Indian History & Polity — MCQ Practice Questions & Answers

Question 1

The Quit India Movement was launched on which date and was characterized by the slogan 'Do or Die' given by which freedom fighter?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. August 8, 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi — The Quit India Movement was formally launched on August 8, 1942, at the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay, with Mahatma Gandhi giving the famous 'Do or Die' slogan. This movement demanded an immediate end to British rule and became the most significant movement of the Indian independence struggle. Gandhi's powerful call to action mobilized millions across the country.

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A. August 9, 1942 by Jawaharlal Nehru

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C. August 15, 1942 by Vallabhbhai Patel

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D. August 6, 1942 by Subhas Chandra Bose

Question 2

Which Mughal emperor is known for his policy of 'Sulh-i-Kul' (universal peace) and had the most inclusive approach towards religious minorities?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: A. Akbar — Akbar's policy of Sulh-i-Kul was a comprehensive approach to religious tolerance and coexistence, allowing freedom of worship and appointing people of different faiths to important positions. This inclusive policy was fundamental to maintaining the stability and cultural synthesis of the Mughal Empire during his reign (1556-1605).

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B. Aurangzeb

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C. Shah Jahan

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D. Babar

Question 3

Indus Valley Civilization also known as?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. Harappan Civilization — This question asks about the alternative name for the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world's earliest urban civilizations. The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the Harappan Civilization because the city of Harappa was one of its two major urban centers (along with Mohenjo-daro) discovered by archaeologists in the 1920s in present-day Pakistan. The civilization flourished in the Indus River valley region around 2300-1750 BCE and is named after Harappa, which was the first site to be excavated and studied systematically by Sir John Marshall and his team. This name has become the standard term used by historians and archaeologists to refer to this Bronze Age civilization. The correct answer is (B) Harappan Civilization.

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A. Vedic Civilization

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C. Aryan Civilization

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D. Dravidian Civilization

Question 4

Who founded Mughal Empire?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: C. Babur — This question asks about the historical founder of the Mughal Empire in India. Babur (1483-1530) was the founder and first emperor of the Mughal Empire. He was a Central Asian conqueror who descended from Timur and Genghis Khan. Babur established the empire after his victory at the Battle of Panipat in 1526 against Ibrahim Lodi, the last Sultan of Delhi. While Akbar was a great consolidator and Humayun was his son, neither of them founded the empire. Timur was a historical ancestor from centuries earlier but did not establish the Mughal Empire. The correct answer is (C) Babur, who founded the Mughal Empire in 1526.

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A. Akbar

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B. Humayun

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D. Timur

Question 5

Who gave slogan "Jai Hind"?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: C. Subhas Chandra Bose — This question asks about the origin of the patriotic slogan "Jai Hind" and which Indian freedom fighter popularized it. Subhas Chandra Bose, a prominent Indian nationalist and freedom fighter, gave the slogan "Jai Hind" (meaning "Victory to India"). He used this slogan as a rallying cry for the Indian National Army (INA) during his struggle for independence in the 1940s. The slogan became widely associated with Bose and remains an important patriotic phrase in India, though it is now used by the entire nation as a symbol of national pride and unity. The correct answer is (C) Subhas Chandra Bose, who popularized the slogan "Jai Hind" during the independence movement.

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A. Mahatma Gandhi

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B. Jawaharlal Nehru

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D. Bhagat Singh

Question 6

Indian National Congress founded in?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. 1885 — This question asks about the founding year of the Indian National Congress, a pivotal organization in India's independence movement. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British official, along with prominent Indian leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji and Surendranath Banerjee. The organization began as a moderate political platform for educated Indians to discuss grievances and advocate for reforms under British rule, eventually becoming the driving force of the Indian independence movement. Option (B) 1885 is the correct answer, while 1857 marks the Sepoy Mutiny, 1905 marks the Swadeshi Movement, and 1920 marks the beginning of Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885.

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A. 1857

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C. 1905

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D. 1920

Question 7

Dandi March (1930) was against?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: A. Salt Tax — This question asks about the primary target of Gandhi's famous Dandi March in 1930. The Dandi March (also called the Salt March) was a civil disobedience campaign led by Mahatma Gandhi against the British colonial government's monopoly on salt production and the exploitative Salt Tax imposed on Indians. The British had imposed a heavy tax on salt, a basic necessity for common people, which made it unaffordable for the poor. Gandhi's march to the coastal town of Dandi to produce salt illegally was a direct protest against this unjust Salt Tax, making it the central issue of this historic movement. The other options are incorrect: the Rowlatt Act (1919) was protested earlier, the Simon Commission (1927) was opposed separately, and while land revenue was certainly a grievance, it was not the focus of the Dandi March specifically. The correct answer is (A) Salt Tax, as the Dandi March was primarily a non-violent protest against the British monopoly on salt and the exploitative taxation imposed on Indian citizens.

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B. Land Revenue

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C. Rowlatt Act

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D. Simon Commission

Question 8

"Swaraj is my birthright" - who said?

Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. Bal Gangadhar Tilak — This question asks about the famous nationalist slogan that became a rallying cry during India's independence movement. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a prominent Indian nationalist and freedom fighter, coined the phrase "Swaraj is my birthright" (in Hindi: "Swaraj mera janmsinddhi hai") during the Swadeshi movement in the early 1900s. This powerful slogan represented the demand for self-rule and independence from British colonial rule, and it became one of the most iconic statements of the Indian independence struggle. While other leaders like Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal were also important figures in the independence movement, this particular phrase is historically attributed to Tilak. The correct answer is (B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who declared "Swaraj is my birthright" as a call for Indian self-governance.

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A. Mahatma Gandhi

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C. Lala Lajpat Rai

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D. Bipin Chandra Pal

Indian History & Polity - MCQ Practice Questions