APPSC Group 2 · Prelims · Topic 1
1 APPSC Group 2 Ancient & Medieval India questions with answers
24 questions from APPSC G2 Prelims Mock 1 with answers and APPSC G2 Screening Test 2024 question paper with answers and APPSC G2 Mains Paper I 2025 question paper with answers. Try each one, then tap Show answer.
Previous-paper questions are as in the original paper. Medha AI wrote the answers and explanations.
1.6.1Delhi SultanateNotes
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Who was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
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Answer B. Ibrahim Lodi
Ibrahim Lodi was the last Sultan of Delhi; his defeat at Panipat in 1526 ended the Sultanate.
Source: AP SCERT Class 7 Social Studies Sem-1 (2025) ch.4 Delhi Sultanate
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Which one of the following pairs (Item - Sultan) is NOT correctly matched?
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Answer A. Control of market prices - Firuz Shah Tughlaq
Control of market prices was introduced by Alauddin Khalji, not Firuz Shah Tughlaq; the other pairs are correct.
Source: AP SCERT Class 7 Social Studies Sem-1 (2025) ch.4 Delhi Sultanate
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Which one of the following pairs (Ruler - Event) is NOT correctly matched?
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Answer C. Prithviraja III - victory over Muhammad Ghori at Tarain in 1192
Prithviraja III defeated Muhammad Ghori at Tarain in 1191 but was defeated by him there in 1192, so the 1192 victory pair is wrong; the other pairs are correct.
Source: AP SCERT Class 7 Social Studies Sem-1 (2025) ch.4 Delhi Sultanate; AP SCERT Class 7 Social Studies (2020 edition)
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Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :
List I (Delhi Sultans) List II (Reforms) a. Muhammad bin Tughlaq I. Branding of Horses b. Alauddin Khalji II. Token Currency c. Iltutmish III. Development of Irrigation d. Firuz Shah Tughlaq IV. Introducing Silver Tankas Codes :
(a b c d)
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Answer B. II I IV III
Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued token currency, Alauddin Khalji began branding of horses (dagh), Iltutmish introduced the silver tanka and Firuz Shah Tughlaq built canals for irrigation.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q8, final key
1.2.1Buddhism, Jainism & MahajanapadasNotes
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Which mahajanapada became the most powerful between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE?
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Answer D. Magadha
Magadha, in present-day Bihar, became the most powerful mahajanapada between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.
Source: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part I, Theme 2
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Match Group - A with Group - B and select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Group - A Group - B a. Jainism i. Nature Worship b. Buddhism ii. Ashtanga Margam c. Saivism iii. Triratna d. Animism iv. Linga Show answerHide answer
Answer C. a-iii, b-ii, c-iv, d-i
Jainism's three jewels are the Triratna, Buddhism teaches the Eightfold (Ashtanga) path, Saivism worships Shiva as the Linga, and Animism is nature worship.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Mains Paper I 2025 (Notification 11/2023), Q53, final key
1.3.1Mauryas & post-MauryanNotes
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Asoka built the Lion Capital at Sarnath to commemorate which event in the life of the Buddha?
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Answer A. The first sermon
The Sarnath Lion Capital commemorates the Buddha's first sermon (Dhammachakrapravartana) at Sarnath.
Source: NCERT Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art Part I, ch.3
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How do Mauryan pillars differ from the pillars of the Achaemenian (Persian) empire?
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Answer A. Mauryan pillars are rock-cut from a single stone, while Achaemenian pillars were built in pieces by a mason
Mauryan pillars are rock-cut, showing the carver's skill, whereas Achaemenian pillars were constructed in pieces by a mason.
Source: NCERT Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art Part I, ch.3
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Which among the following pillar inscriptions of Ashoka states that the land revenue rate of Lumbini was reduced to one-eighth ?
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Answer B. Rummindei pillar inscription
The Rummindei (Lumbini) pillar records Ashoka's visit to the Buddha's birthplace; he exempted the village from bali and reduced its bhaga (land revenue share) to one-eighth.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q2, final key
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Which Mauryan officer was the incharge of Weights and Measures ?
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Answer C. Pautavadhyaksha
The Arthashastra names the Pautavadhyaksha as the superintendent of weights and measures.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q4, final key
1.4.1Guptas, Harsha & South Indian kingdomsNotes
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Consider the following statements about Pataliputra:
I. It began as a village known as Pataligrama.
II. When Xuan Zang visited it in the seventh century CE, he found it in ruins with a very small population.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Answer C. Both I and II
Pataliputra began as Pataligrama and, by Xuan Zang's visit in the seventh century, it lay in ruins with a small population.
Source: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part 1 ch.2 ch.2 (towns)
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Which one of the following books was not written by Harshavardhana ?
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Answer D. Kadambari
Harsha wrote the plays Priyadarshika, Ratnavali and Nagananda. Kadambari was written by his court poet Banabhatta.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q6, final key
1.1.1Indus Valley & Vedic ageNotes
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Which tiny Harappan settlement, of less than 7 hectares, was almost entirely devoted to crafts such as bead-making, shell-cutting, metal-working and seal-making?
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Answer B. Chanhudaro
Chanhudaro, a settlement of less than 7 hectares, was almost exclusively devoted to craft production.
Source: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part I, Theme 1; NCERT Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art Part I, ch.2
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Experiments by archaeologists show that the red colour of Harappan carnelian beads was obtained by:
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Answer B. Firing the yellowish raw material at various stages
The red colour of carnelian was obtained by firing the yellowish raw material and the beads at various stages of production.
Source: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part I, Theme 1
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Which of the following is not a Harappan site ?
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Answer C. Sohgaura
Sutkagendor (Baluchistan), Surkotada (Gujarat) and Rakhigarhi (Haryana) are Harappan sites. Sohgaura (Gorakhpur, UP) is known for a Mauryan-era copper plate inscription.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q17, final key
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Which of the following inscriptions mentions the names of Vedic Gods Indra, Varuna, Mitra and Nasatyas ?
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Answer C. Boghazkoi
The Boghazkoi inscription (c. 1400 BCE, Turkey) records a Hittite-Mitanni treaty invoking Indra, Varuna, Mitra and the Nasatyas.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q18, final key
1.8.1MughalsNotes
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Humayun's tomb was built in the tradition known as "hasht bihisht" or "eight paradises". In this plan:
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Answer A. A central hall is surrounded by eight rooms
Hasht bihisht means a central hall surrounded by eight rooms. The four-part garden is the chahar bagh, and forty-pillared halls are called chihil sutun.
Source: AP SCERT Class 7 Social (old ed.) ch.22
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Match List I (Land category in the Ain-i Akbari) with List II (Description):
List I
a. Polaj
b. Parauti
c. Chachar
d. Banjar
List II
I. Lying fallow for three or four years
II. Cultivated every year
III. Uncultivated for five years or more
IV. Left fallow for a short time to recover its strength
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Answer D. a-II, b-IV, c-I, d-III
Polaj was cultivated every year, parauti rested for a time, chachar lay fallow for three or four years and banjar for five years or more.
Source: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part II, Theme 8 (Peasants, Zamindars and the State)
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Consider the following statements :
a. Humayun brought famous painters Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad from Iran to Delhi.
b. Jahangir's reign is considered as the 'Golden period of the Mughal painting'.
c. During the reign of Jahangir, European painting was introduced at the Mughal court by the Danish merchants.
Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect ?
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Answer D. Statement c only
Humayun brought Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad from Persia, and Jahangir's reign is the high point of Mughal painting. European painting reached the court through Portuguese priests (Akbar's time onwards), not Danish merchants, so only c is wrong.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q3, final key
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Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?
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Answer D. Jahangir - Battle of Chausa
The Battle of Chausa (1539) was fought between Humayun and Sher Shah, not by Jahangir. Babur fought at Khanwa (1527), Akbar's army at Haldighati (1576) and Humayun lost at Bilgram/Kannauj (1540).
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q19, final key
1.7.1Vijayanagara & BahmaniNotes
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In the Vijayanagara period, the term 'Gajapati' (lord of elephants) referred to:
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Answer C. A powerful ruling lineage of Orissa
Gajapati was the name of a powerful ruling lineage of Orissa; the Deccan Sultans were called ashvapati and the rayas narapati.
Source: NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part II, Theme 7 (Vijayanagara)
1.5.1Ancient art, literature & scienceNotes
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'Anda, harmika and chhatri' are integral parts of which one of the following Buddhist monuments ?
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Answer C. Stupas
A stupa has a hemispherical dome (anda), a railed platform on top (harmika) and an umbrella (chhatri). Chaityas are prayer halls and viharas are monasteries.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q1, final key
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Romaka Siddhanta written by Varahamihira deals with :
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Answer C. Astronomy
Romaka Siddhanta is one of the five astronomical systems summarised by Varahamihira in his Pancha Siddhantika.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q5, final key
1.9.1Bhakti, Sufi & MarathasNotes
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Among Ashtapradhans of Shivaji, the Sar-i-Naubat was associated with which of the following tasks ?
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Answer B. Military Commander
The Sar-i-Naubat (Senapati) was the commander-in-chief of Shivaji's army. Finance was the Amatya's job and foreign affairs the Sumant's.
Source: APPSC Group 2 Screening Test 2024 (Notification 11/2023), Q9, final key
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