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 1111–1120 of 1767 questions
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RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1111. Consider the following statements regarding the construction and utility of Nadis. I. They are the most common form of traditional surface water bodies in western Rajasthan. II. Their size and catchment area dictate how many months they retain water after the monsoon. III. They are historically constructed by excavating natural depressions. IV. The excavated soil is usually used to create an embankment to retain more water. V. They are structurally completely immune to the high summer temperatures of the Thar desert. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Nadis are the commonest surface water bodies of western Rajasthan. Their size and catchment decide how long they hold water, they are dug in natural depressions, and the excavated soil is used for an embankment. They are not immune to summer heat, so V is wrong.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1112. The ‘Khadin’ system of Jaisalmer is best defined as:
Explanation
The Khadin is an indigenous system of runoff farming in the Jaisalmer region. Rainwater from a rocky catchment is held behind an earthen bund and the moist soil is used to grow crops.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1113. Which specific community is historically credited with pioneering and mastering the Khadin system of agriculture in the Jaisalmer region?
Explanation
The Paliwal Brahmins are credited with developing the Khadin system of the Jaisalmer region.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1114. Arrange the functional flow of water in a traditional Khadin system in the correct sequential order. I. Spillway (to release excess water) II. Rocky catchment area III. Khadin bund (earthen embankment) IV. Lower Khadin field
Explanation
In a Khadin the water flows from the rocky catchment to the Khadin bund, the spillway lets out the excess and the lower field uses the moisture. The order is II, III, I, IV.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1115. What is the primary cause-and-effect relationship that allows Khadins to support agriculture in areas with less than 150mm of annual rainfall?
Explanation
In areas with under 150 mm of rain, a Khadin holds the captured runoff behind a bund. The water percolates deep into the soil and keeps it moist, which allows a winter (Rabi) crop to grow without irrigation.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1116. Identify the correct statement regarding the physical components of a Khadin.
Explanation
A Khadin has a masonry spillway that drains surplus floodwater safely from the basin. The earthen bund is at the lower end of the catchment slope, and the cultivated area is the submerged basin behind it.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1117. Consider the following statements highlighting the ecological benefits of the Khadin system. I. It prevents soil erosion by arresting the velocity of runoff water. II. It continuously enriches the soil by depositing fine, fertile sediment brought by the runoff. III. It facilitates localized groundwater recharge, improving the water levels of nearby open wells. Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
A Khadin slows the runoff and so prevents soil erosion, deposits fertile silt that enriches the soil and helps recharge groundwater in nearby wells. All three statements are correct.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1118. Read the following statements regarding the soil in a Khadin field. Statement I: The soil in a Khadin field requires heavy application of modern chemical fertilizers to maintain its fertility. Statement II: The runoff water naturally deposits fine silt and organic matter into the Khadin basin, maintaining its high fertility over centuries. Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
Runoff deposits fine silt and organic matter in the Khadin basin, which keeps it fertile for centuries without heavy chemical fertilisers. Statement I is false and Statement II is true.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1119. Match the traditional terms associated with the Khadin system in List I with their functional equivalents in List II.
Traditional Term
Functional Equivalent
A. Dhora
i. The spillway for excess water overflow
B. Agor
ii. The rocky catchment area providing runoff
C. Baithak
iii. The earthen embankment that halts the water
D. Nehta
iv. The submergence area where cultivation occurs
Explanation
In a Khadin the Dhora is the earthen embankment that halts the water, the Agor is the rocky catchment area, the Baithak is the submergence area where crops are grown and the Nehta is the spillway. This gives A-iii, B-ii, C-iv, D-i.
RAS PrelimsRajasthan History, Art and Culture · Water Bodies and Water Heritage
Q1120. In the arid regions of Bikaner, Barmer, and Jodhpur, a ‘Tanka’ is traditionally defined as:
Explanation
In Bikaner, Barmer and Jodhpur a Tanka is a small underground cistern for harvesting and storing rainwater. It is the main source of drinking water for many homes.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
1111
(a) I, II, III, and IV only
1112
(c) An indigenous runoff agriculture system using captured rainwater.
1113
(d) Paliwal Brahmins
1114
(a) II, III, I, IV
1115
(b) Captured runoff enables deep percolation to sustain winter (Rabi) crops.
1116
(d) A masonry spillway is built to safely drain surplus floodwater from the basin.
1117
(d) I, II, and III
1118
(d) Statement I is false but Statement II is true.
1119
(b) A-iii, B-ii, C-iv, D-i
1120
(b) A small underground cistern for harvesting and storing rainwater.
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.
