History Optional Question Paper – 2018: Paper-1
Section-A
Q1. Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question cum Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim. (2.5 x 20 = 50 Marks)
- (i)Megalithic burial site
- (ii)Chalcolithic site
- (iii)Cave Paintings
- (iv)Paleolithic site
- (v)Political and Cultural centre
- (vi)Terracotta centre
- (vii)Harappan site
- (viii)Vaishnava cultural site
- (ix)Painted Grey Ware site
- (x)Chalcolithic site
- (xi)Early Agricultural centre
- (xii)Early Harappan site
- (xiii)An ancient temple
- (xiv)Political and Cultural centre
- (xv)An ancient sea port
- (xvi)Buddhist centre
- (xvii)Inscriptional site
- (xviii)An ancient capital
- (xix)A Jaina centre
- (xx)An ancient capital
Q2.(a) How did the early Indian historical tradition, as reflected in Itihasa Purana, emerge? What are the distinctive features of this genre? ( 20 Marks)
(b) “Archaeological evidence does not give direct access to the possible social and political dimensions of the decline of the Harappan civilization. What it does indicate very clearly is that the Harappan culture underwent a gradual process of de-urbanisation”? Comment. (15 Marks)
(c) Give an account of gana-sanghas (non-monarchical state systems)? Why did they decline? (15 Marks)
Q3.(a) Do you agree with the popular view that Mauryas established a unitary and highly centralized if not monolithic state system? (20 Marks)
(b) The concept of Shramanic religions, with particular reference to Buddhism, had their roots in Upanisadic ideas. Discuss. (15 Marks)
(c) “Doubtless it was not a free state it was any rate a state” (K.A.N.Sastri), Reflect upon the nature of local self government institutions in the Chola country.” (15 Marks)
Q4.(a) What was the impact of trans-regional and trans-continental trade in the post Mauryan period on social and cultural life of India? (20 Marks)
(b) “Utpanna dravide bhakthi, Karnate vriddhimagata I Sthita kinchit maharashtre gurjare jirnatam gata II – Padmapurana Account for the emergence of bhakti in Dravida desa. (15 Marks)
(c) Discuss the experimentations with art and architecture during the Gupta-Vakataka period. (15 Marks)
Section – B
Q5. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
5(a) “The battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in India”. Elaborate. (10 Marks)
(b) Discuss evidence on slavery provided by Ibn Batuta with special reference to female slaves. (10 Marks)
(c) Discuss the advancement made in Textile Technology under the Delhi Sultans.(10 Marks)
(d) “Akbar wished to assert his strong belief in God, but his concept of the way god is to be worshipped was independent of either ourthodox Islam or Hinduism.” Comment. (10 Marks)
(e) Discuss the literature written in Hindi in Mughal India. (10 Marks)
Q6(a) Critically analyze the changing nature of caste and gender relations during the early medieval period.
(15 Marks)
(b) “An important feature of agriculture in Mughal India has been the large number of crops raised by the peasants.” Illustrate by giving examples.(15 Marks)
(c) “The policy of creating heterogeneous nobility by Muhammad Tughlaq started the process of disintegration of Delhi Sultanate.” Explain. (10 Marks)
Q7(a) Do you agree that convergence of political vacuum and impact of Islamicate culture and polity (15 Marks)
(b) Describe the new architectural features added by successive Sultans in the construction of Tombs in India. ( 20 Marks)
(c) What was the role of Sufi Folk literature in the diffusion of Islam in India in general and in Deccan in particular. (15 Marks)
Q8(a) Discuss the working of Zamindari System under the Mughal rulers. Also describe the role played by the Zamindars in the agrarian economy of Mughal India. (20 Marks)
(b) “The art of building was carried to the highest degree of perfection under Shahjahan”. Illustrate by giving architectural details of two of his most celebrated buildings. (15 Marks)
(c) “The Afghan invasions in the Eighteenth Century not only signified the military irrelevance of the Mughal Empire but also hastened its decline.” Explain.(15 Marks)
History Optional Question Paper – 2018: Paper-2
Section-A
Q1. Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: (10×5=50)
(a) “The Battle of Plassey (1757) thus marked the beginning of political supremacy of the English East India Company in India.” (10 Marks)
(b) “The passing of the land from the hands of the peasant proprietors into the hands of non-cultivating landlords brought about increasing polarization of classes in agrarian areas.” (10 Marks)
(c) “Faced with the challenge of the intrusion of colonial culture and ideology an attempt to reinvigorate traditional institutions and to realize the potential of traditional culture developed during the nineteenth century.” (10 Marks)
(d) “An ideology of paternalistic benevolence, occasionally combined with talk of trusteeship and training towards self-government, thinly veiled the realities of a Raj uncompromisingly white and despotic.” (10 Marks)
(e) “States‟ reorganization did not, of course, resolve all the problems relating to linguistic conflicts.” (10 Marks)
Q2(a) Was the Moplah Rebellion in Malabar an expression of anti-landlord and anti-foreign discontent? Discuss. (20 Marks)
(b) Analyse various trends in Dalit Movements in various parts of postindependent India. (20 Marks)
(c) Could Dyarchy 1919 satisfy the national sentiments of the Indians? (10 Marks)
Q3(a) Underline the growth of various forms of Socialist ideologies in the Indian National Movement between World Wars I and II. (20 Marks)
(b) Trace the development of land reforms in India between 1947 and early 1960‟s. (20 Marks)
(c) What was the significance of Orientalist-Anglicist controversy in nineteenth century India? Analyse. (10 Marks)
Q4(a) Do you consider the suspension of Non-Cooperation Movement a “national calamity.”? (20 Marks)
(b) Critically examine the turns and twists in the politics of partition in 1930‟s and 1940‟s. (20 Marks)
(c) Can methods and policies of the moderates be referred to as „political mendicancy‟? (20 Marks)
SECTION – B
Q5. Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: (10×5=50 Marks)
(a) “With the writings of Karl Marx, Socialism assumed the form of Scientific Socialism.”
(b) “The American War of Independence transformed Europe as well as America.”
(c) “The American War of Independence transformed Europe as well as America.
(d) At the end of the Battle of Sedan (1870), “Europe lost a mistress and gained a master”.
(e) “Until December 1941, the battlefield of the Second World War was exclusively European and Atlantic; thereafter it became also Asiatic and Pacific.”
Q6(a) Explain the major ideas of Enlightenment. Discuss the contribution of Rousseau in Enlightenment.
(20 Marks)
(b) Discuss how Japan Industrialized after the Meiji Restoration, What were the consequences for its neighbours? (20 Marks)
(c) Explain the features of Apartheid in South Africa. (15 Marks)
Q7(a) Examine the role of Bismarck in state building in Germany. (20 Marks)
(b) Discuss the factors constraining development of Africa after decolonization (20 Marks)
(c) Outline the circumstances leading to the adoption of the Marshall Plan. (15 Marks)
Q8(a) In the Chinese Revolution of 1949, the elements of communism and nationalism were discernible. Explain the statement in the light Mao‟s strategy which was different from that of Lenin. (20 Marks)
(b) Discuss how far the United Nations has been successful in resolving global disputes from year 1946 to 1991. (20 Marks)
(c) Review the policy of Glasnost adopted by Gorbachev. (15 Marks)