61 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Delhi Sultanate test dynasties, rulers, reforms and administration. The rise of Aibak, Alauddin Khalji’s conquests and market control, Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s public works, Timur’s invasion and the Lodi dynasty are asked as dates, officials and statements, and the explanations tie each reform to its ruler.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 11–20 of 61 questions
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q11. Consider the following statements regarding the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq: I. He set up a separate department of slaves called Diwan-i-Bandagan. II. He built a network of canals for irrigation, including one from Sutlej to Hansi. III. He abolished the Jaziya tax on Brahmins to promote religious harmony. IV. He established a charitable hospital in Delhi called Dar-ul-Shafa. Which combination of the above statements is incorrect?
Explanation
Firoz Shah Tughlaq was known for his extensive public works, including canals and hospitals. He also maintained a massive slave population through a dedicated department. However, his religious policy was orthodox and strict. Unlike previous rulers who had exempted them, he became the first Sultan to impose the Jaziya tax specifically on Brahmins, which caused significant distress among the community.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q12. What was the primary cause for the failure of Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s Khurasan expedition?
Explanation
The Sultan planned a massive expedition to conquer Khurasan in Central Asia and recruited a large army for this purpose. However, before the campaign could commence, the political situation in the region stabilized. The alliance he had formed with other regional powers collapsed. Consequently, he disbanded the army, leading to significant financial loss and administrative embarrassment for the entire empire.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q13. Consider the following policies and projects: I. Introduction of Token Currency II. Transfer of Capital to Daulatabad III. Taxation in the Doab region IV. Khurasan Expedition V. Qarachil Expedition Which combination correctly represents the major experimental projects undertaken by Muhammad bin Tughlaq?
Explanation
Muhammad bin Tughlaq is famous for several innovative but often ill-fated administrative projects. These included increasing land taxes in the fertile Doab region and shifting the imperial capital to the Deccan. He also attempted to introduce a token currency system and planned ambitious military expeditions to Khurasan and the Qarachil hills. Each of these experiments faced significant logistical and social challenges.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q14. The following question consists of two statements -- Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Choose the correct option to describe the relationship between them. Assertion (A): Firoz Shah Tughlaq made the iqta system hereditary. Reason (R): He wanted to implement a strict meritocratic system in the military and administration to check corruption.
Explanation
Firoz Shah Tughlaq introduced a policy where administrative and military posts, along with the associated land grants, became hereditary. This was intended to gain the support of the nobility and military officials who were dissatisfied after the previous reign. However, this move actually weakened the state’s central authority and military efficiency, as it prioritized lineage over individual merit or professional competence.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q15. Match List I (Taxes in Delhi Sultanate) with List II (Description) and select the correct answer.
Taxes in Delhi Sultanate
Description
A. Kharaj
i. Tax imposed on non-Muslims
B. Khams
ii. Religious tax collected from Muslims for charity
C. Jaziya
iii. State’s share of the booty captured in war
D. Zakat
iv. Land tax collected from peasant cultivators
Explanation
The fiscal system of the Delhi Sultanate was based on various Islamic and traditional taxes. Kharaj was the primary land tax collected from peasants, while Jaziya was a protection tax levied on non-Muslim subjects. Zakat functioned as a religious tithe for charitable purposes collected from Muslims. Additionally, the state claimed a portion of the spoils of war, which was known as Khams.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q16. During the Delhi Sultanate, what was the function of the ‘Amil’?
Explanation
The administrative hierarchy of the Delhi Sultanate divided the empire into various units for efficient governance. At the pargana level, which was a cluster of villages, the Amil served as the primary revenue officer.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q17. Consider the following statements about the Sayyid Dynasty: I. Khizr Khan was the founder of the Sayyid Dynasty. II. Khizr Khan claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad. III. The Sayyid rulers assumed the title of Sultan and completely severed ties with Timur’s successors. Which of the combinations of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Sayyid Dynasty was established by Khizr Khan following the vacuum created by Timur’s invasion. The rulers of this house claimed to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, which gave them religious prestige. Interestingly, Khizr Khan did not take the title of Sultan; instead, he ruled as a deputy of the Timurid princes, maintaining formal ties with Central Asian powers.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q18. Which pair of Delhi Sultan and their corresponding achievement/event is incorrectly matched?
Explanation
Sikandar Lodi was a significant ruler of the Lodi Dynasty who founded the city of Agra and introduced a standardized system for measuring land. This measurement unit was known as the Gaj-i-Sikandari. While Bahlul Lodi founded the dynasty, he did not introduce this specific land survey system. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Lodi’s defeat at Panipat marked the end of the Sultanate era.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q19. Which of the following best defines the ‘Khalisa’ lands during the Delhi Sultanate?
Explanation
During the Delhi Sultanate, land was categorized based on how its revenue was utilized. Khalisa lands were territories kept under the direct control of the central government. Unlike lands assigned as Iqtas to nobles or grants given to religious institutions, the entire revenue from Khalisa lands went directly to the royal treasury to fund the Sultan’s household and the central standing army.
RAS PrelimsMedieval Indian History · Delhi Sultanate
Q20. The first Afghan empire in India was established by which dynasty?
Explanation
The Lodi Dynasty marked a significant shift in the ethnic composition of the ruling elite of the Delhi Sultanate. Unlike the previous dynasties which were of Turkish origin, the Lodis were Afghans. This dynasty was founded by Bahlul Lodi, who established the first Afghan empire in India. Their rule lasted until the arrival of the Mughals under Babur in the sixteenth century.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
11
(b) III only
12
(d) The restoration of political stability in Central Asia and the withdrawal of regional allies.
13
(d) I, II, III, IV and V
14
(c) A is true but R is false.
15
(a) A-iv, B-iii, C-i, D-ii
16
(a) He was the revenue officer at the pargana level.
17
(a) I and II only
18
(c) Bahlul Lodi - The introduction of the ‘Gaj-i- Sikandari’ system for land measurement.
19
(b) State-owned lands administered by the central government for the royal treasury.
20
(d) Lodi Dynasty
Key facts from Delhi Sultanate
Qutb-ud-din Aibak became independent after Muhammad Ghori was assassinated in 1206.
Alauddin Khalji captured Ranthambore in 1301 and was the first Sultan to cross the Narmada for southern campaigns.
Alauddin appointed the Shahna-i-Mandi to control the markets of Delhi and paid his soldiers in cash.
Under the Iqta system, land revenues were assigned to military commanders in place of cash salaries.
Timur invaded India and sacked Delhi in 1398; the Lodis founded the first Afghan empire in India.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq set up a translation department and translated Sanskrit works on medicine and music into Persian.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Delhi Sultanate?
This page has 61 practice MCQs on Delhi Sultanate (Medieval Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
What was the Iqta system?
The Iqta system assigned land revenues to military commanders, called Iqtadars, in place of cash salaries. The commander collected the revenue, paid his troops from it and sent the surplus to the Sultan.
Who controlled the markets of Delhi under Alauddin Khalji?
The Shahna-i-Mandi, an officer appointed to supervise the markets and make sure goods were sold at fixed prices. Alauddin’s price control let him maintain a large army on modest cash salaries.
Which dynasty founded the first Afghan empire in India?
The Lodi dynasty, which ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1451 to 1526. Bahlul Lodi founded it, and it ended when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat.
