Medieval History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)
106 previous year UPSC Prelims Medieval History questions are listed here, from 1996 to 2025, in 7 chapters. The Mughal Period, the Delhi Sultanate and the Miscellaneous group are the largest, followed by Bhakti and Sufi movements, regional kingdoms and the Vijayanagara Empire. Use the chapter filter to revise one dynasty or theme at a time, then open any option for its explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 11–20 of 106 questions
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UPSC 2021Medieval History · The Delhi Sultanate
Q11. Consider the following statements: 1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince. 2. It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus. 3. It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: In the pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince, Changez Khan arrived in India during the reign of Iltutmish. By denying shelter to Prince Jalaluddhin of Central Asia, Iltutmish protected India from Changez Khan’s fury.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The period of Muhammad bin Tughlaq was from 1325 to 1351. Taimur invaded India during the reign of Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq (1394-1412), the last Tughlaq ruler.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Vasco da Gama reached the coast of Kerala in 1498, but Deva Raya II ruled the Vijayanagara Empire earlier, from 1424 to 1446. At the time of his arrival, the ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire was Krishnadevaraya (reigned 1509-1529).
UPSC 2021Medieval History · Regional Kingdoms
Q12. With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged from Hyderabad State. 2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged from the Vijayanagara Empire. 3. Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Nizamat of Arcot was a Muslim princely state in South India during the 18th century. It was founded by the Nawabs of Arcot, who initially served as vassals under the Nizam, the ruler of the Hyderabad State. After the weakening of the Nizam’s power, they gained greater control over the region. The Nizamat of Arcot included areas such as Arcot, Carnatic, and parts of modern-day Tamil Nadu.
Statement 2 is correct: Under the Vijayanagar Empire, there was a small feudal kingdom called Mysore. The Kingdom of Mysore was founded by the Wodeyar dynasty in 1399. The Wodeyar dynasty declared their independence following the fall of Vijayanagar in 1565, and Raja Wodeyar ascended the throne in 1578. The capital moved from Mysore to Srirangapatna in 1610.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Afghan Chiefs under the leadership of Daud Khan established Rohilakhand, from erstwhile Mughal territory in Awadh region, by taking advantage of the breakdown of authority in North India following Nadir Shah’s invasion.
UPSC 2021Medieval History · Vijayanagara Empire
Q13. According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in the Vijayanagara Empire were experts in which of the following areas? 1. Wrestling 2. Astrology 3. Accounting 4. Soothsaying Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Explanation
The accounts of foreign travelers such as Abdur Razzak from Persia, Nicolo de Conte from Italy, Fernao Nuniz, Domingo Paes and Duarte Barbosa from Portugal, provide us with a valuable historical lens of the Vijayanagara Kingdom. Fernao Nuniz, a Portuguese traveler who visited the Vijayanagara Empire during the reign of Achyuta Deva Raya, noted that women in the empire held prominent roles. He observed that they were trained in various skills, including wrestling, swordsmanship, soothsaying, astrology, and accounting. These women were actively involved in the kingdom’s political, social, and cultural life. In addition to fine arts like music, some also received education in literature.
Exam tip:
You can try, The "NOT" approach for all statements, this tests the improbability of negating a statement--if denying its impact seems highly unlikely, the statement is plausibly true. Nuniz would’ve recorded exceptions, so probability of all being true is very high.
UPSC 2021Medieval History · Mughal Period
Q14. With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?
Explanation
In order to organise his kingdom for better administration and taxation, Akbar adopted Sher Shah’s methods and principles. The Mughal administration was organized into "Subas," which were further subdivided into "Gram," "Pargana," and "Sarkar." Under Akbar’s reign, there were approximately 15 Subas, while the number increased to nearly 20 during Aurangzeb’s rule.
Option (a) is correct: The correct order according to the size is: Pargana -Sarkar-Suba. The entire Suba was split into Sarkars (districts), with a military commander known as the chief Shiqdar in charge of each one. Each Sarkar was divided into smaller units called Parganas. Each Pargana had two Karkuns (clerks or writers), one Fotahdar (treasurer), one Shiqdar (military officer), one Amin or Munsif (civilian judge).
UPSC 2020Medieval History · Early Medieval Period
Q15. Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period?
Explanation
Hundis are used as a form of remittance instrument to transfer money from place to place. It was used as a form of credit instrument or IOU to borrow money and as a bill of exchange in trade transactions. The Hundis was a letter of credit payable after a period of time. The word "hundi" is often linked to the Sanskrit root "hundika," meaning a type of bill or note. The Lekhapaddhati (12th century, in post-Harsha period) refer to the use of hundika by kings and nobles to make payments but it may have been used by merchants as well. Hundis were widely used during the post-Harsha period (7th century onwards) and played a significant role in the growth of trade and urbanization in India.
UPSC 2020Medieval History · Regional Kingdoms
Q16. Consider the following events in the history of India: 1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja 2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman-I 3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka 4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time?
Explanation
Correct chronology is as follows: 2-4-1-3 The Pallavas were a powerful dynasty that ruled a large part of southern India between the 6th and 9th centuries AD, with Kanchipuram (now in Tamil Nadu) as their capital. The Pallavas achieved their pinnacle with Mahendravarman I’s rule (c. 600-630), who reigned alongside Harsha and Pulakeshin II. The Pala Empire, which started in the Bengal region and ruled throughout the post-classical period (8th and 9th century AD), was an imperial power. The empire was officially established when Gopala was chosen to rule as Gauda’s emperor in 750 AD. Nagabhatta I founded the Gurjara Pratihara Dynasty (8th to 11th Century AD) in the Malwa region around the 8th century AD. Mihir Bhoja (836-885 AD) was the greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty. The Cholas rose to prominence in the 9th century and formed an empire that included most of South India; Tanjore/ Tanjavur served as their capital. The reign of the Chola king Parantaka, who succeeded his father Aditya I as king, lasted from 907-953 AD.
UPSC 2019Medieval History · The Delhi Sultanate
Q17. Consider the following statements: 1. In the revenue administration of Delhi Sultanate, the in-charge of revenue collection was known as ‘Amil’. 2. The Iqta system of Sultans of Delhi was an ancient indigenous institution. 3. The office of ‘Mir Bakshi’ came into existence during the reign of Khalji Sultans of Delhi. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526) was a series of Muslim dynasties that ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent. It marked the introduction of Islamic governance and administration in India.
Statement 1 is correct: In the land revenue system of the Delhi Sultanate, the central government appointed amil to collect revenues in each subdivision called Amil.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Iqta system of land control was first introduced in the Delhi Sultanate by Iltutmish. The institution known by its Arabic name, iqta, had existed in the early Islamic world as a means of rewarding services to the state. In the administration of the Caliphate, it served as a means of funding operations and compensating civil and military leaders. It was not an ancient indigenous institution.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The office of Mir Bakshi was established under the Mughal empire, who was head of the military department, nobility, information and intelligence agencies.
Exam tip:
For S2, The term "Iqta" sounds Persian/Arabic -- not Sanskritic or Dravidian. So claiming it’s both "ancient" and "indigenous" raises a contradiction with the word itself. Would medieval foreign rulers adopt a purely indigenous revenue system in early rule? Or bring their own models? It is more logical that they introduced systems from their homeland, hence S2 likely false, eliminates options B and D.
UPSC 2019Medieval History · Bhakti and Sufi Movement
Q18. Consider the following statements: 1. Saint Nimbarka was a contemporary of Akbar. 2. Saint Kabir was greatly influenced by Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: Saint Nimbarka (1130-1200) is thought to have lived in the 11th and 12th centuries CE. His theology revolves around Krishna and Radha, with a focus on bhakti. The Mughal emperor Akbar lived from 1542 -1605. Nimbarkacharya also known as Nimbarka, Nimbaditya or Niyamananda, was a Hindu philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the theology of Dvaitadvaita (dvaita-advaita) or dualistic-non-dualistic. He wrote Dashashlokee.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Saint Kabir (1440-1518) was a famous mystic poet and saint considered to have been influenced by Sant Tukaram, Vishnu-based bhakti traditions, and Sufism, but Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1564-1624), a later figure, was not a contemporary of Kabir. In fact, Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi was a reformist figure in the Naqshbandi Sufi order and his thoughts were centered around orthodox Islam.
UPSC 2019Medieval History · Mughal Period
Q19. With reference to Mughal India, what is/are the difference/differences between Jagirdar and Zamindar? 1. Jagirdars were holders of land assignments in lieu of judicial and police duties, whereas Zamindars were holders of revenue rights without obligation to perform any duty other than revenue collection. 2. Land assignments to Jagirdars were hereditary and revenue rights or Zamindars were not hereditary. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: Jagirdars were granted land assignments (known as jagir) in return for military, administrative, or service-related duties. Zamindars, on the other hand have the primary role of revenue collection. But in many cases, especially during the Mughal period, Zamindars were also responsible for maintaining law and order in their regions, depending on the specific region and the emperor’s policies.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Jagirdars did not necessarily hold hereditary land assignments. The jagir was often granted for services rendered. The emperor could change or revoke these assignments as needed, which means the jagir was not hereditary in the strict sense. Zamindars, however, typically held hereditary rights over the lands they controlled. The right to collect revenue from their land passed down through generations, making their position mostly hereditary in nature.
Exam tip:
For S1, The phrase "without obligation to perform any duty other than revenue collection" is absolute and extreme. In any functional empire, someone collecting revenue would naturally have implicit administrative, military or social roles in their locality. For S2, This contradicts the logic of temporary vs. permanent. If Jagirdars were assigned land by the emperor in lieu of judicial and police duties, wouldn’t that make it non-he-reditary, i.e., transferable or rotational? Hence both S1 and S2 are likely false.
UPSC 2019Medieval History · Mughal Period
Q20. With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct?
Explanation
Raja Ram Chandra of Bandavagarh employed Tansen as a court musician at his darbar (Rewa). After learning of Tansen’s extraordinary talent, Akbar wrote the king of Rewa a "Farman" requesting Tansen and appointed him as one of the Navaratnas in his court. He bestowed upon him the name "Mian."
Option (a) is correct: Tansen was the title given to him by Raja Vikramjit of Gwalior. Tansen composed various dhrupads on Rama, Parvati, Shiva, and Ganesha. A compilation of 300 of his dhrupad that were in Gauhar Bani is called Kalpadruma. Tansen composed his favorite ragas-Multani, Bhairavi and Todi. He created the ragas Darbari Kanhra for the night, Mian Ki Todi for the morning, Mian ki Sarang for the midday, and Mian ki Malhar for the season. He composed numerous songs for his patrons.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
11
2021
(a) 1 only
12
2021
(b) 2 only
13
2021
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
14
2021
(a) Paragana-Sarkar-Suba
15
2020
(c) A bill of exchange
16
2020
(c) 2-4-1-3
17
2019
(a) 1 only
18
2019
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
19
2019
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
20
2019
(a) Tansen was the title given to him by Emperor Akbar.
What UPSC has tested in Medieval History
Administration terms are heavily tested: mansabdari, jagir, amil, fawazil and the titles of Sultanate and Mughal officials.
Questions often attach a single fact to a ruler: who built the canals, who first wrote Urdu poetry, whose permission allowed the English factory at Surat.
Monuments and temples are asked by location, for example Hampi, Bhubaneswar and Halebid.
Bhakti and Sufi questions test chronological order and contemporaries more than doctrine.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Medieval History?
This page covers 106 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Medieval History, asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which Medieval History chapters have the most questions?
The Mughal Period has the most with 23 questions, followed by the Delhi Sultanate and the Miscellaneous group with 20 each. Early Medieval Period is the smallest chapter, with five questions.
How should I revise Medieval History for Prelims?
Take one chapter at a time using the Chapter filter, then check the year filter to see how UPSC framed that topic recently. Each chapter page lists the facts UPSC has tested, so you can revise from the questions themselves.
Does this include the 2025 Medieval History question?
Yes. The 2025 paper asked about the Araghatta irrigation device, a large wheel with earthen pots tied to its spokes, and it is filed under the Miscellaneous chapter with its explanation.
