Rajasthan History, Art and Culture: RAS Prelims MCQs
1767 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on the history, art, culture, literature and heritage of Rajasthan are on this page, in 17 chapters. They run from prehistoric sites and inscriptions through the Rajput dynasties, the Mughal and British periods and the integration of Rajasthan, then move to forts, painting, folk arts, language, saints, fairs and leading personalities. Questions come as plain facts, statement sets, match-the-list tables and assertion-reason items, each with an answer and an explanation.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1091–1100 of 1767 questions
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RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1091. Read the following statements regarding Kunds. Statement I: Kunds were traditionally constructed to store rainwater strictly for drinking purposes, especially in regions with highly saline groundwater. Statement II: The water collected in a Kund is considered pure as the catchment area is kept scrupulously clean and is off-limits to livestock. Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
Kunds were specifically designed to provide high-quality drinking water in areas where groundwater is often saline. To maintain this purity, the catchment area is kept extremely clean and protected from any activity that could cause contamination. The local communities strictly prevent livestock from entering the Agor, ensuring that the collected rainwater remains safe for human consumption throughout the long dry seasons.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1092. Match the traditional water structures in List I with their predominant structural characteristics in List II.
Structure
Structural Characteristics
A. Kund
i. Subterranean stepwell with architectural flights of stairs
B. Baori
ii. Saucer-shaped artificially treated catchment leading to a pit
C. Khadin
iii. Earthen check dam for surface storage and groundwater recharge
D. Johad
iv. Long earthen embankment built across the lower hill slopes to farm runoff water
Explanation
Rajasthan’s traditional water structures are defined by their unique engineering features. A Kund uses a saucer-shaped catchment leading to a pit, while a Baori is a subterranean stepwell with stairs. A Khadin is an earthen embankment built across slopes for runoff farming, and a Johad is a small check dam used for surface storage and facilitating groundwater recharge in local aquifers.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1093. If a community wants to optimize a newly built Kund for maximum pure water yield, which of the following practices should be actively implemented on its catchment (Agor)?
Explanation
To maximize the efficiency of a Kund, the catchment area or Agor must be treated to ensure high runoff. Traditionally, this involves plastering the surface with materials like lime, ash, or a mixture of mud and gravel. This creates a hard, impervious layer that prevents water from soaking into the ground, instead directing almost all rainfall into the central storage cistern.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1094. Which of the following is the odd one out regarding the traditional structural elements specifically designed to maintain the water quality in a Kund?
Explanation
Maintaining water purity in a Kund involves several specific design features. Covering the storage pit with a dome or lid reduces evaporation and contamination, while mesh filters at inlets block debris. Plastering the internal walls helps keep the water clean and prevents seepage. However, large public bathing ghats would lead to significant contamination and are therefore not a feature of these drinking water structures.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1095. Consider the following statements concerning the traditional social practices associated with Kunds. I. Shoes are strictly removed before entering the catchment area (Agor) of a drinking water Kund. II. Kunds were often constructed by wealthy individuals or communities as a charitable act (Punya). III. Water from a Kund is routinely used for large-scale agricultural irrigation. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The management of Kunds is governed by strict social norms aimed at protecting water quality. Removing shoes before entering the catchment area is a standard practice to maintain cleanliness. Many Kunds were built through private or community charity as acts of religious merit. However, they are typically used for domestic drinking purposes rather than large-scale irrigation, as their storage capacity is limited.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1096. Which of the following materials is traditionally NOT utilized in the construction or lining of a Kund to prevent water seepage and maintain purity?
Explanation
To prevent water loss through seepage, the construction of a Kund requires materials that create a watertight seal. Traditional builders used lime, ash, and sometimes modern cement to line the storage pits and treat the catchments. Highly porous sandstone would be unsuitable for this purpose, as it would allow the stored water to leak out into the surrounding soil, defeating the structure’s primary function.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1097. The widespread community revival of ‘Johads’ as an effective drought mitigation strategy is most famously associated with which region of Rajasthan?
Explanation
The revival of Johads as a community-based water management strategy is most prominently seen in the Shekhawati and Alwar regions. These earthen check dams have been instrumental in recharging groundwater and rejuvenating seasonal rivers. This movement, driven by local participation, has transformed the landscape of these areas, making them more resilient to drought and improving agricultural security for many rural villages.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1098. Which prominent non-governmental organization, spearheaded by Rajendra Singh, played a crucial role in mobilizing communities to rebuild Johads in Rajasthan?
Explanation
Tarun Bharat Sangh, an NGO led by the renowned water conservationist Rajendra Singh, has played a pivotal role in reviving traditional water systems in Rajasthan. By mobilizing local communities to build and repair thousands of Johads, the organization has successfully restored groundwater levels and revived several dried-up rivers. This work has earned global recognition for demonstrating the effectiveness of indigenous knowledge in modern times.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1099. Which of the following statements correctly differentiates a Johad from a Tanka?
Explanation
While both are traditional harvesting structures, Johads and Tankas serve different primary functions. A Johad is an open earthen embankment built to capture runoff and facilitate its percolation into the ground to recharge local wells. In contrast, a Tanka is a sealed, underground masonry cistern specifically designed to store rainwater for drinking purposes, protecting it from evaporation and contamination in arid zones.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1100. The following question consists of two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Assertion (A): The construction of a series of Johads can lead to the rejuvenation of dried-up seasonal rivers. Reason (R): Johads arrest the rapid surface runoff of rainwater, allowing it to percolate steadily and raise the local groundwater table, which provides base flow to rivers. Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
Building a series of Johads along a watershed is a proven method for river rejuvenation. By slowing down and trapping surface runoff, these structures allow water to soak into the ground rather than flowing away. This process recharges the local water table, which eventually provides a steady base flow to seasonal rivers, allowing them to flow even long after the monsoon has ended.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
1091
(a) Both Statement I and Statement II are true.
1092
(d) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii
1093
(c) Plastering the Agor with lime or ash to maximize runoff and purity.
1094
(d) Constructing large public bathing ghats leading into the water.
1095
(a) I and II only
1096
(b) Highly porous sandstone
1097
(c) Shekhawati and Alwar
1098
(a) Tarun Bharat Sangh
1099
(c) A Johad is an earthen dam for recharge; a Tanka is an underground cistern.
1100
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Key facts from Rajasthan History, Art and Culture
Rajasthan history questions are fact-dense: sites with their districts, rulers with their forts, inscriptions with their dates.
The integration of Rajasthan came in stages: the Matsya Union on 18 March 1948, the Rajasthan Union on 25 March 1948 and the United State of Rajasthan on 18 April 1948.
Culture chapters reward pairs: a dance with its community, a painting school with its subject, a fair with its month.
Statement-based and match-the-list items appear in every chapter, so partial knowledge is not enough; learn each fact with its context.
Fort and monument questions often turn on one detail, such as the Jaivana cannon at Jaigarh or the 1,444 pillars of Ranakpur.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Rajasthan History, Art and Culture?
This page has 1767 practice MCQs on Rajasthan History, Art and Culture. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters does the Rajasthan history, art and culture set cover?
Seventeen chapters: prehistoric Rajasthan, sources of history, ancient society, major dynasties, resistance and cooperation with central power, administration and revenue, the 18th and 19th centuries, peasant and tribal movements, integration, temples and forts, water heritage, painting, performing arts, language, religious life, social life and leading personalities.
What types of questions are included?
Plain one-fact questions, statement sets (I, II, III), match-the-list tables, assertion-reason items, chronological-order questions and odd-one-out questions. The answer options use the same four-option format as the exam, so you can practise the pattern as well as the facts.
How should I revise Rajasthan history with these questions?
Take one chapter at a time. Attempt every question before opening the answer, read the explanation for the ones you got wrong and note each fact in a running list of places, rulers and dates. Return to the chapter after a few days and attempt it again.
