01/04/2024, 03:06 History, Art and Culture UPSC Mains Topic Wise Previous Year Questions (1979-2023) | UPSC

tions (1979-2023) | UPSC PDF

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History, Art and Culture UPSC Mains Topic Wise

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01/04/2024, 03:06 History, Art and Culture UPSC Mains Topic Wise Previous Year Questions (1979-2023) | UPSC PDF

Previous Year Questions (1979-2023)

TOPIC 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2

Nature of Indian National

1 1
Movement

Important Contributors

Revolt of 1857 1

Socio-Religious Reformation
1 1 1
Movement

Congress-Moderates &
Extremists – Split (Surat) – 1 1
Reunion (Lucknow)

Partition of Bengal – Swadeshi

Movement & Rise of
Revolutionary Terrorism

Nationalism during World War 1 -

Ghadar Party & Home Rule
League

M. K. Gandhi South African

experiment, Rowlatt Satyagraha 1 1
& Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Jawaharlal Nehru

Radindranath Tagore

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Non-Cooperation 1

Civil Disobedience Movement -

Round Table Conference, Gandhi-
Irwin Pact, Karachi Congress,
MacDonald Award & Poona Pact

The Government of India Act,

1935 – The Congress Ministers –
2nd World War

Culture, Proposals towards

Independence -The August
Offer/Cripps Mission/Raja 31
Formula/ Desal Liaqat
formula/Wavell plan/ Cabinet
Mission plan/Dickie Bird
plan/Mountbatten plan

Quit India Movement -INA & RIN

Mutiny

Communalism/Partition of India
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TOPIC 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2

Factors/Independence Act, 1947 1

Princely States and Integration 1 1

Acts during British

Raj/Commission

Movements – State people’s

movement, Trade Union
movement, Peasant movements,
Tribal movements, movement
against untouchability and caste
system, movement for the
upliftment of women

Growth/Development – Civil
Services, Judicial System, Local
Self Govt., Modern Education,
Indian Press, Nationalistic
foreign policy & Taxes

Impact of British Rule on Indian

1 1 2
Economy

Organizations/Associations

Political philosophies like

communism, capitalism,
socialism etc. – their forms and
effect on the society

Viceroy/Governor General 1

Post-independence consolidation
& reorganization within the
country

War/Movement/Revolt/Massacre 1

Total Question 3 4 2 4 2 5

INDIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE

ART AND CULTURE/ ARCHITECTURE & SCULPTURE/PAINTINGS

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1. What measures have been taken by the Government of India for the protection and
preservation of historic monuments and relics? What are the responsibilities of the
Archaeological Survey of India in this regard? There have been recent reports of serious
damage to the world’s famous Taj Mahal at Agra. What are the reasons for the damage?
What steps are being taken to protect and preserve the Taj Mahal? 1985

2. What are the basic differences between Mughal style of painting and the Rajput style of
painting? (About 50 words) 1985

3. Point out the chief characteristics of the architecture of any two of the following: (About 30
words for each) 1985
i. Temples of Khajuraho

ii. Taj Mahal

iii. Victoria Memorial

4. Write a note on the origin and development of Oriental Art. 1986

5. What were the new elements introduced by the Muslim rulers in the development of Indian
architecture? (About 50 words) 1987

6. Evaluate the chief characteristics of any two of the following : (About 50 words for each) 1988
i. Gandhara School of Art

ii. Rock-cut temple architecture

iii. Chola architecture

7. Write about the chief characteristics of the following: 1989

i. Carnatic music

ii. Kishangarh style of painting

iii. Nagara style of architecture

iv. Neo-art movement of Rabindranath Tagore

8. Kangra School of Painting 1990

9. Chandella school of architecture 1991

10. Sunga art 1992

11. Write about the chief feature of the following: 1993

i. Mathura School of Art

ii. Bundi School of Painting

iii. Mughal Architecture at Fatehpur Sikri

12. Write about Gandhara School of Art. 1994

13. Write about Dravidian architecture. 1995

14. Write about the chief features of the following: 1996

Town Planning in the Indus Valley Civilization

15. Write about Ahmadiya Movement 1996

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16. Write about Chaitya 1997

17. Write about Vijayanagara Art 1997

18. Write about Kulu School 1998

19. Write about Gopuram 1998

20. Write about Chola Architecture 1999

21. Write about Gandhara school of art 2000

22. Write about Saranath Pillar 2003

23. Write about Gandhara Art. (20 words) 2007

24. Write about : Maski. 2009

25. While bringing out their salient features, distinguish between either ‘Madhubani’ Art and
‘Manjusha’ Art or ’Rajasthani’ schools of painting and the ’Pahari’ school of Painting. 2010

26. What are the major different styles of unglazed pottery making in India? 2011

27. The ’flute – playing Krishna’ theme is very popular in Indian art. Discuss. (150 words) 2012

28. Comment on the significance of Rasarnava in studying the history of Indian Chemistry. (50
words) 2012

29. Comment on the significance of fire in Zoroastrianism. (50 words) 2012

30. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture.
Discuss (100 words) 2013

31. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided
inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss. 2014

32. Gandhara Sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain. 2014

33. The ancient civilization in Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia
and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without a breakdown to the
present day. Comment. 2015

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34. Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also
a fine aesthetic sense comparable to modern painting. Critically evaluate this comment. 2015

35. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds
Buddhist ideals. Elucidate. 2016

36. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of the Gupta numismatic art is not at
all noticeable in later times? 2017

37. Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss. 2018

38. Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in Gandhara art. 2019

39. What makes Indian society unique in sustaining its culture? Discuss 2019

40. The rock-cut architecture represents one of the most important sources of our knowledge of
early Indian art and history. Discuss. 2020

41. Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate.
2020

42. Indian philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the
monuments and their art in India. Discuss. 2020

43. How will you explain that Medieval Indian temple sculptures represent the social life of
those days? 2022

44. Discuss the main contributions of Gupta period and Chola period to Indian heritage and
culture. 2022

45. Discuss the significance of the lion and bull figures in Indian mythology, art and architecture.
2022

46. Explain the role of geographical factors towards the development of Ancient India. 2023

LITERATURE

DANCE/MUSIC/THEATRE

FESTIVAL/FAIRS

PERSONALITIES

TRIBES/EDUCATION/RELIGION/ADMINISTRATION/ ABBREVIATION

MODERN INDA AND THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE

NATURE OF INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT

REVOLT OF 1857
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SOCIO RELIGIOUS REFORMATION MOVEMENT

IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS

CONGRESS-MODERATES & EXTREMISTS-SPLIT(SURA)-REUNION

(LUCKNOW)

PARTITION OF BENGAL-SWADESHI MOVEMENT & RISE OF

REVOLUTIONARY TERRORISM

NATIONALISM DURING WORLD WAR 1 GHADAR PARTY AND HOME RULE

MOVEMENT

M. K. GANDHI – SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIMENT, ROWLATT SATYAGRAHA

& JALLIANWALA BAGH MASSACRE

PERSONALITIES

NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT, KHILAFAT, SWARAJISTS AND NO-

CHANGERS AND GROWTH OF REVOLUTIONARY TERRORISM

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT – ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE,

GANDHI IRWIN PACT, KARACHI CONGRESS, MACDONALD AWARD &
POONA PACT

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT ,1935 – THE CONGRESS MINISTERS –

2nd WORLD WAR

PROPOSALS TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE – THE AUGUST OFFER/CRIPPS

MISSION/ RAJA JI FORMULA/ DESAI LIAQAT FORMULA/ WAVELL PLAN/
CABINET MISSION PLAN/ DICKIE BIRD PLAN/ MOUNTBATTEN PLAN

QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT – INA & RIN MUTINY

COMMUNALISM/PARTITION OF INDIA

FACTORS / INDEPENDENCE ACT , 1947

PRINCELY STATES AND INTEGRATION

ACTS DURING BRITISH RAJ/ COMMISSION

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MOVEMENTS – STATE PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT, TRADE UNION MOVEMENT,

PEASANT MOVT., TRIBAL

MOVEMENT, MOVEMENT AGAINST UNTOUCHABILITY AND CASTE

SYSTEM, MOVEMENT FOR THE UPLIFTMENT OF WOMEN

GROWTH/ DEVELOPMENT – CIVIL SERVICES, JUDICIAL SYSTEM, LOCAL

SELF GOVT., MODERN EDUCATION, INDIAN PRESS, NATIONALISTIC
FOREIGN POLICY & TAXES

IMPACT OF BRITISH RULE ON INDIAN ECONOMY

ORGANIZATION/ ASSOCIATION

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES LIKE COMMUNISM, CAPITALISM, SOCIALISM

ETC.-THEIR FORMS AND EFFECT ON THE SOCIETY

VICEROY/GOVERNOR GENERAL

POST-INDEPENDENCE CONSOLIDATION & REORGANIZATION WITHIN

THE COUNTRY

WAR/MOVEMENT/REVOLT/MASSACRE

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