History MCQs for UPSC Prelims

Q1. With reference to the history of the sedition provision (Section 124A) under the Indian Penal Code, consider the following statements: 1. Section 124A was inserted into the IPC in 1870, about a decade after the Code's enactment. 2. Macaulay's 1837 draft Penal Code contained the sedition clause, which was carried into the Code as enacted in 1860. 3. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was prosecuted for sedition, including over articles published in Kesari. 4. Mahatma Gandhi was tried under Section 124A in 1922. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

1. Section 124A was inserted into the IPC in 1870, about a decade after the Code's enactment.
2. Macaulay's 1837 draft Penal Code contained the sedition clause, which was carried into the Code as enacted in 1860.
3. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was prosecuted for sedition, including over articles published in Kesari.
4. Mahatma Gandhi was tried under Section 124A in 1922.

• A. 1, 3 and 4
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. The principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching received its classic formulation in which one of the following encyclicals?

• A. Rerum Novarum (1891)
• B. Quadragesimo Anno (1931)
• C. Populorum Progressio (1967)
• D. Laudato Si' (2015)

Q3. Which one of the following was the first papal encyclical to be addressed not only to Catholic bishops but also to 'all men of good will'?

• A. Rerum Novarum
• B. Quadragesimo Anno
• C. Mater et Magistra
• D. Pacem in Terris

Q4. Pope Pius XI's encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, which revisited the labour teaching of Rerum Novarum, was issued to mark which anniversary of Rerum Novarum?

• A. 25th
• B. 40th
• C. 50th
• D. 100th

Q5. Who was the first ruler and founder of the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom?

• A. Sevappa Nayak
• B. Achuthappa Nayak
• C. Raghunatha Nayak
• D. Vijaya Raghava Nayak

Q6. How many nuclear detonations were carried out under Pokhran-II (Operation Shakti) in May 1998?

• A. Three
• B. Four
• C. Five
• D. Six

Q7. Consider the following statements about India's Pokhran nuclear tests: 1. Pokhran-I (1974) was code-named Smiling Buddha. 2. Pokhran-I was officially described by India as a 'peaceful nuclear explosion'. 3. Pokhran-II (1998) consisted of five nuclear detonations. 4. Pokhran-II made India the very first Asian country ever to conduct a nuclear test. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

1. Pokhran-I (1974) was code-named Smiling Buddha.
2. Pokhran-I was officially described by India as a 'peaceful nuclear explosion'.
3. Pokhran-II (1998) consisted of five nuclear detonations.
4. Pokhran-II made India the very first Asian country ever to conduct a nuclear test.

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 2, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. With reference to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, whose Balidan Diwas falls on 23 June, consider the following statements: 1. He was independent India's first Minister for Industry (Industry and Supply). 2. He founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and became its first president. 3. He gave the call 'Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan' opposing Article 370. 4. He was the first Vice-President of independent India. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. He was independent India's first Minister for Industry (Industry and Supply).
2. He founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and became its first president.
3. He gave the call 'Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan' opposing Article 370.
4. He was the first Vice-President of independent India.

• A. 4 only
• B. 1 and 4
• C. 2 and 3
• D. 1 only

Q9. According to the Government's commemoration of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, at what age did he found the Bharatiya Jana Sangh?

• A. 45
• B. 48
• C. 50
• D. 52

Q10. With reference to the recent transfer of Rakhigarhi skeletal remains, the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) is best described as which one of the following?

• A. The apex national institute for anthropological research in India, functioning under the Ministry of Culture
• B. The sole statutory authority empowered to conduct all archaeological excavations in India
• C. A research institute under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs dedicated to tribal welfare schemes
• D. An autonomous body under the Ministry of Science and Technology overseeing palaeogenomics

Q11. In which one of the following cities was the world's first dedicated Fingerprint Bureau established in 1897?

• A. London
• B. Buenos Aires
• C. Calcutta
• D. Paris

Q12. With reference to the origin and formation of Left-Wing Extremist organisations in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Naxalbari peasant uprising of 1967 originated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. 2. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) was constituted in 2004 through the merger of the Maoist Communist Centre of India and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) People's War. 3. The CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation was one of the two constituent parties whose merger formed the CPI (Maoist) in 2004. 4. The CPI (Maoist), along with all its front organisations, has been banned as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since 2009. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. The Naxalbari peasant uprising of 1967 originated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
2. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) was constituted in 2004 through the merger of the Maoist Communist Centre of India and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) People's War.
3. The CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation was one of the two constituent parties whose merger formed the CPI (Maoist) in 2004.
4. The CPI (Maoist), along with all its front organisations, has been banned as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since 2009.

• A. 3 only
• B. 1 and 3
• C. 3 and 4
• D. 2 only

Q13. Who among the following is regarded as the principal ideologue of the 1967 Naxalbari peasant uprising in West Bengal, credited with authoring the 'Historic Eight Documents' that became the ideological foundation of the Naxalite movement?

• A. Kanu Sanyal
• B. Charu Majumdar
• C. Jangal Santhal
• D. Ganapathy

Q14. With reference to the early history of the Census of India, consider the following statements: 1. The first attempt to enumerate the population of India, conducted between 1865 and 1872, took place during the tenure of Viceroy Lord Mayo and was non-synchronous in nature. 2. The first synchronous census of India was conducted on 17 February 1881 under W.C. Plowden, Census Commissioner of India. 3. The decennial tradition of the Indian Census, by which an enumeration is conducted once every ten years, began with the 1872 census and has continued without break ever since. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The first attempt to enumerate the population of India, conducted between 1865 and 1872, took place during the tenure of Viceroy Lord Mayo and was non-synchronous in nature.
2. The first synchronous census of India was conducted on 17 February 1881 under W.C. Plowden, Census Commissioner of India.
3. The decennial tradition of the Indian Census, by which an enumeration is conducted once every ten years, began with the 1872 census and has continued without break ever since.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q15. In the context of India's contribution to the Korean War, which one of the following best describes the 'Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission' (NNRC), of which General K.S. Thimayya — commemorated at the Indo-Korean Friendship Park, Delhi — was the Chairman?

• A. A UN Security Council subsidiary body that supervised the ceasefire line along the 38th parallel after the 1953 Armistice
• B. A body chaired by India to take custody of and decide the fate of prisoners of war who refused repatriation after the Korean Armistice
• C. A joint India–Sweden–Switzerland mission that investigated alleged use of biological weapons during the Korean War
• D. A standing committee of non-aligned nations that mediated the negotiation of the Korean Armistice Agreement of 1953

Q16. At the Indo-Korean Friendship Park inaugurated at Delhi Cantonment in March 2021, how many pillars stand in the backdrop of the statue of General K.S. Thimayya, embossed with details of operations carried out by the 60 Parachute Field Ambulance during the Korean War?

• A. Three
• B. Five
• C. Seven
• D. Eleven

Q17. With reference to the Korean War Armistice of 1953, consider the following statements:

1. The Armistice Agreement was signed at Panmunjom on 27 July 1953.
2. The Republic of Korea (South Korea) was a signatory to the Armistice Agreement.
3. India was a member of the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission set up under the Armistice.
4. General Mark W. Clark signed the Armistice on behalf of the United Nations Command.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 1, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q18. With reference to India's role in the aftermath of the Korean War (1950–53), consider the following statements: 1. The Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (NNRC) was set up under the Korean Armistice Agreement of 1953 to handle prisoners of war who refused repatriation. 2. Unlike the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC), the NNRC included India as a member and was chaired by an Indian general. 3. The Custodian Force of India (CFI), which held the unrepatriated prisoners of war, functioned as a contingent of the United Nations Command. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (NNRC) was set up under the Korean Armistice Agreement of 1953 to handle prisoners of war who refused repatriation.
2. Unlike the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC), the NNRC included India as a member and was chaired by an Indian general.
3. The Custodian Force of India (CFI), which held the unrepatriated prisoners of war, functioned as a contingent of the United Nations Command.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q19. Who chaired the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (NNRC) constituted under the Korean Armistice Agreement of 1953?

• A. Lt Gen K.S. Thimayya
• B. Lt Gen S.P. Thorat
• C. Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa
• D. Maj Gen A.A. Rudra

Q20. With reference to the 60 Para Field Ambulance of the Indian Army during the Korean War, consider the following statements:

1. It was commanded by Lt Col (Dr) A. G. Rangaraj, who was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his service in the Korean operations.
2. It was deployed in Korea under the United Nations Command established following the outbreak of the Korean War.
3. It was conferred the title of 'Maroon Angels' by wounded soldiers and civilians of the Republic of Korea in recognition of its humanitarian medical service.
4. It constituted independent India's first combatant infantry deployment abroad in the Korean War.

• A. 1, 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q21. During the Korean War (1950-53), the 60 Para Field Ambulance of the Indian Army was deployed in Korea under which one of the following international command authorities?

• A. United Nations Command
• B. NATO Joint Command
• C. Commonwealth Forces Korea Command
• D. South-East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) Force

Q22. With reference to the historical evolution of the Census of India, consider the following statements: 1. The first population census of India was conducted in 1872 during the Viceroyalty of Lord Mayo. 2. The first synchronous census of India was carried out in 1881. 3. The Census of India 2021 was the first instance in the unbroken decennial series since 1872 in which the census was postponed. 4. Census 2027 will be conducted under the Census Act, 1950. Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. The first population census of India was conducted in 1872 during the Viceroyalty of Lord Mayo.
2. The first synchronous census of India was carried out in 1881.
3. The Census of India 2021 was the first instance in the unbroken decennial series since 1872 in which the census was postponed.
4. Census 2027 will be conducted under the Census Act, 1950.

• A. 1, 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q23. The first synchronous decennial census of India was conducted during the Viceroyalty of which one of the following?

• A. Lord Mayo
• B. Lord Lytton
• C. Lord Ripon
• D. Lord Dufferin

Q24. With reference to Buddhism in Chola-period Tamil Nadu and the Chudamani vihara at Nagapattinam, consider the following statements: 1. The vihara is associated with the grant of the village of Anaimangalam recorded in Chola copper plates. 2. It was built by a Sailendra ruler of Srivijaya during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I. 3. The relevant copper-plate charters carry inscriptions in Tamil and Sanskrit. 4. The vihara was originally established by the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in the seventh century CE. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. The vihara is associated with the grant of the village of Anaimangalam recorded in Chola copper plates.
2. It was built by a Sailendra ruler of Srivijaya during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I.
3. The relevant copper-plate charters carry inscriptions in Tamil and Sanskrit.
4. The vihara was originally established by the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in the seventh century CE.

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 2 only
• C. 4 only
• D. 2 and 4 only

Q25. With reference to the Chudamani (Chulamanivarma) vihara at Nagapattinam, as documented in the Chola copper-plate charters recently restituted to India by Leiden University Library, consider the following statements: 1. The vihara was constructed by a Sailendra king of Srivijaya with the patronage of Rajaraja Chola I. 2. The Chola charters record the grant of the village of Anaimangalam in favour of this vihara. 3. The inscriptions on the copper plates are in Tamil and Sanskrit. 4. The vihara was a Jain monastic establishment. Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. The vihara was constructed by a Sailendra king of Srivijaya with the patronage of Rajaraja Chola I.
2. The Chola charters record the grant of the village of Anaimangalam in favour of this vihara.
3. The inscriptions on the copper plates are in Tamil and Sanskrit.
4. The vihara was a Jain monastic establishment.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1, 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q26. In the context of the history of the Indian Census, the description of the Census of 1881 as the 'first synchronous census' of India refers to which one of the following?

• A. It was the first census in which the enumeration of population was carried out simultaneously across British India with reference to a single point of time.
• B. It was the first census conducted after the establishment of a permanent Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
• C. It was the first census conducted under a Census Act enacted by the Imperial Legislative Council of India.
• D. It was the first census that included a full caste-wise enumeration of the entire Indian population.

Q27. With reference to the historical evolution of the Indian Census, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The first census in India was a non-synchronous exercise conducted between 1865 and 1872.
2. India's first synchronous census was carried out in 1881.
3. Census 2027 will be the 16th in the series of Indian censuses and the 8th since Independence.
4. The decennial Indian Census series has been conducted without any interruption since 1872.

• A. 1, 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 2 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q28. On the German side, which one of the following organs of the Weimar Republic negotiated and operationalised the Russo-German Treaty of Berlin (1926)?

• A. The Reich Chancellery (Reichskanzlei) under the Reich Chancellor
• B. The Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) under the Foreign Minister
• C. The Reichswehr Ministry under the Defence Minister
• D. The Reich Ministry of Economics (Reichswirtschaftsministerium)

Q29. With reference to the provisions and accompanying features of the Russo-German Treaty of Berlin (1926), consider the following: 1. Mutual neutrality if either signatory were attacked by a third power. 2. A German pledge not to participate in any League of Nations economic or financial sanctions directed against the U.S.S.R. 3. A mutual Soviet–German guarantee of the existing Polish–Soviet frontier. 4. A German credit of 300 million marks extended to the Soviet Union. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a provision/feature of the treaty?

1. Mutual neutrality if either signatory were attacked by a third power.
2. A German pledge not to participate in any League of Nations economic or financial sanctions directed against the U.S.S.R.
3. A mutual Soviet–German guarantee of the existing Polish–Soviet frontier.
4. A German credit of 300 million marks extended to the Soviet Union.

• A. 3 only
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 1 and 4
• D. 2, 3 and 4

Q30. With reference to the Russo-German Treaty of Berlin (1926) as compared to its predecessor, the Treaty of Rapallo (1922), consider the following statements: 1. The Treaty of Berlin reaffirmed and extended the friendly relations established between Germany and Soviet Russia at Rapallo. 2. Whereas Rapallo primarily normalised diplomatic and economic relations and mutually renounced war claims, the Treaty of Berlin obliged each party to remain neutral if the other were attacked by a third power. 3. Unlike the Treaty of Rapallo, the Treaty of Berlin received the unanimous approval of all political parties in the German Reichstag. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The Treaty of Berlin reaffirmed and extended the friendly relations established between Germany and Soviet Russia at Rapallo.
2. Whereas Rapallo primarily normalised diplomatic and economic relations and mutually renounced war claims, the Treaty of Berlin obliged each party to remain neutral if the other were attacked by a third power.
3. Unlike the Treaty of Rapallo, the Treaty of Berlin received the unanimous approval of all political parties in the German Reichstag.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 2 and 3 only
• C. 1 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3