Baliyan Sir’s Questionnaire

Important Questions for History Optional

What is History?
What do you mean by History?
What is the significance of knowledge of History in life of an
administrator?
What have you learnt from Indian history?
Some people believe that India did not have its own History because
all the population groups of India came from outside. Do you agree?
Which source of History writing is most authentic?
Differentiate between Pre-history and Proto-history.
What do you mean by historiography?
Do you think tradition of History writing was learnt by Indians from
outsiders?
Some scholars consider European History as the world History till the
recent modern period. Do you agree?
Do you think History is a dead subject?
How far did Indian Geography shape Indian History?
Describe various schools associated with the study of Indian History.
Explain the limitations of colonial school associated with the study of
Indian history.
According to your view which school is most authentic?
What do you understand by history from below?
What is the subaltern approach associated with Indian
historiography?
What is the subaltern approach to nationalism in India?
Who is considered as the founder of the Subaltern Studies in India?
Tell us the names some scholars associated with subaltern approach
to historiography.
Do you think Indus valley Civilization was a foreign civilization?
Differentiate between Civilisation and Culture.
What is tribal culture?
Explain the causes responsible for the decline of Indus valley
Civilization.
Some scholars believe that the Vedic Aryans were engrossed in
spirituality and the Vedic period did not witness any development in
the material culture. Do you agree?
Some scholars believe that the Gupta period was the golden period
of Indian History. Do you agree?
Don’t you agree that it is much better to classify Mauryan period as
the Golden period of Indian History?
Differentiate between a kingdom and an empire?
What is state?
Differentiate between State and Nation?
Which period of Indian History you consider best and why?
Why the History has been divided into various periods?
Tell me the three historical personalities of India who you like most?
Does the division of Indian History into ancient period, medieval
period and modern period has any rational basis?
According your view what should be the basis for dividing Indian
history into various periods?
Tell me the names of three most important personalities of Indian
History.
What is the significance of Ashoka in Indian History?
Do you agree with Al Baruni’s description of India?
Do you think Harsha was the last great Hindu ruler of ancient India?
Do you agree that the period from 750 AD to 1200 AD was a dark
age?
What is feudalism? Do you think it was only a political phenomenon?
India witnessed various invasions but none of the Indian ruler went
outside for military conquest. Why?
What were the causes responsible for the defeat of Indians against
the foreign invaders?
Were only military factors responsible for the defeat of Indians
against the foreign invaders?
To what extent socio- cultural factors were responsible for the defeat
of Indians against the foreign invaders?
Who were Mughals?
What do understand by Mughal-I and Mughal-II?
Was the reign of Shah Jahan a golden period of Indian history?
What were main strengths of the Mughals?
What were main weaknesses of the Mughals?
What is modernity?
Differentiate between Modernity and Modernism?
Are you modern? Prove.
What is Post-Modernism?
What have you learnt from Indian National Movement?
Which personality associated with Indian National Movement you like
and why?
What were reasons for the popularity of Mahatma Gandhi?
Who were extremists in Indian freedom struggle?
Who were revolutionary extremists in Indian freedom struggle?
Tell us the names three living historians of India?
What the three main social problems which India has inherited from
past?