The Delhi Sultanate: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Medieval History)
3 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on The Delhi Sultanate (Medieval History). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–3 of 3 questions
UPSC 2001Medieval History · The Delhi Sultanate
Q1. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
Explanation
Pair (a) is correctly matched: Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388) established the Diwan-i-Bandagan, a department for slaves, during the Tughlaq Dynasty. The officer in charge of the Diwan-i-Bandagan was the Wakil-i-dar. It oversaw the management of slaves and servants in the royal palace and administrative offices. Pair (b) is incorrectly matched: The Diwan-i-Mustakhraj was a department of the Delhi Sultanate that was created by Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316) to collect revenue arrears and to address corruption. It was responsible for investigating and collecting outstanding revenue from collectors. Pair (c) is incorrectly matched: The Diwan-i-Kohi was an agricultural department established by Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-51) to improve agricultural productivity and food security in the Delhi Sultanate. He also developed a slew of measures to provide relief to famine victims. Pair (d) is incorrectly matched: The Diwan-i-Arz was the military department of the Delhi Sultanate and was established by Ghiyas ud din Balban (1266 to 1287). It was headed by Ariz-i-Mamalik.
UPSC 2001Medieval History · The Delhi Sultanate
Q2. Direction: The following item consists of two statements. One labeled the ‘Assertion A’ and the other as ‘Reason R’ You are to examine these two statements carefully and decide if the ‘Assertion A’ and the ‘Reason R’ are individually true and if so, whether the ‘Reason R’ is the correct explanation of the given ‘Assertion A’. Mark your Answer-Sheet accordingly. Codes:
Explanation
The establishment of Mughal rule in India began with Babur’s (1526 - 1530) victory over Sultan Ibrahim Lodiin the First Battle of Panipat (1526) and Rana Sanga in the Battle of Khanua(1527). These victories laid the foundation for the Mughal Empire, which was further consolidated by Akbar, who expanded and solidified Mughal authority across India. Assertion (A) is true: The Battle of Khanua was more decisive and significant than the First Battle of Panipat because it strengthened the Mughal rule in India, while the First Battle of Panipat only laid its foundation. Reason (R) is true: Rana Sanga was a skilled warrior and leader who had built a strong alliance of Rajput kingdoms. He was a more formidable adversary than Ibrahim Lodi. The Battle of Khanua was more significant because it neutralized the threat from the Rajputs and consolidated Babur’s authority. Thus, the Reason (R) is the correct explanation for the Assertion (A).
UPSC 2001Medieval History · The Delhi Sultanate
Q3. Mongols under Chengiz Khan invaded India during the reign of:
Explanation
Chengiz Khan (1162-1227) was a Mongol ruler who established one of the largest empires in history by uniting the Mongol tribes and launching successful military campaigns across Central Asia, China, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Iltutmish (reigned 1211-1236 AD) was the third Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, and during his reign, the Mongols, under the leadership of Chengiz Khan, attempted several incursions into the Indian subcontinent. In 1221, after the Khwarezmian prince fled into northern India, Chengiz Khan’s forces reached the Indus River and attacked the northwestern frontier of India. He successfully repelled the Mongol invasions, though the Mongols continued to raid the northwestern regions sporadically for some years.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2001
(a) Dewan-i-Bandagani-Tughlaq
2
2001
(a) Both A and R are individually true but R is the correct explanation of A
3
2001
(c) Iltutmish
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on The Delhi Sultanate?
This page covers 3 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on The Delhi Sultanate (Medieval History), asked from 1997 to 2022. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for The Delhi Sultanate?
Questions on The Delhi Sultanate (Medieval History) are available for 11 years, from 1997 to 2022. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
