Introduction:
Preparing for the UPSC (Civil Services Examination) requires a strong knowledge over History, as it forms a important part of both Prelims and Mains Exam. “Top 50+ Expected History Questions for UPSC 2026” is a carefully curated set designed to help aspirants focus on the most important and frequently asked areas from Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History, along with key world history topics. These questions are based on previous year trends, conceptual clarity, and current relevance, making them highly exam-oriented. Practicing such targeted questions not only strengthens factual knowledge but also improves analytical thinking and answer accuracy. Consistent practice with these expected questions can significantly increase the chances of scoring well in the History section of UPSC 2026.
Here are, Top 50+ Expected History Questions for UPSC 2026:
Ancient Indian History:
Q.1 The earliest evidence of agriculture in Indian subcontinent is found at:
A) Mehrgarh
B) Harappa
C) Lothal
D) Kalibangan
Answer: A) Mehrgarh, today located in Balochistan, Pakistan
Q.2 Which Harappan site is known for its dockyard?
A) Harappa
B) Mohenjo-Daro
C) Lothal
D) Dholavira
Answer: C) Lothal, Gujarat
Q.3 The Great Bath is located at:
A) Harappa
B) Mohenjo-Daro
C) Kalibangan
D) Rakhigarhi
Answer: B) Mohenjo-Daro, Sindh, Pakistan
Q.4 The script of Indus Valley Civilization is:
A) Brahmi
B) Kharosthi
C) Undeciphered
D) Sanskrit
Answer: C) Undeciphered
Q.5 Which metal was unknown to the Harappans?
A) Copper
B) Bronze
C) Iron
D) Gold
Answer: C) Iron
Q.6 Rigveda mainly deals with what?
A) Philosophy
B) Rituals
C) Hymns
D) Laws
Answer: C) Hymns
Q.7 During ancient times, Sabha and Samiti were:
A) Courts
B) Assemblies
C) Armies
D) Taxes
Answer: B) Assemblies (Early Vedic Period)
Q.8 Which Veda deals with rituals?
A) Rigveda
B) Samaveda
C) Yajurveda
D) Atharvaveda
Answer: C) Yajurveda
Q.9 Sangam literature is associated with —
A) North India
B) South India
C) East India
D) West India
Answer: B) South India (Tamil Region)
Q.10 Vardhamana Mahavira was born at —
A) Vaishali
B) Kundagrama
C) Rajgir
D) Pataliputra
Answer: B) Kundagrama, Bihar
Q.11 Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment at —
A) Sarnath
B) Kushinagar
C) Bodh Gaya
D) Lumbini
Answer: C) Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Q.12 First Buddhist Council was held at —
A) Vaishali
B) Rajgir
C) Pataliputra
D) Sarnath
Answer: B) Rajgir, Bihar
Q.13 The capital of Magadha under Bimbisara was —
A) Pataliputra
B) Rajgir
C) Vaishali
D) Ujjain
Answer: B) Rajgir, Bihar (also known as Girivraja)
Q.14 Who founded the Mauryan Empire?
A) Ashoka
B) Bindusara
C) Chandragupta Maurya
D) Harsha
Answer: C) Chandragupta Maurya
Q.15 Megasthenes visited India during the reign of —
A) Ashoka
B) Chandragupta Maurya
C) Bindusara
D) Harsha
Answer: B) Chandragupta Maurya
Q.16 The book ‘Indica’ was written by whom?
A) Fa-Hien
B) Hiuen Tsang
C) Megasthenes
D) Pliny
Answer: C) Megasthenes (Greek Ambassador of Seleucus Nicator)
Q.17 Kalinga War was fought in —
A) 261 BCE
B) 273 BCE
C) 232 BCE
D) 250 BCE
Answer: A) 261 BC
Q.18 Ashoka’s inscriptions are mainly in —
A) Sanskrit
B) Prakrit
C) Tamil
D) Pali
Answer: B) Prakrit (Brahmi Script)
Q.19 The Gupta Empire is known as —
A) Dark Age
B) Golden Age
C) Iron Age
D) Stone Age
Answer: B) Golden Age of India
Q.20 Aryabhata was associated with —
A) Medicine
B) Astronomy
C) Politics
D) Literature
Answer: B) Astronomy (During Gupta Period)
Also Read:
Complete Ancient Indian History Gk
Medieval Indian History:
Q.21 Who was the founder of Delhi Sultanate?
A) Iltutmish
B) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
C) Ghiyasuddin Balban
D) Alauddin Khilji
Answer: B) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Q.22 Qutub Minar was completed by —
A) Qutb-ud-din Aibak
B) Iltutmish
C) Balban
D) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Answer: B) Iltutmish
Q.23 Who introduced market control system?
A) Balban
B) Alauddin Khilji
C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Answer: B) Alauddin Khilji
Q.24 Ibn Battuta visited India during: the reign of which Delhi Sultanate?
A) Alauddin Khilji
B) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
C) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
D) Ibrahim Lodi
Answer: B) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Q.25 Vijayanagar Empire was founded by —
A) Krishnadevaraya
B) Harihara & Bukka
C) Devaraya
D) Saluva Narshima
Answer: B) Harihara & Bukka, Karnataka
Q.26 Battle of Talikota (1565) was fought between —
A) Mughals & Rajputs
B) Vijayanagar & Deccan Sultanates
C) Marathas & Mughals
D) British & Nawabs
Answer: B) Vijayanagar & Deccan Sultanates
Q.27 Who was the founder of Mughal Empire?
A) Akbar
B) Babur
C) Humayun
D) Shah Jahan
Answer: B) Babur
Q.28 First Battle of Panipat (1526) was fought between —
A) Babur & Ibrahim Lodi
B) Akbar & Hemu
C) Shah Jahan & Aurangzeb
D) Humayun & Sher Shah
Answer: A) Babur & Ibrahim Lodi, Panipat, Haryana
Q.29 Akbar’s revenue system was known as —
A) Zabt
B) Iqta
C) Jagir
D) Ryotwari
Answer: A) Zabt System
Q.30 Din-i-Ilahi was introduced by —
A) Babur
B) Akbar
C) Jahangir
D) Aurangzeb
Answer: B) Akbar
Q.31 Taj Mahal was built by —
A) Akbar
B) Shah Jahan
C) Aurangzeb
D) Jahangir
Answer: B) Shah Jahan
Q.32 Guru Nanak was born at —
A) Amritsar
B) Nankana Sahib
C) Lahore
D) Delhi
Answer: B) Nankana Sahib, Pakistan
Q.33 Shivaji was crowned at —
A) Raigad
B) Pune
C) Satara
D) Sinhagad
Answer: A) Raigad, Maharashtra
Q.34 Who wrote ‘Akbarnama’?
A) Badauni
B) Abul Fazl
C) Faizi
D) Amir Khusrau
Answer: B) Abul Fazl
Q.35 Mansabdari system was introduced by —
A) Babur
B) Akbar
C) Aurangzeb
D) Sher Shah
Answer: B) Akbar
Q.36 Which among the following was built by Sher Shah Suri?
A) Red Fort
B) Grand Trunk Road
C) Taj Mahal
D) Qutub Minar
Answer: B) Grand Trunk Road
Q.37 Who shifted the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
A) Alauddin Khilji
B) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
C) Balban
D) Firoz Shah
Answer: B) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Q.38 Battle of Haldighati (1576) was fought between —
A) Akbar and Maharana Pratap
B) Babur and Ibrahim Lodi
C) Aurangzeb and Shivaji
D) Akbar and Hemu
Answer: A) Akbar and Rana Pratap
Q.39 Bhakti Movement emphasized —
A) Rituals
B) Devotion
C) War
D) Trade
Answer: B) Devotion (Bhakti)
Q.40 Sufi Movement emphasized —
A) Politics
B) Love & Devotion
C) Trade
D) Warfare
Answer: B) Love & Devotion
Also Read:
Complete Medieval Indian History Gk
Modern Indian History:
Q.41 Battle of Plassey was fought in which year?
A) 1757
B) 1764
C) 1773
D) 1784
Answer: A) 1757
Q.42 Battle of Buxar was fought in which year?
A) 1757
B) 1764
C) 1773
D) 1784
Answer: B) 1764
Q.43 Who founded Brahmo Samaj?
A) Swami Vivekananda
B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
C) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
D) Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy, 1828
Q.44 Arya Samaj was founded by whom?
A) Swami Vivekananda
B) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
D) Vinayak Sawarkar
Answer: B) Swami Dayanand Saraswati, 1875
Q.45 Indian National Congress was founded in which year?
A) 1885
B) 1905
C) 1919
D) 1857
Answer: A) 1885, Bombay
Q.46 Partition of Bengal took place in which year?
A) 1905
B) 1911
C) 1919
D) 1935
Answer: A) 1905
Q.47 Swadeshi Movement started in which year?
A) 1905
B) 1919
C) 1920
D) 1930
Answer: A) 1905
Q.48 Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in which year?
A) 1919
B) 1920
C) 1930
D) 1942
Answer: A) 1919, Amritsar
Q.49 Non-Cooperation Movement started in which year?
A) 1919
B) 1920
C) 1930
D) 1942
Answer: B) 1920
Q.50 Who wrote ‘Discovery of India’?
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Jawaharlal Nehru
C) Subhash Chandra Bose
D) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Answer: B) Jawaharlal Nehru
Q.51 Quit India Movement started in which year?
A) 1930
B) 1942
C) 1947
D) 1920
Answer: B) 1942
Q.52 Who gave slogan “Do or Die”?
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Mahatma Gandhi
C) Subhash Chandra Bose
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: B) Mahatma Gandhi
Q.53 Who founded Forward Bloc Movement?
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Subhash Chandra Bose
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Sardar Vallabha Bhai Patel
Answer: B) Subhas Chandra Bose
Q.54 Who gave slogan “Swaraj is my birthright”?
A) Lala Lajpat Rai
B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Muhammad Ali Jinnaha
Answer: B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Q.55 Who was last Viceroy of India?
A) Lord Wavell
B) Lord Mountbatten
C) Lord Willingdon
D) Lord Irwin
Answer: B) Lord Mountbatten
Q.56 Who was first Governor-General of independent India?
A) Clement Atlee
B) Lord Mountbatten
C) C. Rajagopalachari
D) Sardar Vallabha Bhai Patel
Answer: B) Lord Mountbatten
Q.57 Who was first Indian Governor-General?
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) C. Rajagopalachari
C) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
D) J.B. Kripalani
Answer: B) C. Rajagopalachari
Q.58 Cabinet Mission came in which year?
A) 1942
B) 1946
C) 1947
D) 1935
Answer: B) 1946
Q.59 Indian Independence Act was passed in which year?
A) 1942
B) 1946
C) 1947
D) 1950
Answer: C) 1947
Q.60 Simon Commission came in which year?
A) 1919
B) 1927
C) 1935
D) 1942
Answer: B) 1927
Also Read:
Complete Modern Indian History Gk
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