Medieval History: UPSC Mains PYQs

The History of Medieval India is a crucial segment for candidates with History Optional in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Analyzing previous years’ solved papers for this section is key for securing top ranks. Here’s a detailed explanation of its importance:

Revealing Exam Trends and Key Topics: Previous years’ solved papers highlight frequently tested themes and question patterns within Medieval Indian history. Topics such as the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, regional states, and socio-economic changes are often emphasized. By reviewing these papers, candidates can identify which topics are recurrently covered and adjust their study plans to focus on high-priority areas.

Understanding the Required Analytical Depth: Analyzing solved papers helps candidates grasp the depth of analysis required. For instance, questions may demand comparative studies of different dynasties, detailed evaluations of administrative systems, or assessments of cultural developments. Understanding these expectations enables candidates to craft comprehensive and insightful answers that meet the examiners’ standards.

Improving Answer-Writing Skills: Studying well-answered questions from past papers helps candidates refine their answer-writing skills. It provides insights into structuring answers, presenting arguments effectively, and integrating historical evidence. This practice is essential for developing high-quality responses that adhere to the examination’s requirements.

In essence, analyzing previous years’ solved papers for Medieval Indian history equips candidates with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this section, significantly enhancing their chances of achieving top ranks in the UPSC examination.

UPSC CSE 2023

Q1. Discuss the various proponents of Indian feudalism.

Q2. Examine the defects in Alberuni’s assessment of Indian society.

Q3. Discuss the importance of Sufi literature as an important source of history.

Q4. What factors do you attribute for the decline of the Delhi Sultanate?

Q5. The motive of Alauddin Khilji’s agrarian policy was to curb the powers of the intermediaries. Examine the measures which he adopted to achieve his objective.

Q6. Discuss the role of Nur Jahan in the Mughal court politics during the reign of Jahangir.

Q7. Why did Balban prefer ‘consolidation over ‘expansion’ of the Delhi Sultanate?

Q8. What features of European paintings were incorporated in the Mughal Miniature painting?

Q9. The Marathas posed a significant threat to the integrity of the Mughal Empire. Discuss.

Q10. “Haidar Ali was born to build an empire, and Tipu Sultan to lose one.” Comment.

Q11. Analyze the rise of the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh.

Q12. Mughal architecture was syncretic in character. Comment.

Q13. The economy of India was not stagnant in the eighteenth century. Discuss.

Q14. Discuss the nature of the Mughal State under Akbar.

UPSC CSE 2022

Q1. What were ‘Brahmadeya’ grants? How do you account for the large number of such grants in the early medieval period?

Q2. The establishment of large number of urban settlements in North India in the thirteenth century was principally owing to the deployment or Turkish garrisons across the lands. Comment.

Q3. Much of the political instability after the death of iltutmish was the doing of the Chahalgan. Elucidate.

Q4. The Rajput school of painting was Mughal in style and Rajput in its content. Comment.

Q5. Account for the rise of the Maratha power in the eighteenth century.

Q6. The market regulations of Ala-ud-din Khilji were useful for the Sultan’s military might but harmful for the economy of the Sultanate. Comment.

Q7. Examine the nature of the Manasabdari system during the reign of Akbar.

Q8. Chola maritime expansion was driven largely by concerns of overseas commerce. Elucidate.

Q9. The Virashaiva Movement of Southern Deccan in the twelfth century was essentially an attempt at social reform. Discuss.

Q10. The various Gharanas of Hindustani classical music were outcomes of patronage by regional princely courts, rather than central imperial ones. Discuss.

Q11. The prolonged conflict between the Vijayanagara Kingdom and the Bahmani successor states was influenced less by cultural factors, and more by strategic and economic considerations. Comment.

Q12. Trade and commerce in the Mughal Empire brought about the integration of the Indian subcontinent into a single market. Comment.

Q13. Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy was a major factor in Mughal decline. Discuss.

Q14. The Vaishnava Bhakti tradition of the fifteenth century contributed in the flourishing of provincial literature. Discuss with appropriate examples.

UPSC CSE 2021

Q1. Discuss the different stages of Indian feudalism and analyze its impact on Indian political system.

Q2. Do you consider Sultan Iltutmish to be the real founder of the Delhi Sultanate? Discuss.

Q3. Identify the different categories of Persian literature which emerged during the Delhi Sultanate.

Q4. Examine the causes of Babur’s success against Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat.

Q5. Discuss the attitude of Chishti saints towards the state. How were the Suhrawardi saints different in their attitude towards the government?

Q6. Discuss the transformation of Sikh community from a Nirguna Bhakti sect into a politico-military organization.

Q7. Give your assessment of Bahlul Lodi’s relation with his nobility.

Q8. Examine the basic features of Mughal tomb architecture with special reference to the Taj Mahal.

Q9. Discuss the importance of Iqta system. How did it help in centralization of administration of the Delhi Sultanate?

Q10. Why is the reign of the Khaljis known as the ‘Khalji Revolution’?

Q11. The late seventeenth century Mughal India is considered to be a period of Jagirdari crisis. Discuss.

Q12. “The Chola rulers were not only mighty conquerors, efficient administrators but also builders of fine temples.” Comment.

Q13. Discuss with relevant illustrations the relations between Akbar and the Rajput states.

Q14. How far is it justified to consider the states like Bengal, Awadh and Hyderabad as ‘successor states’ of the Mughal state?

UPSC CSE 2020

Q1. Critically evaluate the Muslim Nobility during the period of Tughlaq dynasty. 

Q2. Describe in detail about the foreign travellers’ accounts which gave information of Vijayanagar kingdom.

Q3. How did international trade support urbanisation in North India during the 13-14th century C.E.

Q4. Evaluate the aim and impact of the translation of Sanskrit scriptures into Persian language during Mughal period.

Q5. Examine the sources of the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji with special reference to Shivabharat and Sabhasad Bakhar.

Q6. Assess the causes of the defeat of Northern Indian States against the Turkish invasion.

Q7. Amuktamalyada dwells much upon the relationship of fort, Brahmanas and dispersed tribal groups. Comment.

Q8. Elaborate upon the agrarian reforms of Alauddin Khilji.

Q9. Describe village polity and economy of medieval Deccan.

Q10. Some new crafts production were introduced by the Turks. Comment.

Q11. The mission of Kabir was to preach a religion of love which would unite all castes and creeds. Explain.

Q12. Evaluate the contribution of Sher Shah towards trade and commerce, administration and agricultural reforms.

Q13. Make an estimate of the development of paintings under Mughal rulers with special reference to colours, technique, themes and influences on them.

Q14. Critically evaluate history of the Eighteenth Century India with reference to culture and economy.

UPSC CSE 2019

Q1. Discuss how Vijayanagar empire became the cultural capital of the south?

Q2. Examine the status of Sanskrit in Mughal India.

Q3. Assess the rule of Zainul Abedin in Kashmir.

Q4. The economic measures of Alauddin Khalji were aimed at greater political control. Discuss.

Q5. Examine the European impact on Mughal paintings.

Q6. Assess the statement that ‘the philosophy of Shankaracharya revolutionised religious thoughts in India’.

Q7. Delineate the state of agriculture during the Sultanate period.

Q8. Sufi and Bhakti thoughts ennobled Indian psyche amidst the vagaries of time. Elucidate.

Q9. The emergence of early capitalism in the Mughal period was primarily due to urbanisation and commercialisation. Comment.

Q10. Internal strife and conflict beset with personal ambitions was enough of an invitation for the Ghurids to invade India. Discuss.

Q11. The Mughals built like Titans and embellished like jewellers. Comment.

Q12. Critically analyse whether the success of the Mughals is to be credited to their robust Jagirdari and Mansabdari system.

Q13. was as much the court intrigues as also the defiance of the provincial powers that hastened the decline of the Mughals in the 18th century. Comment.

Q14. Shivaji was not merely a military conqueror but also was an enlightened ruler. Discuss.

UPSC CSE 2018

Q1. “The battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in India.” Elaborate.

Q2. Discuss evidence on slavery provided by Ibn Batuta with special reference to female slaves.

Q3. Discuss the advancement made in Textile Technology under the Delhi Sultans.

Q4. “Akbar wished to assert his Strong belief in God, but his concept of the way God is to be worshipped was independent of either orthodox, Islam or Hinduism.” Comment. 

Q5. Discuss the literature written in Hindi in Mughal India.

Q6. Critically analyze the changing nature of caste and gender relations during the early medieval period.

Q7. “An important feature of agriculture in Mughal India has been the large number of crops raised by the peasants.” Illustrate by giving examples.

Q8. “The policy of creating heterogeneous nobility by Muhammad Tudhluq started the process of disintegration of Delhi Sultanate.” Explain.

Q9. Do you agree that convergence of political vacuum and impact of Islamicate culture and polity in peninsular India has much to do with the growth of Vijayanagara kingdom?

Q10. Describe the new architectural features added by successive Sultans in the construction Of Tombs in India.

Q11. What was the role of Sufi Folk literature in the diffusion of Islam in India if general and in Deccan in particular.

Q12. Discuss the working of Zamindari System under the Mughal rulers. Also, describe the role played by the Zamiodars in the agrarian economy of Mughal India.

Q13. “The art of building carried to the highest degree of perfection under Shahjahan.” Illustrate by giving architectural details of two of his most celebrated buildings.

Q14. “The Afghan invasions in the Eighteenth Century not only signified the military irrelevance of the MughaI Empire but also hastened its decline.” Explain.

UPSC CSE 2017

Q1. The 11th-12th centuries C.E. saw eventful progression in the cultural history of India. Discuss.

Q2. Evaluate the accounts of foreign travelers about the Vijayanagar Empire.

Q3. Critically examine the ‘blood and iron’ policy of Balban.

Q4. Do you consider the Rajatarangini of Kalhana to be a reliable source of the political history of Kashmir? Why?

Q5. The religion of the Sikhs was the main force of their unity. Comment.

Q6. To what extent was the Caliphate the source and sanction to the legal authority of the Sultans of Delhi?

Q7. “Bhakti and Sufi movements served the same social purpose.” Discuss.

Q8. Delineate non-agricultural production and the urban economy in the 13th and 14th centuries C.E.

Q9. Do you agree that the schemes of Muhammad bin Tughluq were correctly conceived, badly executed, and disastrously abandoned? Discuss.

Q10. Do you think that Akbar’s Rajput policy was a conscious attempt to incorporate the Indian ruling elite with the Mughal Imperial System?

Q11. “The political disintegration was responsible for the socio-economic decline in India during the 18th century.” Comment.

Q12. “Mughal paintings reflect social harmony in contemporary society.” Discuss.

Q13. Assess the condition of the peasantry during the 13th to 17th centuries C.E.

Q14. How will you view the Maratha policy of expansion? Delineate.