Relevant Titles
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Akbarnama & Ain-i-Akbari: CBSE Class 12 MCQs & Practice Test
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NCERT-Aligned MCQs: Akbarnama, Ain-i-Akbari and Mughal Sources (Class 12 History)
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CBSE Class 12 History Practice: Akbarnama and Administrative Records — 60 MCQs
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Quick Revision: Abul Fazl, Akbarnama & Ain-i-Akbari — Sample Questions for Boards
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How to Analyse Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari — Class 12 MCQs & Explanations
Introduction
Prepare confidently for your CBSE Class 12 History board exams with this NCERT-aligned MCQ practice set on “Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari — Historical Sources.” Designed for Part B — Medieval India, Theme 9: Kings and Chronicles — The Mughal Courts, this resource helps you understand how court chronicles and administrative compendia record political events, administrative structures, revenue data and courtly ideology. Questions focus on authorship, language, purpose, strengths and limitations of these texts, and on how historians use them alongside traveller accounts and local records. Each question mirrors board-style wording, offers four plausible options and is followed by a concise explanation that clarifies the NCERT viewpoint and common pitfalls. Use this set for timed practice to sharpen recall, for quick revision before exams, or in group study to trigger discussion on source-criticism and interpretation. After attempting the MCQs, revisit the relevant NCERT chapters and cross-check answers with primary extracts to deepen understanding. Regular practice with focused, source-based questions builds accuracy, critical reading skills and confidence for board-level success.
Sample MCQs with Explanations
Q1. Who is the principal author of the Akbarnama?
A. Raja Todar Mal
B. Abul Fazl
C. Mirza Ghiyas Beg
D. Todarmal’s son
Correct: B — Abul Fazl.
Explanation: Abul Fazl was Akbar’s court historian and composed the Akbarnama, the official chronicle recording events, campaigns and court life under Akbar.
Q2. The Ain-i-Akbari is best described as:
A. A poetic anthology only
B. An administrative compendium containing revenue, mansabdari lists and institutional details
C. A travelogue by a foreigner
D. A collection of Sufi songs
Correct: B — Administrative compendium.
Explanation: Compiled by Abul Fazl as a companion to the Akbarnama, the Ain-i-Akbari systematically documents administrative arrangements, revenue figures, mansab lists and social data.
Q3. Which language were the Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari originally written in?
A. Sanskrit
B. Persian
C. Arabic
D. Urdu
Correct: B — Persian.
Explanation: Persian was the Mughal court language; both works were composed in Persian, reflecting the Persianate administrative and literary culture of the court.
Q4. A key limitation of using court chronicles like the Akbarnama as sole historical evidence is that they:
A. Are always identical to local records
B. Tend to reflect the court’s perspective and may underplay dissent or peasant experiences
C. Contain no dates or names
D. Are written in inaccessible cryptic code
Correct: B — Court bias and under-representation.
Explanation: As official narratives, chronicles often legitimise royal policy and emphasise success; historians therefore triangulate them with travellers’ accounts, revenue registers and local sources.
Q5. How do historians best use the Ain-i-Akbari when reconstructing Mughal administration?
A. As a literary romance only
B. As a quantitative source (revenue tables, listings) to be cross-checked with other fiscal records and local archives
C. To learn folk songs
D. To replace all archaeological evidence
Correct: B — Quantitative source to be cross-checked.
Explanation: The Ain-i-Akbari contains systematic revenue and administrative data useful for economic and institutional studies—but scholars verify and contextualise it with other records.