Q141. Which of the following statements about Shivaji’s coronation is incorrect?
Medieval Indian History: RAS Prelims MCQs
333 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on medieval Indian history are on this page, in 6 chapters. They cover the Delhi Sultanate, the Vijayanagar Empire and regional kingdoms, the Mughal Empire, the Marathas, medieval art, architecture, literature and music, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements. Each question has an answer and an explanation, and the formats match the exam: facts, statements, match-the-list and assertion-reason.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 141–150 of 333 questions
Browse Medieval Indian History chapters
Q142. In the context of Shivaji’s administrative system, the term Ashtapradhan refers to which of the following?
Explanation
The Ashtapradhan was a sophisticated administrative council comprising eight ministers appointed to assist the king in various facets of governance. Each minister held specific portfolios, such as finance, foreign affairs, and internal security, ensuring a structured and efficient bureaucracy. This system allowed for specialized administration while maintaining the king’s supreme authority, as the ministers were directly accountable to him.
Q143. Consider the following statements regarding the Maratha navy under Shivaji:
I. The navy was established to protect the Konkan coast from the Siddis of Janjira and the Portuguese.
II. The naval fleet consisted of vessels of various sizes like Gurabs and Gallivats.
III. The primary naval bases included Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg.
IV. The Maratha navy successfully eliminated British naval presence in the Arabian Sea during Shivaji’s reign.
V. Kanhoji Angre was a prominent naval chief who strengthened Maratha maritime power in the later period.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. The navy was established to protect the Konkan coast from the Siddis of Janjira and the Portuguese.
II. The naval fleet consisted of vessels of various sizes like Gurabs and Gallivats.
III. The primary naval bases included Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg.
IV. The Maratha navy successfully eliminated British naval presence in the Arabian Sea during Shivaji’s reign.
V. Kanhoji Angre was a prominent naval chief who strengthened Maratha maritime power in the later period.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Shivaji built the navy to protect the Konkan coast from the Siddis of Janjira and the Portuguese, with ships such as Gurabs and Gallivats and bases at Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg. Kanhoji Angre later strengthened Maratha sea power. The Marathas did not eliminate the British from the Arabian Sea, so IV is incorrect.
Q144. What was the immediate cause that forced Shivaji to sign the Treaty of Purandar in 1665?
Explanation
Shivaji signed the Treaty of Purandar in 1665 because the Mughal general Jai Singh besieged Purandar fort successfully and left him with no way out.
Q145. Under the terms of the Treaty of Purandar (1665), Shivaji agreed to surrender how many forts to the Mughal Empire?
Explanation
Under the Treaty of Purandar, Shivaji gave up 23 of his forts to the Mughals and kept 12.
Q146. Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of events in Shivaji’s conflict with the Mughal Empire?
Explanation
Shivaji attacked Shaista Khan at Pune in 1663, sacked Surat in 1664, signed the Treaty of Purandar in 1665 and visited Agra in 1666. The order is Shaista Khan, Surat, Purandar, Agra.
Q147. Shivaji’s use of "Ganimi Kava" was highly successful against larger imperial armies. What does this concept refer to?
Explanation
Ganimi Kava was Shivaji’s guerrilla warfare: sudden attacks, quick withdrawals and use of hills and forts against larger armies.
Q148. Following Shivaji’s death in 1680, a war of succession broke out between his sons. Who emerged victorious and succeeded Shivaji as Chhatrapati?
Explanation
After Shivaji died in 1680, Sambhaji won the succession struggle against his half-brother Rajaram and became Chhatrapati.
Q149. Identify the odd one out among the following historical figures, based on their affiliation with the Maratha resistance against Aurangzeb.
Explanation
Santaji Ghorpade, Dhanaji Jadhav and Tarabai led the Maratha resistance against Aurangzeb. Zulfiqar Khan was a Mughal general, so he is the odd one out.
Q150. Given below are two statements, one labeled as
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): After the execution of Sambhaji in 1689, the Maratha resistance against the Mughals intensified into a decentralized people’s war.
Reason (R): The Maratha central authority collapsed with Rajaram’s flight to Jinji, leading local Maratha chiefs to fight the Mughals independently.
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): After the execution of Sambhaji in 1689, the Maratha resistance against the Mughals intensified into a decentralized people’s war.
Reason (R): The Maratha central authority collapsed with Rajaram’s flight to Jinji, leading local Maratha chiefs to fight the Mughals independently.
Explanation
After Sambhaji was executed in 1689, Rajaram fled to Jinji and central authority collapsed, so local Maratha chiefs fought the Mughals on their own. This turned the war into a decentralised people’s war.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 141 | (c) It signified Shivaji’s formal submission to the Mughal Emperor. |
| 142 | (b) A council of eight ministers to assist and advise the king |
| 143 | (a) I, II, III and V |
| 144 | (a) The successful siege of Purandar fort by the Mughal general Jai Singh |
| 145 | (b) 23 forts |
| 146 | (c) Attack on Shaista Khan First sack of Surat Treaty of Purandar Visit to Agra |
| 147 | (a) The strategic deployment of guerrilla warfare tactics |
| 148 | (c) Sambhaji |
| 149 | (d) Zulfiqar Khan |
| 150 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
Key facts from Medieval Indian History
- The RPSC syllabus names the Sultanate period, the political and cultural achievements of Vijayanagar, Mughal administration and policies, the Marathas, medieval art and literature, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements.
- Delhi Sultanate questions revolve around reforms: Alauddin Khalji’s market control and cash salaries, Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s public works and the Iqta system.
- Mughal and Maratha questions pair a ruler with a battle, treaty or institution, such as Panipat 1526, Khanwa 1527, Purandar 1665 and the Ashtapradhan.
- Art questions link monuments, painters and poets to their patron, for example the Buland Darwaza with Akbar and the Bani Thani with Savant Singh of Kishangarh.
- Bhakti questions test founders, philosophies and texts, such as Ramanuja’s Vishishtadvaita and Kabir’s Bijak.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Medieval Indian History?
This page has 333 practice MCQs on Medieval Indian History. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters are in the medieval Indian history set?
Six chapters: the Delhi Sultanate, the Vijayanagar Empire and regional kingdoms, the Mughal Empire (administration and policies), the Marathas, medieval art, architecture, literature and music, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements.
Is medieval history in the RAS Prelims syllabus?
Yes. RPSC includes the Sultanate period, Vijayanagar, Mughal administration and policies, the Marathas, medieval art and literature, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements in the ancient and medieval part of Indian History.
How can I revise medieval history quickly?
Make a timeline of rulers, battles and treaties for each chapter, and a table of reforms, buildings and texts against their rulers. Then attempt the chapter questions, read each explanation, and repeat the ones you missed.