Prelims GS I · 27 questions · 2016–2026
Medieval India: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “History of India and Indian National Movement.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Medieval India in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 27 questions on Medieval India in GS Paper I from 2016 to 2026 — about 2 a year, the most in 2022 (6). The most-asked topic is Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200) (8 questions).
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 16 Oct 2026.
- Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200)8 questions · asked in 5 of 11 years
- The Delhi Sultanate6 questions · asked in 4 of 11 years
- Vijayanagara, Bahmani & regional kingdoms6 questions · asked in 5 of 11 years
- The Mughals & the Marathas4 questions · asked in 4 of 11 years
- Bhakti & Sufi movements3 questions · asked in 3 of 11 years
Latest questions
- 2025 · Q13 · Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200)सिंचाई में काम आने वाला ‘अरघट्टा’ नामक उपकरण क्या था?…
- 2025 · Q16 · Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200)इनमें से किसने शक्तिशाली समुद्रवर्ती राज्य श्रीविजय के विरुद्ध, जिसका शासन मलय प्रायद्वीप, सुमात्रा, जावा और निकटवर्ती द्वीपों पर था, एक सफल सैन्य अभियान का नेतृत्व किया …
- 2024 · Q56 · Vijayanagara, Bahmani & regional kingdomsमध्यकालीन भारत के निम्नलिखित शासकों में से किसने पुर्तगालियों को भटकल में एक किला बनाने की अनुमति दी थी ?…
- 2023 · Q45 · Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200)निम्नलिखित साम्राज्यों पर विचार कीजिए :…
- 2023 · Q48 · Vijayanagara, Bahmani & regional kingdomsविजयनगर साम्राज्य के इनमें से किस एक शासक ने तुंगभद्रा नदी पर एक विशाल बाँध निर्मित किया और नदी से राजधानी नगर तक कई किलोमीटर लंबी एक नहर और कुल्या का निर्माण किया?…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Medieval India. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
Medieval India PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Medieval India question from 2016 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 22 pages. Free; sign up once.
Medieval India PYQs: quick answers
How many Medieval India questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2016 to 2026?
27 questions in GS Paper I — about 2 a year, the most in 2022 (6). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Medieval India topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
Early medieval kingdoms (c. 700–1200): 8 questions between 2016 and 2026, asked in 5 of 11 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
Yes. Every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Medieval India PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Medieval India question with answers and explanations (22 pages, 0.6 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.