Ancient & Medieval India

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Ancient & Medieval India — solved practice questions

8 WBCS Indian History questions with step-by-step solutions. Attempt each, then reveal the answer.

1. Q1easy

   The Great Bath, a large watertight tank widely regarded as the most famous structure of the Indus Valley Civilisation, was excavated at which site?

   • AHarappa
   • BMohenjo-daro
   • CLothal
   • DKalibangan
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   Correct answer: (B) Mohenjo-daro

   The Great Bath, built of finely fitted burnt bricks and waterproofed with bitumen, was found at Mohenjo-daro in the Sindh region.

2. Q2easy

   Witnessing the immense bloodshed and suffering of which war led Emperor Ashoka to renounce further conquest and embrace Buddhism?

   • AThe Kalinga war
   • BThe Battle of Hydaspes
   • CThe Second Battle of Tarain
   • DThe Battle of Talikota
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   Correct answer: (A) The Kalinga war

   The Kalinga war (c. 261 BCE), described in Ashoka's own Rock Edict XIII, so appalled him with its carnage that he turned to Buddhism and the policy of Dhamma.

3. Q3easy

   Babur founded the Mughal Empire in India after defeating Ibrahim Lodi in which battle?

   • AThe Battle of Khanwa
   • BThe First Battle of Panipat
   • CThe Battle of Haldighati
   • DThe Battle of Plassey
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   Correct answer: (B) The First Battle of Panipat

   Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, using field artillery and the tulughma tactic, which established Mughal rule in northern India.

4. Q4easy

   The rule of which dynasty is conventionally described as the 'Golden Age' of ancient India for its achievements in art, literature, science, and mathematics?

   • AThe Mauryas
   • BThe Kushanas
   • CThe Guptas
   • DThe Cholas
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   Correct answer: (C) The Guptas

   The Gupta period (c. 4th–6th century CE) is called the Golden Age for advances such as the works of Kalidasa and Aryabhata and the flourishing of classical art.

5. Q5medium

   Who served as the chief adviser to Chandragupta Maurya and is traditionally credited with authoring the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft and economics?

   • AMegasthenes
   • BKautilya (Chanakya)
   • CKalidasa
   • DPatanjali
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   Correct answer: (B) Kautilya (Chanakya)

   Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, was Chandragupta Maurya's mentor and minister and is credited with the Arthashastra. Megasthenes, a distractor, was the Greek ambassador who visited the Mauryan court.

6. Q6medium

   Which of the four Vedas is the oldest and consists mainly of hymns of praise addressed to various deities?

   • AThe Rigveda
   • BThe Samaveda
   • CThe Yajurveda
   • DThe Atharvaveda
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   Correct answer: (A) The Rigveda

   The Rigveda is the oldest of the Vedas and is a collection of hymns (suktas) in praise of gods such as Indra, Agni, and Varuna.

7. Q7medium

   The Delhi Sultanate began in 1206 with the establishment of which dynasty by Qutb-ud-din Aibak?

   • AThe Khalji dynasty
   • BThe Tughlaq dynasty
   • CThe Slave (Mamluk) dynasty
   • DThe Lodi dynasty
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   Correct answer: (C) The Slave (Mamluk) dynasty

   Qutb-ud-din Aibak, a former slave general of Muhammad Ghori, founded the Slave (Mamluk) dynasty, the first of the five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate.

8. Q8medium

   Which Delhi Sultan is famous for introducing rigorous market and price-control reforms to keep the cost of essential goods low?

   • AIltutmish
   • BAlauddin Khalji
   • CFiroz Shah Tughlaq
   • DMuhammad bin Tughlaq
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   Correct answer: (B) Alauddin Khalji

   Alauddin Khalji introduced elaborate market regulations, fixing prices of grain, cloth, and other goods and appointing officers to enforce them, largely to maintain a large standing army cheaply.

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