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RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement Syllabus

The History and Indian National Movement syllabus for RRB NTPC in full: 3 chapters, 13 topics and 24 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 50 History and Indian National Movement flashcards with answers.

3Chapters
13Topics
24Sub-topics
50Flashcards

History and Indian National Movement syllabus: all 3 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

  1. Ancient India

     4 topics
    • Prehistoric and Indus Valley Civilisation
      • Harappan town planning
      • Decline of the civilisation
    • Vedic Age
      • Early and later Vedic society
      • Vedic literature
    • Religious Movements
      • Buddhism and Jainism
    • Mauryan and Gupta Empires
      • Chandragupta and Ashoka
      • Gupta golden age

  2. Medieval India

     4 topics
    • Delhi Sultanate
      • Five dynasties of the Sultanate
      • Administration and architecture
    • Mughal Empire
      • Babur to Aurangzeb
      • Mughal administration and culture
    • Bhakti and Sufi Movements
      • Major saints and reformers
    • Regional and Maratha Powers
      • Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms
      • Rise of the Marathas

  3. Modern India and Freedom Struggle

     5 topics
    • Advent of Europeans and British Rule
      • East India Company and Battle of Plassey
      • Governors-General and Viceroys
    • Revolt of 1857 and Socio-Religious Reforms
      • Causes and impact of 1857
      • Reform movements and leaders
    • Indian National Congress and Early Nationalism
      • Moderates and extremists
      • Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi
    • Gandhian Era
      • Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience
      • Quit India Movement
    • Independence and Partition
      • Cabinet Mission and Mountbatten Plan
      • Integration of princely states

RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement flashcards — 50 questions with answers

  1. What is the time period and name of the earliest known urban civilisation of the Indian subcontinent?

    The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilisation, a Bronze Age urban culture dated to roughly 2600–1900 BCE (mature phase).

  2. Who discovered the Indus Valley sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, and in which year?

    Harappa was excavated by Daya Ram Sahni (1921) and Mohenjo-daro by R. D. Banerji (1922), both under the ASI led by John Marshall.

  3. On which rivers were Harappa and Mohenjo-daro respectively located?

    Harappa was on the Ravi river and Mohenjo-daro on the Indus river.

  4. What are two distinctive features of Indus Valley town planning?

    A grid layout of streets at right angles and an advanced underground drainage system; cities had a raised citadel and a lower town.

  5. What is the name and significance of the largest structure found at Mohenjo-daro?

    The Great Bath — a large brick-lined tank likely used for ritual bathing, showing the importance of water in Harappan religion.

  6. Which Harappan site is famous for its dockyard, indicating maritime trade?

    Lothal (in Gujarat), which has the world's earliest known dockyard.

  7. What metal was NOT known to the Harappans, distinguishing them from a later age?

    Iron — the Harappans used copper, bronze, gold and silver but had no knowledge of iron (they were a Bronze Age people).

  8. What are the four Vedas in order of antiquity?

    Rigveda (oldest), Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda (youngest).

  9. Which is the oldest Veda and what does it primarily contain?

    The Rigveda — a collection of 1,028 hymns (suktas) in 10 mandalas, mainly praising gods like Indra, Agni and Varuna.

  10. What were the two main divisions of the Vedic Age?

    The Early (Rigvedic) Vedic Age (c. 1500–1000 BCE) and the Later Vedic Age (c. 1000–600 BCE).

  11. What was the varna (fourfold class) order described in the Purusha Sukta of the Rigveda?

    Brahmanas (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders/farmers), and Shudras (servants).

  12. In which Veda and hymn is the Gayatri Mantra found?

    In the Rigveda, dedicated to the Sun god Savitri (Savitr).

  13. Name the four Vedic texts/classes attached to each Veda for interpretation.

    Samhitas (hymns), Brahmanas (rituals), Aranyakas (forest texts), and Upanishads (philosophy).

  14. Who founded Jainism's final form and who is regarded as its 24th and last Tirthankara?

    Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara; Rishabhanatha (Adinatha) is regarded as the first.

  15. What are the three jewels (Triratna) of Jainism?

    Right faith (Samyak Darshana), Right knowledge (Samyak Jnana), and Right conduct (Samyak Charitra).

  16. Where and when did Gautama Buddha attain enlightenment and deliver his first sermon?

    He attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and delivered his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana) at Sarnath.

  17. What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism?

    Suffering exists (Dukkha); suffering has a cause (desire); suffering can end (Nirvana); the Eightfold Path leads to its end.

  18. Into which two major sects did Buddhism split, and at which council?

    Hinayana and Mahayana — the split crystallised at the Fourth Buddhist Council under Kanishka in Kashmir.

  19. Who founded the Mauryan Empire and with whose help, and in which year?

    Chandragupta Maurya founded it around 321 BCE with the guidance of Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta).

  20. Which ancient treatise on statecraft and economy was written by Kautilya?

    The Arthashastra.

Show the other 30 History and Indian National Movement flashcards

  1. After which battle did Ashoka embrace Buddhism, and in what year?

    After the Kalinga War, fought around 261 BCE, whose bloodshed led to his conversion to Buddhism.

  2. What script was mainly used in Ashoka's edicts, and who deciphered it?

    The Brahmi script, first deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837.

  3. Who founded the Gupta Empire and which ruler is called the 'Napoleon of India'?

    Sri Gupta founded the dynasty; Samudragupta is called the 'Napoleon of India' for his conquests.

  4. Why is the Gupta period called the 'Golden Age of India'?

    For its peak achievements in art, science, mathematics (zero, decimal system), literature (Kalidasa) and astronomy (Aryabhata).

  5. Which Gupta-era astronomer-mathematician proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis?

    Aryabhata, in his work the Aryabhatiya.

  6. Who founded the Delhi Sultanate and which was its first dynasty?

    Qutb-ud-din Aibak founded it in 1206; the first dynasty was the Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty.

  7. List the five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate in order.

    Slave (Mamluk), Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodi dynasties (1206–1526).

  8. Which Delhi Sultanate ruler introduced market price control and a standing army, and was the first of the Khilji dynasty's peak?

    Alauddin Khilji introduced market (price) regulations and maintained a large standing army.

  9. Who was the only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate?

    Razia Sultana (Razia-ud-din), daughter of Iltutmish.

  10. Which Tughlaq ruler shifted the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad and introduced token currency?

    Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

  11. Who founded the Mughal Empire and by winning which battle?

    Babur founded it by defeating Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.

  12. List the first six 'Great Mughals' in order.

    Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb.

  13. What religious policy and institution did Akbar create to promote tolerance?

    He abolished the jizya tax and founded Din-i-Ilahi (a syncretic faith) and the Ibadat Khana for religious debate.

  14. What was Akbar's land revenue system and who designed it?

    The Zabti / Dahsala (Mansabdari-linked) revenue system, designed by Raja Todar Mal.

  15. Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal and in whose memory?

    Shah Jahan, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

  16. Who founded the Bhakti movement's southern devotional tradition, and name two of its sects?

    The Alvars (devotees of Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva) of South India began the early Bhakti tradition.

  17. Who founded Sikhism and what is the core message of the Nirguna Bhakti saints like Kabir?

    Guru Nanak founded Sikhism; Nirguna saints like Kabir preached devotion to a formless God and rejected caste and ritual.

  18. What is Sufism and name its most important order in India?

    Sufism is the mystical, devotional dimension of Islam; the Chishti order (founded in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer) was the most influential.

  19. Distinguish between Saguna and Nirguna schools of Bhakti.

    Saguna Bhakti worships God with form/attributes (e.g., Tulsidas, Surdas, Mirabai); Nirguna Bhakti worships a formless God (e.g., Kabir, Nanak).

  20. Who founded the Vijayanagara Empire and in which year?

    Harihara and Bukka (the Sangama brothers) founded it in 1336.

  21. Who founded the Maratha Empire and in which year was he crowned Chhatrapati?

    Chhatrapati Shivaji, crowned at Raigad in 1674.

  22. What was the Maratha system of taxation collected from neighbouring territories?

    Chauth (one-fourth of revenue) and Sardeshmukhi (an additional one-tenth).

  23. In which battle of 1761 were the Marathas defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali?

    The Third Battle of Panipat.

  24. Which European trading company arrived in India first, and which one eventually dominated?

    The Portuguese arrived first (Vasco da Gama, 1498); the British East India Company eventually dominated.

  25. Which 1757 battle laid the foundation of British political power in India?

    The Battle of Plassey, in which Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal.

  26. Which 1764 battle gave the British the Diwani (revenue rights) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa?

    The Battle of Buxar (1764), after which the Treaty of Allahabad granted Diwani rights in 1765.

  27. What were the immediate and the political causes of the Revolt of 1857?

    The immediate cause was the greased (cow/pig fat) Enfield rifle cartridges; political causes included the Doctrine of Lapse and annexations.

  28. Who founded the Brahmo Samaj and the Arya Samaj, and what reform is Raja Ram Mohan Roy famous for?

    Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj (and helped abolish Sati in 1829); Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj (1875).

  29. Who founded the Indian National Congress and in which year was its first session held?

    A. O. Hume founded the INC; its first session was held in Bombay in 1885, presided over by W. C. Bonnerjee.

  30. Name the three Round Table Conferences era leader of mass movements and his first all-India agitation.

    Mahatma Gandhi; his first all-India movement was the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), launched after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Rowlatt Act.

RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement FAQ

What is in the RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement syllabus?

RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement is split into 3 chapters: Ancient India, Medieval India and Modern India and Freedom Struggle. Together they contain 13 topics and 24 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement?

3 chapters, containing 13 topics and 24 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Modern India and Freedom Struggle, with 5 topics.

Are there flashcards for RRB NTPC History and Indian National Movement?

Yes — a 50-card History and Indian National Movement deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.