CUET 2022 History Question Paper with Answers & Solutions

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Bricks, Beads and Bones), the Harappans procured the blue stone lapis lazuli from Shortughai in far-off Afghanistan. Nageshwar and Balakot supplied shell; Lothal was a manufacturing centre.

Correct answer: B

Alexander Cunningham was the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (founded 1861). John Marshall was a later DG under whom Harappa/Mohenjodaro were announced.

Correct answer: C

Terracotta plough models, evidence of ploughed fields, and canal traces at Shortughai are evidence of agricultural technology. Grid-patterned streets relate to town planning, not agriculture.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Kings, Farmers and Towns), archaeologists have unearthed several thousand copper coins issued by the Yaudheyas (a tribal republic / gana-sangha), indicating they engaged in large-scale transactions.

Correct answer: D

The Kushana rulers adopted the title 'devaputra' (son of god), possibly inspired by Chinese rulers who called themselves sons of heaven.

Correct answer: B

Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang), the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India in the 7th century CE, found Pataliputra in ruins with a small population. Fa-Xian (Faxian) visited earlier in the 5th century CE.

Correct answer: C

The Manusmriti lists seven legitimate means for men to acquire wealth: inheritance, finding, purchase, conquest, investment, work, and acceptance of gifts. Stealing is not among the prescribed legitimate means.

Correct answer: B

Endogamy refers to marriage within a unit, such as kin group, caste, or a group living in the same locality. Exogamy is marriage outside the group; polygyny and polyandry are the other options.

Correct answer: D

Per NCERT (Kinship, Caste and Class), Brahmanas enforced the norm of 'right' occupation by (A) asserting through the Purusha Sukta hymn of the Rigveda that varna order was of divine origin, and (B) advising kings to ensure these norms were followed in their kingdoms. They claimed status was determined by birth, not merit, so (C) and (D) are wrong.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings), Walter Elliot, the Commissioner of Guntur, visited Amaravati and collected several sculpture panels, taking them to Madras; these came to be known as the Elliot marbles.

Correct answer: D

Per NCERT: the empty seat symbolises the Buddha's meditation (A-IV); the wheel stands for the first sermon at Sarnath (B-III); the shalabhanjika (woman by a tree) was an auspicious symbol (C-I); elephants represented strength and wisdom (D-II). Matches option (4).

Correct answer: D

Per NCERT (Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings), Sanchi survived because of the patronage of the Bhopal rulers Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum (A), and the good luck of escaping railway contractors/builders (B) and Europeans carrying finds to museums (C). Statements (D) and (E) are incorrect, so the answer is (A), (B), (C) only.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Through the Eyes of Travellers), Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller, described in detail the efficient postal system (the dawa horse-post and dawa foot-post) of the Delhi Sultanate.

Correct answer: A

Sultan-ul-Mashaikh was the title of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya (A-III); Gharib Nawaz of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti of Ajmer (B-I); Ganj-i-Shakar of Shaikh Fariduddin (Baba Farid) (C-II); Chiragh-i-Delhi of Shaikh Nasiruddin (D-IV). Matches option (1).

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Bhakti-Sufi Traditions), Andal was a woman Alvar who saw herself as the beloved of Vishnu; her verses express her love for the deity.

Correct answer: A

The Five Pillars: Shahada is the profession of faith - Allah is one and Muhammad is His messenger (A-II); Salat is offering prayers five times a day (B-IV); Sawm is fasting during Ramzan (C-I); Zakat is giving alms (D-III). Matches option (1).

Correct answer: D

Per NCERT (An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara), Domingo Paes was Portuguese (A-IV); Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi was from Persia (B-III); Afanasii Nikitin was Russian (C-I); Nicolo de' Conti was Italian (D-II). Matches option (4).

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT, the four ruling dynasties of Vijayanagara in chronological order were: Sangama (D), Saluva (B), Tuluva (C), and Aravidu (A). Matches option (3): (D), (B), (C), (A).

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Vijayanagara), Abdur Razzaq noted seven lines of forts (not eight), and that the fortification enclosed agricultural tracts; so (A) and (E) are wrong. The forts used no mortar (B) and the closely fitted stone blocks were wedge-shaped (C), which are correct. (D) is not a noted feature. Hence (B) and (C) only.

Correct answer: D

Per NCERT (Peasants, Zamindars and the State), most peasants during Mughal rule produced a minimum of two crops a year - the kharif (autumn) and the rabi (spring).

Correct answer: C

The Mughal capitals in chronological order: Agra (C, established by Akbar early), Fatehpur Sikri (A, built by Akbar in 1571), Lahore (D, Akbar shifted there 1585), and Shahjahanabad (B, founded by Shah Jahan 1648). Matches option (3): (C), (A), (D), (B).

Correct answer: C

Akbar Nama was written by Abu'l Fazl (A-II); Humayun Nama by Gulbadan Begum (B-IV); Badshah Nama by Abdul Hamid Lahori (C-I); Alamgir Nama by Muhammad Kazim (D-III). Matches option (3).

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (The Mughal Court), Mughal queens and princesses such as Nur Jahan, Jahanara and Roshanara controlled significant financial resources. Nadira and Razia (a Delhi Sultanate ruler) are not in this context. Hence (A), (B), (C) only.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT, the Chandni Chowk bazaar, the throbbing centre of Shahjahanabad, was designed by Jahanara, daughter of Shah Jahan.

Correct answer: C

The Akbar Nama of Abu'l Fazl was translated into English by Henry Beveridge.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Rebels and the Raj), in Lucknow during the 1857 revolt, Birjis Qadr, the young son of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, was proclaimed the new Nawab.

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Rebels and the Raj), this folk song laments the British annexation of Awadh (1856), where the loss of the kingdom was deeply felt; 'mulk' refers to Awadh.

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (Rebels and the Raj), the chapati and other rumours/messages circulated during 1857 (illustrated by accounts such as that of Francois Sisten) are discussed in the context of how the message of revolt and rebellion was communicated.

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (Rebels and the Raj), the British official Forsyth estimated that three-fourths of the adult male population of Awadh was in rebellion in 1857.

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (Rebels and the Raj), 'Relief of Lucknow' was painted by Thomas Jones Barker (1859), celebrating the British relief of the besieged garrison.

Correct answer: C

Subsidiary Alliance was devised by Lord Wellesley (not Dalhousie), and a British resident (not a Christian missionary) was stationed; the ally could not wage war or make agreements without British permission. So (A), (C), (E) are wrong. Correct statements: (B) British protect the ally, and (D) ally needs permission for agreements. Hence (B) and (D) only.

Correct answer: A

Chronology: British trading post at Madras (D, 1639), Lottery Committee (B, 1817), railways established (A, 1853), first all-India Census (C, 1881), transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi (E, 1911). Matches option (1): (D), (B), (A), (C), (E).

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement), Gandhi connected with the masses because he lived like them (A), spoke their language (B), wore a simple dhoti (C), and spent time daily working on the charkha (D). He did do manual labour, so (E) is false. Hence (A), (B), (C), (D).

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT, Gandhi broadened nationalism by setting up new Congress branches (A), establishing Praja Mandals in princely states (B), and encouraging the nationalist message in the mother tongue (C). He did gather support of entrepreneurs and industrialists, so (D) is false. Hence (A), (B), (C) only.

Correct answer: C

Chronology: Lahore Session/Purna Swaraj (A, Dec 1929), Independence Day celebrated 26 Jan (B, 1930), Salt March begins (C, 12 March 1930), salt law broken at Dandi (D, 6 April 1930), Gandhi-Irwin Pact (E, March 1931). Matches option (3): (A), (B), (C), (D), (E).

Correct answer: B

Chronology: Champaran (E, 1917), Kheda (A, 1918), Rowlatt Satyagraha (C, 1919), Bardoli (B, 1928), Quit India (D, 1942). Matches option (2): (E), (A), (C), (B), (D).

Correct answer: C

Shaukat Ali led the Khilafat Movement (A-IV); Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was associated with the Salt Satyagraha (persuaded Gandhi to allow women to participate) (B-I); Jayaprakash Narayan was a socialist member of Congress (C-II); Annie Besant founded the Theosophical Society activity in India (D-III). Matches option (3): (A)-IV, (B)-I, (C)-II, (D)-III.

Correct answer: D

Per NCERT, in the Champaran Satyagraha (1917) Gandhi sought to obtain for the peasants security of tenure and the freedom to cultivate crops of their choice, against the indigo planters' tinkathia system.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Understanding Partition), the Lahore (Pakistan) Resolution of 1940 was drafted by Sikandar Hayat Khan, the Punjab Premier and Unionist leader.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Understanding Partition), amidst the turmoil of Partition, Mahatma Gandhi's valiant efforts (in Noakhali, Calcutta and Delhi) to restore communal harmony bore fruit.

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Colonialism and the Countryside), the Permanent Settlement was introduced in Bengal in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis, the Governor-General.

Correct answer: C

The Fifth Report used such figures to highlight the drawbacks of the Permanent Settlement (B) - revenue not realised with punctuality and lands sold by auction - and the resulting dismemberment/collapse of old zamindari families (D). Hence (B) and (D) only.

Correct answer: B

The Permanent Settlement came into operation in 1793 (not 1798), so (A) is wrong. (D) is incorrect (zamindars did not flee to forests). Correct: zamindar was not a landowner but a revenue collector of the state (B), and high initial demands led to zamindar defaults (C). Hence (B) and (C) only.

Correct answer: C

In the passage 'jumma or assessment' is used together (e.g. 'comprehended a jumma or assessment of sicca rupees 28,70,061'), indicating jumma means the official assessment of land revenue.

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (Colonialism and the Countryside), zamindars devised strategies to keep estates; the Company's regulations exempted women's property (the zamindar transferred land to female members) from being taken over even on non-payment of revenue.

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Framing the Constitution), B. Pocker Bahadur, a Muslim League member from Madras, made a powerful plea for the continuation of separate electorates in the Constituent Assembly.

Correct answer: C

Per NCERT (Framing the Constitution), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel described separate electorates as a 'poison that has entered the body politic of our country.'

Correct answer: B

The passage itself is Govind Ballabh Pant's speech stating that separate electorates would be 'suicidal'/self-destructive as they isolate the minorities from the majority. Hence Govind Ballabh Pant.

Correct answer: B

Per NCERT (Framing the Constitution), Govind Ballabh Pant deplored 'the unwholesome and, to some extent, degrading habit of thinking always in terms of communities and never in terms of citizens.'

Correct answer: A

Per NCERT (Framing the Constitution), N.G. Ranga argued that the real minorities were the masses - the poor and downtrodden - and asked for protection of their interests rather than religious minorities.