Q21. Which British Governor-General famously remarked after the Third Anglo-Mysore War, "We have crippled our enemy effectively without making our friends too formidable"?
Modern Indian History: RAS Prelims MCQs
488 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on modern Indian history are on this page, in 12 chapters. They cover British expansion and early resistance, the Anglo-Sikh wars, the Revolt of 1857, colonial policies, reform movements, the rise of nationalism, the Gandhian era, revolutionary movements and Partition, and nation-building up to 2000. Each question has an answer and an explanation, in the formats the exam uses.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 21–30 of 488 questions
Browse Modern Indian History chapters
Q22. Match List I: (Innovations/Reforms of Tipu Sultan) with List II: (Details) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Innovations/Reforms of Tipu Sultan | Details |
|---|---|
| A. Introduction of a new calendar | i. Formed to build a modern navy |
| B. Jacobin Club | ii. Established in Seringapatam by French soldiers |
| C. Board of Admiralty | iii. Set up to promote trade and industry |
| D. Commercial Boards | iv. Based on the Mauludi era |
Explanation
Tipu introduced a calendar based on the Mauludi era, set up a Jacobin Club in Seringapatam with French soldiers, formed a Board of Admiralty for a navy and created Commercial Boards. This gives A-iv, B-ii, C-i, D-iii.
Q23. Identify the correctly matched pair regarding Tipu Sultan’s foreign diplomacy:
Explanation
Tipu sent embassies to France, Constantinople and Kabul for support against the British, so all three pairs are correct.
Q24. Identify the statement that does not reflect the military and administrative reforms introduced by Tipu Sultan:
Explanation
Tipu organised his infantry on European lines, tried to curb the Jagirdari system and introduced new coinage. He did not ban modern artillery, so C is not a reform of his.
Q25. From which of the following European powers did Tipu Sultan NOT actively seek military assistance against the British?
Explanation
Tipu sought help from France, the Ottoman Empire and the French in Mauritius, but did not actively seek it from Spain.
Q26. Consider the following statements about Tipu Sultan’s economic policies:
I. He planted a ‘Tree of Liberty’ at Seringapatam.
II. He attempted to establish a state monopoly on key export items like sandalwood and pepper.
III. He banned the cultivation of sericulture (silk) as un-Islamic.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. He planted a ‘Tree of Liberty’ at Seringapatam.
II. He attempted to establish a state monopoly on key export items like sandalwood and pepper.
III. He banned the cultivation of sericulture (silk) as un-Islamic.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Tipu planted a Tree of Liberty at Seringapatam and tried to establish state monopolies on goods like sandalwood and pepper. He promoted sericulture and did not ban it, so III is wrong.
Q27. Tipu Sultan’s method of administration and economic management is often described by modern historians as an early attempt at:
Explanation
Tipu’s state trading, monopolies and commercial boards are often described as an early attempt at state capitalism.
Q28. Match List I: (Anglo-Mysore Wars) with List II: (British Governors-General/Governors at the time) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Anglo-Mysore Wars | British Governors-General/Governors at the time |
|---|---|
| A. First Anglo-Mysore War | i. Lord Cornwallis |
| B. Second Anglo-Mysore War | ii. Harry Verelst |
| C. Third Anglo-Mysore War | iii. Lord Wellesley |
| D. Fourth Anglo-Mysore War | iv. Warren Hastings |
Explanation
The First Anglo-Mysore War was in the time of Harry Verelst, the Second under Warren Hastings, the Third under Lord Cornwallis and the Fourth under Lord Wellesley. This gives A-ii, B-iv, C-i, D-iii.
Q29. The British commander who successfully led the assault on Seringapatam during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799) was:
Explanation
General David Baird led the assault on Seringapatam in 1799 during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, in which Tipu Sultan was killed.
Q30. Given below are two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Choose the correct option from the choices given below:
Assertion (A): Lord Wellesley declared the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War against Tipu Sultan in 1799.
Reason (R): Tipu Sultan had attacked the British ally, the Nizam of Hyderabad, in 1798.
Assertion (A): Lord Wellesley declared the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War against Tipu Sultan in 1799.
Reason (R): Tipu Sultan had attacked the British ally, the Nizam of Hyderabad, in 1798.
Explanation
Lord Wellesley initiated the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 primarily due to Tipu Sultan’s secret negotiations with the French and his refusal to accept a Subsidiary Alliance. The claim that Tipu attacked the Nizam in 1798 is incorrect; rather, it was the British who sought to eliminate Tipu to ensure their absolute dominance and prevent any French resurgence in India.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 21 | (b) Lord Cornwallis |
| 22 | (a) A-iv, B-ii, C-i, D-iii |
| 23 | (d) All of the above are correctly matched |
| 24 | (c) He banned the use of modern artillery and relied exclusively on traditional cavalry. |
| 25 | (a) Spain |
| 26 | (a) I and II only |
| 27 | (b) State capitalism |
| 28 | (a) A-ii, B-iv, C-i, D-iii |
| 29 | (d) David Baird |
| 30 | (c) A is true but R is false. |
Key facts from Modern Indian History
- The RPSC syllabus covers the period from the early 19th century to 2000: British imperialism, the Revolt of 1857, colonial policies, reform movements, nationalism, the freedom struggle, Partition and nation-building.
- Questions on colonial rule often turn on a single Act or reform and its year, such as the Government of India Act 1858 or the Indian Councils Act 1861.
- Freedom-struggle questions pair a movement with its leader, place and date, for example Champaran in 1917 and the Dandi March in 1930.
- Statement and chronology questions are common in the freedom struggle chapters, so learn events in order.
- The post-independence chapters cover state reorganisation, planning, bank nationalisation and the growth of science and technology.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Modern Indian History?
This page has 488 practice MCQs on Modern Indian History. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters does the modern Indian history set cover?
Twelve chapters: British imperialism and early resistance, Anglo-Sikh wars and the Doctrine of Lapse, the Revolt of 1857, political and administrative policies, economic policies, socio-religious reform movements, early nationalism, the Gandhian era, revolutionary and regional movements and Partition, state reorganisation, planning and reforms, and science and technology.
Which period does RAS Prelims modern history cover?
RPSC lists the modern period from the early 19th century to 2000, including British imperialism and resistance, the Revolt of 1857, British policies, nationalism, the freedom struggle, Partition and post-independence nation-building.
How should I prepare modern history for RAS Prelims?
Build a timeline of Acts, movements and leaders first. Then attempt each chapter, read the explanation for every miss and note the leader, place and year. Chronology questions are common, so revise the order of events a few times.