29 Sep 2026
200+ Indian History & Polity Practice Questions Asked in SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Table of Contents
200 Indian History and Polity questions asked repeatedly in SSC exams, split into two sections of 100 each, with answers, for complete General Awareness revision.
Indian History and Polity together make up one of the largest and most repeated portions of SSC General Awareness, and this collection brings together 200 of the questions asked most often across recent SSC exams. It is split into two sections of 100 questions each — History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and Art & Culture) and Polity (Constitution, Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, and Constitutional Bodies) — presented as a simple question-and-answer table for quick revision.
How to Study This Collection
- One section every two days. Revise 100 questions at a time, then move to the next section rather than trying to cover all 200 in one sitting.
- Cover the answer column and test yourself before checking — active recall works far better than passive reading for this kind of fact-heavy content.
- Revisit this set 3 times in the weeks before your exam; repeated exposure is what converts these facts into instant recall on exam day.
Section 1: Indian History (100 Questions)
| No. | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Which period is generally dated from around 2500 BCE to 1900 BCE in Indian history? | The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization |
| 2 | The Indus Valley people primarily worshipped which mother-goddess figure? | The Mother Goddess (fertility deity) |
| 3 | Which animal seal is most commonly found among Indus Valley seals? | The unicorn bull seal |
| 4 | Which is the oldest of the four Vedas? | The Rigveda |
| 5 | The Vedic period is generally divided into which two phases? | Early Vedic Period (Rigvedic) and Later Vedic Period |
| 6 | Which assembly in Vedic India was a body of village elders/wise men? | Sabha |
| 7 | Which assembly in Vedic India was a general assembly of the people? | Samiti |
| 8 | How many Mahajanapadas existed in ancient India around the 6th century BCE? | 16 (Sixteen) |
| 9 | Which Mahajanapada, with its capital at Rajgriha (later Pataliputra), rose to become the most powerful? | Magadha |
| 10 | Who founded the Magadha Empire's Haryanka dynasty? | Bimbisara |
| 11 | Gautama Buddha was born in which year (traditionally)? | 563 BCE (traditional date; scholarly estimates vary) |
| 12 | What was Gautama Buddha's original name before enlightenment? | Siddhartha Gautama |
| 13 | Under which tree did Buddha attain enlightenment? | The Bodhi Tree (a Peepal tree) at Bodh Gaya |
| 14 | Where did Buddha deliver his first sermon? | Sarnath (near Varanasi) |
| 15 | Where did Buddha pass away (attain Mahaparinirvana)? | Kushinagar |
| 16 | Who founded Jainism as a organised religion, considered the 24th Tirthankara? | Mahavira |
| 17 | What was Mahavira's original name? | Vardhamana |
| 18 | Which Greek ruler invaded India in 326 BCE, fighting King Porus? | Alexander the Great |
| 19 | In which battle did Alexander defeat King Porus? | The Battle of the Hydaspes (Jhelum) |
| 20 | Which Mauryan emperor converted to Buddhism after the Kalinga War? | Ashoka |
| 21 | Ashoka's edicts were mostly written in which script? | Brahmi script (some in Kharosthi and Greek/Aramaic in the northwest) |
| 22 | Which foreign traveller visited India during Chandragupta Maurya's reign as a Greek ambassador? | Megasthenes, who wrote "Indica" |
| 23 | Which dynasty succeeded the Mauryas in Magadha, founded by Pushyamitra Shunga? | The Shunga Dynasty |
| 24 | Which South Indian dynasty is credited with early rock-cut architecture at Ajanta and Ellora (some caves)? | The Satavahana Dynasty (later contributions also from the Vakatakas and Chalukyas) |
| 25 | Which Gupta king's court physician-astronomer, Aryabhata, made major contributions to mathematics and astronomy? | Aryabhata worked during the Gupta period; he authored the "Aryabhatiya" |
| 26 | Who founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336? | Harihara and Bukka (of the Sangama dynasty) |
| 27 | Which Vijayanagara ruler is considered its greatest, known for patronage of art and literature? | Krishnadevaraya |
| 28 | In which battle in 1565 did the Vijayanagara Empire suffer a decisive defeat, leading to its decline? | The Battle of Talikota |
| 29 | Which Sultanate in the Deccan was a rival of the Vijayanagara Empire? | The Bahmani Sultanate |
| 30 | Who founded the Bhakti saint tradition of Sikhism? | Guru Nanak Dev |
| 31 | Which Sufi saint's dargah is located in Ajmer? | Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti |
| 32 | Which Bhakti movement poet-saint is associated with the Ram-charit-manas? | Tulsidas |
| 33 | Which female Bhakti poet-saint was devoted to Lord Krishna and is associated with Rajasthan? | Meera Bai |
| 34 | Who founded the Maratha Empire? | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj |
| 35 | In which year was Shivaji crowned as Chhatrapati? | 1674 |
| 36 | What was the name of Shivaji's guerrilla warfare tactics? | Ganimi Kava |
| 37 | Who was Shivaji's Prime Minister (Peshwa), a position that later dominated Maratha politics? | Moropant Trimbak Pingle (the position later became hereditary under the Peshwas) |
| 38 | Which Mughal emperor is credited with introducing the Mansabdari system? | Akbar |
| 39 | Which land revenue system was introduced by Akbar's finance minister Raja Todar Mal? | The Zabt/Dahsala system |
| 40 | Which Mughal emperor built the city of Fatehpur Sikri? | Akbar |
| 41 | What was the name of Akbar's new religious/ethical order, blending elements of various religions? | Din-i-Ilahi |
| 42 | Which Mughal emperor imposed the Jizya tax on non-Muslims (which Akbar had earlier abolished)? | Aurangzeb |
| 43 | Who was the founder of the Sikh Khalsa Panth? | Guru Gobind Singh |
| 44 | In which year was the Khalsa Panth founded? | 1699 |
| 45 | Which Bahmani Sultanate's minister developed the famous Bidri craft/metal ware? | The Bahmani Sultanate is associated with the origin of Bidriware in Bidar |
| 46 | Which explorer's arrival at Calicut in 1498 opened the sea route from Europe to India? | Vasco da Gama |
| 47 | Which European power established its first Indian trading post at Goa? | Portugal |
| 48 | Which Mughal emperor's reign is often cited as the peak of the empire's territorial extent? | Aurangzeb |
| 49 | Who wrote the "Akbarnama", a biography of Akbar? | Abul Fazl |
| 50 | Which historian/poet wrote the "Ain-i-Akbari", detailing Akbar's administration? | Abul Fazl |
| 51 | In which year was the Battle of Plassey fought? | 1757 |
| 52 | Who defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah at the Battle of Plassey? | Robert Clive |
| 53 | In which year was the Battle of Buxar fought? | 1764 |
| 54 | The Battle of Buxar led to which important treaty/right granted to the East India Company? | The Diwani rights over Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha (granted in 1765) |
| 55 | Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal? | Warren Hastings |
| 56 | Who was the first Governor-General of India? | Lord William Bentinck |
| 57 | Who was the last Governor-General and first Viceroy of India? | Lord Canning |
| 58 | In which year did the Revolt of 1857 (First War of Independence) begin? | 1857 |
| 59 | Where did the Revolt of 1857 first break out? | Meerut |
| 60 | Who was the nominal leader of the 1857 revolt, the last Mughal emperor? | Bahadur Shah Zafar |
| 61 | Which queen of Jhansi is a famous figure of the 1857 revolt? | Rani Lakshmibai |
| 62 | Which Act, passed after the 1857 revolt, transferred control of India from the East India Company to the British Crown? | The Government of India Act, 1858 |
| 63 | Who founded the Arya Samaj? | Swami Dayananda Saraswati |
| 64 | Who founded the Brahmo Samaj? | Raja Ram Mohan Roy |
| 65 | Raja Ram Mohan Roy played a key role in abolishing which social practice in 1829? | Sati |
| 66 | Who founded the Ramakrishna Mission? | Swami Vivekananda |
| 67 | In which city and year did Swami Vivekananda deliver his famous speech at the Parliament of the World's Religions? | Chicago, 1893 |
| 68 | Who is known as the "Father of Indian Unrest", a title given by the British? | Bal Gangadhar Tilak |
| 69 | Which newspaper did Tilak use to spread nationalist ideas? | Kesari (in Marathi) and Mahratta (in English) |
| 70 | Who gave the famous slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it"? | Bal Gangadhar Tilak |
| 71 | Who is regarded as the "Father of the Indian Constitution"? | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| 72 | Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution? | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| 73 | Who is known as the "Iron Man of India" for unifying the princely states? | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| 74 | Who was India's first Prime Minister? | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 75 | Who was independent India's first Governor-General? | Lord Mountbatten (until 1948), succeeded by C. Rajagopalachari as the last and first Indian Governor-General |
| 76 | Who gave the famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech on the eve of independence? | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 77 | Which two countries were created as a result of the partition of British India in 1947? | India and Pakistan |
| 78 | Who was appointed to head the Boundary Commission that decided the partition line? | Sir Cyril Radcliffe |
| 79 | When did the Indian Constitution come into effect? | 26 January 1950 |
| 80 | When was the Indian Constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly? | 26 November 1949 |
| 81 | Which classical dance form originated in Tamil Nadu? | Bharatanatyam |
| 82 | Which classical dance form originated in Kerala, known for elaborate makeup and costumes? | Kathakali |
| 83 | Which classical dance form originated in Uttar Pradesh, known for storytelling through expressive footwork? | Kathak |
| 84 | Which classical dance form originated in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana? | Kuchipudi |
| 85 | Which classical dance form originated in Odisha? | Odissi |
| 86 | Which classical dance form originated in Manipur? | Manipuri |
| 87 | Which classical dance form originated in Assam, associated with Vaishnavite monasteries? | Sattriya |
| 88 | Which classical dance form originated in Kerala, performed traditionally by women? | Mohiniyattam |
| 89 | Which is the national emblem of India, adopted from an ancient sculpture? | The Lion Capital of Ashoka (at Sarnath) |
| 90 | What is inscribed below the Lion Capital in the national emblem? | "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth alone triumphs), from the Mundaka Upanishad |
| 91 | Which UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra is famous for ancient Buddhist cave paintings? | Ajanta Caves |
| 92 | Which UNESCO World Heritage Site near Ajanta is known for rock-cut temples of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions? | Ellora Caves |
| 93 | Which Mughal-era monument in Agra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World? | The Taj Mahal |
| 94 | Which ancient Indian university, a major Buddhist centre of learning, was located in present-day Bihar? | Nalanda University |
| 95 | Which musical instrument is Pandit Ravi Shankar most famous for playing? | The Sitar |
| 96 | Who composed India's national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana"? | Rabindranath Tagore |
| 97 | Who composed India's national song, "Vande Mataram"? | Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay |
| 98 | Which Indian sport is considered the national game (though India has no officially declared national game)? | None officially — hockey is popularly considered so, but it holds no formal legal status |
| 99 | Which classical language, one of India's oldest, is used in Vedic and classical literature? | Sanskrit |
| 100 | Who is credited with writing the epic "Ramayana"? | Sage Valmiki |
Section 2: Indian Polity (100 Questions)
| No. | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Who is known as the "Father of the Indian Constitution"? | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| 102 | Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly? | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| 103 | From which country's constitution was the concept of the Preamble borrowed? | The United States of America |
| 104 | From which country's constitution was the parliamentary system of government borrowed? | The United Kingdom |
| 105 | From which country's constitution were the Directive Principles of State Policy borrowed? | Ireland |
| 106 | From which country's constitution was the Concurrent List borrowed? | Australia |
| 107 | From which country's constitution was the procedure established by law (due process influence) partly borrowed? | Japan |
| 108 | From which former constitution/act was much of the administrative structure of the Indian Constitution borrowed? | The Government of India Act, 1935 |
| 109 | Which Part of the Constitution contains the Directive Principles of State Policy? | Part IV |
| 110 | Are the Directive Principles of State Policy justiciable (enforceable in court)? | No, they are non-justiciable |
| 111 | Which Article states that Directive Principles are fundamental in governance, though not enforceable? | Article 37 |
| 112 | Which body drafted the original Preamble's ideals of Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity? | The Constituent Assembly, influenced by the French Revolution's ideals |
| 113 | How long did the Constituent Assembly take to complete drafting the Constitution? | 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days |
| 114 | Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution? | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| 115 | Which Article empowers the President to summon and prorogue sessions of Parliament? | Article 85 |
| 116 | What is the minimum number of sessions of Parliament that must be held each year? | Two (though the gap between two sessions cannot exceed six months) |
| 117 | Which Article provides that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha? | Article 75 |
| 118 | Who appoints the Prime Minister of India? | The President |
| 119 | Which Article deals with the appointment of the Prime Minister? | Article 75 |
| 120 | What is the minimum age to become the Prime Minister of India? | 25 years (same as the minimum age to be a member of the Lok Sabha) |
| 121 | Which Article makes the Governor the head of a State's executive? | Article 153 |
| 122 | Who appoints the Governor of a State? | The President of India |
| 123 | What is the normal term of office for a Governor? | 5 years |
| 124 | Which Article provides for a Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister to aid the Governor? | Article 163 |
| 125 | Who appoints the Chief Minister of a State? | The Governor |
| 126 | Which Article establishes High Courts for States? | Article 214 |
| 127 | Which Article establishes the Supreme Court of India? | Article 124 |
| 128 | What is the maximum number of judges (including CJI) currently allowed in the Supreme Court? | 34 (33 judges plus the Chief Justice of India, as per current law) |
| 129 | What is the retirement age of a Supreme Court judge? | 65 years |
| 130 | What is the retirement age of a High Court judge? | 62 years |
| 131 | Which Article gives the Supreme Court the power of judicial review? | Article 13, along with Articles 32 and 226 |
| 132 | What is the concept called where the Supreme Court held that the "basic structure" of the Constitution cannot be amended? | The Basic Structure Doctrine |
| 133 | Which case established the Basic Structure Doctrine? | Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala (1973) |
| 134 | Which Article establishes Panchayats in India? | Article 243 |
| 135 | What is the three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj called? | Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti (Block level), and Zila Parishad (District level) |
| 136 | Which Amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions? | 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 |
| 137 | Which Article deals with Municipalities? | Article 243P onwards (added by the 74th Amendment) |
| 138 | Which body conducts elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President? | The Election Commission of India |
| 139 | Which Article establishes the Election Commission of India? | Article 324 |
| 140 | Who is the Chief Election Commissioner appointed by? | The President of India |
| 141 | Which body recruits candidates for All India Services and Central Civil Services? | The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| 142 | Which Article establishes the Union Public Service Commission? | Article 315 |
| 143 | Which body audits the accounts of the Union and State Governments? | The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India |
| 144 | Which Article establishes the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General? | Article 148 |
| 145 | Which body recommends the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and States? | The Finance Commission |
| 146 | Which Article provides for the constitution of a Finance Commission every five years? | Article 280 |
| 147 | Which body was set up to protect human rights in India, established in 1993? | The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) |
| 148 | Which body was established to safeguard the interests of Scheduled Castes? | The National Commission for Scheduled Castes |
| 149 | Which Article deals with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes? | Article 338 |
| 150 | Which Article deals with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes? | Article 338A |
| 151 | Which body regulates the appointment and service conditions of government employees, and hears service-related disputes? | The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) |
| 152 | Which Part of the Constitution deals with Citizenship? | Part II (Articles 5 to 11) |
| 153 | Does the Indian Constitution allow dual citizenship? | No, India does not allow dual citizenship |
| 154 | Which Article empowers Parliament to regulate the right of citizenship by law? | Article 11 |
| 155 | Which Act governs the acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship? | The Citizenship Act, 1955 |
| 156 | Which Directive Principle asks the State to promote a Uniform Civil Code? | Article 44 |
| 157 | Which Directive Principle asks the State to organise village panchayats? | Article 40 |
| 158 | Which Directive Principle relates to the separation of judiciary from the executive? | Article 50 |
| 159 | Which Directive Principle promotes international peace and security? | Article 51 |
| 160 | Which Fundamental Duty asks citizens to protect the environment? | Article 51A(g) |
| 161 | Which Fundamental Duty asks parents/guardians to provide education to children aged 6-14? | Article 51A(k), added by the 86th Amendment |
| 162 | Who has the power to declare a Financial Emergency in India? | The President, under Article 360 |
| 163 | Has a Financial Emergency ever been declared in India? | No, it has never been invoked so far |
| 164 | How many times has a National Emergency been declared in India? | Three times (1962, 1971, and 1975) |
| 165 | In which year was the controversial National Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi? | 1975 |
| 166 | Which Article deals with the imposition of President's Rule in a State? | Article 356 |
| 167 | What is the maximum period President's Rule can continue without parliamentary approval extensions? | 6 months at a time, extendable up to a maximum of 3 years with periodic approval |
| 168 | Which body appoints the Attorney General of India? | The President |
| 169 | Which Article deals with the Attorney General of India? | Article 76 |
| 170 | Who is the highest law officer of a State, equivalent to the Attorney General? | The Advocate General |
| 171 | Which body is responsible for the delimitation of constituencies? | The Delimitation Commission |
| 172 | What is the term used for a bill that must be passed by both Houses in identical form before becoming law (excluding a Money Bill)? | An Ordinary Bill |
| 173 | Which Article gives the President the power to return a bill (other than a Money Bill) for reconsideration? | Article 111 |
| 174 | Can the President reject a Money Bill sent for assent? | No, the President cannot return a Money Bill for reconsideration |
| 175 | What is the term for the President's power to withhold assent to a bill indefinitely? | The Pocket Veto |
| 176 | Which Schedule of the Constitution can be amended by a simple majority of Parliament (not requiring the full amendment procedure)? | The First Schedule (for changes like new states) and the Fourth Schedule can be altered by ordinary law under Article 4 |
| 177 | Which ancient Indian text is considered the earliest treatise on statecraft and economics? | The Arthashastra, by Kautilya (Chanakya) |
| 178 | Which dynasty built the famous Sun Temple at Konark, Odisha? | The Eastern Ganga Dynasty |
| 179 | Which dynasty built the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur? | The Chola Dynasty, under Raja Raja Chola I |
| 180 | Which Chola king is famous for his naval expeditions to Southeast Asia? | Rajendra Chola I |
| 181 | Which ancient South Indian dynasty is associated with the Sangam literature? | The Sangam-age dynasties: Chera, Chola, and Pandya |
| 182 | Who was the founder of the Delhi Sultanate's Khilji dynasty's most expansionist phase? | Alauddin Khilji |
| 183 | Which reformer is associated with the abolition of child marriage-related reforms in colonial India, leading to the Age of Consent Act, 1891? | Behramji Malabari (among reform advocates) |
| 184 | Who founded the Indian Association, a precursor to the Indian National Congress? | Surendranath Banerjee |
| 185 | Who was the leader of the moderate phase of the Indian National Congress, known for constitutional methods? | Gopal Krishna Gokhale (among other moderates like Dadabhai Naoroji) |
| 186 | Who wrote "Poverty and Un-British Rule in India", exposing the economic drain theory? | Dadabhai Naoroji |
| 187 | Who is known as the "Grand Old Man of India"? | Dadabhai Naoroji |
| 188 | Which Act of 1919 introduced the system of dyarchy in the provinces? | The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) |
| 189 | Which Act of 1935 provided for provincial autonomy and an All-India Federation (never fully implemented)? | The Government of India Act, 1935 |
| 190 | Who presided over the historic Lahore Session of the INC (1929) that declared Purna Swaraj? | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 191 | Which committee, headed by Motilal Nehru, proposed a constitutional framework for India in 1928? | The Nehru Report Committee |
| 192 | Which important woman leader participated actively in the Salt Satyagraha and later became a state governor? | Sarojini Naidu |
| 193 | Who is known as the "Nightingale of India"? | Sarojini Naidu |
| 194 | Which revolutionary is associated with the Kakori Conspiracy of 1925? | Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, and others |
| 195 | Which revolutionary threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly in 1929 along with Batukeshwar Dutt? | Bhagat Singh |
| 196 | Which three revolutionaries were hanged together on 23 March 1931? | Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev |
| 197 | Who was the founder of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association? | Chandrashekhar Azad (along with others; it was a reorganisation of the earlier HRA) |
| 198 | Which Article of the Constitution abolishes forced labour (begar)? | Article 23 |
| 199 | Which body decides election disputes related to the President and Vice-President? | The Supreme Court of India |
| 200 | Which Indian state was formed most recently, in 2014? | Telangana |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many questions are in this practice set?
This set contains 200 questions in total — 100 on Indian History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and Art & Culture) and 100 on Indian Polity.
2. Are these questions based on actual SSC exam patterns?
Yes, the topics and question style closely follow the History and Polity questions repeatedly seen in SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS, and other SSC exams.
3. Should I memorise all 200 questions at once?
No, it's more effective to study one section (History or Polity) at a time, and revise each multiple times, rather than attempting to memorise all 200 in a single session.
4. Is this set enough for the General Awareness section?
This set covers History and Polity specifically; pair it with dedicated Static GK, Current Affairs, and Science practice for complete General Awareness coverage.
5. How often should I revise this set before my exam?
Aim to revise the full set at least 2–3 times in the month before your exam, going faster with each pass as recall improves.
Tags:
#SSC History#SSC Polity#General Awareness#SSC CGL
Written By
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.
