Q231. Which of the following is the correct statement regarding the medieval manuscript ‘Nimat Nama’?
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 231–240 of 333 questions
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Q232. Match List I (Mughal Painter) with List II (Specialty/Associated Work):
Select the correct code:
| Mughal Painter | Specialty/Associated Work |
|---|---|
| A. Basawan | i. Master of flora and fauna painting |
| B. Daswanth | ii. Famous for portraiture and honored with the title Nadir-uz-Zaman |
| C. Ustad Mansur | iii. Renowned for background landscapes and illustrated the Razmnama |
| D. Abul Hasan | iv. A brilliant but tragic painter who illustrated the Hamza Nama |
Explanation
Basawan was noted for background landscapes and the Razmnama, Daswanth was a gifted but tragic painter of the Hamza Nama, Ustad Mansur painted birds and animals and Abul Hasan was honoured as Nadir-uz-Zaman for portraits. This gives A-iii, B-iv, C-i, D-ii.
Q233. Consider the following statements about Akbar’s painting atelier:
I. The Razmnama is the Persian translation and elaborately illustrated version of the Mahabharata.
II. Painters in Akbar’s atelier were strictly forbidden by religious decree from studying European artworks.
III. Indigenous Hindu artists significantly outnumbered Persian artists in Akbar’s imperial workshop.
Which of the combinations given above is correct?
I. The Razmnama is the Persian translation and elaborately illustrated version of the Mahabharata.
II. Painters in Akbar’s atelier were strictly forbidden by religious decree from studying European artworks.
III. Indigenous Hindu artists significantly outnumbered Persian artists in Akbar’s imperial workshop.
Which of the combinations given above is correct?
Explanation
The Razmnama is the Persian translation of the Mahabharata, illustrated in the imperial atelier, and many Hindu artists worked there. Painters were not forbidden to study European art, so II is wrong.
Q234. Which of the following prominent medieval painters is an exception, having NOT been a part of Akbar’s imperial atelier?
Explanation
Farrukh Beg, Mukund and Kesu Das worked in Akbar’s atelier. Nainsukh was a Pahari painter and was not part of it.
Q235. The translation and illustration of the Razmnama in Akbar’s court primarily served which underlying political and cultural objective?
Explanation
The translation and illustration of the Razmnama aimed to build a shared Indo-Persian culture and help nobles understand Indian epics.
Q236. Given below are two statements, one labeled as
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): During Jahangir’s reign, there was a noticeable decline in the production of massive, multi-volume illustrated historical manuscripts.
Reason (R): Jahangir possessed a refined personal aesthetic that strongly favored individual portraiture, naturalistic studies, and the compilation of separate paintings into albums (muraqqas).
Select the correct answer from the codes below:
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): During Jahangir’s reign, there was a noticeable decline in the production of massive, multi-volume illustrated historical manuscripts.
Reason (R): Jahangir possessed a refined personal aesthetic that strongly favored individual portraiture, naturalistic studies, and the compilation of separate paintings into albums (muraqqas).
Select the correct answer from the codes below:
Explanation
In Jahangir’s time fewer huge multi-volume historical manuscripts were produced, because he preferred portraits, naturalistic studies and albums (muraqqas). The reason explains the assertion.
Q237. Which prominent painter in Jahangir’s court was bestowed with the title ‘Nadir-ul-Asr’ for his exceptional skill in painting birds, animals, and flowers?
Explanation
Ustad Mansur was given the title Nadir-ul-Asr by Jahangir for his paintings of birds, animals and flowers.
Q238. Consider the following statements regarding Jahangir’s painting style:
I. There was a notable shift from large dynamic narrative scenes to individual portraits and static court scenes.
II. The depiction of flora and fauna achieved an unprecedented level of scientific accuracy.
III. The concept of the divine halo (nimbus) behind the emperor’s head was borrowed from European art.
IV. Jahangir favored abstract, heavily stylized Persian landscapes over realistic spatial perspectives.
Which of the combinations given above is incorrect?
I. There was a notable shift from large dynamic narrative scenes to individual portraits and static court scenes.
II. The depiction of flora and fauna achieved an unprecedented level of scientific accuracy.
III. The concept of the divine halo (nimbus) behind the emperor’s head was borrowed from European art.
IV. Jahangir favored abstract, heavily stylized Persian landscapes over realistic spatial perspectives.
Which of the combinations given above is incorrect?
Explanation
Jahangir’s painting moved to portraits and static court scenes, achieved scientific accuracy in flora and fauna and borrowed the halo from European art. He favoured realistic over abstract landscapes, so IV is incorrect.
Q239. Consider the following statements regarding European influence on Mughal painting:
Statement I: European engravings brought by Jesuit missionaries introduced Mughal painters to the concepts of linear perspective and three-dimensional modeling.
Statement II: The technique of chiaroscuro (light and shade) was thoroughly rejected by Mughal artists as it violated traditional Islamic flat-plane aesthetics.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Statement I: European engravings brought by Jesuit missionaries introduced Mughal painters to the concepts of linear perspective and three-dimensional modeling.
Statement II: The technique of chiaroscuro (light and shade) was thoroughly rejected by Mughal artists as it violated traditional Islamic flat-plane aesthetics.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
European engravings brought by Jesuits taught Mughal painters linear perspective and modelling, so Statement I is correct. Mughal artists did use light and shade, so Statement II is incorrect.
Q240. Match List I (Rajput Painting School) with List II (Distinctive Feature/Theme):
Select the correct code:
| Rajput Painting School | Distinctive Feature/Theme |
|---|---|
| A. Mewar School | i. Exaggerated features like elongated eyes and the Bani Thani portrait |
| B. Kishangarh School | ii. Bold colors with emotional intensity, famously illustrating the Chaurapanchasika |
| C. Bundi School | iii. Lyrical, delicate lines heavily depicting Radha-Krishna romances in the Pahari region |
| D. Kangra School | iv. Lush landscapes, depictions of rain, and dynamic hunting scenes |
Explanation
Mewar painting used bold colours with emotion, Kishangarh is known for the Bani Thani with elongated eyes, Bundi for landscapes, rain and hunting scenes and Kangra for lyrical lines on Radha-Krishna themes. This gives A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 231 | (c) It is a recipe book from the Malwa Sultanate featuring early, pre-Mughal Persian- influenced miniature paintings. |
| 232 | (a) A-iii, B-iv, C-i, D-ii |
| 233 | (c) I and III only |
| 234 | (d) Nainsukh |
| 235 | (a) To foster a synthesized Indo-Persian culture and promote understanding of indigenous epics among the nobility. |
| 236 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 237 | (a) Ustad Mansur |
| 238 | (c) IV only |
| 239 | (c) Statement I is correct, but Statement II is incorrect |
| 240 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
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.