Cracking prestigious competitive examinations such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), SSC CGL, and State Public Service Commissions requires a rigorous, conceptual grasp of Indian and World History. Aspirants must navigate chronological complexities, art and architecture, socio-economic developments, and the milestones of the Indian National Movement. This curated question bank simulates real examination standards, providing high-yield multiple-choice questions accompanied by analytical explanations designed to sharpen critical thinking, fact-checking, and exam-taking efficiency.
1. Which of the following Indus Valley Civilization sites is known for the discovery of a dockyard?
Correct Answer: c) Lothal
Explanation:
Lothal, located in present-day Gujarat, is well-known for its ancient dockyard, indicating that it was a significant trading center of the Indus Valley Civilization.
2. The famous 'Great Bath' was found at which Harappan site?
Correct Answer: a) Mohenjo-Daro
Explanation:
The Great Bath is one of the most well-known structures among the ruins of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization at Mohenjo-Daro in Sindh, Pakistan.
3. The phrase 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed on the State Emblem of India is taken from which Upanishad?
Correct Answer: b) Mundaka Upanishad
Explanation:
The national motto 'Satyameva Jayate' (Truth alone triumphs) is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad, highlighting the philosophical depth of ancient Indian texts.
4. Which of the following is the oldest Veda?
Correct Answer: c) Rigveda
Explanation:
The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas, consisting of a collection of ancient Indian hymns composed in Vedic Sanskrit.
5. Where did Gautama Buddha deliver his first sermon?
Correct Answer: c) Sarnath
Explanation:
Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, at the Deer Park in Sarnath, near Varanasi.
6. Who presided over the First Buddhist Council held at Rajagriha?
Correct Answer: a) Mahakashyapa
Explanation:
The First Buddhist Council was convened shortly after the Buddha's death at Rajagriha under the patronage of King Ajatashatru and was presided over by the monk Mahakashyapa.
7. Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, was born in which village?
Correct Answer: b) Kundagrama
Explanation:
Mahavira was born in Kundagrama near Vaishali in present-day Bihar in the 6th century BCE.
8. Which Mauryan ruler fought the Kalinga War?
Correct Answer: c) Ashoka
Explanation:
The Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE) was fought by Ashoka. The massive loss of life led him to embrace Buddhism and a policy of Dhamma.
9. Who was the Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya by Seleucus Nicator?
Correct Answer: a) Megasthenes
Explanation:
Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador who visited the Mauryan capital Pataliputra and wrote an extensive account of India in his book 'Indica'.
10. The Fourth Buddhist Council was held during the reign of which king?
Correct Answer: c) Kanishka
Explanation:
The Fourth Buddhist Council was held in Kashmir under the patronage of the Kushan King Kanishka, leading to the formal division of Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana.
11. Which Gupta ruler is known as the 'Napoleon of India' for his military conquests?
Correct Answer: b) Samudragupta
Explanation:
Historian V.A. Smith called Samudragupta the 'Napoleon of India' due to his extensive military campaigns and conquests across the Indian subcontinent.
12. The famous poet and dramatist Kalidasa was a part of the court of which Gupta king?
Correct Answer: c) Chandragupta II
Explanation:
Kalidasa, the author of works like Abhijnanasakuntalam and Meghaduta, was one of the 'Navaratnas' (Nine Gems) in the court of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya).
13. Which Chinese traveler visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana?
Correct Answer: c) Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang)
Explanation:
Xuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler who visited India during King Harsha's reign and left detailed accounts of the political and social conditions.
14. The rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram were built under the patronage of which dynasty?
Correct Answer: c) Pallavas
Explanation:
The Pallava dynasty, specifically under Narasimhavarman I, was responsible for constructing the magnificent rock-cut temples and monuments at Mahabalipuram.
15. Which South Indian dynasty is famous for its efficient local self-government system at the village level?
Correct Answer: b) Cholas
Explanation:
The Chola administration is highly renowned for its decentralized structure and local self-government, prominently recorded in the Uttaramerur inscription.
16. The 'Tripartite Struggle' for the control of Kannauj was fought between which three empires?
Correct Answer: a) Palas, Pratiharas, and Rashtrakutas
Explanation:
During the 8th to 10th centuries, the Palas (East), Gurjara-Pratiharas (North), and Rashtrakutas (Deccan) engaged in a long conflict known as the Tripartite Struggle to control Kannauj.
17. Who repeatedly invaded India between 1000 and 1027 CE, famously destroying the Somnath temple?
Correct Answer: b) Mahmud of Ghazni
Explanation:
Mahmud of Ghazni led 17 expeditions into India primarily to plunder its wealth, his most infamous attack being on the Somnath Temple in Gujarat in 1025 CE.
18. The Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 CE was fought between Muhammad Ghori and which Indian ruler?
Correct Answer: c) Prithviraj Chauhan
Explanation:
Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192), which laid the foundation of Muslim rule in Northern India.
19. Who was the founder of the Slave Dynasty in India?
Correct Answer: b) Qutb ud-Din Aibak
Explanation:
Qutb ud-Din Aibak, a trusted slave-general of Muhammad Ghori, founded the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty in 1206, initiating the Delhi Sultanate.
20. Which Sultan of Delhi established the 'Turkan-i-Chahalgani' or 'Chalisa' (The Forty)?
Correct Answer: b) Iltutmish
Explanation:
Iltutmish created a powerful group of forty loyal Turkish nobles known as the Chalisa to strengthen his administration and maintain control over the empire.
21. Who was the first and only female Muslim ruler of medieval India?
Correct Answer: c) Raziya Sultana
Explanation:
Raziya Sultana, the daughter of Iltutmish, reigned from 1236 to 1240 and is remembered as the only female ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
22. Which Delhi Sultan introduced the policy of 'Blood and Iron' to suppress rebellions?
Correct Answer: d) Ghiyas ud-din Balban
Explanation:
Balban adopted the harsh 'Blood and Iron' policy to destroy his enemies, break the power of the Chalisa, and establish the absolute authority of the crown.
23. Which Sultan is famous for introducing comprehensive market control and price regulation reforms in Delhi?
Correct Answer: c) Alauddin Khalji
Explanation:
Alauddin Khalji introduced strict market controls to maintain a large standing army at low costs, fixing the prices of essential commodities.
24. Which Sultan of Delhi attempted to shift his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad and introduced token currency?
Correct Answer: c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Explanation:
Muhammad bin Tughlaq is often remembered for his highly ambitious but poorly executed experiments, including the transfer of the capital and introduction of copper token currency.
25. Which Delhi Sultan is known for establishing a separate department for slaves (Diwan-i-Bandagan) and building extensive canal networks?
Correct Answer: b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Explanation:
Firoz Shah Tughlaq took great interest in public works, digging canals for irrigation, and maintained a massive establishment of slaves.
26. Who founded the city of Agra in 1504 CE?
Correct Answer: b) Sikandar Lodi
Explanation:
Sikandar Lodi founded the city of Agra in 1504 and subsequently shifted his capital there from Delhi.
27. The First Battle of Panipat (1526) resulted in the defeat of which ruler by Babur?
Correct Answer: d) Ibrahim Lodi
Explanation:
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat, effectively ending the Delhi Sultanate and establishing the Mughal Empire in India.
28. Who introduced the silver coin called 'Rupiya', which became the precursor to the modern Indian Rupee?
Correct Answer: b) Sher Shah Suri
Explanation:
Sher Shah Suri introduced a standard silver coin known as the Rupiya during his brief but impactful reign from 1540 to 1545.
29. Which Mughal Emperor promulgated a new syncretic religion called 'Din-i-Ilahi'?
Correct Answer: c) Akbar
Explanation:
Akbar introduced Din-i-Ilahi in 1582, an ethical system meant to synthesize the best elements of the various religions of his empire.
30. The 'Mansabdari system', a unique grading system used by the Mughal Empire for military and civil administration, was introduced by:
Correct Answer: b) Akbar
Explanation:
Akbar instituted the Mansabdari system to organize the nobility and the army, assigning each officer a rank (mansab) determining their salary and military obligations.
31. During the reign of which Mughal Emperor did Mughal painting reach its zenith?
Correct Answer: b) Jahangir
Explanation:
Jahangir was a great patron of the arts, and Mughal painting reached its peak during his reign, highly influenced by naturalism and portraiture.
32. Which Mughal Emperor commissioned the construction of the Taj Mahal?
Correct Answer: c) Shah Jahan
Explanation:
Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra as a mausoleum for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
33. Which Mughal Emperor re-imposed the Jizya tax on non-Muslims in 1679?
Correct Answer: d) Aurangzeb
Explanation:
Aurangzeb reversed Akbar's policy of religious tolerance by re-imposing the Jizya (a poll tax on non-Muslims), which alienated many of his subjects.
34. In 1665, the Treaty of Purandar was signed between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and which Mughal commander?
Correct Answer: c) Jai Singh I
Explanation:
The Treaty of Purandar was signed in 1665 between the Maratha ruler Shivaji and the Rajput general Jai Singh I, representing the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
35. Who was the first Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shahu?
Correct Answer: b) Balaji Vishwanath
Explanation:
Balaji Vishwanath became the first Peshwa in 1713, playing a crucial role in consolidating Chhatrapati Shahu's power and making the Peshwa position hereditary.
36. The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by which two brothers?
Correct Answer: a) Harihara and Bukka
Explanation:
Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, belonging to the Sangama dynasty, founded the Vijayanagara Empire in South India.
37. Which famous ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire wrote the Telugu epic 'Amuktamalyada'?
Correct Answer: c) Krishnadevaraya
Explanation:
Krishnadevaraya was not only the greatest emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire but also a renowned scholar who authored 'Amuktamalyada' in Telugu.
38. The Battle of Talikota (1565), which led to the downfall of the Vijayanagara Empire, was fought against an alliance of which sultanates?
Correct Answer: b) Deccan Sultanates
Explanation:
The combined armies of the Deccan Sultanates (Bijapur, Bidar, Ahmadnagar, and Golconda) defeated the Vijayanagara army at Talikota, leading to the destruction of Hampi.
39. Sant Kabir, a prominent figure of the Bhakti movement, was the disciple of which saint?
Correct Answer: b) Ramananda
Explanation:
Kabir was a 15th-century mystic poet and saint whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement. He was the disciple of the Vaishnava saint Ramananda.
40. Who is the founder of Sikhism?
Correct Answer: d) Guru Nanak Dev
Explanation:
Guru Nanak Dev (1469–1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
41. In which year did the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discover the sea route to India, landing at Calicut?
Correct Answer: b) 1498
Explanation:
Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on the Malabar Coast of India on May 20, 1498, marking the beginning of direct European maritime trade with India.
42. The Battle of Plassey (1757) was fought between the British East India Company and which Nawab of Bengal?
Correct Answer: b) Siraj-ud-Daulah
Explanation:
The British, led by Robert Clive, defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey primarily due to the defection of the Nawab's commander, Mir Jafar.
43. Which decisive battle in 1764 established the British East India Company's firm control over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa?
Correct Answer: c) Battle of Buxar
Explanation:
The Battle of Buxar was fought between the British forces and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daulah, and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. The British victory led to the Treaty of Allahabad.
44. Who introduced the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System) in Bengal in 1793?
Correct Answer: b) Lord Cornwallis
Explanation:
Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal and Bihar, which fixed the land revenue to be paid by the Zamindars to the British government.
45. The 'Subsidiary Alliance' system was primarily devised by which British Governor-General?
Correct Answer: b) Lord Wellesley
Explanation:
Lord Wellesley (Governor-General from 1798 to 1805) extensively used the Subsidiary Alliance to bring Indian states under British control without direct annexation.
46. Which Governor-General introduced the controversial 'Doctrine of Lapse'?
Correct Answer: a) Lord Dalhousie
Explanation:
Lord Dalhousie used the Doctrine of Lapse to annex princely states whose rulers died without a natural heir, including Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur.
47. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 officially broke out in which cantonment town?
Correct Answer: b) Meerut
Explanation:
The major outbreak of the 1857 rebellion occurred in the garrison town of Meerut on May 10, 1857, when sepoys rose against their British officers.
48. Who was the sepoy whose actions at Barrackpore are considered a major precursor to the 1857 Revolt?
Correct Answer: c) Mangal Pandey
Explanation:
Mangal Pandey, a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry, rebelled against his British officers at Barrackpore in March 1857, inspiring the wider mutiny.
49. Who was the prominent leader of the 1857 Revolt in Jhansi?
Correct Answer: b) Rani Lakshmibai
Explanation:
Rani Lakshmibai famously led the defense of Jhansi against the British after her kingdom was annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse.
50. Where was the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, exiled by the British after the 1857 Revolt?
Correct Answer: c) Rangoon
Explanation:
Bahadur Shah Zafar was convicted of treason and exiled to Rangoon (now Yangon) in Burma, where he died in 1862.
51. Who founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 to promote social and religious reform?
Correct Answer: c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj to fight against social evils like Sati, child marriage, and the caste system.
52. The slogan 'Go back to the Vedas' was given by the founder of the Arya Samaj. Who was he?
Correct Answer: c) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation:
Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 and urged Indians to return to the teachings of the original Vedas, rejecting later dogma.
53. Who founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897?
Correct Answer: b) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation:
Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission to propagate the teachings of his guru, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, focusing on spiritualism and social service.
54. Who formed the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 with the aim of liberating lower castes from Brahmanical oppression?
Correct Answer: c) Jyotirao Phule
Explanation:
Jyotirao (Jyotiba) Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth Seekers' Society) in Maharashtra to fight for the rights of the depressed classes.
55. Who was the principal leader behind the Aligarh Movement, aimed at the modern education of Indian Muslims?
Correct Answer: c) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Explanation:
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan launched the Aligarh Movement and established the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which later became the Aligarh Muslim University.
56. In which year was the Indian National Congress (INC) founded?
Correct Answer: a) 1885
Explanation:
The Indian National Congress was founded in December 1885 in Bombay, initiated by Allan Octavian Hume.
57. Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress?
Correct Answer: c) Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee
Explanation:
Womesh Chandra (W.C.) Bonnerjee presided over the very first session of the INC held in Bombay in 1885.
58. The controversial Partition of Bengal in 1905 was enacted by which British Viceroy?
Correct Answer: b) Lord Curzon
Explanation:
Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal ostensibly for administrative reasons, but the nationalist movement viewed it as a 'divide and rule' tactic.
59. The Swadeshi Movement was launched in response to which major political event?
Correct Answer: b) The Partition of Bengal
Explanation:
The Swadeshi Movement originated in 1905 in direct opposition to Lord Curzon's decision to partition Bengal, promoting Indian goods and boycotting British products.
60. The split in the Indian National Congress between the Moderates and Extremists occurred at which session in 1907?
Correct Answer: c) Surat
Explanation:
The 1907 Surat Split divided the INC into Moderates (led by Gokhale) and Extremists (led by Tilak) over differing methods of political struggle.
61. Which British Act introduced separate electorates for Muslims in India?
Correct Answer: b) Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909
Explanation:
The Indian Councils Act 1909, known as the Morley-Minto Reforms, introduced the system of communal representation for Muslims.
62. The Ghadar Party, an international political movement founded by expatriate Indians, was headquartered in which city?
Correct Answer: c) San Francisco
Explanation:
Founded primarily by Lala Hardayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna, the Ghadar Party was based in San Francisco, USA, aimed at overthrowing British rule in India.
63. Who launched the Home Rule League Movement in India in 1916 alongside Bal Gangadhar Tilak?
Correct Answer: b) Annie Besant
Explanation:
Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant launched two separate Home Rule Leagues in 1916 to demand self-government for India within the British Empire.
64. The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was significant because it marked an agreement between the INC and which other organization?
Correct Answer: b) The All India Muslim League
Explanation:
The Lucknow Pact was an agreement to pressure the British for more authority to Indians and notably included the INC's acceptance of separate electorates for Muslims.
65. What was the location of Mahatma Gandhi's first Satyagraha movement in India in 1917?
Correct Answer: c) Champaran
Explanation:
Gandhi's first major involvement in Indian politics was in Champaran, Bihar, defending farmers forced to grow indigo under the oppressive tinkathia system.
66. Which 1919 law allowed the British government to arrest and imprison anyone without a trial?
Correct Answer: b) The Rowlatt Act
Explanation:
The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, popularly known as the Rowlatt Act, triggered nationwide outrage and protests.
67. On which date did the infamous Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occur?
Correct Answer: a) April 13, 1919
Explanation:
General Dyer ordered troops to fire on an unarmed gathering celebrating the Baisakhi festival at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on April 13, 1919.
68. Who were the primary leaders of the Khilafat Movement in India?
Correct Answer: c) Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali (Ali Brothers)
Explanation:
The Ali Brothers launched the Khilafat Movement to protest against the unjust treatment of the Ottoman Empire after World War I.
69. The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in which year?
Correct Answer: b) 1920
Explanation:
Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, urging Indians to surrender titles, boycott British institutions, and adopt Swadeshi.
70. Which violent incident in 1922 prompted Mahatma Gandhi to halt the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Correct Answer: b) Chauri Chaura incident
Explanation:
When an angry mob set fire to a police station in Chauri Chaura, killing 22 policemen, Gandhi called off the movement because it violated his principle of non-violence.
71. The Swaraj Party was founded in 1923 by which two prominent leaders?
Correct Answer: c) C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru
Explanation:
Disappointed by the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement, C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party to contest legislative council elections.
72. Why was the Simon Commission boycotted by Indians in 1927-1928?
Correct Answer: c) It did not have a single Indian member
Explanation:
The Simon Commission was boycotted entirely because all seven of its members were British, offering no Indian representation to discuss constitutional reforms.
73. The Nehru Report of 1928, which drafted a constitutional framework for India, demanded:
Correct Answer: b) Dominion Status
Explanation:
Prepared by a committee headed by Motilal Nehru, the report demanded Dominion Status for India within the British Commonwealth, which angered younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru.
74. At which session of the Indian National Congress in 1929 was the resolution for 'Purna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) adopted?
Correct Answer: c) Lahore
Explanation:
Presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, the Lahore session in 1929 officially adopted the goal of Purna Swaraj and decided to observe January 26, 1930, as Independence Day.
75. Mahatma Gandhi began the Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) in 1930 from which ashram?
Correct Answer: c) Sabarmati Ashram
Explanation:
On March 12, 1930, Gandhi and 78 followers marched from the Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi to break the British salt laws.
76. Who represented the Indian National Congress in the Second Round Table Conference held in London in 1931?
Correct Answer: b) Mahatma Gandhi
Explanation:
Following the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, the INC agreed to end the Civil Disobedience Movement, and Gandhi attended the Second Round Table Conference as its sole representative.
77. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931 led to the suspension of which movement?
Correct Answer: c) Civil Disobedience Movement
Explanation:
The pact resulted in the temporary suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and the release of political prisoners not convicted of violence.
78. The Communal Award of 1932, announcing separate electorates for depressed classes, was issued by which British Prime Minister?
Correct Answer: c) Ramsay MacDonald
Explanation:
Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award, which led Gandhi to undertake a fast unto death in the Yerwada jail in protest.
79. The Poona Pact of 1932 was an agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and which prominent Dalit leader?
Correct Answer: c) B.R. Ambedkar
Explanation:
The Poona Pact replaced separate electorates for the depressed classes with reserved seats within the general Hindu electorate.
80. Which Act abolished the system of dyarchy in the provinces and introduced 'Provincial Autonomy'?
Correct Answer: c) Government of India Act, 1935
Explanation:
The Government of India Act 1935 ended the dyarchy introduced in 1919 and granted substantial autonomy to the provinces.
81. The 'Tripuri Crisis' in the Indian National Congress (1939) was related to the presidential election of:
Correct Answer: b) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation:
Bose won the presidency against Gandhi's preferred candidate Pattabhi Sitaramayya, but intense opposition forced Bose to resign and form the Forward Bloc.
82. The 'August Offer' of 1940 was proposed by which Viceroy to secure Indian cooperation during World War II?
Correct Answer: b) Lord Linlithgow
Explanation:
Lord Linlithgow made the 'August Offer' proposing dominion status and a constituent assembly post-war, but it was rejected by Indian leaders.
83. Who was chosen by Mahatma Gandhi to be the first satyagrahi of the Individual Satyagraha in 1940?
Correct Answer: c) Vinoba Bhave
Explanation:
Acharya Vinoba Bhave was selected as the first individual satyagrahi, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru, to protest the British dragging India into WWII.
84. Who described the proposals of the Cripps Mission (1942) as a 'post-dated cheque on a crashing bank'?
Correct Answer: b) Mahatma Gandhi
Explanation:
Gandhi rejected the Cripps Mission because it offered dominion status only after the war, at a time when Britain was struggling against Axis powers.
85. From which maidan in Bombay did the Quit India Movement begin on August 8, 1942?
Correct Answer: c) Gowalia Tank Maidan
Explanation:
The All India Congress Committee passed the Quit India resolution at Gowalia Tank Maidan (now August Kranti Maidan) in Bombay.
86. The Indian National Army (INA) was originally conceptualized by whom?
Correct Answer: b) Captain Mohan Singh
Explanation:
Captain Mohan Singh, a former British Indian Army officer, formed the first INA in Southeast Asia from Indian prisoners of war.
87. Which British plan proposed a three-tiered grouping of provinces to keep India united, but was ultimately unworkable?
Correct Answer: b) Cabinet Mission Plan
Explanation:
The 1946 Cabinet Mission sought to preserve India's unity through a complex decentralized structure, which both the INC and the Muslim League eventually rejected in practice.
88. The Muslim League called for 'Direct Action Day' on August 16, 1946, which led to mass violence, notably in:
Correct Answer: c) Calcutta
Explanation:
Direct Action Day resulted in the 'Great Calcutta Killings,' triggering devastating communal riots across Bengal and Bihar.
89. Who headed the Interim Government of India formed in September 1946?
Correct Answer: b) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation:
Nehru served as the Vice President of the Viceroy's Executive Council, acting as the de facto Prime Minister of the Interim Government.
90. The Mountbatten Plan, which formally laid down the partition of India and Pakistan, was announced on:
Correct Answer: b) June 3, 1947
Explanation:
Known as the June 3 Plan, it outlined the principle of partition, the boundary commission, and the handover of power.
91. Who was the last British Viceroy and the first Governor-General of independent India?
Correct Answer: c) Lord Mountbatten
Explanation:
Mountbatten oversaw the transition to independence and served briefly as the first Governor-General of the independent Dominion of India.
92. Who was the first and only Indian to serve as the Governor-General of India?
Correct Answer: c) C. Rajagopalachari
Explanation:
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari succeeded Mountbatten as Governor-General and held the position until India became a republic in 1950.
93. The formidable task of integrating over 500 princely states into the Indian Union was achieved largely by:
Correct Answer: b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Explanation:
As the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, Patel earned the title 'Iron Man of India' for successfully negotiating the integration of the princely states.
94. Who initiated the Bhoodan (Land Gift) Movement in 1951?
Correct Answer: c) Vinoba Bhave
Explanation:
Vinoba Bhave started the Bhoodan Movement to persuade wealthy landowners to voluntarily donate a percentage of their land to landless peasants.
95. Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution?
Correct Answer: c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Explanation:
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is recognized as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution for his role as the head of the Drafting Committee.
96. The Santhal Rebellion (1855-56) was a major tribal uprising against the British and Zamindars led by:
Correct Answer: b) Sidhu and Kanhu
Explanation:
The Santhal Hul was a massive revolt in present-day Jharkhand and West Bengal, led primarily by the brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu.
97. The Indigo Revolt (Nil Bidroha) of 1859 was a peasant movement located primarily in:
Correct Answer: c) Bengal
Explanation:
Farmers in Bengal rebelled against European planters who forced them to grow indigo under highly exploitative conditions.
98. The Moplah (Mapilla) Rebellion of 1921 occurred in which region?
Correct Answer: b) Malabar
Explanation:
The Moplah Rebellion was an armed uprising of Muslim peasants in the Malabar region of Kerala against British authorities and Hindu landlords.
99. Who led the successful Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928, after which he was given the title 'Sardar'?
Correct Answer: b) Vallabhbhai Patel
Explanation:
Vallabhbhai Patel expertly organized the farmers of Bardoli against an unjust tax hike, earning him the title 'Sardar' from the women of Bardoli.
100. The Kakori Train Action (1925) was orchestrated by revolutionaries belonging to which organization?
Correct Answer: c) Hindustan Republican Association (HRA)
Explanation:
Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, and others from the HRA robbed a train carrying government money near Kakori to fund their revolutionary activities.
