition for colonies led to conflicts and wars between powers.
• The imperialists believed that they were protecting the home investment, but the common motive cited was the need for markets for goods and openings for emigration

• Owning colonies could bring large economic gains that would strengthen the role of the profit motive and capitalist interests behind imperialism.

Therefore the correct answer is global and political rivalries.

The First Session of Indian National Congress was held in Bombay and not in Calcutta. And Second Session of INC was held under Dadabhai Naroji and also the Lucknow Pact was concluded in 1916.

The correct answer is Raja Sitab rai.

• Robert Clive introduced Dual government in 1765

Key Points

• Under this the control of both the Diwani and Nizamat went to Company.
• For exercising the functions company appointed two deputies Diwans, for Bengal Mohammad Reza Khan and for Bihar Raja Sitab rai.
• Ram Narayan was deputy governor of Bihar before the introduction of Dual government.
• He was loyal to company and helped them in misuse of Dastak i.e., the trade permit.
• Raja Sitab rai was famous banker of Bengal who helped British against the Nawab in Battle of Plassey.

The correct answer is (A) is true but (R) is false. Key Points

• The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present.
• In social science and business research, we quite often use the term Ex post facto research for descriptive research studies.
• The main characteristic of this method is that the researcher has no control over the variables; he/she can only report what has happened or what is happening.
• So, descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds. Hence, the Assertion is correct.
• It is aforementioned that in descriptive research there is no control over the variables.
• The researcher involves gathering data that describe events and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, and describes the data collection. so, the Reason is incorrect.

• It often uses visual aids such as graphs and charts to aid the reader in understanding the data distribution.

Thus, we can conclude that the correct answer is (A) is true but (R) is false.

Rajkumar Shukla was a resident of Murali Bharwaha village in Champaran, Bihar.

The correct answer is 1,2,and3.

Key Points

The Santhals became Settlers:

• Zamindars and Britishers after having failed to subdue the Paharias and transform them into settled cultivators turned to Santhals. The Santhal appeared to be ideal settlers, cleared the forest and ploughed land.
• After land was granted, population of Santhals increased exponentially and their villages also increased in number.
• When the Santhal were settling, the Paharias resisted but were ultimately forced to withdraw deeper into hills. It impoverished the Paharias in the long term. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

The Fifth Report and its Impact on Zamindars:

• It was the fifth of a series of report on administration and activities of East India Company in India.
• It was submitted to the British Parliament in 1813. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• British Parliament forced the company to produce regular report on the administration of India and appointed committees to enquire into the affairs of the company. It became the basis of intense parliamentary debates on the nature of East India Company’s rule in India.
• Fifth report has shaped our conception of what happened in rural Bengal during that period and evidence contained in the 5th report are very important.

The Rise of The Jotedars in Villages:

• The group of prosperous farmers were popularly known as jotedars.
• Jotedars were a class of rich peasants.
• They acquired vast areas of land, controlled trade, money lending and exercise immense- power over the poorer cultivators. Their land was cultivated through share cropper known as adhiyars or bargadars.
• Within village the power of jotedars was more effective than that of Zamindars. They fiercely resisted the efforts of Jama to increase the Jama of village and prevented zamindari official from executing their duties.
• Sometimes they also purchased the auctioned property of zamindar.
• Joiedar played an important role in weakening of zamindari system. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Bengal and the Zamindars:

• Colonial rule was first established in Bengal. In Bengal, East India Company tried to reorder the rural society and establish new land rights and new revenue system.
• There was an auction held at Burdwan in 1797, which was popularly known as Grand Public Event.
• Company fixed the revenue and each zamindar was supposed to pay. This fixing of revenue was done under the Permanent Settlement and it become operational from year 1793.
• The Zamindars who failed to pay the revenue, their estate was auctioned to recover the revenue. But sometimes it was found that the purchasers at auction were servants and agents of the zamindar himself, e.g. auction in Burdwan. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

The Khaksar movement was a social movement based in Lahore, Punjab, British India, established by Allama Mashriqi in 1931, with the aim of freeing India from the rule of the British Empire and establish a Hindu-Muslim government in India. All members, regardless of rank, wore the same uniform; a khaki shirt with khaki pyjama secured with a belt, together with military boots. The khaki colour was chosen because it was "simple and unpresuming" and "cheap and available for all", although in practice the uniforms were paid for by the Khaksar organisation. All Khaksars carried a belcha (spade) as a sign of unity and strength and in imitation of Muhammad. In addition the spade represents humility, in the same way that a spade is used to level the ground, the Khaksars used it as a symbol of the "leveling" of society.

After the coming of Gandhi on the national political scene, the Bardoli Taluka in Surat district had witnessed intense politicization. In February 1926, Vallabh Bhai Patel was called to lead the movement. The women of Bardoli gave him the title of “Sardar”.

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Kidarites.

The Kidarites were a dynasty that ruled Bactria, Central and South Asia. The people were called Huna in India and Xionites in Europe.

• The Kidarites consolidated their power between 390 and 410 CE around the end of the rule of Gupta Emperor Chandragupta II or beginning of the rule of Kumaragupta I.
• Bactria, Peshawar and Taxila were its capital cities.
• Kidara I was the first major ruler of the kingdom. His reign was from 350–390 CE.
• He created Sasanian-style gold and silver coins and Kushan-style gold coins, before issuing coins in his own name.
• The Hephthalites brought an end to the kingdom by 467 CE.

It has often been said that Congress in the first twenty years was “moderate” in its objectives and methods.

Key Points

• During this period it demanded a greater voice for Indians in the government and in administration.
• It wanted the Legislative Councils to be made more representative, given more power and introduced in provinces where none existed.
• It demanded that Indians be placed in high positions in the government.
• For this purpose, it called for civil service examinations to be held in India as well, not just in London.
• ​The early Congress also raised a number of economic issues.
• It declared that British rule had led to poverty and famines: an increase in the land revenue had impoverished peasants and zamindars, and exports of grains to Europe had created food shortages.
• Congress demanded a reduction of revenue, a cut in military expenditure, and more funds for irrigation.
• It passed many resolutions on the salt tax, treatment of Indian labourers abroad, and the sufferings of forest dwellers – caused by an interfering forest administration.
• All this shows that despite being a body of the educated elite, Congress did not talk only on behalf of professional groups, zamindars or industrialists. ​
• The Moderate leaders wanted to develop public awareness about the unjust nature of British rule.
• They published newspapers, wrote articles, and showed how British rule was leading to the economic ruin of the country.
• However, the Moderates were opposed to the use of boycotts. They felt that it involved the use of force.

Thus, we can conclude that 'Moderates advocated boycott of foreign goods.' is not correct regarding the moderate leaders of the Indian National Congress.

Despatch empathized both on higher and primary education. Further Universities in Calcutta, Madras, Bombay were proposed on the model of London university. It also proposed setting up of Vernacular primary schools in the villages followed by Anglo-vernacular high schools and affiliated colleges at district level.

Second statement of correct. In respond to controversy as to use of government fund, Macaulay in his famous minute supported education of and in English rather than Orinetal literature. Thus vernacular languages were to be developed as ancillary to the the teachings in English.

The moderates succeeded to pass the Indian Council Act of 1892 by the British Government. But later declared the Council Act of 1892 as a “hoax”.

• Statement 1 is incorrect. Kharosthi was an ancient Indian script used in Gandhara (now Pakistan and north-eastern Afghanistan) to write Gandhari Prakrit and Sanskrit. It was used in Central Asia as well. It was also in use in Bactria, the Kushan Empire, Sogdia, and along the Silk Road. There is some evidence it may have survived until the 7th century in Khotan and Niya, both cities in Xinjiang. It was written from right to left. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. Brahmi is the modern name for a writing system of ancient South Asia. The Brahmi writing system, or script, appeared as a fully developed universal one in South Asia in the third century BCE. Among the inscriptions of Ashoka c. 3rd-century BCE written in the Brahmi script a few numerals were found, which have come to be called the Brahmi numerals. Brahmi script was written from left to right. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Statement 3 is correct. Ancient Greeks added vowels to a consonantal language and changed their horizontal writing direction from right-to-left to left-to-right. The idea that the dextral majority in ancient Greece developed left-to-right writing solely because writing efficiency was greater is questioned.

The correct answer is 1, 2, and 3.

Key Points

• Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
  • According to Historians, the temple dates back to the 8th century but the present structure was built in the 18th century by the then Travancore Maharaja Marthanda Varma. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • The temple was initially made of wood but later it was constructed with granite. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • The temple is built in the unique Chera style of architecture. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
  • Its main deity is Lord Vishnu who is found in the Anantha Shayana posture (reclined posture of eternal yoga) on Adishesha or king of all serpents.
  • It is known to be one of the 108 holy temples associated with Vaishnavism in India.
  • It is located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the State of Kerala in India is the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
  • This temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. It is believed to be the world’s richest temple.

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Key Points

• ​The Renaissance was a time of intense, all-encompassing, and, in many ways, distinctive philosophical activity.
• A fundamental assumption of the Renaissance movement was that the remains of classical antiquity constituted an invaluable source of excellence to which debased and decadent modern times could turn in order to repair the damage brought about since the fall of the Roman Empire.
• This idea not only laid the foundation for a scholarly culture that was centred on ancient texts and their interpretation but also fostered an approach to textual interpretation that strove to harmonize and reconcile divergent philosophical accounts. So, the Assertion is correct.
• The vernacular translation of scriptures considers the use of the secularisation paradigm to provide an overarching sociological explanation of the history of religion since the Middle Ages, focusing on Europe, the United States, and the developing world.

• In A. G. Dickens's words, "concerning the immense influence of the vernacular Bible upon both the religious and the secular history." Thus the reason is also correct.

Hence, we can conclude that Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

In 1858 Lord Canning sent forth the royal proclamation in a grand Darbar at Allahabad via which Queen Victoria intimated that she had assumed the direct government of India. This proclamation also set forth the principles on the basis of which India was to be governed in future and the British policy towards people of British-Indian territories and princes. All treaties and engagements of East India Company with princely states would be maintained and honoured. There will be no further extension of the territories of the erstwhile East India Company. No encroachment on British territories in India would be allowed and no encroachment will be done by British on territories of others. The above proclamation was called “Magnacarta of people of India” and was declared in eloquent style to be in consonance with principle of justice and religious toleration as guiding policy of queen’s rule. The document also granted amnesty to all except those who had directly taken part in the murder of British subjects.

Among the given options, Friedrich Hegel is related to the Romantic school of historiography.

Key Points

• The Romantic Age (1770-1850) was a period of immense ideological change in Europe.
• Romanticism emerged towards the end of the Age of Enlightenment (1715-1804), as a response against the rigid and often overly rational ideals of the time.
• Romantic historians perceived history as an art form, applying aesthetic principles relating to beauty and the natural world in their works.
• Romanticism is said to have its philosophical beginnings in Germany, but quickly spread throughout Europe and even across the Atlantic to the United States.

• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich von Schiller, and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel are the best-known historians related to the Romantic school of historiography.

Hence, we can conclude that among the given options, Friedrich Hegel is related to the Romantic school of historiography.

In sharp contrast to Egypt and Mesopotamia, we do not find evidences of temple at the Harappan sites. We find no religious structures of any kind except the Great Bath, which may have been used for ablutions. Therefore, it would be wrong to think that priests ruled in Harappa, as they did in the cities of Lower Mesopotamia. Perhaps there are some indications of the practice of fire cult at Lothal in Gujarat in the later phase, but no temples were used for the purpose. The harappan rulers were more concerned with commerce than with conquests, perhaps, they were possibly ruled by a class of merchants. It may be noted that the Harappans were lacking in weapons.

The correct answer is B only.Key Points

• The idea of satyagraha emphasized the power of truth and the need to search for truth.
• It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then the physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor.
• Without seeking vengeance or being aggressive, a Satyagrahi could win the battle through nonviolence.
• This could be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor. People – including the oppressors – had to be persuaded to see the truth, instead of being forced to accept the truth through the use of violence.
• Through this struggle, the truth was bound to ultimately triumph.
• Mahatma Gandhi believed that this dharma of non-violence could unite all Indians.

Thus, As a Gandhian, if you were to practice the idea of 'Satyagraha', you would emphasize Appealing to the conscience of the oppressor.

Additional Information

• The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi in India and is considered a historically important revolt in the Indian Independence Movement. It was a farmer's uprising that took place in the Champaran district of Bihar, India, during the British colonial period.
• Ahemdabad Mill strike: Gandhi used Satyagraha and hunger strike for the first time during an industrial dispute between the owners and workers of a cotton mill in Ahmedabad. The owners wanted to withdraw the plague bonus to the workers while the workers were demanding a hike of 35% in their wages.
• The Kheda Satyagraha of 1918 was a satyagraha movement in the Kheda district of Gujarat in India organized by Mahatma Gandhi during the period of the British Raj. It was a major revolt in the Indian independence movement. It was the third Satyagraha movement, which was launched 4 days after the Ahmedabad mill strike.

The correct answer is 1 and 2 only.

Key Points Indian Council of Historical Research-

• The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) was established under the promulgation of the Societies Registration Act in 1972. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It is an autonomous organization.
• It draws funds from the University Grants Commission (UGC). Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It was created with the express purpose to promote and preserve the history of India.
• It was a platform for historians to come together and discuss new ideas or their current work.
• The ICHR is a very active body that conducts seminars, conferences, etc which would promote historical knowledge.
• They also provide Junior and Senior fellowships and financial assistance to scholars and historians for their research. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• They publish journals like the Indian Historical Review in English and the ‘Itihas’ in Hindi.
• They also maintain a library and documentation center for the reading and circulation of books.
• They have two regional centers in Bangalore (South) and Guwahati (North-East).

The major objective of ICHR-

• The ICHR should give a platform for historians to write an objective and scientific history.
• It should give a platform to create an unbiased and rational interpretation of history.
• It will promote the studies in areas that have been neglected so far.
• It would ensure the promotion of research with special emphasis on areas like the Borders, North-East regions, women, etc.
• It would also ensure that there is no regional disparity and that a balanced distribution of research.
• It would also need to provide funds, elicit support, and garner recognition for historical research from all concerned areas.
• It would also ensure that all the information collected by them is also disseminated amongst students who would benefit from the guidance.

Samkhya is an Orthodox Indian philosophical system. Orthodox Indian philosophical system believes in soul and karma theory. For Karma theory to hold, soul has to undergo rebirth or transmigration. Therefore, without liberation no soul can be free from the cycle of rebirth or transmigration. Samkhya school philosophy- after you have ‘died’ in this life you will go through a process of rebirth where depending on your actions in your former life your status will be decided.

The correct answer is Govind Giri.Key Points

• Govind Giri established the 'Samp Sabha' in 1883 and created a social and political awakening among the Bhils. Govind Giri was born on 20 December 1858 in a Banjara family in the Bassian village of Dungarpur.
• For the social and moral development of the Bhils, Govind Guru established the Samp Sabha and formed the Bhagat Movement to keep them within the boundaries of Hinduism

Additional Information

• Motilal Tejawat was the leader of the Eki Movement that was agitated in the 1920s in the Adivasi-dominated border areas of present-day Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• Vijay Singh Pathik, popularly known as Rashtriya Pathik, was an Indian revolutionary. He was among the first Indian revolutionaries who lit the torch of the freedom movement against British rule. Much before Mohandas K. Gandhi initiated the Satyagrah movement, Pathik experimented during the Bijolia’s Kisan agitation.
• Manikya Lal Verma Born on 4 December 1897 in a Mathur Kayastha family was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India in 1949. He was the prime minister of Rajasthan, India before the full formation of the state.

Thus, Govind Giri was the founder of 'Sampa Sabha.

The correct answer is To promote religious harmony

Key Points

• Akbar, known for his tolerance, aimed to create a system that blended elements from Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity to foster understanding and unity among his diverse subjects.
• Some historians argue that Din-i-Ilahi wasn't meant to replace existing religions but rather served as a personal exploration of spirituality for Akbar himself. He might have seen it as a path to a universal truth not confined by any specific religion.
• Beyond just religious tolerance, Akbar might have aimed to create a shared cultural identity for his vast empire. Din-i-Ilahi, with its eclectic mix of elements, could have served as a bridge between different ethnic and religious groups.

Additional Information

• Regardless of the main purpose, Din-i-Ilahi never gained widespread acceptance beyond a small circle of Akbar's confidantes. Yet, it remains a unique experiment in interfaith dialogue and a testament to Akbar's quest for tolerance and understanding

As per the Government of India Act of 1919, it was announced that a commission would be appointed after ten years (1929) to investigate the usefulness of the act of 1919. But the failure of the Government of India Act of 1919 and the continuous demand of Indian leaders forced the British to appoint the Simon Commission before the schedule in 1927.

The Constituent Assembly was constituted in November 1946 under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan. It appointed a number of committees to deal with different tasks of constitution making. Some of them were: 

A. States Committee (Committee for negotiating with the States) headed by Jawaharlal Nehru.

B. Provincial Constitution Committee headed by Sardar Patel.

C. Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee headed by J.B. Kripalani

D. Steering Committee headed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

The correct answer is 1954

Panchsheel (Five Virtues):

• They were formally enunciated in the Agreement on Trade between the Tibet region of China and India signed on April 29, 1954 and later evolved to act as the basis of conduct of international relations globally.

These Five Principles are:

• Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty
• Mutual non-aggression
• Mutual non-interference
• Equality and mutual benefit
• Peaceful co-existence

Aurobindo Ghosh was the founder of extremist thought. His pamphlet ‘New Lamps for the Old’ is regarded as the ‘Bible of Extremism’.

Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar wrote Nibandhamala, a collection of poems with extrimist thought.

Within the Congress, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the Lokmanya was the foremost extremist. He wrote Gita Rahasya.

Lala Lajpat Rai was known as ‘Punjab Kesari’ and he wrote ‘Unhappy India’.

• The Hindu Code Bills which came into existence in 1956 are actually a collection of 4 laws. The first amongst the four laws ‘The Hindu marriage act of 1955’ was introduced to codify the laws of marriage amongst all Hindu castes and sects in addition to Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. This law brought uniformity of laws for all Hindus and also introduced separation and divorce which was non-existent in earlier Sastrik law.
• The second of the acts of the Hindu code was the Hindu succession act of 1956. This law codified the succession of the estate via inheritance amongst all sections of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. This law gave equal rights for an inheritance to men and women. It also gave absolute authority to a woman over any property possessed by a female belonging to the above-mentioned communities.
• The third statue introduced as part of the Hindu code was the ‘Hindu minority and Guardianship act, 1956’.This law defines guardianship relationships between adults and minors and also between people of all ages. This law is also applicable to all sections of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains. As per this law, the father is the primary guardian and the mother is the secondary guardian for a legitimate boy and a legitimate unmarried girl and their property. The mother is the primary guardian for a boy or girl less than 5 years old and the father is the secondary guardian.
• The last law of the Hindu code passed by the parliament was the ‘Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956’. This law defined the legal process to adopt children by an adult and also defined the legal obligations for an adult to provide maintenance for various family members. This law was also applicable to all sections of Hindus along with Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains.
• These laws were met with fierce opposition from conservative sections of Indian society including from conservative Congress politicians. However, it received overwhelming support from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the law minister B.R. Ambedkar which led to the laws being passed in 1956 despite them being introduced in the Indian parliament post-independence for the first time in 1951. Thus while both the statements are correct. R is not the correct explanation of A.

The French East India Company was founded in 1664 by the Louis XIV's Cabinet Minister, Colbert. The trading company of France received privilege and financial resources by the state. Therefore, it was called a government trading company.

Buddha himself attached great importance to the Brahmanas. He showed the special consideration. I is given in Lalita Vistara that a Buddha can be born only as a Brahmin or a Kshatriya and not “in a low family such as that of a Chandala or of a basket-maker or of a chariot-maker or of a Pukkasa.” There are references which show that if a person was a certain Brahmana, he was given free access to Buddha. Later on, Asoka himself repeated in his edicts that due honour must be shown to the Brahmanas.