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UPSC History — Previous Year Questions

Every question from History papers in UPSC Civil Services Mains (2021–2026), organised by year. 96 questions in total, each with directive-word analysis, model answer points, and a full evaluation rubric.

96Questions
6Years covered

2026 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2026

Paper I

  1. Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Analyze the role of terrain, climate and vegetation in shaping the settlement and movement of prehistoric… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) “The Iranian and Macedonian invasions reshaped ancient India through administrative influence, political… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) “Hoysala temple architecture marks a distinctive and innovative phase in the evolution of South Indian art and… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) How far can the Qutub Complex at Mehrauli be considered as an ideal specimen for the study on the development of… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Critically examine the theories on the origin of the Rajputs. How do the indigenous evidences contradict the… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) From the Portuguese merchant Domingo Paes’ description of Krishnadeva-raya’s reign, assess the socio-economic and… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Analyze the influence of Persian traditions on the development of architecture and painting under the Mughals. To… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) “Superior Maritime strength proved to be England's most powerful weapon in the struggle for colonial supremacy… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Underline the various factors for decline of the Indian cottage industries during the nineteenth century. (20… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) ‘Raja Rammohan Roy stands in history as the living bridge over which India marches from her unmeasured part to her… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Why did the British Crown assume direct control over the Indian Government in 1858 ? Mention the new administrative… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) "Immanuel Kant was an advocate of liberalism and nationalism." (10 marks) (b) "The rise of the Cordelier Club in… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) The Vienna Settlement of 1815 was based on three principles, restoration, legitimacy and compensation. Elucidate… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The Industrial Revolution in England accelerated the decline of traditional Indian handicrafts and cottage… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) 'The Acerbo law played a crucial role in strengthening Mussolini's hold on power by undermining democratic… 50 marks

2025 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2025

Paper I

  1. Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) "The Chalcolithic people were experts in microliths and were also skilful workers in stone." Elucidate. (15 marks)… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) "The origin of the territorial republics has been traced to the reaction against the pattern of life that evolved… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) "The dynamics of social mobility in early medieval India were shaped by a complex interplay of caste hierarchies… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) "Religious themes inspired a large section of literature in provincial languages in late medieval India." Comment… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Discuss the structural features of Todar Mal's revenue system and evaluate its effectiveness in standardized land… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Portuguese maritime power disrupted the character of trade in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century. Review. (15… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) "Aurangzeb's religious policy was a reflection of the changed political realities of the Mughal Empire." Elucidate… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) "The Sikh monarchy was Napoleonic in the suddenness of its rise, the brilliancy of its success and the completeness… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Do you agree that the idea of permanent fixation of land revenue of 1793 in Bengal was highly influenced by the… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) "During the Carnatic Wars, the French position, which at one time dazzled the Indian world by its political… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) "The tensions between cultural revivalism and modernization shaped the trajectory of the socio-religious reform… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) "The French Revolution started and led to the victory in its first phase by the aristocracy." (10 marks) (b) "With… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) "Nationalism in the 19th century was a driving force for both integration and disintegration." Illustrate with… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) "By the time of 1932 elections, Germany's ruling classes began to feel that the only way to escape from a deep… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Why did the non-communist Vietnamese leaders fail to provide successful leadership for Indo-China's anti-colonial… 50 marks

2024 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2024

Paper I

  1. Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Harappan art contributes to our understanding of their aesthetic sensibilities in addition to spiritual and… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Symbiotic relationships between Buddhist establishments, traders, artisan guilds, and royal support led to a close… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Highlight the contributions of Aryabhatta, Varahamihira and Brahmagupta in the fields of Astronomy and Mathematics… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Illustrate the main features of Vesara style temple architecture. (b) Evaluate Firuz Shah Tughluq's economic… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Analyze the contributions of Acharya Triumvirate to Indian Vedanta. (20 marks) (b) Compare and contrast the… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) "Instead of bringing credit, the Ibadat Khana brought growing discredit to Akbar." Comment. (20 marks) (b) How did… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Discuss the contributions of Bahmani Sultans to the development of Indo-Islamic architecture. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) After the battle of Plassey, the mercenary became the Kingmaker. (10 marks) (b) The values of utilitarianism… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) The pace of commercialisation of agriculture increased as a result of British revenue policies in India. –… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Political extremism in colonial India often converged with cultural nationalism, but not always. – Comment. (20… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) The Swadeshi movement of 1905 anticipated many of the tactics that were later developed during the Gandhian mass… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) The ideas raised by Enlightenment thinkers were profoundly unsettling and challenging to old regime society and… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) The course of the English industrialization was too long drawn to be considered a revolution. Comment. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The second world war was a truly global conflict. Discuss. (20 marks) (b) Trace the different stages of European… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) The emergence of two power blocs not only symbolised two competing ideologies but also two alternative models of… 50 marks

2023 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2023

Paper I

  1. Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) "The Neolithic Age represents a revolution due to significant changes that took place during this period." Examine… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) How far the Sangam literature acts as a window into the social and cultural traditions of ancient South India? (20… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Analyze the tenets, spread and impact of the Bhakti Movement. (20 marks) (b) How far temple architecture under the… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Discuss the various proponents of Indian feudalism. (10 marks) (b) Examine the defects in Alberuni's assessment of… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Discuss the role of Nur Jahan in the Mughal court politics during the reign of Jahangir. (20 marks) (b) Why did… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The Marathas posed a significant threat to the integrity of the Mughal Empire. Discuss. (20 marks) (b) "Haidar Ali… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Mughal architecture was syncretic in character. Comment. (20 marks) (b) The economy of India was not stagnant in… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) "Colonialism had a twisted logic of its own for commercialization. It emerges on analysis to have been often an… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) The Carnatic Wars, the Anglo-Mysore Wars and the Anglo-Maratha Wars had virtually eliminated the French from the… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Do you agree that 'the decline of traditional Indian artisan production was a fact, sad but inevitable'? Discuss… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) The universalist perspective of socio-religious reform movements was not a 'purely philosophic concern; it strongly… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) "The American War of Independence finally ended in 1783 when Britain acknowledged the independence of the United… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) The philosophers and thinkers may have laid the foundation of the French Revolution, but it was precipitated by… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The impact of industrial revolution on the middle class world view is reflected in the views of Adam Smith, Thomas… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) "UNO was the necessity of the time when the World War II ended." Critically examine its achievements and… 50 marks

2022 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2022

Paper I

  1. Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) The urban character of the Harappan Civilization was a result neither of any outside influence nor a sudden act but… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) The economic achievements of the Guptas were the culmination of a process which began during the Kushanas. Comment… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Evaluate the importance of tripartite struggle for the domination over North India during the eighth and ninth… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) What were 'Brahmadeya' grants? How do you account for the large number of such grants in the early medieval period?… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) The market regulations of Ala-ud-din Khilji were useful for the Sultan's military might but harmful for the economy… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The Virashaiva Movement of Southern Deccan in the twelfth century was essentially an attempt at social reform… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Trade and commerce in the Mughal Empire brought about the integration of the Indian subcontinent into a single… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) 'The Battle of Plassey (1757) was a skirmish while the Battle of Buxar (1764) was a real war'. (10 marks) (b) 'The… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Explain how the Permanent Settlement initiated a rule of property in Bengal and what were its consequences ? (20… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Do you think that the Indian National Movement was a 'multi class movement' which represented the anti-imperialist… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Discuss the policies and programmes of the early nationalists (moderates). To what extent they were able to fulfil… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) 'Rousseau kindled a hope which became the spirit of the Enlightenment'. (10 marks) (b) 'The codification of French… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Do you agree that the economic effects of the Industrial Revolution were to add enormously to wealth and capital on… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Do you understand that the lack of statesmanship in London during the 1760's and the 1770's was, an important… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Describe the launching of Non-Alignment Movement. Why the small nations wanted to remain aloof from the powerful… 50 marks

2021 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2021

Paper I

  1. Q1 Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Do you agree that ecological factors influenced the flow and ebb of the Harappan Civilization? Comment. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Will it be proper to consider the megaliths to represent a single, homogeneous or contemporaneous culture? What… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) "The political and economic needs of rulers, combined with economic and status needs of the merchant class… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Discuss the different stages of Indian feudalism and analyze its impact on Indian political system. (b) Do you… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Discuss the transformation of Sikh community from a Nirguna Bhakti sect into a politico-military organization. (15… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Discuss the importance of Iqta system. How did it help in centralization of administration of the Delhi Sultanate?… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) "The Chola rulers were not only mighty conquerors, efficient administrators but also builders of fine temples."… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) The introduction of Western education transformed India in unforeseen ways. (10 marks) (b) Tipu Sultan had little… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) India had been the world leader in the field of hand spun and hand woven yarn and cloth for many centuries. Many… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) How did English utilitarian thinking impact India in the British era? (20 marks) (b) The same Gandhiji who withdrew… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Discuss the major constitutional developments in India after 1858 and their impact on society and polity. (20… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) There were many reasons why the industrial revolution first happened in England. (10 marks) (b) Napoleon's… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What was "enlightened" about the Age of Enlightenment? (20 marks) (b) What were the causes and consequences of the… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) The rise of nationalism across nations shattered the chains which held together the empires of modern Europe… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Europe was at war with itself in the first half of the twentieth century with a long cease-fire. Comment. (20… 50 marks

How History answers are marked

The shape the examiner expects, what earns the marks and the traps that lose them: the same card our rubrics for this subject are written from.

Answer skeleton

  1. Context
  2. Thesis
  3. Evidence
  4. Historiography

What earns the marks

  • Argue a thesis; do not narrate
  • Cite inscriptions, chronicles, archaeology as sources
  • Name the historiographical school and its rival
  • Add map or timeline where sequence matters

What earns the extra mark

  • Named historian
  • A source quotation

Traps that cost marks

  • Chronology without analysis
  • Textbook retelling
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