Q21easyCommon Misconception
Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy :
I. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East.
II. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
Candidates may think Roy was purely Western-oriented and rejected Eastern traditions, making them doubt Statement I and pick (b). In reality, Roy deeply studied Upanishads and Vedanta while also embracing rationalism.
Q22moderatePartial Truth
Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme :
I. Boycott of law-courts and foreign cloth
II. Observance of strict non-violence
III. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public
IV. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes
How many of the above were parts of Non-Cooperation Programme?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All the four
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement III is the trap. The programme called for SURRENDER of titles and honours, not their retention. 'Retention without using in public' sounds like a moderate compromise, which makes it plausible but incorrect.
Q23hardSimilar Sounding
The irrigation device called 'Araghatta' was
(a) a water bag made of leather pulled over a pulley
(b) a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes
(c) a larger earthen pot driven by bullocks
(d) a large water bucket pulled up by rope directly by hand
Answer: (b)
Trap: Similar Sounding
Option (a) describes a 'mot' or leather bucket system (another ancient device). Option (c) describes a basic bullock-driven mechanism. Candidates may confuse Araghatta with these other irrigation devices. Araghatta is specifically the Persian wheel with earthen pots on spokes.
Q24hard
Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles 'Mattavilasa', 'Vichitrachitta' and 'Gunabhara'?
(a) Mahendravarman I
(b) Simhavishnu
(c) Narasimhavarman I
(d) Simhavarman
Answer: (a)
Q25easy
Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of
(a) Samudragupta
(b) Chandragupta II
(c) Kumaragupta I
(d) Skandagupta
Answer: (b)
Q26easy
Who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Srivijaya, the powerful maritime State, which ruled the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and the neighbouring islands?
(a) Amoghavarsha (Rashtrakuta)
(b) Prataparudra (Kakatiya)
(c) Rajendra I (Chola)
(d) Vishnuvardhana (Hoysala)
Answer: (c)
Q27easyDistractor Pairing
With reference to ancient India (600-322 BC), consider the following pairs :
Territorial region — River flowing in the region
I. Asmaka : Godavari
II. Kamboja : Vipas
III. Avanti : Mahanadi
IV. Kosala : Sarayu
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All the four
Answer: (b)
Trap: Distractor Pairing
Kamboja was in the northwest (near modern Afghanistan/Tajikistan), not on the Vipas (Beas). Avanti's capital Ujjain was on the Sipra (tributary of Chambal), not Mahanadi. Asmaka was on Godavari (correct) and Kosala was on Sarayu (correct). Candidates may accept III thinking Avanti was in central India near Mahanadi.
Q29moderateScope Confusion
Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the 'Pradeshika', 'Rajuka' and 'Yukta' were important officers at the
(a) village-level administration
(b) district-level administration
(c) provincial administration
(d) level of the central administration
Answer: (b)
Trap: Scope Confusion
Candidates may confuse these with provincial officials (Mahamatras) or village-level officials (Gramika). Pradeshika, Rajuka, and Yukta operated at the district (Janapada) level, between provincial and village administration.
Q30moderatePartial Truth
Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement :
I. The Congress declared the attainment of 'Swaraj' by all legitimate and peaceful means to be its objective.
II. It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes for the next stage only if 'Swaraj' did not come within a year and the Government resorted to repression.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Answer: (c)
Trap: Partial Truth
Statement II contains nuanced detail about staged implementation and the one-year timeline that candidates might doubt, leading them to pick (a). The NCM was indeed planned in stages, with civil disobedience and tax refusal as later stages.
Q91hardDistractor Pairing
"Sedition has become my religion" was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of
(a) the Champaran Satyagraha
(b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi
(c) attending the Second Round Table Conference in London
(d) the launch of the Quit India Movement
Answer: (b)
Trap: Distractor Pairing
The 'sedition' quote sounds like it could be from the Quit India Movement (option d) which was more confrontational. But Gandhi made this statement during the Salt Satyagraha. Candidates associating 'sedition' with the more radical Quit India period may pick (d).
Q92easy
The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of
(a) carnelian
(b) clay
(c) bronze
(d) gold
Answer: (c)
Q93hardCommon Misconception
Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident?
(a) C. R. Das
(b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant
(c) Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami
(d) M. A. Jinnah
Answer: (b)
Trap: Common Misconception
C. R. Das (option a) was a famous lawyer who defended freedom fighters in other cases (like the Alipore Bomb Case). Candidates may default to C. R. Das for any legal defence question from this era. But it was Malaviya who led the defence in the Chauri Chaura case.
Q94easy
Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?
(a) The Poona Pact
(b) The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
(c) Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
(d) Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935
Answer: (a)
Q95moderateCommon Misconception
Consider the following fruits :
I. Papaya
II. Pineapple
III. Guava
How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None
Answer: (c)
Trap: Common Misconception
Candidates may think guava is native to India (it's so common), but all three - papaya, pineapple, and guava - are New World fruits introduced by the Portuguese. Those who assume guava is indigenous may pick (b).
Q98easy
Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'?
(a) Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
(b) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
(c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav
(d) Dinkarrao Javalkar
Answer: (a)