History, Polity & Defence Previous Year Questions (PYQs) for XAT: 7+ Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions

    Solve 7+ History, Polity & Defence previous year questions for XAT with answers and detailed solutions. Free sample questions below.

    Chapter Roadmap: History, Polity and Defence

    Chapter Journey: History, Polity and Defence

    1. Indian History, Polity and Heritage (Current Focus) 2. Defence and International Organizations By the end of this chapter, you will master: - Chronological ordering of rulers and historical events - Key constitutional provisions and fundamental duties - Recognition of heritage sites, symbols, and political milestones

    Total Chapter Previous Exam Questions: 12
    Your Focus Now: Topic 1 (9 questions)

    Topic Hero: Why History and Polity Matter in General Knowledge

    Indian History, Polity and Heritage: The Big Picture

    Why This Matters for Exams

    Management entrance exams test awareness, not expertise. You need to recognize patterns, sequences, and basic facts about:

    1. Historical Chronology - Who came before whom?
    2. Constitutional Framework - What does the Constitution say?
    3. Cultural Heritage - What represents India's identity?
    4. Political Leadership - Who did what, and when?

    The Four Pillars

    Ancient Civilizations and Temples Constitution and Polity Basics National Symbols and Heritage Political Leaders and Events

    Exam Pattern Insight

    From 9 previous exam questions in this course, the distribution is:

    • Chronology questions: 2 to 3 questions (queens, leaders)
    • Constitutional articles: 1 to 2 questions
    • Heritage and symbols: 2 to 3 questions (ancient sites, temple terms, emblem)
    • Political figures: 2 to 3 questions (Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, global leaders)

    Strategy: Build timelines, memorize key articles, recognize symbols, and know major political milestones.

    History, Polity & Defence: Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Explanations (5 Problems)

    Question 1 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    From the following, choose the Article in the Constitution of India that proclaims: “It shall be the obligation of every citizen of India to safeguard and develop the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers, and animals, and to have compassion for living beings.”

    1. A.

      Article 14A

    2. B.

      Article(13b)

    3. C.

      Article 51A(g)

    4. D.

      Article 15

    5. E.

      Article 21

    Correct Answer:

    C

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a direct constitutional recall question, recognisable by the quote from the Fundamental Duties.

    Step 1: Identify the keyword phrase: "safeguard and develop the natural environment... and to have compassion for living beings."

    Step 2: Recall that Fundamental Duties are listed in Part IVA of the Indian Constitution, specifically under Article 51A.

    Step 3: Match the specific duty to its sub-clause. The duty regarding the environment and compassion for living creatures is explicitly stated in Article 51A(g), added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.

    Answer: C

    Question 2 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Which of the following animals are on the State Emblem of India?

    1. A.

      Lion, Tiger, and Bull

    2. B.

      Lion, Bull, and Elephant

    3. C.

      Lion, Bull, and Horse

    4. D.

      Lion, Elephant, and Horse

    5. E.

      Lion, Tiger, and Cow

    Correct Answer:

    C

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a direct constitutional recall question, recognisable by the quote from the Fundamental Duties.

    Step 1: Identify the keyword phrase: "safeguard and develop the natural environment... and to have compassion for living beings."

    Step 2: Recall that Fundamental Duties are listed in Part IVA of the Indian Constitution, specifically under Article 51A.

    Step 3: Match the specific duty to its sub-clause. The duty regarding the environment and compassion for living creatures is explicitly stated in Article 51A(g), added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.

    Answer: C

    Question 3 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Match the United Nation's Secretary Generals with their citizenships, at the time of appointment.

    1. A.

      A2, B3, C4, D1

    2. B.

      A4, B3, C1, D2

    3. C.

      A1, B4, C2, D3

    4. D.

      A2, B4, C1, D3

    5. E.

      A1, B4, C3, D2

    Correct Answer:

    D

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a superlative factual recall question about Indian political records, recognisable by the phrase "longest years consecutively, or otherwise, as the Chief Minister".

    Step 1: Recall the longest-serving Chief Ministers of Indian states.

    Step 2: Evaluate the top contenders:

    • Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim): Served from 12 December 1994 to 27 May 2019. Total tenure: 24 years and 165 days.
    • Jyoti Basu (West Bengal): Served for 23 years and 137 days (1977–2000).
    • Naveen Patnaik (Odisha): Served from 2000 to 2024 (over 24 years, but Chamling's specific record of 24 years and 165 days is officially recognised as the longest in standard GK references for this specific milestone, and Patnaik's total days are slightly fewer than Chamling's).
    • Virbhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh): Served multiple terms, totaling around 21 years.
    • Gegong Apang (Arunachal Pradesh): Served for about 15 years.

    Step 3: Identify Pawan Kumar Chamling as the record holder for the longest tenure as a Chief Minister in India.

    Answer: D

    Question 4 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    From the following options, choose the one which arranges the given Queens’ascension to the throne in a chronological order.

    1. A.

      Rudrama Devi, Razia Sultana, Durgavati, Lakshmi Bai, Ahilyabai Holkar

    2. B.

      Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Durgavati, Ahilyabai Holkar, Lakshmi Bai

    3. C.

      Razia Sultana, Ahilyabai Holkar, Durgavati, Lakshmi Bai, Rudrama Devi

    4. D.

      Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Ahilyabai Holkar, Durgavati, Lakshmi Bai

    5. E.

      Ahilyabai Holkar, Durgavati, Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Lakshmi Bai

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a chronological ordering question, recognisable because it asks to arrange historical figures by their ascension to the throne.

    Step 1: Identify the time period of each queen's rule.

    • Razia Sultana: Ascended the Delhi Sultanate throne in 1236 CE.
    • Rudrama Devi: Ascended the Kakatiya dynasty throne in 1262 CE.
    • Rani Durgavati: Ascended the Gond kingdom throne in 1550 CE.
    • Ahilyabai Holkar: Became the ruler of the Maratha Empire (Malwa) in 1767 CE.
    • Rani Lakshmi Bai: Ascended the Jhansi throne in 1853 CE.

    Step 2: Arrange the dates in ascending order: 1236 CE → 1262 CE → 1550 CE → 1767 CE → 1853 CE.

    Step 3: Match this sequence to the given options. The correct sequence is Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Durgavati, Ahilyabai Holkar, Lakshmi Bai.

    Answer: B

    Question 5 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Match the temple architectural terms in Column A with their descriptions in Column B.

    1. A.

      1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c

    2. B.

      1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a

    3. C.

      1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d

    4. D.

      1-b, 2-d, 3-a, 4-c

    5. E.

      1-c, 2-a, 3-d, 4-b

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a chronological ordering question, recognisable because it asks to arrange historical figures by their ascension to the throne.

    Step 1: Identify the time period of each queen's rule.

    • Razia Sultana: Ascended the Delhi Sultanate throne in 1236 CE.
    • Rudrama Devi: Ascended the Kakatiya dynasty throne in 1262 CE.
    • Rani Durgavati: Ascended the Gond kingdom throne in 1550 CE.
    • Ahilyabai Holkar: Became the ruler of the Maratha Empire (Malwa) in 1767 CE.
    • Rani Lakshmi Bai: Ascended the Jhansi throne in 1853 CE.

    Step 2: Arrange the dates in ascending order: 1236 CE → 1262 CE → 1550 CE → 1767 CE → 1853 CE.

    Step 3: Match this sequence to the given options. The correct sequence is Razia Sultana, Rudrama Devi, Durgavati, Ahilyabai Holkar, Lakshmi Bai.

    Answer: B

    More previous year questions (pyqs) in this unit

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    History, Polity & Defence Previous Year Questions (PYQs) for XAT: 7+ Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions

    Solve 7+ History, Polity & Defence previous year questions for XAT with answers and detailed solutions. Free sample questions below.

    A question from this chapter

    Question 1

    From the following, choose the Article in the Constitution of India that proclaims: “It shall be the obligation of every citizen of India to safeguard and develop the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers, and animals, and to have compassion for living beings.”

    Question 2

    Which of the following animals are on the State Emblem of India?

    Question 3

    Match the United Nation's Secretary Generals with their citizenships, at the time of appointment.

    Question 4

    From the following options, choose the one which arranges the given Queens’ascension to the throne in a chronological order.

    Question 5

    Match the temple architectural terms in Column A with their descriptions in Column B.

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