Society – UGC NET History – Practice Questions

Nature of Society

1. Early medieval social changes in India were primarily the result of:
A) Foreign invasions alone
B) Religious conversion only
C) Economic developments such as land grants and transfer of revenues
D) Growth of maritime trade only

2. The rise of thousands of castes in early medieval India was closely associated with:
A) Urbanization and trade expansion
B) Feudal tendencies and self-sufficient village economy
C) Islamic influence
D) Spread of Buddhism

3. Which among the following reduced occupational and spatial mobility during early medieval India?
A) Expansion of guilds
B) Temple-centered trade
C) Self-sufficient village economy
D) Maritime commerce

4. The term ‘samanta’ in early medieval India generally referred to:
A) Buddhist monks
B) Feudal chiefs or subordinate rulers
C) Merchant guild leaders
D) Village artisans

5. Assertion (A): Samantas emerged from varied social backgrounds.
Reason (R): They included government officials, defeated rulers, tribal chiefs, and military adventurers.

A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

6. Match List I with List II regarding terms used for feudal chiefs.

A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4
A-1, B-2, C-4, D-3
A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4

7. Government officers in early medieval India were increasingly compensated through:
A) Cash salaries only
B) Merchant patronage
C) Revenue-generating villages
D) Military rewards only

8. Some samantas originated as:
A) Buddhist preachers
B) Defeated rulers allowed to retain revenue rights
C) Temple sculptors
D) Agricultural laborers

9. Local hereditary chiefs often gained authority through:
A) Maritime commerce
B) Armed supporters and territorial control
C) Buddhist monasteries
D) Urban corporations

10. Which feature best describes the hierarchy of samantas?
A) Completely fixed social status
B) No territorial authority
C) Position varied from village chief to regional ruler
D) Equal status among all chiefs

11. Assertion (A): Samantas were frequently in conflict with one another.
Reason (R): They sought to expand authority and privileges.

A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

12. Revenue assignments granted to officers in early medieval India were theoretically called:
A) Jagir
B) Zamindari
C) Bhoga or fief
D) Ryotwari

13. In theory, bhoga assignments could be:
A) Sold permanently
B) Inherited automatically
C) Resumed by the ruler whenever desired
D) Given only to merchants

14. In practice, bhoga assignments were rarely resumed except in cases of:
A) Marriage alliances
B) Trade disputes
C) Rebellion or disloyalty
D) Religious conversion

15. Match List I with List II regarding features of feudal assignments.

A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4

16. According to prevailing beliefs, depriving even a defeated ruler of land was considered:
A) A royal privilege
B) A political necessity
C) A sin
D) A military strategy

17. Many kingdoms included subordinate rulers who:
A) Had no military power
B) Were always loyal
C) Sought opportunities to regain independence
D) Rejected feudal obligations

18. Over time, many government offices in early medieval India became:
A) Elective
B) Temporary
C) Hereditary
D) Merchant-controlled

19. Assertion (A): Government positions increasingly became monopolized by a few families.
Reason (R): Offices gradually became hereditary.

A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

20. Hereditary chiefs increasingly assumed which royal function?
A) Temple dancing only
B) Maritime navigation
C) Imposing punishments and exacting fines
D) Coin minting exclusively

21. Which right did hereditary chiefs increasingly assume without royal permission?
A) Tax abolition
B) Subletting land to followers
C) Temple demolition
D) Election of kings

22. The increasing subletting of land led to:
A) Equal land distribution
B) Rise of artisans
C) Growth of non-cultivating intermediaries
D) End of feudalism

23. The Chola administrative structure differed because:
A) It lacked local administration
B) It abolished taxation
C) Village autonomy remained significant
D) No feudal chiefs existed

24. Match List I with List II regarding Chola village administration.

A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
A-1, B-2, C-4, D-3
A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4

25. Sabha functioned primarily in villages populated by:
A) Merchants
B) Soldiers
C) Brahmanas
D) Tribal chiefs

26. The ‘Ur’ in Chola administration referred to:
A) Assembly of traders
B) Military council
C) Village assembly in non-Brahmanical settlements
D) Royal secretariat

27. Which of the following functions were performed by Chola village assemblies?
A) Maritime warfare only
B) Coin minting only
C) Public works, tax collection, and temple management
D) Judicial review of royal decrees only

28. Assertion (A): Chola administration represented a balance between central authority and local self-government.
Reason (R): Self-elected village bodies played an active administrative role.

A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

29. Which inscriptional source provides detailed evidence about Chola village administration and committee system?
A) Allahabad Pillar Inscription
B) Junagadh Inscription
C) Uttaramerur Inscriptions
D) Aihole Inscription

30. Some historians describe early medieval Indian society as “feudal” mainly because:
A) Serfdom exactly existed as in Europe
B) A class lived off agrarian surplus without directly cultivating land
C) Towns completely disappeared
D) Buddhism dominated society

31. Which of the following features of European feudalism was largely absent in India?
A) Kingship
B) Agriculture
C) Warfare
D) Serfdom and manorialism

32. A number of historians prefer the term “medieval society” because:
A) They deny agrarian hierarchy existed
B) They see feudalism as specific to medieval Europe
C) India lacked rulers
D) Villages were absent

33. Match List I with List II regarding debates on Indian feudalism.

A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4

34. In the so-called feudal order, peasants generally occupied a:
A) Privileged military position
B) Merchant-dominated role
C) Dependent social position
D) Completely autonomous role

35. The growth of feudal society weakened the ruler because:
A) Kings abandoned warfare
B) Feudal chiefs maintained private military forces
C) Temples rejected rulers
D) Coinage disappeared entirely

36. Assertion (A): Internal weaknesses of Indian states became important during Turkish invasions.
Reason (R): Fragmented authority and dependence on feudal chiefs weakened rulers.

A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

37. The proliferation of small states in early medieval India generally:
A) Encouraged large-scale trade
B) Promoted industrialization
C) Discouraged trade and encouraged self-sufficient villages
D) Increased urban mobility

38. Self-sufficient village economies generally reduced:
A) Agricultural production
B) Occupational and spatial mobility
C) Religious activity
D) Temple construction

39. Which of the following was weakened by domination of feudal chiefs?
A) Temple patronage
B) Merchant guilds
C) Village self-government
D) Royal coinage

40. Match List I with List II regarding impacts of feudal order.

A-4, B-1, C-3, D-2
A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
A-1, B-2, C-4, D-3
A-4, B-1, C-3, D-2

41. Which historian is prominently associated with the “Indian feudalism” thesis?
A) R. S. Sharma
B) Jadunath Sarkar
C) K. A. Nilakanta Sastri
D) Romila Thapar

42. According to the Indian feudalism thesis, large-scale land grants contributed to:
A) Expansion of urban guilds only
B) Decentralization of authority and agrarian hierarchy
C) Elimination of caste divisions
D) Rise of industrial production

43. Assertion (A): Thousands of castes emerged in early medieval India.
Reason (R): Increasing pride of birth and village isolation encouraged caste proliferation.

A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

44. Which factor particularly contributed to the rise of caste fragmentation?
A) Increased maritime mobility
B) Self-sufficient village economy
C) Strong urbanization
D) Decline of agriculture

45. The samanta system is best understood as:
A) Merchant capitalism
B) Temple administration
C) Hierarchy of subordinate chiefs and landed intermediaries
D) Purely tribal organization

46. Which among the following was an advantage of the feudal order?
A) Elimination of warfare
B) Protection of life and property during disorder
C) Destruction of agriculture
D) End of peasant dependency

47. Some chiefs contributed positively by:
A) Destroying irrigation works
B) Rejecting cultivation
C) Extending and improving cultivation
D) Ending taxation entirely

48. Match List I with List II regarding social and administrative features.

A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4

49. The dependence of rulers on feudal chiefs often resulted in:
A) Strong political centralization
B) Fragmented political authority
C) Disappearance of kingdoms
D) Abolition of taxation

50. Which among the following best summarizes social transformation in early medieval India?
A) Rise of industrial capitalism
B) Complete disappearance of hierarchy
C) Growth of landed intermediaries, caste stratification, and localized economies
D) Uniform political centralization throughout India