History of India MCQS – India’s history spans thousands of years and encompasses a wide range of languages, civilizations, eras, and kingdoms. There is some literature from the Indus Valley, where Indian culture first emerged. The period following the Persian Empire’s conquest of India is better understood.
History of India MCQS
Ancient History – Pre History to 700 CE
Paleolithic Age 2 million BC – 10,000 BC
1. The Paleolithic Era is also known as:
a) Stone Age
b) Bronze Age
c) Iron Age
d) Middle Ages
2. Paleolithic people created tools using:
a) Iron
b) Bronze
c) Stone
d) Plastic
3. Paleolithic people commonly hunting which of the following animals:
a) Dinosaurs
b) Mammoths
c) Lions
d) Elephants
4. Which of the following Paleolithic sites is found in India:
a) Lascaux
b) Bhimbetka
c) Altamira
d) Chauvet
Mesolithic Age 10000 – 8000 BC
5. What is the name of tiny stone tools found in the Mesolithic period?
a) Hand axes
b) Microliths
c) Flint tools
d) Chisels
6. The Mesolithic men started to wear clothes made of __.
a) Wool
b) Cotton
c) Leather
d) Silk
7. The Mesolithic peoples were art lovers and mostly paintings were based on __.
a) Landscapes
b) Hunting scenes
c) Portraits
d) Mythological stories
8. In which age was fire discovered?
a) Paleolithic Age
b) Mesolithic Age
c) Neolithic Age
d) Bronze Age
Neolithic Age 8000 BC – 4000 BC
9. In the Neolithic period, polished stone called a _ was used to make tools.
a) Flint
b) Chisel
c) Hand axe
d) Celt
10. Wheels were discovered in which of the following periods?
a) Paleolithic Period
b) Mesolithic Period
c) Neolithic Period
d) Bronze Age
11. In the Neolithic period, which of the major crops was grown?
a) Barley
b) Rice
c) Wheat
d) All of the above
12. The oldest Neolithic site found in India is __.
a) Mehrgarh
b) Bhimbetka
c) Burzahom
d) Chirand
Chalcolithic Age 4000 BC – 1500 BC
13. The Chalcolithic Age is also known as:
a) Stone Age
b) Bronze Age
c) Copper Age
d) Iron Age
14. In which period was copper used?
a) Paleolithic Period
b) Mesolithic Period
c) Neolithic Period
d) Chalcolithic Period
15. The main Chalcolithic sites in India include:
a) Mohenjo-Daro
b) Harappa
c) Navdatoli, Kayatha, and Inamgaon
d) Lothal
16. The first metal age of India is called _.
a) Bronze Age
b) Iron Age
c) Chalcolithic Age
d) Neolithic Age
17. Jorwe culture is associated with _.
a) Bronze Age
b) Iron Age
c) Chalcolithic Age
d) Neolithic Age
The Iron Age 1600 BC – 600 BC
18. In India, the Iron Age began during the __.
a) 2nd millennium BCE
b) 3rd millennium BCE
c) 4th millennium BCE
d) 1st millennium BCE
19. In the Iron Age, the most significant development was _.
a) Use of bronze tools
b) Development of pottery
c) Use of iron tools and weapons
d) Domestication of animals
20. The Iron Age is also known as _.
a) Stone Age
b) Bronze Age
c) Early Historic Period
d) Vedic Age
21. Which of the following theories have been established on the origin of the Iron Age in India?
a) Diffusion theory and Migration theory
b) Out of Africa theory and Evolution theory
c) Aryan Invasion theory and Indigenous development theory
d) Big Bang theory and Steady State theory
Empire of the Mauryans 321 BC – 185 BC
22. Who was the founder of the Mauryan dynasty?
a) Ashoka
b) Chandragupta Maurya
c) Bindusara
d) Brihadratha
23. The father of Ashoka was _.
a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Bindusara
c) Bimbisara
d) Ajatashatru
24. The capital of the Mauryan empire was _.
a) Pataliputra
b) Taxila
c) Ujjain
d) Kalinga
25. Why was the Mauryan empire famous?
a) Advanced technology
b) Military prowess
c) Administration and governance
d) Artistic achievements
26. Ashoka’s lion capital which is the national symbol of:
a) Pakistan
b) India
c) Nepal
d) Bangladesh
27. The last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty was:
a) Ashoka
b) Bindusara
c) Chandragupta Maurya
d) Brihadratha
28. Who was the first ruler who took messages to the people through his inscriptions?
a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Bindusara
c) Ashoka
d) Harshavardhana
29. Ashoka was converted to which religion?
a) Hinduism
b) Jainism
c) Buddhism
d) Zoroastrianism
30. Who defeated Ashoka?
a) Seleucus I Nicator
b) Alexander the Great
c) Kalinga army
d) No one; he was not defeated
31. Ashoka was the great ruler of ancient India and known for his:
a) Conquests
b) Administrative reforms
c) Spread of Buddhism
d) Architectural achievements
32. Ashoka made 39 inscriptions which are broadly classified into __ categories.
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
33. Arthashastra was written by Kautilya in:
a) Sanskrit
b) Prakrit
c) Pali
d) Tamil
34. Mudrarakshasa is a drama written by Visakhadatta in:
a) Sanskrit
b) Prakrit
c) Pali
d) Tamil
35. Which was the largest Indian empire?
a) Gupta Empire
b) Maurya Empire
c) Mughal Empire
d) Chola Empire
Guptas of the Post-Gupta Era
36. Harshavardhana is also called:
a) Harsha
b) Chandragupta
c) Ashoka
d) Vikramaditya
37. Who was the last ruler of the Vardhana Empire?
a) Rajyavardhana
b) Harshavardhana
c) Adityavardhana
d) Bhaskaravarman
38. Who unified northern India and made his capital Kanyakubja?
a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Ashoka
c) Harshavardhana
d) Samudragupta
39. The Pushyabhuti dynasty is also known as:
a) Maurya dynasty
b) Gupta dynasty
c) Vardhana dynasty
d) Nanda dynasty
40. How many Sanskrit plays were written by Harshavardhana?
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) Five
41. Who established Nalanda University?
a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Ashoka
c) Kumaragupta I
d) Harshavardhana
42. What is the name of the famous Indian writer and poet in the court of Harshavardhana?
a) Kalidasa
b) Banabhatta
c) Bharavi
d) Dandin
43. Harshavardhana was a worshiper of Shiva in the beginning but later became a:
a) Jain
b) Buddhist
c) Vaishnavite
d) Zoroastrian
Medieval History (700 CE to 1857 CE)
44. Nalanda University and Vikramshila were destroyed by:
a) Muhammad bin Qasim
b) Mahmud of Ghazni
c) Bakhtiyar Khilji
d) Alauddin Khilji
45. Who was the third Muslim ruler who invaded India?
a) Muhammad bin Qasim
b) Mahmud of Ghazni
c) Muhammad Ghori
d) Alauddin Khilji
46. Muhammad Ghori was defeated by:
a) Prithviraj Chauhan
b) Rana Sanga
c) Babur
d) Hemu
47. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was appointed as the commander by:
a) Mahmud of Ghazni
b) Muhammad bin Qasim
c) Muhammad Ghori
d) Alauddin Khilji
48. Who was the general of King Akbar who defeated the Cheros:
a) Bairam Khan
b) Man Singh
c) Birbal
d) Tansen
49. Who introduced new methods of rice cultivation in their kingdom:
a) Alauddin Khilji
b) Sher Shah Suri
c) Akbar
d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
50. Ibrahim Lodi was the son of:
a) Bahlul Lodi
b) Sikandar Lodi
c) Daulat Khan Lodi
d) Khizr Khan
51. Who was the author of Tughluqnama:
a) Amir Khusrau
b) Ziauddin Barani
c) Ibn Battuta
d) Al-Biruni
52. Amir Khusrau was a classical poet associated with:
a) Akbar
b) Alauddin Khilji
c) Muhammad bin Tughluq
d) Babur
53. To whom did Akbar give the title of Jagat Guru:
a) Birbal
b) Tansen
c) Salim Chishti
d) Purushottam Das
54. During whose reign did Nadir Shah attack India and take the diamond Kohinoor:
a) Shah Jahan
b) Aurangzeb
c) Muhammad Shah
d) Bahadur Shah I
55. Who founded the Bijapur Kingdom?
a) Adil Shah
b) Ibrahim Shah
c) Yusuf Adil Shah
d) Ismail Adil Shah
56. The first battle of Panipat was fought in the year of:
a) 1526
b) 1556
c) 1761
d) 1658
57. The second battle of Panipat was fought in the year of:
a) 1526
b) 1556
c) 1761
d) 1658
58. The third battle of Panipat was fought in the year of:
a) 1526
b) 1556
c) 1761
d) 1658
59. Razia Sultan belonged to the _ dynasty.
a) Khilji
b) Tughlaq
c) Slave
d) Lodi
60. Who was the first and last female ruler of Medieval India:
a) Chand Bibi
b) Nur Jahan
c) Jahanara Begum
d) Razia Sultan
61. Diwan-i-Insha was the department of:
a) Agriculture
b) Correspondence
c) Military
d) Revenue
62. Buland Darwaza was built by:
a) Babur
b) Humayun
c) Akbar
d) Shah Jahan
63. The time taken for the construction of Buland Darwaza was:
a) 3 years
b) 2 years
c) 5 years
d) 4 years
64. Which of the following architecture was the mixture of Hindu and Persian style:
a) Qutub Minar
b) Buland Darwaza
c) Red Fort
d) Fatehpur Sikri
65. The Mysore Palace was the residence of:
a) Marathas
b) Mughals
c) Wodeyars
d) Nizams
66. The Mysore Palace was established in the year of:
a) 1912
b) 1897
c) 1902
d) 1910
67. Who was the last ruler of the Lodi Dynasty:
a) Bahlul Lodi
b) Sikandar Lodi
c) Ibrahim Lodi
d) Daulat Khan Lodi
Modern History (Post 1857 CE)
68. Who is known as the father of Modern India?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d) B. R. Ambedkar
69. Who gave the motto “Go Back to Vedas”?
a) Swami Vivekananda
b) Swami Dayananda Saraswati
c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
70. The first law based on compulsory education was introduced by the State:
a) Bombay
b) Madras
c) Baroda
d) Bengal
71. Who is known as the Iron Man of India?
a) Jawaharlal Nehru
b) Subhas Chandra Bose
c) Vallabhbhai Patel
d) Bhagat Singh
72. The Poona Pact was an agreement between:
a) Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
b) Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar
c) B. R. Ambedkar and Vallabhbhai Patel
d) Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi
73. On which date did the Jallianwala Massacre occur?
a) April 13, 1919
b) March 15, 1920
c) August 15, 1947
d) January 26, 1950
74. Who was the founder of Atmiya Sabha?
a) Swami Vivekananda
b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
c) Dayananda Saraswati
d) Rabindranath Tagore
75. Which of the following newspapers was started by Annie Besant?
a) Kesari
b) Young India
c) The Hindu
d) New India
76. The Ghadar Party was founded by:
a) Lala Har Dayal
b) Bhagat Singh
c) Sukhdev
d) Rajguru
77. Who was the author of Vande Mataram?
a) Rabindranath Tagore
b) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
c) Sarojini Naidu
d) Subramania Bharati
78. The Simon Commission was a group of _ members.
a) Five
b) Seven
c) Nine
d) Eleven
79. Who was the founder of the Brahmo Samaj?
a) Dayananda Saraswati
b) Swami Vivekananda
c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
80. Who played an important role in abolishing the Sati System?
a) Swami Vivekananda
b) Dayananda Saraswati
c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d) Rabindranath Tagore
81. Who introduced the dual government system?
a) Robert Clive
b) Warren Hastings
c) Lord Cornwallis
d) Lord Wellesley
82. In 1956, Indian states were reorganised on the basis of:
a) Religion
b) Population
c) Language
d) Economic Status
83. Who attended the second round table conference in 1931?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Sardar Patel
84. Who was the first woman President of Indian National Congress?
a) Sarojini Naidu
b) Annie Besant
c) Indira Gandhi
d) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
85. Who was popularly known as Deshbandhu?
a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
b) Chittaranjan Das
c) Lala Lajpat Rai
d) Bipin Chandra Pal
86. Who was known as the Iron Lady of India?
a) Indira Gandhi
b) Sarojini Naidu
c) Vijayalakshmi Pandit
d) Annie Besant
87. Who was known as the Nightingale of India?
a) Indira Gandhi
b) Sarojini Naidu
c) Vijayalakshmi Pandit
d) Annie Besant
88. What is the ratio of the Indian flag’s length to its width:
a) 2:3
b) 3:2
c) 4:3
d) 3:4
89. The Lion Capital of Ashoka is taken from which place:
a) Sanchi
b) Sarnath
c) Lumbini
d) Bodh Gaya
90. In which year did the first war of Indian Independence take place?
a) 1857
b) 1757
c) 1947
d) 1919
91. In which year did the Quit India Movement take place?
a) 1920
b) 1930
c) 1942
d) 1947
92. In which year did the Civil Disobedience Movement take place?
a) 1919
b) 1922
c) 1930
d) 1942
Important MCQs of Indian History
- Indus Valley Civilization MCQ
- Vedic Civilization MCQ
- Ancient History MCQ
- Medieval Indian History MCQ
- Modern Indian History MCQ
- Gupta Dynasty MCQ
- South Indian History MCQ
- Delhi Sultanate MCQ
- Mughal Empire MCQ
- Maratha Empire MCQ
- MCQ on Vijayanagara Empire
- Magadha Empire MCQ
- Battle of Panipat MCQs
- Battle of Plassey MCQ
- Battle of Buxar MCQ
- Battle of Haldighati MCQ
- Sangam Age MCQ
- Stone Age MCQ
- Bronze Age MCQ
- Iron Age MCQ