CBSE Class 12 History 2024 — Previous-Year Question Paper

Which of the following pairs is correctly matched? (A) Endogamy – Marriage outside the unit (B) Exogamy – Man having several wives (C) Polygyny – Marriage inside the unit (D) Polyandry – Woman having several husbands

In which of the following languages has Al-Biruni translated Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit texts in India? (A) Persian (B) Arabic (C) Urdu (D) Hindavi

Who among the following was the mentor of Amir Khusrau? (A) Shaikh Nasiruddin Chiragh-i-Delhi (B) Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti (C) Shaikh Salim Chishti (D) Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya

Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option: Column I (Temple) / Column II (Location) 1. Hazara Rama Temple (i) Tamil Nadu 2. Chidambaram Temple (ii) Vijayanagara 3. Brihadishvara Temple (iii) Belur 4. Chennakeshava Temple (iv) Thanjavur Options: (A) 1-(ii), 2-(iv), 3-(i), 4-(iii) (B) 1-(ii), 2-(i), 3-(iv), 4-(iii) (C) 1-(ii), 2-(iii), 3-(iv), 4-(i) (D) 1-(ii), 2-(i), 3-(iii), 4-(iv)

Which of the following statements is correct regarding Ain-i-Akbari? (A) Akbar Nama was the third book of Ain-i-Akbari. (B) Manzil-abadi deals with the civil administration of the Mughals. (C) Sipah-abadi deals with the imperial household of the Mughals. (D) Mulk-abadi deals with the fiscal side of the Mughal empire.

Among the following, whose description of 'degenerated East' inspired Western theorists to develop the idea of 'oriental despotism'? (A) Peter Mundy (B) François Bernier (C) Duarte Barbosa (D) Marco Polo

Which one of the following was the main factor that led to the decline of the Vijayanagara empire? (A) Internal conflicts and alliance with the Sultanates against Vijayanagara. (B) Defeat of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Golconda in Talikota. (C) Heavy decline in trade and economy of the Vijayanagara empire. (D) Invasion of Portuguese and French on Vijayanagara.

Choose the correct pair regarding the profile of rural people during the Mughal period: List I (Name) / List II (Profile) (A) Mallahzadas – Village Headman (B) Muqaddam – Banker (C) Shroff – Boatman (D) Muzarian – Peasant

Arrange the following in chronological order and choose the correct option: (i) Limitation Law (ii) Sunset Law (iii) Santhal Rebellion (iv) Bombay-Deccan Riots Options: (A) (ii), (iii), (i), (iv) (B) (i), (ii), (iv), (iii) (C) (iii), (iv), (ii), (i) (D) (iv), (iii), (i), (ii)

Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option: Column I (Name of the Viceroys) / Column II (Role) 1. Lord Wellesley (i) Introduced annexation policies 2. Lord Dalhousie (ii) Introduced Subsidiary Alliance 3. Lord Bentinck (iii) Introduced greased cartridges 4. Lord Hardinge (iv) Introduced reformative polices Options: (A) 1-(iii), 2-(ii), 3-(i), 4-(iv) (B) 1-(iv), 2-(iii), 3-(ii), 4-(i) (C) 1-(ii), 2-(i), 3-(iv), 4-(iii) (D) 1-(i), 2-(iv), 3-(iii), 4-(ii)

Two statements as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below. Read them carefully and select the correct option: Assertion (A): To broaden the Non-Cooperation Movement, Gandhiji had joined hands with the Khilafat Movement. Reason (R): Gandhiji hoped that coupling Non-Cooperation and Khilafat could collectively bring an end to the Colonial rule. Options: (A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of the Assertion (A). (C) Assertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect. (D) Assertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.

Who among the following members of the Constituent Assembly made a strong plea for Hindi to be used as the language of constitution-making? (A) R.V. Dhulekar (B) Shankarrao Deo (C) G. Durgabai (D) N.G. Ranga

Which one of the following was a significant criticism of the Permanent Settlement? (A) The Zamindars got the permanent rights on the lands. (B) The British contacted the peasants directly. (C) The system increased the influence of tribal communities. (D) This system resulted in Bombay-Deccan riots.

Who among the following rebels took over the bungalow of a British official and turned it into a 'hall of justice' to settle disputes during 1857 in Uttar Pradesh? (A) Shah Mal (B) Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah (C) Gonoo (D) Kunwar Singh

Fill in the blank with the appropriate word from the given options: The legislature elected under the Government of India Act, 1935 operated within the framework of _____. (A) Indian National Congress (B) Muslim League (C) Colonial Rule (D) Constituent Assembly

(a) "Mahabharata is a dynamic text." Justify the statement. OR (b) Analyse the role of scholars in the task of preparing the critical edition of the Mahabharata.

Explain any three sources to know about the Mauryan empire.

Explain the water resource management of Vijayanagara empire with examples.

"Revenue from the land was the economic mainstay of the Mughal empire." Support the statement with examples.

(a) Why was the Revolt of 1857 specially widespread in Awadh? Explain. OR (b) Why did the rebel proclamations in 1857 appeal for unity to all sections of the population? Explain.

Explain the causes that led to the conflict between the Paharias of Rajmahal Hills and the Santhals.

(a) "The most unique feature of the Harappan civilization was the development of urban centres." Explain. OR (b) Explain the role of various archaeologists in the discovery of Harappa.

(a) Describe the contribution of Kabir to the Bhakti Movement and his impact on religious and social harmony. OR (b) Describe the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev ji emphasizing his philosophy of oneness.

(a) "There are many different kinds of sources from which we can reconstruct the political career of Gandhiji and the history of the Indian nationalist movement." Examine the statement. OR (b) Examine the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi towards nation building after the independence of India.

Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow: (1+1+2=4) Buddhism in practice This is an excerpt from the Sutta Pitaka, and contains the advice given by the Buddha to a wealthy householder named Sigala: "In five ways should a master look after his servants and employees... by assigning them work according to their strength, by supplying them with food and wages, by tending them in sickness; by sharing delicacies with them and by granting leave at times... In five ways should the clansmen look after the needs of samanas (those who have renounced the world) and Brahmanas: by affection in act and speech and mind, by keeping open house to them and supplying their worldly needs." There are similar instructions to Sigala about how to behave with his parents, teacher and wife. (31.1) How did Buddha highlight the significance of compassion in social hierarchy? (1) (31.2) Why did Buddha emphasise righteous action? (1) (31.3) Explain any two tenets of Karma according to Buddha. (2)

Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow: (1+1+2=4) A strange nation? The travelogue of Abdur Razzaq written in the 1440s is an interesting mixture of emotions and perceptions. On the one hand, he did not appreciate what he saw in the port of Calicut (present-day Kozhikode) in Kerala, which was populated by "a people the likes of whom I had never imagined", describing them as "a strange nation". Later in his visit to India, he arrived in Mangalore, and crossed the Western Ghats. Here he saw a temple that filled him with admiration: "Within three leagues (about nine miles) of Mangalore, I saw an idol-house the likes of which is not to be found in all the world. It was a square, approximately ten yards a side, five yards in height, all covered with cast bronze, with four porticos. In the entrance portico was a statue in the likeness of a human being, full stature, made of gold. It had two red rubies for eyes, so cunningly made that you would say it could see. What craft and artisanship!" (32.1) Why did Abdur Razzaq call India a 'strange nation'? (1) (32.2) How do emotions and perceptions reflect in this source? (1) (32.3) How did Abdur Razzaq describe the temples of the Western Ghats in Mangalore? (2)

Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow: (1+1+2=4) "There cannot be any divided loyalty" Govind Ballabh Pant emphasised to become loyal citizens. "For the success of democracy one must train himself in the art of self-discipline. In democracies one should care less for himself and more for others. All loyalties must exclusively be centred round the State. If in a democracy, you create rival loyalties, or you create a system in which any individual or group, instead of suppressing his extravagance, cares nought for larger or other interests, then democracy is doomed." (33.1) How has Pant described the key to the success of democracy? (1) (33.2) How has Pant defined the art of self-discipline in democracy? (1) (33.3) Explain Pant's views on the relationship between democracy and equality. (2)

(34.1) On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate symbols: (3x1=3) (i) Banawali, a Harappan site (ii) Amravati stupa (iii) (a) Agra (Territory under the Mughals) OR (iii) (b) Ajmer (Territory under the Mughals) (34.2) On the same outline map, two centres related to the Indian National Movement are marked as A and B. Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them. (2) [Visually Impaired alternative in lieu of Q.34: (34.1) Mention any two Buddhist sites in India. (2) (34.2)(a) Mention the capital city of Vijayanagara empire. OR (b) Mention any one territory under the Mughal empire. (1) (34.3) Mention any two centres of the Indian National Movement. (2)]