This page lists 5 previous year UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (General Studies Paper-I) questions on Medieval History in the UPSC 2019 Prelims. Choose an option to see the correct answer and the full explanation on the same page.
Showing 1–5 of 5 questions
UPSC 2019Medieval History · The Delhi Sultanate
Q1. 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
Q2. 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
Q3. 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 ex-treme. 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
Q4. 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.
UPSC 2019Medieval History · Mughal Period
Q5. Who among the following Mughal Emperors shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to albums and individual portraits?
Explanation
The Mughal school of painting achieved increased charm, elegance, and grandeur during Jahangir’s rule. Mughal Emperor Jahangir shifted emphasis from illustrated manuscripts to albums and individual portraits. The portrait of Jahangir, who is pictured holding a picture of the Virgin Mary in his right hand, is the best representation of this time period. Ayar-i-Danish and Anwar-i-sunavli are two further animal fable books with illustrations that date to Jahangir’s reign.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2019
(a) 1 only
2
2019
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
3
2019
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
4
2019
(a) Tansen was the title given to him by Emperor Akbar.
5
2019
(c) Jahangir
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Medieval History?
This page covers 5 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Medieval History in the UPSC 2019 Prelims, asked between 1996 to 2024. 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 Medieval History?
Questions on Medieval History in the UPSC 2019 Prelims are available for 27 years, from 1996 to 2024. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
