Are you preparing for UPSC CSE Prelims 2025? UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus.  Attempt today’s subject quiz on History, Culture and Social Issues to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the Polity and Governance MCQs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations.

His political career can be traced back to a time when he was known as ‘Chapu’. He was initially bought as a slave in Ethiopia by an Arab merchant. Later, after being resold a number of times, he somehow landed in the court of Ahmadnagar as one among the hundreds of Habshi military slaves there.

Who is referred to in the above given lines?

(a) Haider Yakut Mohommad Khan of Sachin 

(b) Malik Kafur

(c) Abul Hasan

(d) Malik Ambar

Explanation

— The political power acquired by Africans in the Deccan, in particular in Janjira and Sachin, is best demonstrated in a painting by Abul Hasan, that depicts Emperor Jahangir taking aim at the head of the African slave Malik Ambar. The political career of Malik Ambar can be traced back to a time when he was known as ‘Chapu’. He was initially bought as a slave in Ethiopia by an Arab merchant. Later, after being resold a number of times, he somehow landed in the court of Ahmadnagar as one among the hundreds of Habshi military slaves there.

— By the mid-sixteenth century, the Mughals had increased their appetite for the South and were aggressively trying to encroach upon the Nizam Shahi dynasty that ruled much of Deccan. In 1600 AD, the Ahmadnagar fort finally fell into the hands of the Mughals. However, the presence of the Mughals in the Deccan was still limited and Ahmadnagar’s surrounding countryside still lay with the troops deployed by the Nizam Shahi state of which Malik Ambar was a part.

— It was during this period that the African slave grew to be a political game changer. Commanding a troop of 3000 cavalrymen, he proved to be a major obstacle to the Mughals’ appetite for the Deccan. The painting by Abul Hasan is testimony to what a nuisance the Ethiopian soldier had become to the Mughals.

— Malik Ambar constructed a fort at Janzira, located in the Konkan coast, by the end of the sixteenth century. It still stands intact, currently under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). At Janjira, the Africans developed their own kingdom (with their own cavalry, coat of arms and currency) which the Mughals and Marathas failed to occupy despite repeated attacks. Later, the African rulers of Janjira went on to occupy another fort at Sachin in modern day Gujarat. The present Nawab of Sachin, Reza Khan says “the title of Nawab was given to our ancestors by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, since they had not allowed his competitor Shivaji to occupy the Janjira fort.”

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

With reference to the History of India, consider the following statements:

1. In the year 1721, the British Government introduced the ‘Calico Act.’

2. The Industrial Revolution led to the rise of mechanised inventions.

3. By the early 1800s, Britain began importing large quantities of cotton from America.

Which of the above given statements dealt a blow to the cotton industry in colonial India?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— In the 17th and 18th centuries, India was the top exporter of cotton — both raw fibre and manufactured fabric. This was largely due to the quality and diversity of cloth that Indian cotton manufacturers produced, including vibrant patterns and colours, especially the calico print.

— However, in the year 1721, the British Government introduced the ‘Calico Act’, banning the use of chintz or printed cotton textiles in England. It dealt a blow to India’s cotton industry. English producers, wanting to secure their domestic market, also copied Indian designs and reproduced them on white muslin that was in turn imported from India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Industrial Revolution led to the rise of mechanised inventions like James Hargreaves’ spinning jenny, Samuel Cromption’s mule and Richard Arkwright’s water-powered frame. These inventions weakened India’s cotton industry. Factories in England could now produce more cloth with less labour, and at a cheaper price. As Britain became the leading industrial power, it helped consolidate the East India Company’s hold over the subcontinent. Hence, statement 2 is correct. 

— The East India Company developed a system to eliminate competition and ensure a regular supply of raw cotton and silk goods. They appointed ‘gomasthas’ or paid servants to supervise the Company’s weavers, procure their material and stop them from dealing with other buyers. Also, high duties were imposed on finished Indian textiles imported into Britain. These measures destroyed the local industry, leaving thousands of weavers across India unemployed.

— By the early 1800s, Britain began importing large quantities of cotton from America as the length of the fibres were longer, more durable and well-suited for their new machines. American cotton was also cheaper, largely because of slave labour. This cotton was shipped to textile mills in Lancashire and the finished piece goods then exported to India. It made for very profitable operations of the East India Company. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

With reference to Sembiyan Mahadevi consider the following statements:

(a) She was the sister of Rajaraja I and was one of the most celebrated patrons of art and architecture.

(b) An avid temple builder, she is well known for her contributions to temples such as Umamaheshvar Temple at Konerirajapuram, Tirukkurangaduturai Temple at Aduturai, Tirukkotisvarar Temple at Tirukkodikkaval among others. 

Which of the above given statements is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

—  Inscriptional evidence in Chola art points to the prominent role played by royal women and dancers in patronage for art and architecture. One of the most celebrated patrons was the widowed queen of Gandaraditya Chola, Sembiyan Mahadevi. An avid temple builder, she is well known for her contributions to temples such as Umamaheshvar Temple at Konerirajapuram, Tirukkurangaduturai Temple at Aduturai, Tirukkotisvarar Temple at Tirukkodikkaval among others. She also founded the village, Sembiyan Mahadevi, named after her, near Nagapattinam in Thanjavur district.

— Author Balasubramanyam Venkatraman, in his book Temple art under the Chola queens, writes that the more significant contributions of Sembiyan Mahadevi were some of the most fascinating bronzes cast at her instance. “She set up a tradition of metal casting that became a matter of pride with her grand-nephew Rajaraja I, in whose time the ateliers of the kingdom brought out innumerable bronzes of unsurpassed quality and grandeur,” he writes. Srinivasan notes that “it is under Sembiyan Mahadevi that the celebrated Nataraja icons in bronze and stone are more prominently displayed in temples.” Then there was Kundavai, the sister of Rajaraja I and his principal queen, Lokamahadevi, who added considerably to Chola art.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Which of the following pairs of UNESCO World Heritage sites in India and their locations is correctly matched?

(a) The Nanda Devi National Park: Uttarakhand

(b) Rani-ki-Vav: Rajasthan

(c) Humayun’s Tomb: Uttar Pradesh

(d) Khangchendzonga National Park : Arunachal Pradesh

Explanation:

— Khangchendzonga National Park, also Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve, is a national park and a biosphere reserve located in Sikkim, India. It is a sacred mountain in Tibetan Buddhism, where the area is considered a beyul, a sacred hidden land. It is home to ethnically diverse Sikkimese communities.

— Humayun’s Tomb, the tomb of the Mughal Emperor constructed in the 1560s. It was the first example of a garden tomb in the Indian subcontinent. It is situated in Delhi.

— Rani-ki-Vav or the Queen’s Stepwell at Patan, Gujarat has been called one of the finest examples of a step well, constructed in the 11th century by the Chaulukya dynasty.

— The Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uttarakhand, India. 

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

PM JANMAN initiative of the Government of India is related to which of the following beneficiaries:

(a) Senior Citizens

(b) Street Vendors

(c) Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups 

(d) Persons with Disabilities

Explanation

On November 29, the Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN), aimed at providing PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 84)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 84)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 84)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 84)

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