UPSC 2025 History Previous Year Questions

Question 1

Consider the following fruits I. Papaya II. Pineapple III. Guava How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Only one | Only two | All the three | None. Papaya, pineapple and guava were introduced into India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries.

Question 2

Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. The Poona Pact | The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact) | Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement | Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935. After the Poona Pact, Gandhi made upliftment of Harijans a central part of his political and social programme against untouchability.

Question 3

Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. C. R. Das | Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant | Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami | M. A. Jinnah. Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provided legal defence in the aftermath of the Chauri Chaura case.

Question 4

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. carnelian | clay | bronze | gold. The Dancing Girl is a 10.5 cm bronze figurine discovered at Mohenjo-daro in 1926, among the finest examples of Harappan metallurgy. It was cast by the lost-wax (cire perdue) process and depicts a girl wearing bangles with a confident stance; it is housed in the National Museum, New Delhi.

Question 5

"Sedition has become my religion" was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. the Champaran Satyagraha | publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi | attending the Second Round Table Conference in London | the launch of the Quit India Movement. Gandhi made the statement "Sedition has become my religion" in the context of publicly violating the Salt Law at Dandi.

Question 6

Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement I. The Congress declared the attainment of 'Swaraj' by all legitimate and peaceful means to be its objective. II. It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes for the next stage only if 'Swaraj' did not come within a year and the Government resorted to repression. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. I only | II only | Both I and II | Neither I nor II. The Non-Cooperation Movement adopted Swaraj by peaceful/legitimate means and envisaged stages, with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes as later escalation if Swaraj was not achieved and repression followed.

Question 7

Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the 'Pradeshika', 'Rajuka' and 'Yukta' were important officers at the?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. village-level administration | district-level administration | provincial administration | level of the central administration. Pradeshika, Rajuka and Yukta were important district-level officers mentioned in Ashokan inscriptions.

Question 8

The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Delhi | Gwalior | Ujjain | Lahore. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar founded the first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya at Lahore in 1901.

Question 9

With reference to ancient India (600-322 BC), consider the following pairs: Territorial region - River flowing in the region I. Asmaka - Godavari II. Kamboja - Vipas III. Avanti - Mahanadi IV. Kosala - Sarayu How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only one | Only two | Only three | All the four. Asmaka-Godavari and Kosala-Sarayu are correct. Kamboja is not linked with Vipas and Avanti is not linked with Mahanadi, so two pairs are correct.

Question 10

Who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Srivijaya, the powerful maritime State, which ruled the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and the neighbouring islands?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Amoghavarsha (Rashtrakuta) | Prataparudra (Kakatiya) | Rajendra I (Chola) | Vishnuvardhana (Hoysala). Rajendra Chola I led the naval expedition against Srivijaya in Southeast Asia.

UPSC 2025 History PYQs with Answers