Q1. The geographical features of the Maharashtra region contributed significantly to the rise of Maratha power by providing which of the following strategic advantages?
The Marathas: RAS Prelims MCQs
65 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Marathas follow Shivaji, the Peshwas and the Anglo-Maratha wars. Questions ask for Shivaji’s forts and treaties, the Ashtapradhan, Baji Rao I’s campaigns, the Third Battle of Panipat, Mahadji Scindia, the treaties with the British and the reasons for Maratha decline.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1–10 of 65 questions
Q2. Which social movement in Maharashtra provided a strong cultural and ideological foundation for the political unity of the Marathas prior to Shivaji’s rise?
Explanation
The Bhakti movement in Maharashtra, spearheaded by influential saints, played a crucial role in fostering a sense of shared cultural identity and social cohesion. By emphasizing devotion and equality, it transcended narrow caste barriers and regional divisions. This spiritual awakening provided a robust ideological foundation that facilitated the eventual political unification of various Maratha clans under a single leadership.
Q3. Shivaji’s early military campaigns began with the capture of a strategic fort in 1646. Which fort was the first to be captured by the young Shivaji?
Explanation
In 1646, at the young age of sixteen, Shivaji captured the strategic fort of Torna from the Bijapur Sultanate. This event marked the beginning of his military career and his quest for establishing an independent Maratha kingdom. The capture of this fort provided him with significant prestige and resources, laying the groundwork for his future territorial expansions and administrative consolidation.
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the early military campaigns of Shivaji:
I. He acquired the fort of Javali from the Mores, which opened the path to the Konkan area.
II. He defeated the Bijapuri general Afzal Khan at the Battle of Pratapgad.
III. He formed a permanent military alliance with the Portuguese to counter the Mughals.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. He acquired the fort of Javali from the Mores, which opened the path to the Konkan area.
II. He defeated the Bijapuri general Afzal Khan at the Battle of Pratapgad.
III. He formed a permanent military alliance with the Portuguese to counter the Mughals.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The acquisition of the Javali valley from the Mores was a turning point, as it provided Shivaji with a strategic base to penetrate the Konkan region. His victory over Afzal Khan at the Battle of Pratapgad significantly boosted Maratha morale and weakened the Bijapur Sultanate’s influence. However, Shivaji never established a permanent military alliance with the Portuguese against the Mughals.
Q5. Which of the following statements about Shivaji’s coronation is incorrect?
Explanation
Shivaji’s coronation in 1674 was a monumental event intended to assert his independent sovereignty and challenge the legitimacy of the Mughal Empire. By assuming the title of Chhatrapati, he formally rejected any subservience to external powers. Far from submitting to the Mughal Emperor, the ceremony was a defiant declaration of the Maratha state’s autonomy and its king’s absolute royal authority.
Q6. 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.
Q7. 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.
Q8. 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.
Q9. 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.
Q10. 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.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) Rugged terrain and natural hill forts conducive to guerrilla warfare |
| 2 | (a) The Bhakti movement led by saints like Tukaram and Ramdas |
| 3 | (c) Torna |
| 4 | (a) I and II only |
| 5 | (c) It signified Shivaji’s formal submission to the Mughal Emperor. |
| 6 | (b) A council of eight ministers to assist and advise the king |
| 7 | (a) I, II, III and V |
| 8 | (a) The successful siege of Purandar fort by the Mughal general Jai Singh |
| 9 | (b) 23 forts |
| 10 | (c) Attack on Shaista Khan First sack of Surat Treaty of Purandar Visit to Agra |
Key facts from The Marathas
- Shivaji began his conquests by capturing Torna in 1646; his council of eight ministers was called the Ashtapradhan.
- By the Treaty of Purandar (1665) Shivaji gave 23 forts to the Mughals after Jai Singh besieged Purandar.
- Ganimi Kava was Shivaji’s guerrilla warfare; the Saranjam system gave chiefs revenue grants for troops.
- After the Battle of Bhopal in 1737 the Marathas and the Nizam signed the Treaty of Doraha Sarai.
- The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) was fought against Ahmad Shah Abdali; Sadashivrao Bhau was the commander.
- Treaties with the British: Surat (1775), Purandar (1776), Salbai (1782) and Bassein (1802).
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on The Marathas?
This page has 65 practice MCQs on The Marathas (Medieval Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
What was the Treaty of Purandar of 1665?
A treaty between Shivaji and the Mughal general Jai Singh. Shivaji gave up 23 forts to the Mughals, and he was promised the right to collect certain dues in return. It followed Jai Singh’s successful siege of Purandar.
Who commanded the Marathas at the Third Battle of Panipat?
Sadashivrao Bhau, with the Peshwa’s son Vishwasrao as nominal head. Both died in the battle, in which the Marathas lost to Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1761, a blow to Maratha power in the north.
What was the Saranjam system?
A system under which Maratha chiefs received grants of land revenue to maintain troops. It expanded in the Peshwa period and helped build an army, but it also made chiefs hereditary and weakened central control.