CUET UG History 2025 Question Paper (Available): Download Question Paper with Answer Key And Solutions PDF

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires arranging key events in the history of Harappan archaeology in the correct time sequence, from the earliest to the most recent.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's establish the dates for each event:


(A) Report of Alexander Cunningham on Harappan seal: Alexander Cunningham, the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), visited Harappa and found a unique seal. He published his report on this find in 1875. This is the earliest event on the list.
(C) Daya Ram Sahni begins excavations at Harappa: The first systematic archaeological excavations at Harappa, which led to the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization, were started by Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni in 1921. This is the next major development.
(B) S.R. Rao begins excavations at Lothal: The excavation of the important Harappan port city of Lothal in Gujarat was led by archaeologist S.R. Rao. This work took place between 1955 and 1960.
(D) Vasant Shinde begins archaeogenetic research at Rakhigarhi: Archaeogenetic research, which involves studying ancient DNA, is a very recent advancement. The significant research on skeletal remains from Rakhigarhi, led by Vasant Shinde, yielded major publications around 2018-2019. This is the most recent event.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct chronological order is: Cunningham's report (A), Sahni's excavation (C), Rao's excavation (B), and Shinde's research (D). Therefore, the sequence is (A), (C), (B), (D).
Quick Tip: Remember the key milestones of Harappan archaeology: Cunningham's initial find (1870s), the formal discovery by Sahni and Banerjee (1920s), post-independence excavations at new sites like Lothal and Kalibangan (1950s onwards), and modern scientific research like genetics (2010s).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify a Harappan site where evidence of canal irrigation has been discovered. While the Harappans were known for water management (wells, reservoirs, drains), large-scale canal irrigation was not found at most major urban centers.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(1) Shortughai in Afghanistan: This site was a Harappan trading outpost, likely established to control the trade in lapis lazuli. Being located in a semi-arid region, agriculture would have depended on irrigation. Archaeologists have found clear evidence of irrigation canals near this site, which is a unique feature compared to sites in the Indus basin.
(2) Banawali in Haryana: This site is notable for its radial street plan and a terracotta model of a plough, but not for canals.
(3) Harappa and (4) Mohenjodaro: These great cities had sophisticated wells and drainage systems for water supply and sanitation, but direct archaeological evidence for large irrigation canals is absent. It is generally believed that agriculture in the river valleys relied on seasonal floods.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Shortughai in Afghanistan is the Harappan site where clear traces of canals have been found.
Quick Tip: Associate specific, unique archaeological finds with their sites. For example: Dockyard -> Lothal; Terracotta Plough -> Banawali; Great Bath -> Mohenjodaro; Canals -> Shortughai.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the dynasty whose rulers used the royal title 'devaputra'. This title signifies a divine status for the king.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(1) Kushanas: The Kushan kings, most famously Kanishka, adopted the title 'Devaputra', meaning "Son of God." This practice was likely influenced by the Chinese emperors who called themselves "Son of Heaven," as the Kushans originated from the Yuezhi tribes of the Central Asian steppes bordering China.
(2) Sakas: Saka rulers in India used titles such as 'Rajan' and 'Mahakshatrapa' (Great Satrap).
(3) Mauryas: The most famous Mauryan title was used by Ashoka: 'Devanampiya Piyadasi', meaning "Beloved of the Gods, He who looks on with affection." This suggests divine favour, but not direct divine sonship like 'devaputra'.
(4) Satavahanas: Satavahana rulers often used metronymics (names derived from the mother), such as 'Gotami-puta' (son of Gotami).


Step 3: Final Answer:

The title 'devaputra' was adopted by the Kushana rulers.
Quick Tip: Link royal titles to their respective dynasties. Devanampiya -> Ashoka (Maurya); Gotami-puta -> Satavahanas; Devaputra -> Kanishka (Kushana). This helps in quickly identifying the correct answer.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks about the themes described in the Gandatindu Jataka. Jataka tales are Buddhist stories about the former lives of the Buddha, often used to impart moral lessons and sometimes offering glimpses into contemporary social and political conditions.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The Gandatindu Jataka tells the story of a king named Panchala. The tale describes how the king, disguised as a commoner, learns about the suffering of his people.


(A) Cordial relationship...: This is incorrect. The story's premise is the lack of a cordial relationship and the king's ignorance of his subjects' misery.
(B) The plight of the subjects of a wicked king: This is a central theme. The people are depicted as suffering under the king's rule.
(C) The strained relationship, especially with the rural population: The story highlights that the rural folk were particularly oppressed and feared the king's officials.
(D) ...demanding high and oppressive taxes: This is the primary cause of the subjects' plight mentioned in the story. The king's tax collectors were ruthless, leading people to flee their villages.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Statements (B), (C), and (D) accurately describe the contents of the Gandatindu Jataka. Statement (A) is the opposite of what is described. Therefore, the correct option includes (B), (C), and (D) only.
Quick Tip: Jataka tales often served as a form of social critique. They frequently depict the tension between rulers and the common people, especially concerning issues like unjust taxation and corrupt officials.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires matching historical and sociological terms with their correct definitions.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(A) When descent is traced through the mother: This system of kinship is known as (III) Matriliny.
(B) Barbarians or outsiders of the Brahmanical order: In ancient Sanskrit texts, people considered as foreigners or those outside the varna system were referred to as (IV) Mlechchhas.
(C) The first section of Mahabharata: The Mahabharata is composed of 18 sections or books called Parvans. The very first book is the (I) Adi-Parvan (The Book of the Beginning).
(D) Marriage within a kin group, caste, or a group...: The social practice of marrying within one's own specific group is called (II) Endogamy.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct pairings are: A-III, B-IV, C-I, and D-II. This combination corresponds to option (4).
Quick Tip: In 'match the following' questions, start by pairing the terms you are most confident about. This can help you quickly eliminate incorrect options and find the right answer. For example, knowing Adi-Parvan is the first book of the Mahabharata (C-I) significantly narrows down the choices.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks about the dual identity of the protagonist, Charudatta, in the Sanskrit play Mrichchhakatika ("The Little Clay Cart").


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Charudatta, the hero of the play, is a man of great virtue who has fallen into poverty due to his excessive generosity. The play clearly establishes his social identity in two ways:


By birth, he is a Brahmana.
By profession, he was a wealthy merchant and the leader of a trade guild or caravan. The term for such a merchant is a Sarthavaha.

The other options are incorrect:


Nishada refers to a forest-dwelling tribal community.
Kshatriya is the warrior or ruling varna.
Mlechchha refers to a foreigner or an outsider.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Charudatta was described as a Brahmana by birth and a Sarthavaha (merchant) by profession.
Quick Tip: Remembering the main characters and their social contexts from famous classical literature like the Mrichchhakatika is important. Charudatta's unique position as a Brahmana-merchant is a key element of the play's social commentary.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the Satavahana king who took on the title 'eka bamhana', signifying his supreme status as a Brahmana and a protector of the varna system.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The claim to be an 'eka bamhana' (the unique Brahmana) is famously associated with Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani, one of the most powerful rulers of the Satavahana dynasty. This claim is recorded in the Nashik inscription of his mother, Gautami Balasri. The inscription praises him for destroying the pride of the Kshatriyas and for stopping the intermixture of the four varnas. He is portrayed as a champion of the Brahmanical order who defeated foreign rulers like the Sakas, Yavanas (Greeks), and Pahlavas (Parthians).


Step 3: Final Answer:

Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani is the ruler who claimed the title 'eka bamhana'.
Quick Tip: Associate Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani with two key things: the use of a metronymic ('Gotami-puta' or 'son of Gotami') and his powerful assertion of Brahmanical identity ('eka bamhana').

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks about the Buddhist perspective on the origin of the social world, including its institutions and structures like the state and social classes.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Early Buddhist philosophy, particularly as found in texts like the Aggañña Sutta of the Digha Nikaya, offers a non-theistic explanation for the origin of the social world. It rejects the Brahmanical view that the social order (varna system) was created by a divine being (Brahma). Instead, the Buddhist tradition posits that the social world evolved over a long period due to the actions and needs of humans. According to this narrative, institutions like private property, family, and kingship arose out of human needs and as a response to growing problems like greed, theft, and conflict. The social world is therefore a human construct, not a divine creation.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The Buddha regarded the social world as a creation of humans.
Quick Tip: A core tenet of Buddhism is its rejection of a creator God and divine sanction for social hierarchies. Buddhist thought emphasizes causality and human agency in shaping the world.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the person who successfully convinced the Buddha to establish an order of nuns (bhikkhunis) and admit women into the monastic community (sangha).


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

According to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha was initially hesitant to ordain women. His foster mother, Mahapajapati Gotami, was the first to request ordination for herself and a group of followers, but she was refused multiple times.

It was Ananda, the Buddha's devoted cousin and personal attendant, who intervened on their behalf. Ananda approached the Buddha and presented a logical argument, asking if women were capable of attaining enlightenment just like men. When the Buddha affirmed that they were, Ananda urged him to allow their ordination. Persuaded by Ananda's reasoning and persistence, the Buddha finally agreed to establish the Bhikkhuni Sangha, albeit with eight additional rules (the Garudhammas) for the nuns.

Therefore, while Mahapajapati Gotami was the primary seeker, Ananda was the successful persuader.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Ananda persuaded the Buddha to allow women into the sangha.
Quick Tip: Distinguish between the person who made the initial request (Mahapajapati Gotami) and the person who acted as the successful intermediary (Ananda). In this story, Ananda's role as the advocate was crucial.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify a description that is characteristic of the writing style and content of Al-Biruni, a renowned 11th-century Persian scholar who wrote a detailed account of India called Kitab-ul-Hind.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's analyze the options and associate them with the correct travelers:


(1) Explanation of the caste system by looking for parallels in ancient Persia: This is a hallmark of Al-Biruni's methodology. To explain the Indian varna system to his non-Indian audience, he tried to find analogies, such as the four social classes that were said to have existed in ancient Persia. This comparative and analytical approach is unique to him among medieval travelers.
(2) Description of Delhi and Daulatabad as vast cities: This description is famously from the account of Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century Moroccan traveler who visited India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
(3) Finding the lack of private property in India: The observation that all land in India was owned by the king, leading to a lack of private property among the nobility, is a central theme in the account of François Bernier, a 17th-century French physician at the Mughal court.
(4) Description of the coconut and the paan: Detailed and fascinated descriptions of the coconut (which he compared to a human head) and the betel leaf (paan) are prominent in the travelogue of Ibn Battuta.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The explanation of the caste system using parallels from Persia is a distinctive feature of Al-Biruni's account.
Quick Tip: Create a small table to remember the key observations of major travelers to India: - Al-Biruni (11th c.): Comparative study of caste, Sanskrit, Indian philosophy. - Ibn Battuta (14th c.): Delhi/Daulatabad, postal system, coconut/paan. - François Bernier (17th c.): Lack of private property, urban decay, Mughal court.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the incorrect statement about the beliefs and practices of the Lingayats, a distinct Shaivite tradition prominent in Southern India.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


Statement (1): This statement is incorrect. Lingayats are ardent devotees of Shiva. Their ultimate goal is the union of their soul (atma) with the supreme reality, which they identify as Shiva. They do not worship Vishnu, who is the central deity of the Vaishnava tradition.
Statement (2): This statement is correct. Lingayats do not cremate their dead. They believe that on death, a true devotee is united with Shiva and therefore does not need the ritual of fire to be released from the body. They practice ceremonial burial instead.
Statement (3): This statement is correct. Lingayats worship Shiva in the form of the Ishtalinga, a personal, portable linga which symbolizes the divine reality.
Statement (4): This statement is correct. This is the most characteristic practice of the Lingayats, from which their name is derived. Every member of the community wears an Ishtalinga, usually in a small silver case, on a thread over their shoulder.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The statement that is not true is that the devotee will be united with Vishnu upon death. Lingayats are Shaivites, and their goal is union with Shiva.
Quick Tip: The name "Lingayat" itself is a major clue, meaning "wearer of the linga." This immediately connects the tradition to the worship of Shiva, making any statement about Vishnu highly suspect.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

This question requires matching key terms from the Sufi tradition with their correct meanings.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(A) Sufi lineages: The spiritual chain or lineage of Sufi masters, tracing back to the Prophet Muhammad, is called a (III) Silsila.
(B) Established rules for spiritual conduct...: The spiritual master or guide who establishes these rules and guides the disciples is known as the (IV) Murshid. The question links the rules to the authority figure who sets them.
(C) The practice of pilgrimage to the grave of the Shaikh: Visiting the tomb of a Sufi saint (Shaikh or Pir) to seek blessings is known as (I) Ziyarat.
(D) Open kitchen which runs on futuh...: The community kitchen in a Sufi hospice (khanqah) that provides free food to all, is called a (II) Langar.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct pairings are A-III, B-IV, C-I, and D-II. This corresponds to option (4).
Quick Tip: Focus on the most direct matches first. 'Ziyarat' for pilgrimage to a grave and 'Langar' for a community kitchen are very specific terms. Matching these correctly can often eliminate most of the incorrect options.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the primary reason behind the unique feature of Vijayanagara's urban planning, where extensive agricultural lands were enclosed within the city's massive fortification walls.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The rulers of Vijayanagara built a series of concentric fortification walls that enclosed not only the urban core and the royal center but also vast areas of agricultural land, fields, gardens, and forests. Foreign travelers like the Persian ambassador Abdur Razzaq noted this feature with wonder.

The primary reason for this design was strategic and military. In medieval warfare, sieges were a common tactic where an attacking army would cut off the supply lines of a fortified city. By incorporating a large agricultural belt within the walls, the rulers of Vijayanagara ensured that the city's population and army would have a secure supply of food and water even during a prolonged siege. This made the capital remarkably self-sufficient and difficult to conquer through starvation tactics.

While providing food for the royal family (3) or beautification (2) might have been secondary benefits, the main purpose was the protection of the food supply for the entire city during wartime.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The agricultural tracts were incorporated within the fortified area primarily to protect the food source and ensure the city could withstand long sieges.
Quick Tip: When analyzing historical architectural or urban planning choices, always consider the military and strategic context of the time. For a medieval capital, defense against sieges was a paramount concern.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the specific source of water for the royal centre of the Vijayanagara capital, which was a well-planned enclosure with numerous palaces, audience halls, and temples.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The rulers of Vijayanagara developed a sophisticated hydraulic system to manage water for both agricultural and urban needs.


The Hiriya canal was one of the most significant canals, drawing water from a dam across the Tungabhadra river. Its primary purpose was to irrigate the agricultural valleys.
The Kamalapuram tank, a large reservoir located just south of the royal centre, was a crucial part of the urban water supply. Archaeological evidence has clearly shown that channels were laid out from this tank to carry water into the royal centre. This water was used to supply various tanks, baths (like the Queen's Bath), and gardens within the elite enclosure.
The Lotus Tank is likely a reference to a smaller ornamental tank and was a recipient of water, not a primary source for the entire centre.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Water from the Kamalapuram tank was specifically channeled to supply the needs of the royal centre in Vijayanagara.
Quick Tip: Differentiate between the large-scale irrigation canals (like Hiriya) and the local urban reservoirs (like Kamalapuram) in Vijayanagara. The Kamalapuram tank's proximity to the royal centre makes it the logical source for its water supply.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the incorrect statement about the Ain-i Akbari, the famous administrative manual and gazetteer of the Mughal Empire.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


Statement (1): The Ain-i Akbari, as the third volume of Abul Fazl's larger work, the Akbarnama, was completed in the 42nd regnal year of Akbar, which corresponds to 1598. This statement is correct.
Statement (2): The entire project was an imperial enterprise, commissioned by Akbar to compile a comprehensive picture of his empire. It therefore reflects an imperial or central perspective on the provinces. This statement is correct.
Statement (3): A key feature of the Ain-i Akbari is its detailed statistical or quantitative data. The section on the twelve provinces (subas) provides figures on revenue, administrative divisions, local customs, and more. This statement is correct.
Statement (4): The project was indeed undertaken at the order of Emperor Akbar and authored by his court historian, Abul Fazl. However, it was also completed during Akbar's reign (in 1598). Shah Jahan's reign was much later (1628-1658). Therefore, the claim that it was completed at the time of Shah Jahan is historically inaccurate. This statement is incorrect.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The statement that is not true is the one claiming the work was completed during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Quick Tip: The name of the text itself, Ain-i Akbari (The Institutes of Akbar), directly links it to Emperor Akbar. Any association of its creation or completion with a later Mughal emperor like Shah Jahan should be immediately recognized as an anachronism.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires matching different methods of Mughal land revenue assessment and collection with their specific Persian/Hindustani terms.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(D) When the fields are divided after they are sown: The division of the field itself with the standing crop is known as (IV) khet-batai ('khet' means field, 'batai' means division).
(C) After cutting the grain, heaps are divided...: The division of the threshed grain into heaps is known as (II) lang-batai.
(B) After the crops are cut and estimated in three lots...: The system of estimating the yield of the standing crop, rather than actually dividing it, is known as (III) kankut.
(A) The crops are reaped... and divided by agreement...: This is a general description of the crop-sharing system, for which the overarching term was (I) bhaoli or ghalla-bakhshi.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Based on the definitions, the correct matches are: A-I, B-III, C-II, and D-IV. This corresponds to option (2).
Quick Tip: Break down the terms to remember their meaning. "Khet" means field, so "Khet-batai" is the division of the field. "Batai" means division or sharing. "Kankut" comes from 'kan' (grain) and 'kut' (estimate), so it means grain estimation.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks about the accessible avenues for justice for women in 17th-century rural Rajasthan.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

In the agrarian society of pre-colonial and early modern India, the village panchayat (council of village elders) served as the primary body for local governance and justice. It was the most accessible institution for all villagers, including women, to resolve disputes, address grievances, and seek justice on a wide range of civil and social matters. Historical records from Rajasthan confirm that women actively participated in and petitioned the village panchayats.

The other options were state officials with specific, higher-level functions:


Amin: A revenue official responsible for assessing land revenue.
Diwan: The head of the revenue and finance department of a province or state.
Subedar: The governor of a province (suba).

While one could theoretically appeal to these higher authorities, the first and most common resort for local justice was the village panchayat.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Women of Rajasthan could send petitions to the village panchayat to seek justice.
Quick Tip: For questions concerning local-level administration and justice in pre-modern Indian society, the village panchayat is almost always the key institution. Higher officials like the Diwan or Subedar dealt with state-level matters.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires arranging four significant events from the economic and social history of colonial India in their correct time sequence.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's assign dates to each event:


(B) Permanent Settlement in Bengal: Lord Cornwallis introduced this land revenue system in 1793.
(A) Santhals begin to come and settle in the Rajmahal hills: Following the Permanent Settlement, the British encouraged forest clearing for agriculture. The Santhals were settled in the Damin-i-Koh region of the Rajmahal hills in large numbers from the early 1800s, with the area being formally demarcated in 1832. This event follows the Permanent Settlement.
(D) Santhal rebellion (Hul): After suffering under the exploitative system of moneylenders (mahajans) and zamindars, the Santhals rose in a massive rebellion in 1855-56.
(C) Cotton boom begins: The demand for Indian cotton in Britain surged dramatically after the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, which cut off supplies from the American South. This triggered a cotton boom in India, especially in the Deccan.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct chronological order is: Permanent Settlement (B), Santhal settlement (A), Santhal rebellion (D), and the Cotton boom (C). The sequence is (B), (A), (D), (C).
Quick Tip: Memorizing a few anchor dates is essential for chronological questions: Permanent Settlement (1793), Santhal Rebellion (1855), Revolt of 1857, and the start of the American Civil War (1861).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the correct chronological sequence of key events during the Indian Revolt of 1857.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's establish the timeline for the events:


(B) Mutiny started in Meerut: The revolt began on the evening of 10th May 1857, when sepoys of the 3rd Native Cavalry in Meerut broke open the jail and mutinied.
(C) Delhi garrisons revolt: The mutinous sepoys from Meerut marched overnight and reached Delhi on the morning of 11th May 1857. They were joined by the local garrisons in Delhi, who also revolted and killed their European officers.
(A) Mutiny turned into a general revolt of the people: Following the capture of Delhi and the proclamation of Bahadur Shah Zafar as the Emperor, the revolt spread like wildfire across North India. In late May and June 1857, the sepoy mutiny in various centers was accompanied by a general uprising of the civilian population.
(D) British forces under Havelock and Outram entered the Residency in Lucknow: The British Residency in Lucknow was besieged by rebels. The first attempt to relieve the besieged garrison was successful when forces under Henry Havelock and James Outram fought their way into the Residency on 25th September 1857.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct chronological order is: Mutiny in Meerut (B), Delhi revolt (C), Mutiny turns into a general revolt (A), and British entry into Lucknow Residency (D). The sequence is (B), (C), (A), (D).
Quick Tip: The sequence of the outbreak of the 1857 Revolt is a classic topic. Remember the chain reaction: Meerut (May 10) -> Delhi (May 11) -> Spread across North India (late May/June).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks who the rebellious sepoys from Meerut sought as their leader at the very beginning of the 1857 Revolt.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

After their uprising in Meerut on May 10, 1857, the sepoys marched directly to Delhi. Their immediate objective was to seek the sanction and leadership of the aged and largely powerless Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. They saw him as the legitimate, pre-British sovereign of Hindustan. By appealing to him and proclaiming him their leader on May 11, they transformed the sepoy mutiny into a broader political rebellion aimed at overthrowing British rule and restoring the Mughal empire. Although initially hesitant, Bahadur Shah eventually accepted their leadership.

The other leaders mentioned were crucial figures but led the revolt in different regions:


Rani Lakshmi Bai in Jhansi.
Nana Sahib in Kanpur.
Kunwar Singh in Arrah, Bihar.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The sepoys of Meerut approached the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah for leadership.
Quick Tip: The march to Delhi was the first strategic move of the Meerut rebels. Their goal was to capture the imperial capital and gain legitimacy by having the Mughal emperor as the symbolic head of the revolt.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question refers to a pivotal event in the Indian independence movement where Mahatma Gandhi called off a major national agitation due to an incident of violence, which violated his core principle of non-violence (Ahimsa).


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. It was a nationwide campaign of non-violent civil disobedience against British rule.
On February 4, 1922, a violent incident occurred at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces (modern Uttar Pradesh). A large group of protestors participating in the Non-Cooperation Movement clashed with police, who opened fire. In retaliation, the demonstrators attacked and set fire to the police station, killing all of its occupants.
Deeply disturbed by this act of violence, Mahatma Gandhi felt that the people were not yet ready for a non-violent struggle. He immediately decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement, a decision which was formally endorsed by the Congress Working Committee on February 12, 1922.
The other movements listed occurred at different times: Civil Disobedience Movement (started 1930), Quit India Movement (1942), and Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918).


Step 3: Final Answer:

The movement withdrawn by Gandhiji after the Chauri Chaura incident was the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Quick Tip: Associate key events with their respective movements. The Chauri Chaura incident is intrinsically linked to the abrupt end of the Non-Cooperation Movement and is a classic example of Gandhi's unwavering commitment to non-violence.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires arranging events related to British administration and agrarian history, particularly in the Deccan, in the correct time sequence.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's establish the dates for each event:


(D) Regulating Act passed by the British Parliament: This was an early act by the British Parliament to overhaul the management of the East India Company's rule in India. It was passed in 1773. This is the earliest event.
(C) First revenue settlement in the Bombay Deccan: After the annexation of the Peshwa's territories in 1818, the British began to implement their land revenue policies. The first revenue settlement in the Bombay Deccan, a form of the Ryotwari system, was made in the 1820s.
(B) Slow process of agrarian expansion in the Bombay Deccan: Following the new revenue settlement, there was a period of agrarian expansion in the Deccan throughout the early and mid-19th century, though the revenue demands were high. This process took place after the 1820s.
(A) Ryots in Deccan villages rebel: Over-assessment of revenue, falling agricultural prices, and the exploitative practices of moneylenders led to widespread rural debt. This culminated in the Deccan Riots, where ryots (peasants) rebelled against moneylenders and the revenue system in 1875. This is the latest event.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct chronological order is: Regulating Act (D), First revenue settlement (C), Agrarian expansion (B), and the Deccan rebellion (A). The sequence is (D), (C), (B), (A).
Quick Tip: For chronological questions, create a mental timeline. Start with the earliest known event (like the Regulating Act of 1773) and then place the other events in relation to it. The Deccan Riots of 1875 is another key date to remember.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires arranging four pivotal events in Indian history, from the beginning of the Mughal Empire to the rise of the British East India Company, in their correct chronological order.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's assign dates to each event:


(A) Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodi...: This event is the First Battle of Panipat, which marked the foundation of the Mughal Empire in India. It occurred in 1526.
(B) Humayun is defeated by Sher Shah...: Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah Suri at the Battle of Chausa (1539) and the Battle of Kannauj (1540). This led to Humayun's exile, during which he took refuge at the Safavid court in Persia in 1544.
(C) Nadir Shah invades India and sacks Delhi: The Persian ruler Nadir Shah invaded India and decisively defeated the Mughal army at the Battle of Karnal, subsequently sacking Delhi. This devastating event took place in 1739.
(D) The 'diwani' of Bengal was transferred...: Following their victory at the Battle of Buxar (1764), the English East India Company was granted the Diwani (the right to collect revenue) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa by the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II through the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The events are already listed in the correct chronological order: (A) 1526, (B) 1540s, (C) 1739, (D) 1765. Therefore, the correct sequence is (A), (B), (C), (D).
Quick Tip: Remembering the dates of key battles is crucial for Indian history: First Panipat (1526), Khanwa (1527), Second Panipat (1556), Plassey (1757), Third Panipat (1761), and Buxar (1764). These dates act as anchors for sequencing events.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the incorrect reason for why many zamindars defaulted on their revenue payments to the East India Company after the implementation of the Permanent Settlement in 1793.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's analyze the reasons for the defaults:


(1) The initial demands were very high: This is a well-established reason. The Company fixed the revenue at a very high level to maximize its income, making it difficult for zamindars to pay. This is a valid reason.
(3) High demand was imposed at a time when the prices of agricultural produce were depressed: This is also true. At the time of the settlement, agricultural prices were low, reducing the income of the ryots and making it harder for zamindars to collect the fixed high revenue. This is a valid reason.
(4) The revenue was invariable... and had to be paid punctually: This refers to the "Sunset Law," which stipulated that if the payment did not come in by sunset of the specified date, the zamindari would be auctioned. This inflexibility was a major cause of default. This is a valid reason.
(2) The zamindars' were allowed to organise troops...: This statement is false. In fact, the opposite was true. The Permanent Settlement severely restricted the power of the zamindars. Their troops were disbanded, their local courts (cutcheries) were brought under the supervision of the Company's Collector, and their power of local justice and police was taken away. This reduction in their authority made it even more difficult for them to assert pressure on the ryots to collect the revenue. Therefore, this was a cause of their problems, not something they were "allowed" to do to increase their authority.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The statement that is not a reason for default (and is factually incorrect) is that zamindars were allowed to organize troops and cutcheries to increase their authority.
Quick Tip: Remember that a key goal of the Permanent Settlement, besides fixing revenue, was to subordinate the zamindars and establish the authority of the Company's Collector as the pre-eminent figure in the district. This involved taking away the zamindars' military and judicial powers.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the definition of the term 'Benami', which is a term used in finance and law, particularly in India. The word literally translates from Persian as "without a name".


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


A 'Benami' transaction refers to a transaction or an arrangement where a property is transferred to one person, but the consideration (payment) for it is provided by another person. The property is held for the future benefit, direct or indirect, of the person who provided the payment. The person in whose name the property is held is called the 'benamidar', and they are essentially a front for the real owner.
Option (1) accurately captures this essence. It describes a transaction made in the name of a proxy (fictitious or real but insignificant person) while the true owner/beneficiary remains hidden.
Option (2) is a simplistic and incorrect literal translation.
Option (3) describes a normal, legitimate transaction, the opposite of benami.
Option (4) is also the opposite of a benami transaction, where the specific purpose is to make the real beneficiary untraceable.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct meaning of a Benami transaction is one made in a proxy's name while the real beneficiary remains hidden.
Quick Tip: Break down the word: "Be" (without) + "nam" (name) = "without a name" or "nameless". This helps you remember that the key feature of a benami transaction is that the real owner's name is not on the official documents.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires matching prominent leaders of the 1857 Revolt with the specific regions where they led the uprising.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(A) Shah Mal: He was a local Jat leader who led the peasants and villagers of (I) Pargana Barout in Uttar Pradesh against the British during the 1857 revolt. He mobilized the people and disrupted British communications.
(B) Gonoo: He was a tribal leader of the Kol people who led a rebellion in the region of (II) Singhbhum in Chotanagpur.
(C) Birjis Qadr: He was the young son of the deposed Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah. He was proclaimed the new Nawab by the rebels in Lucknow, with his mother Begum Hazrat Mahal acting as regent. Thus, he is associated with (III) Awadh.
(D) Kunwar Singh: He was an elderly Rajput zamindar from Jagdispur who became one of the most effective military leaders of the revolt in (IV) Arrah in Bihar.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The pairings are all correct as listed: A-I, B-II, C-III, and D-IV. This corresponds to option (2).
Quick Tip: Creating a table of the key centers of the 1857 Revolt and their corresponding Indian leaders is an effective way to study for this topic. Key pairs to remember include Delhi (Bahadur Shah), Kanpur (Nana Sahib), Lucknow (Begum Hazrat Mahal), Jhansi (Rani Lakshmi Bai), and Arrah (Kunwar Singh).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the total time span of the Harappan Civilization. This includes its early formative stages, the mature urban phase, and the late declining phase. It's important to note that the provided options are unusually broad and do not align perfectly with standard archaeological periodization, requiring the selection of the 'best fit' answer.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The standard archaeological timeline for the Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization is typically divided into three phases:

Early Harappan Phase: c. 3300 BCE to 2600 BCE
Mature Harappan Phase: c. 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE
Late Harappan Phase: c. 1900 BCE to 1300 BCE

The total span is therefore roughly from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. Now let's evaluate the given options:

(1) 2000 BCE to 1000 BCE: This range primarily covers the Late Harappan and post-Harappan periods, missing the crucial Mature and Early phases.
(3) 1500 BCE to 900 BCE: This corresponds to the Rigvedic and Later Vedic periods, which came after the decline of the Mature Harappan phase.
(4) From Post Vedic Civilisation: This is chronologically incorrect as the Harappan civilization predates the Vedic period.
(2) 6000 BCE to 1300 BCE: This option is extremely broad. However, it is the only one that encompasses the entire Harappan timeline (3300-1300 BCE). The start date of 6000 BCE is likely intended to include the pre-Harappan agricultural settlements like Mehrgarh (which dates back to c. 7000 BCE) that are seen as precursors to the civilization. The end date of 1300 BCE correctly marks the end of the Late Harappan phase. Despite its wide range, it is the most plausible choice among the flawed options.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Given the imperfect options, "From 6000 BCE to 1300 BCE" is the best possible answer as it is the only one that fully contains the known duration of the civilization and its precursors.
Quick Tip: Be prepared for questions with imperfect options. In such cases, use the process of elimination and select the option that is the "most correct" or the best fit. The standard dates for the *Mature* Harappan phase (c. 2600-1900 BCE) are the most important to remember.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the scholar who was the first to decipher the two major ancient scripts of India, Brahmi and Kharosthi. This was a monumental breakthrough in the study of early Indian history.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(1) James Prinsep: He was an English scholar, orientalist, and antiquary who worked as an assay master at the mint of the British East India Company in Calcutta. In the 1830s, after years of painstaking work, he successfully deciphered the Brahmi script. The question mentions the year 1838, by which time his decipherment was complete and had been published. This allowed the edicts of Emperor Ashoka to be read for the first time, revolutionizing the understanding of the Mauryan period. He also made significant progress on the Kharosthi script.
(2) Alexander Cunningham: He was a protégé of Prinsep and later became the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India. He did extensive archaeological work but was not the one who deciphered the scripts.
(3) D.C. Sircar: A renowned Indian epigraphist and historian of the 20th century.
(4) R.E.M. Wheeler: A British archaeologist who also served as Director-General of the ASI and is known for his scientific approach to excavations, particularly at Harappan sites.


Step 3: Final Answer:

James Prinsep was the scholar who deciphered the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts.
Quick Tip: James Prinsep's name is fundamentally linked to Indian epigraphy. He is the key figure who "unlocked" ancient Indian history by enabling scholars to read Ashoka's edicts.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the true statements regarding the nature and content of ancient inscriptions, a primary source for historians.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(A) Routine agricultural practices and events of daily life are the subject-matter of inscriptions: This statement is generally incorrect. Inscriptions were costly to produce and were intended to be permanent records. Therefore, they were typically used to record important matters like royal edicts, donations to temples, land grants, or victories in war, not the mundane events of daily life.
(B) Record the achievements, activities or ideas of those who commissioned them: This is correct. This was the primary purpose of most inscriptions. For example, Ashoka's inscriptions recorded his ideas on Dhamma, and the Prashastis (eulogies) recorded the achievements of kings.
(C) Writings are engraved on hard surfaces such as stone, metal or pottery: This is the definition of an inscription (or epigraph). The use of durable materials ensured their longevity. This statement is correct.
(D) The earliest inscriptions were in Prakrit: This is correct. The earliest substantial body of historical inscriptions in India, the edicts of Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BCE), were composed in various dialects of Prakrit, which was the common language of the people at the time.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Statements (B), (C), and (D) are correct, while statement (A) is incorrect. Therefore, the correct option is (4).
Quick Tip: Think about the purpose of inscriptions: permanence and public display. They were the official billboards and legal documents of the ancient world, meant to convey important messages from the powerful, not personal diaries of common folk.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks about the specific languages used for Ashoka's edicts in the northwestern part of his empire, corresponding to modern-day Afghanistan.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Emperor Ashoka's policy was to communicate his message of Dhamma in the language and script that were understood by the local population.


In most of India, his inscriptions were in Prakrit, written in the Brahmi script.
In the far northwestern parts of the Mauryan empire (modern Pakistan and Afghanistan), the population was diverse and included people of Greek and Persian descent due to centuries of interaction with the Achaemenid and Hellenistic worlds.
To reach this audience, Ashoka had his edicts inscribed in languages and scripts familiar to them. Consequently, inscriptions found in Afghanistan, such as the famous Kandahar Edict, are bilingual or monolingual in Aramaic (the administrative language of the former Achaemenid Persian Empire) and Greek.


Step 3: Final Answer:

In Afghanistan, the Ashokan inscriptions were written in Aramaic and Greek.
Quick Tip: Ashoka's inscriptions are a prime example of strategic communication. He used the local vernacular to ensure his message was widely understood: Prakrit for the Indian heartland, and Greek and Aramaic for the Hellenistic/Persian-influenced northwest frontier.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires matching Sanskrit and sociological terms related to family, kinship, and marriage with their correct definitions.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(A) Term used by the Sanskrit texts to designate families: The Sanskrit term for family or lineage is (I) Kula.
(B) Tracing descent from father to son: This system of tracing lineage through the male line is known as (III) Patriliny.
(C) The practice of a man having several wives: This form of marriage is known as (II) Polygyny. (Polyandry is when a woman has several husbands).
(D) The gift of a daughter in marriage: This is a central ritual in a Hindu wedding and is known by the Sanskrit term (IV) Kanyadana ('kanya' means daughter, 'dana' means gift).


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct pairings are: A-I, B-III, C-II, and D-IV. This combination corresponds to option (2).
Quick Tip: Break down the terms to understand their meaning. "Patri-" refers to the father (patriliny), while "Matri-" refers to the mother (matriliny). "Poly-" means many, and "-gyny" refers to women (polygyny).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the meaning of the ancient Sanskrit term 'Vanik'.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The term Vanik (or Vaṇij) is a Sanskrit word that has been used since ancient times to refer to a trader or a merchant. This term is closely associated with the Vaishya varna, whose traditional occupation was trade, commerce, and agriculture. The modern term 'Baniya' is a derivative of 'Vanik'.


The term for guilds of merchants was often 'shreni' or 'nigama'.
The term for peasants was 'karshaka' or 'krishaka'.
The term for kings was 'raja' or 'nripa'.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The term 'Vanik' refers to merchants.
Quick Tip: Remember the connection between the ancient term 'Vanik' and the modern term 'Baniya', both referring to the merchant community. This linguistic link can help you recall the meaning easily.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires matching major ancient thinkers and religious figures with their country or region of origin.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(A) Iran: The ancient prophet of Iran (Persia) who founded the religion of Zoroastrianism was (III) Zarathustra (Zoroaster in Greek).
(B) China: The most influential philosopher in Chinese history was (IV) Kong Zi, better known in the West as Confucius.
(C) Greece: The foundational figures of Western philosophy were the ancient Greek thinkers, most famously (I) Plato and his teacher Socrates, and Plato's student Aristotle.
(D) India: The 6th century BCE was a period of great intellectual and spiritual ferment in India, which saw the rise of many thinkers, including (II) Mahavira (the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism) and Gautama Buddha (the founder of Buddhism).


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct pairings are: A-III, B-IV, C-I, and D-II. This combination corresponds to option (4).
Quick Tip: Associate these key thinkers with their civilizations: Zarathustra with Persia (Iran), Confucius (Kong Zi) with China, Plato/Aristotle with Greece, and Buddha/Mahavira with India.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the specific Buddhist text that contains the legend of Emperor Ashoka's redistribution of the Buddha's relics and the construction of 84,000 stupas.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(4) Mahaparinibbana Sutta: This text, part of the Sutta Pitaka, describes the last days of the Buddha, his death (parinibbana), and the initial division of his relics into eight portions among different kings and clans, who then built the first eight stupas.
(1) Ashokavadana: This is a much later Sanskrit text (c. 2nd century CE), part of a larger collection called the Divyavadana. It is not a canonical text but a collection of legends about Ashoka. It is this text that famously narrates the story of how Ashoka, after his conversion to Buddhism, gathered the relics from the original eight stupas, subdivided them into 84,000 portions, and had stupas built over them throughout his vast empire.
(2) Sutta Pitaka and (3) Vinaya Pitaka: These are two of the three 'baskets' (Tripitaka) of the Pali Canon. They contain the Buddha's discourses and the rules for the monastic order, respectively, but not the story of Ashoka's redistribution of relics.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The story of Ashoka building 84,000 stupas over the Buddha's relics is found in the Ashokavadana.
Quick Tip: Distinguish between the historical event and its later legend. The Mahaparinibbana Sutta describes the original division of relics after the Buddha's death. The Ashokavadana describes the legendary redistribution by Ashoka centuries later.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question requires matching prominent foreign travelers to medieval India with key events or characteristics associated with their lives and writings.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation and Matching:


(A) He arrived in Ghazni as a hostage...: When his homeland of Khwarizm was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017, (I) Al-Biruni was taken to Ghazni as a hostage. It was from there that he developed his interest in India and accompanied Mahmud's raids.
(B) He reached Sind in 1333 and was later appointed as the qazi of Delhi: The Moroccan traveler (III) Ibn Battuta reached Sind in 1333. He traveled to Delhi where the Sultan, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, was impressed by his scholarship and appointed him the qazi (judge) of Delhi.
(C) Physician to Prince Dara Shukoh: The French traveler (II) François Bernier came to India in the mid-17th century and worked for several years as a physician to Dara Shukoh, the eldest son of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
(D) Wrote a detailed account of trade and society in South India: The Portuguese writer and official (IV) Duarte Barbosa traveled to India in the early 16th century. He wrote a detailed account of the trade, social customs, and political systems of South India, including a valuable description of the Vijayanagara Empire.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct pairings are: A-I, B-III, C-II, and D-IV. This corresponds to option (2).
Quick Tip: Associate each traveler with their patron or the ruler of their time: Al-Biruni with Mahmud of Ghazni, Ibn Battuta with Muhammad bin Tughlaq, and Bernier with the later Mughals (Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the incorrect statement about the life and travels of the 14th-century Moroccan traveler, Ibn Battuta.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


Statement (1): This is correct. Ibn Battuta's travelogue is called the Rihla (which simply means "The Journey"), and he wrote it in his native language, Arabic.
Statement (2): This is correct. He was born in Tangier, Morocco, to a family of Islamic legal scholars (ulama), and he was himself an expert in shari'a.
Statement (3): This is correct. In his account, Ibn Battuta provides detailed descriptions of Indian trade and products, and he mentions the high quality and cost of fine textiles like muslin from Bengal.
Statement (4): This is incorrect. In 1342, after a period of falling out of favor, Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq appointed Ibn Battuta as his envoy not to Persia, but to the Mongol court of China. This journey to China forms a major part of the later sections of his Rihla.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The statement that is not true is the one claiming he was sent as an envoy to Persia. He was sent to China.
Quick Tip: Remember the key stages of Ibn Battuta's career in India: Arrived in 1333, served as Qazi of Delhi, and was finally sent as an envoy to China by Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the scholar who developed the influential conceptual framework of "great and little traditions" to analyze civilizations.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(1) John Marshall and (2) R.E.M. Wheeler: Both were prominent archaeologists and Director-Generals of the ASI, primarily known for their work on the Harappan Civilization.
(4) M. N. Srinivas: A pioneering Indian sociologist, famous for coining concepts like "Sanskritization" and "dominant caste."
(3) Robert Redfield: He was an American anthropologist and sociologist. In his studies of peasant societies and civilizations (like those of Mexico and India), he developed the concepts of the "great tradition" and the "little tradition." The great tradition refers to the formal, literate, and reflective tradition of the urban elites, priests, and philosophers, often found in scriptures and classical texts. The little tradition refers to the largely oral, informal, and local traditions of the rural peasantry. Redfield studied the constant interaction and flow between these two traditions.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The terms "great and little traditions" were coined by Robert Redfield.
Quick Tip: Associate these sociologists with their key concepts: Robert Redfield -> Great/Little Traditions; M. N. Srinivas -> Sanskritization/Dominant Caste.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify which description does NOT fit the Saguna school of the Bhakti movement. The Bhakti movement had two main streams: Saguna (with attributes) and Nirguna (without attributes).


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


Saguna Bhakti: This tradition conceives of God as having a specific form (rupa), attributes (guna), and a name. Devotion is directed towards a personal deity.
Statement (1) and (2): The worship of deities like Shiva, Vishnu, his avatars (like Rama and Krishna), and the Goddess (Devi) in their anthropomorphic (human-like) forms is the very essence of Saguna bhakti. These statements are correct descriptions.
Statement (4): "Worship of a form of god with attributes" is the literal definition of Saguna. This is a correct description.
Statement (3): "Worship of an abstract form of god" describes the Nirguna tradition. Nirguna bhakti conceives of God as formless, nameless, and without attributes. Saints like Kabir and Guru Nanak were proponents of Nirguna bhakti.

Therefore, the worship of an abstract God is what Saguna traditions explicitly do not include.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Saguna bhakti traditions do not include the worship of an abstract form of god.
Quick Tip: Break down the Sanskrit terms: - **Sa-guna** = With attributes/form (e.g., Vishnu with his chakra). - **Nir-guna** = Without attributes/form (e.g., the abstract 'Brahman').

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the title used by the supreme sovereigns of the Vijayanagara Empire.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(1) Rayas: This was the title adopted by the kings of Vijayanagara. The term 'Raya' is a Kannada/Telugu equivalent of the Sanskrit 'Raja' (king). The most famous ruler of the empire, for instance, was Krishnadeva Raya.
(2) Nayakas: The Nayakas were powerful military chiefs or governors who administered territories on behalf of the Rayas. They were subordinates to the central authority, not the supreme rulers themselves.
(3) Kudirais: This is the Tamil word for horses. 'Kudirai chettis' were horse merchants, an important group in the Vijayanagara economy, but it was not a royal title.
(4) Samrajyapatis: While a generic term for 'emperor', 'Raya' was the specific and customary title used by the Vijayanagara monarchs.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The rulers of the Vijayanagara empire called themselves Rayas.
Quick Tip: Associate the title 'Raya' with Vijayanagara, just as you would associate 'Sultan' with the Delhi Sultanate or 'Badshah' with the Mughals. Krishnadeva Raya is the most famous example.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the individual who became the first Surveyor General of India in 1815. This is a foundational position in the history of mapping and surveying in British India.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


(1) George Michell: A modern-day art historian and archaeologist known for his extensive work on the architecture of the Deccan, including Vijayanagara.
(2) John Marshall and (3) R.E.M. Wheeler: Both were Director-Generals of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the 20th century.
(4) Colin Mackenzie: A Scottish army officer in the East India Company, Mackenzie was an antiquarian, surveyor, and cartographer. He conducted extensive surveys of southern India. In recognition of his monumental work, he was appointed the first Surveyor General of India in 1815. His collections of maps, manuscripts, and historical records are an invaluable source for the history of the period.


Step 3: Final Answer:

Colin Mackenzie was appointed as the first Surveyor General of India in 1815.
Quick Tip: Colin Mackenzie is a key figure in the early British documentation of India. Associate his name with three things: the first Surveyor General, the survey of Mysore after Tipu Sultan's defeat, and the initial documentation of the ruins of Hampi (Vijayanagara).

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the speaker of this famous speech delivered in the Constituent Assembly of India during the debates on minority rights.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

This passionate appeal against the continuation of separate electorates was made by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He was the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas. During the debates on 27 August 1947, he argued forcefully that separate electorates were a "poison" introduced by the British that had ultimately led to the partition of the country, and that they must be abolished in a free India to build a united nation. B. Pocker Bahadur was a member from Madras who argued in favor of continuing separate electorates for Muslims, and this speech by Patel was a powerful rebuttal to that demand.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The speaker of this passage is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Quick Tip: Sardar Patel was one of the strongest voices in the Constituent Assembly against any measure that could further divide the nation, including separate electorates, which he saw as the root cause of the partition.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks what the speaker identifies as the direct result of the long-standing policy of separate electorates.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

In the passage, the speaker states, "We have heard it for years, and as a result of this agitation we are now a separate nation..." The term "separate nation" is a direct reference to the creation of Pakistan, which happened through the partition of India. The speaker explicitly links the agitation for separate electorates to this outcome.


Step 3: Final Answer:

According to the speaker, the consequence of the policy of separate electorates was the partition of India.
Quick Tip: In reading comprehension, look for cause-and-effect language. Phrases like "as a result of" are clear indicators of a stated consequence.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the main point of opposition in the speaker's argument.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The entire passage is a forceful argument against a specific policy. The speaker says, "It is no use saying that we ask for separate electorates...", "Can you show me one free country where there are separate electorates?", and "if this separate electorate is going to be persisted in... woe betide the country". The central theme is a passionate opposition to the continuation of the system of separate electorates in independent India. While the division of the country is mentioned as a consequence, the immediate policy being opposed is the demand for separate electorates itself.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The speaker is vehemently opposing the demand for a separate electorate.
Quick Tip: To find the main point of a passage, look for the idea that is repeated most often and with the most emotional or logical force. Here, "separate electorate" is the recurring subject of the speaker's criticism.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks who, according to the speaker, is responsible for introducing the "mischief" of separate electorates.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The speaker makes this very clear in the passage: "The British element is gone, but they have left the mischief behind." And later, "When the British introduced this element they had not expected that they will have to go so soon." The speaker directly attributes the introduction and legacy of this policy to the British.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The mischief of separate electorates was left behind by the British Government.
Quick Tip: Identify the key actors mentioned in the text. The speaker explicitly names "The British element" as the source of the problem they are discussing.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the reason the speaker gives for the British introducing separate electorates.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The passage provides a direct answer to this question. The speaker says, "When the British introduced this element... They wanted it for their easy administration. That is all right." This clearly states the speaker's view on the British motive.


Step 3: Final Answer:

According to the speaker, the British introduced separate electorates for their easy administration.
Quick Tip: When a question asks "Why, according to the speaker...", search the text for explicit statements of motive or reason. The answer is often stated directly.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the author of the provided texts on machinery and khaddar. The source is cited as "YOUNG INDIA".


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Young India was a weekly journal in English published by Mahatma Gandhi from 1919 to 1931. Furthermore, the philosophical content of the passage—critiquing the "craze for machinery," advocating for the welfare of "all" rather than a "fraction of mankind," opposing the concentration of wealth, and promoting the spinning wheel (charkha) as a regulated and appropriate form of machinery for the poor—is the cornerstone of Gandhian economic thought.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The author of the passage is Mahatma Gandhi.
Quick Tip: Associate key publications with nationalist leaders. Young India and Harijan are two of Mahatma Gandhi's most famous journals.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the specific object of the writer's criticism in the first paragraph.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The first sentence of the passage states explicitly: "What I object to, is the craze for machinery as such." The author clarifies that the problem is not machinery itself, but the unthinking, obsessive pursuit of it ("craze") which leads to negative social consequences like unemployment. The second passage reinforces this by saying Khaddar does not "destroy all machinery" but seeks to "regulate its use." This points directly to the opposition of a "mindless craze" rather than modernization or factories in general.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The writer is opposing the mindless craze for machinery.
Quick Tip: In Gandhian philosophy, the distinction between being against "machinery" and being against the "craze for machinery" is crucial. Gandhi was not anti-technology but was against technology that displaced labor and concentrated wealth.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks for the author's interpretation of the phrase "saving labour" in the context of the passage.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The author puts "saving labour" in quotation marks to show that he is using the term critically. He immediately explains the consequence: "Men go on 'saving labour', till thousands are without work and thrown on the open streets to die of starvation." This shows that in this context, "saving labour" means replacing human workers with machines, leading to unemployment. It is not about making work easier for existing workers, but about eliminating the need for their work altogether.


Step 3: Final Answer:

By 'saving labour', the writer means employing machines instead of human beings.
Quick Tip: Pay attention to quotation marks in a text. They can indicate that the author is using a term ironically or quoting a common phrase to critique its usual meaning.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks to identify the specific fear or negative consequence that the author is highlighting.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The passage explicitly states the author's fear: "...till thousands are without work and thrown on the open streets to die of starvation." This is a direct statement that the "craze for machinery" will lead to mass unemployment as machines replace human workers. This perfectly matches option (2).


Step 3: Final Answer:

The fear expressed is that machines will replace human labor and thousands will go unemployed.
Quick Tip: Look for the negative outcomes the author describes. The text directly links the "craze for machinery" to the outcome of people being "without work."

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

The question asks about the author's specific view on the relationship between machinery (industrialization) and the distribution of wealth.


Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The author makes a very clear statement on this topic: "I want to save time and labour, not for a fraction of mankind, but for all; I want the concentration of wealth, not in the hands of few, but in the hands of all." This is a direct argument against an economic system where the benefits of industrialization and machinery lead to wealth being concentrated among a small elite. He advocates for a system where wealth is distributed widely. Option (1) is a perfect paraphrase of this view.


Step 3: Final Answer:

The writer's view is that industrialization should not result in the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few elites.
Quick Tip: Look for sentences that express a desire or a goal of the author. The repeated use of "I want..." highlights the author's core principles and vision for a just society.