Sunday 4 September 2011

History Previous Questions


Indus valley Civilization
  1. Give an appraisal of Town planning of the Indus cities and evaluate the various reasons for their decline (1979)
  2. Discuss the trade and cultural contacts and the extent of the Indus Valley Civilization within and the outside India and describe in detail any one of the Indus sites within India (1980)
  3. Was India civilized before the advent of the Aryans? State briefly the extent and striking features of the earlier civilization if any (1982 – Short)
  4. How do you account for the decline of the major cities of Indus Valley Civilization (1984 – Short)
  5. ‘On circumstantial evidence Indra stands convicted.’ Explain and discuss briefly different views about a sudden end of the Indus Valley Civilization. How would you explain the presence of those elements in Indian Culture and Civilization which are found to have existed in the Indus Valley period? (1986)
  6. ‘The Indus Valley Civilization had an abrupt end’. Discuss the statement and explain how the Indus Valley Civilization could influence Indian Culture in its later history’ (1988)
  7. ‘The Indus civilization did not have an abrupt appearance. Discuss the statement. How does the Indus civilization stand, in view of its geographical expansion and chronology in relation to the Vedic civilization? (1990)
  8. External trade of Harappans (1991 –Short)
  9. The burial customs in the Indus Civilization (1993)
  10. Discuss the pattern of trade during the Indus valley Civilization. How far did it affect the nature of contemporary settlements in the Indian subcontinent (1994)
  11. The religion of the Indus civilization (1996 – Short)
  12. ‘The continuity of the Indus Civilization into later ages was not confined to the religious and spiritual fields alone’. Analyze the statement (1997)
  13. Discuss salient feature of the Indus valley Civilization. Mention important place from where relics of civilization have been recovered so far. Causes of its decline (1999)
  14. Analyze the elements of Urban Civilization in the Harappan culture. What factors are responsible for its decline? (2002)

Vedic Civilization
  1. Give an account of the geography of the Vedic texts and describe the social life during the Vedic times? (1979)
  2. Discuss the political pattern and the major religious ideas and rituals of the vedic age?(1980)
  3. Examine the contribution of Vedic Culture in the sphere of social institutions and religion. Was there any continuity between the Indus and Vedic Cultures in this respect? (1983)
  4. What was the position of Varuna in the Vedic system of Gods? 91984 – Short)
  5. Discuss the geographical areas known to the Rigvedic people? Were they familiar with the sea? (1985)
  6. Democratic elements in the political system of the early vedic period (1986 – Short)
  7. Compare the economic, social and religious life of the Indus Valley people with that of the early vedic people and discuss the relative chronology of the Indus and the early Vedic culture (1987)
  8. Position of woman in Rigvedic society (1988 – Short)
  9. Discuss briefly the development of religious ideas and rituals in the Vedic age. Do they show any parallelism with the religion of Indus Valley Civilization? (1989)
  10. The formulation of social system in the later vedic period (1990 –Short)
  11. Analyze the differences and similarities between Indus Valley and Vedic Cultures (1992)
  12. The Vedic Gods of terrestrial region (1993 – Short)
  13. Bring out the elements of change and continuity between the early Vedic and late Vedic culture (1993)
  14. Vedic literature (1995 – Short)
  15. Vedic rituals (1997 - Short)
  16. Give a brief account of the social and economic conditions of the later Vedic Aryans. What role did iron play in changing their political and economic life? (1998)
  17. Describe the social life of the later Vedic people. How was it different from the Rigvedic life? (2004)
  18. Evaluate the various approaches to the understanding of vedic religion (2009 -30 Marks)
  19. Examine the view that the sacrifice was a ritual and a form of social exchange in Vedic India (2010 – 30 Marks)

Pre-Mauryan Age
  1. What were the causes of the origin of the heterodox sects in the 6th BC? (1984 – Short)
  2. Discuss the social and economic factors for the rise of Buddhism. How far was it influenced by Upanishadic thought? (1987)
  3. The intellectual revolution in the 6th BC (1998 –Short)
  4. Trace the rise of Magadhan imperialism up to the times of the Nandas with particular reference to its policy towards the non-monarchial states. Discuss the factors that contributed to its success (1990)
  5. Give an account of the republics in the Pre-Mauryan period. Discuss the factors which contributed to their decline (1992)
  6. Essence of Early Jainism (1995 – Short)
  7. Social and Economic conditions of North India during the Pre-Mauryan period (600 – 325 BC) (1996 – Short)
  8. Analyze the causes of the success of the Magadhan imperialism up to the reign of Ashok the Great. (2001)
  9. ‘The 6th BC was a period of religious and economic unrest in India ‘. Comment (2003)
  10. Explain the social aspects of Buddhism and account for its decline in India. (2004)
  11. Write what you know of the rise and spread of Buddhism before the first century AD. (2007)

Mauryan Age
  1. Discuss the nature of Asoka’s Dhamma. What is responsible for the downfall of his empire? (1979)
  2. Critically examine the sources for the study of Mauryan dynasty. How are they useful in understanding the Mauryan administration? (1980)
  3. Bring out the elements of change and continuity in the domestic and foreign policies of Asoka? (1981)
  4. Do you think that the economic factors were alone responsible for the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire? (1982 – Short)
  5. Analyze Asoka’s policy of Dhamma and account for its failure. (1983)
  6. Examine the administrative system of the Mauryans and discuss briefly the causes of the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire? (1984)
  7. Discuss critically the relative importance of the different sources for the history of the Mauryan period. (1986)
  8. Mauryan court art as an alien grafting (1988 – Short)
  9. Discuss the comparative merit of Arthasastra the Indica and Ashokan inscriptions as sources for the administration, socio-economic conditions and religious life in the Mauryan period. (1989)
  10. The Mauryan policy of regulating and controlling economic activities. (1980 – Short)
  11. Contents of Ashoka’s keenness to propagate dhamma (1991 – Short)
  12. Examine the importance of Asoka’s Rock Edict XIII for determining the extent of the Mauryan Empire. Did Ashoka’s policies and reforms contribute to the fall of the empire? (1993)
  13. Determine the veracity of Megatanese descriptions of Indian society and economy with the help of other contemporary evidences. (1994)
  14. Inscriptions of Asoka (1995 – Short)
  15. Mauryan Municipal Administration (1996 – Short)
  16. Examine sources of information for Mauryan dynasty throw light on historical significance of Asoka’s inscriptions (1999)
  17. How did Asoka contribute to the moral and administrative welfare of his people? (2000)
  18. Examine the nature of Mauryan state. Bring out the features of their administrative system. (2002)
  19. Determine the extent of the Mauryan Empire. (2005)

Post-Mauryan / Pre-Guptan
  1. How was overseas trade organized in South India up to 300 AD? Discus this with special reference to Roman trade and point out its impact on Indian Economy? (1984)
  2. The role of guilds in the economic life of India from 200 BC and 300 AD? (1986 – Short and 2010)
  3. Bring out the salient features of the religious developments in the post-Mauryan period. How was contemporary art influenced by it? (1988)
  4. Indian participation in the silk trade through Central Asia? (Short – 1990)
  5. Origin, Chronology, Characteristics and Geographical spread of Gandhara Art? (1991 – Short)
  6. Discuss the military activities of Kharavela of Kalinga. Do you think that his reign is significant for military expeditions alone? (1993)
  7. Buddhist writing in Sanskrit in the post-Mauryan Period?  (1993 – Short)
  8. The centuries between 200 BC – 300 AD constitutes landmark in the socio-religious history on India. Analyze the proposition. (1995)
  9. Furnish a critical and comparative account of various schools of art in the Post- Mauryan period (200 BC – 300 AD) (1998)
  10. How justified are we in characterizing the post-Mauryan five centuries as the ‘Dark Period’ of Indian History? Give reasons in support of your answers (2008)
  11. How do recent archaeological findings and Sangam literary texts enlighten us about the early state and society in South India? (2008)
  12. Examine the significance of the deities depicted on the coins of the Kushans (2010 30 Marks)

Guptan
  1. Describe the expansion of the Gupta Empire under Samudragupta with the help of the Allahabad Pillar inscription? (1979)
  2. Examine the development of religion, literature and fine arts under the Guptas? (1980)
  3. How far d the coins of the Guptas provide clues regarding trends in economy, polity, religion and art?? Discuss them in the light of corroborating evidence from archaeological and literature? (1981)
  4. Describe the conditions of economic life in the age of the Guptas? (1982)
  5. The Gupta period stands at the Centre of Indian History? Discuss the development of arts and literature in the Gupta period in the light of this statement. (1985)
  6. The significance of the polity of matrimonial alliances for the expansion and consolidation of the Gupta Empire? (1986 – Short)
  7.  The economic prosperity in the Gupta Period? (1990 – Short)
  8. In what ways does religion as reflected in the Vedic texts differ from the religion of the Gupta period? (1991)
  9. Analyze the characteristic feature of Gupta art and compare them with those of the Mauryan Art? (1992)
  10. Factors that led to the rise and fall of the Gupta Empire? (1996 – Short)
  11. Skandagupta’s War with the Hunas? (1997 – Short)
  12. Highlight the achievement of the Gupta period in the field of literature, science and technology? (1998)
  13. Assess the status of women in India from 4th BC to 6th AD (2005)
  14. What are the salient features of the administrative system of the Guptas? (2005)
  15. Describe the expansion of th Guptan Empire under Samudragupta (2006)
  16. Throw light on the condition of common man in the Guptan period (2007)
  17. Give an account of  the use of gold coins by commoners in the Guptan period (2009 30 Marks)
  18. What light do early inscriptions and literature throw on the status of women in politico-socio-economic spheres (2010)

    Post-Guptan
    1. Discuss the contribution of the Pallavas to South Indian Art. Was this art wholly indigenous? (1979)
    2. Discuss critically the main aspects of polity and society under the Pallavas? (1981)
    3. Trace the origin and developments of the political authority of Chalukyas of Badami and discuss their contribution to religion and architecture? (1982)
    4. Who were the Pallavas? Review briefly their contribution to art and administration? (1983)
    5. What was the contribution of Chalukyas of Badami to Indian Architecture? (1984 – Short)
    6. Critically examine the sources of information for the study of Harshavardhana and discuss his religious policy? (1984)
    7. Trace briefly the history of the struggle between the Chalukyas and the Pallavas. Analyze its causes and bring out its importance? (1985)
    8. The contributions of the Pallavas to Indian Architecture (1986 – Short)
    9. Harsha is described as ‘The lord of the whole of North India’. Determine the extent of his empire and discuss his political relations with Sasanka, Bhaskaravarman and Pulakeshi – II. (1986)
    10. Harsha owes his greatness largely not to any real achievements but to formulate description by two famous men.’ Discuss? (1987)
    11. The Maukharis paving the way for glory of Harshavardhana (1988 – Short)
    12. Evaluate the importance of the contributions of the Pallavas in the history of the development of art and administration in South India? (1988)
    13. Discuss critically the role Harsha played in the political history of his times (1989)
    14. Make a comparative study of the administrative system and development of art under the Pallavas of Kanchi and the Chalukyas of Vatapi? (1990)
    15. In what ways would the period of the Pallavas of Kanchi and that of the Chalukyas of Badami mark the beginning of a new historical phase in peninsular India? (1991)
    16. How far is it true to say that the strength and vigor of Indian history during 500-750 AD lay in the south of Vindhyas? (1995)
    17. Give an account of the society of Northern and Central India since the death of Harsha to the Muslim conquest of North India? (1996)
    18. Of all events that had a singular bearing on the history of India, Harsha’s death in 647 AD is significant, why? Explain (1996)
    19. Assess the achievements of the Pallavas in administration and art? (1997)
    20. ‘Harshavardhana was himself was great, but he has been made greater by Bana and Yuang Chaing’ critically examine the statement (1999)
    21. Who were Maukharis? Discuss their political relations with the later Guptas of Magadha? (2000)
    22. Give an account of the struggle for supremacy in South India between Chalukyas of Badami and the Pallavas? (2000)
    23. Examine the information of Fahien about the political, religious, social and economic conditions of India. Make a comparative study of his account with that of Yuang Chanwg? (2003)
    24. Give an account of the rise of the Chalukyas of Vatapi and their struggle with other rules. Write a note on their patronage of arts? (2004)

      1 comment:

      1. This compilation of questions is really helpful in my preparation. Saved a lot of time. Thank u.But why have you limited yourself to ancient history

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