Daily Prelims MCQs - History & Culture - 30th August 2025
- TPP
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to this daily set of UPSC Prelims History & Culture MCQs (30th August 2025).This quiz features 5 carefully framed multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations, focusing on themes of India’s cultural legacy, freedom struggle, and historical monuments.
This set covers important topics such as:
Chandella dynasty and the Khajuraho temples — their timeline, architecture, and religious diversity.
K. M. Panikkar — his role as secretary to the Chamber of Princes, architect of India’s maritime policy, and member of the States Reorganisation Committee.
Vithalbhai Patel — his opposition to Gandhi’s suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement, his role in the Swaraj Party, and his leadership in the Central Legislative Assembly during the Bhagat Singh–Dutt bombing.
The Red Fort — as a site of INA trials in 1946 and its association with the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.
Sayadaw U Ottama, popularly known as the ‘Gandhi of Burma’, and his contribution to Burma’s anti-colonial struggle through Gandhian methods.
These questions are highly relevant for UPSC Prelims 2026, as they integrate static History & Culture knowledge with contextual details that often appear in the exam.
Click Here to read the Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP).
QUESTION 1
With reference to the cultural heritage of the Chandella dynasty, consider the following statements:
The Khajuraho temples are a unique representation of Chandella architecture and were constructed in central India after the rise of the Delhi Sultanate in the early 13th century CE.
The temples sponsored by the Chandellas include shrines of both Hinduism and Jainism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (a)
Explanation:
The Khajuraho temple complex represents the cultural efflorescence (flowering or peak development) of the Chandella period. Most of these temples were built between 950 CE and 1050 CE, well before the Delhi Sultanate was founded in 1206 CE. Associating them with the post-Sultanate era is factually wrong. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
Out of nearly 80–85 temples originally constructed, about 20 survive today. They are classified into western, eastern, and southern clusters. These shrines reflect patronage of both Hinduism and Jainism, which shows religious pluralism and support of multiple traditions simultaneously (coexisting side-by-side in the same era). Hence, statement 2 is correct.
QUESTION 2
Who among the following was the secretary to the Chamber of Princes (a body created in 1920 to provide princely rulers a platform to voice their concerns before the British), one of the earliest statesmen to initiate integration of princely states, the architect of India’s post-Independence maritime policy, the first ambassador to China, a member of the States Reorganisation Committee, and an influential voice in shaping linguistic reorganisation of states?
(a) V. P. Menon
(b) K. Kelappan
(c) K. M. Panikkar
(d) C. Kesavan
Answer (c)
Explanation:
K. M. Panikkar began his career as a professor at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), but soon transitioned into roles that significantly shaped India’s modern history. As secretary to the Chamber of Princes—a consultative body where princely rulers interacted with colonial authorities—he laid early groundwork for the integration of princely states into independent India, a process later completed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V. P. Menon.
During his tenure as the Dewan of Bikaner, Panikkar invited archaeologist Aurel Stein, leading to the first major excavations of the Indus Valley Civilisation at Harappa and Mohenjodaro. He later became the architect of India’s maritime policy, emphasising the importance of naval strength for national security. Panikkar also served as Independent India’s first ambassador to China, where he played a crucial role in early diplomatic engagements.
In addition, Panikkar was a member of the States Reorganisation Committee (1953–55), which recommended redrawing state boundaries on linguistic lines (linguistic reorganisation means dividing states so that people speaking the same language largely belong to one state). This principle continues to define India’s federal structure. Hence, option (c) is correct.
QUESTION 3
Regarding the political life of Vithalbhai Patel, which of the following statements is/are correct?
He was presiding over the Central Legislative Assembly during the famous bombing carried out by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt in 1929.
He stood in support of Mahatma Gandhi when the Non-Cooperation Movement was called off after the Chauri Chaura incident.
He played a founding role in the creation of the Swaraj Party in 1923.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer (c)
Explanation:
In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs and distributed pamphlets inside the Central Legislative Assembly. At that time, Vithalbhai Patel was serving as the President of the Assembly (equivalent to today’s Speaker of the Lok Sabha). He resisted British attempts to take over the Assembly’s security and ensured the presiding officer retained control. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
After the Chauri Chaura incident of 1922, where violent clashes led to the killing of policemen, Mahatma Gandhi decided to suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement on moral grounds. Vithalbhai Patel strongly opposed this decision, arguing that it weakened the national movement. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
In 1923, he joined Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das in founding the Swaraj Party, which entered legislative councils to challenge colonial policies from within, while remaining part of the wider Congress-led freedom struggle. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
QUESTION 4
Concerning the historical legacy of the Red Fort in Delhi, consider the following statements:
The fort served as the site of the celebrated public trials of officers belonging to Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) in the mid-1940s.
The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, breathed his last inside the fort after the 1857 revolt.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (a)
Explanation:
In 1946, the Red Fort was chosen as the venue for the trials of INA officers associated with Subhas Chandra Bose. These trials were conducted with high publicity by the colonial authorities and became a rallying point for nationalist sentiment across India. The symbolism of holding such trials in the Mughal seat of power reinforced the fort’s association with resistance and political authority. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
After the Revolt of 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, was captured by the British. However, he was not allowed to remain in the Red Fort. Instead, he was exiled to Rangoon (present-day Yangon, Myanmar), where he eventually died in 1862. Thus, he did not spend his final days inside the Red Fort. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
QUESTION 5
In the context of anti-colonial movements in Southeast Asia, who earned the title ‘Gandhi of Burma’ for championing non-violent resistance against British rule?
(a) Kanaklata Barua
(b) Hem Barua (Tyagbir)
(c) Maniram Dewan
(d) Sayadaw U Ottama
Answer (d)
Explanation:
The philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, especially his emphasis on non-violence (ahimsa) and Swadeshi (economic self-reliance), resonated far beyond India’s borders. In neighbouring Burma (present-day Myanmar), a Buddhist monk named Sayadaw U Ottama adopted these principles to challenge British colonial authority. His speeches and writings mobilised Burmese society and inspired its own independence movement. For this reason, he is remembered as the ‘Gandhi of Burma’.
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