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Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
UGC NET History 2025: Top 20+ most repeated questions for UGC NET history paper preparation
UGC NET History 2025: The UGC NET History exam for 2025 is scheduled to be held from June 21 to June 30, 2025, as part of the National Testing Agency's (NTA) June session. This exam is important for candidates aspiring for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor eligibility in History. The official notification was released on April 16, 2025, with the application window open until May 7, 2025. Candidates preparing for the UGC NET History paper are advised to focus on important and frequently repeated questions, and review previous year papers. UGC NET History 2025 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme The UGC NET exam consists of two papers: Paper 1: General Aptitude (50 questions, 100 marks) Paper 2: Subject-specific History (100 questions, 200 marks) Both papers are objective-type, conducted in a single three-hour session. Importantly, there is no negative marking, allowing candidates to attempt all questions without penalty. Each correct answer carries 2 marks. Top Repeated UGC NET History Questions (2025) What are the main archaeological sources used in reconstructing ancient Indian history? Describe the origin, extent, and major sites of the Indus/Harappa Civilization. Discuss the features and significance of the Vedic and later Vedic periods. Explain the expansion of the state system during the Mahajanapadas period. What were the political and social institutions during the Vedic age? Outline the causes for the decline of the Indus Civilization. Discuss the emergence and characteristics of the Gupta-Vakataka age. Describe the rise and administration of Harsha and his times. Explain the dissolution of the Mauryan Empire and the emergence of regional powers. What were the main kingdoms in Deccan, South India, and Eastern India during the early medieval period? Discuss the trade and urbanization in early medieval India. Explain the growth and impact of Brahminical religions in medieval India. Describe the foundation and expansion of the Mughal Empire. What were the administrative reforms introduced by Sher Shah Suri? Discuss the rise of the Marathas and the foundation of Swaraj by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Explain the sources of medieval Indian history and their importance. Describe the role and impact of the Bhakti and Sufi movements in medieval India. Outline the causes and consequences of the Revolt of 1857. Discuss the expansion and commercialization of agriculture under British colonial rule. Explain the birth and early objectives of the Indian National Congress. Describe the Gandhian mass movements and their impact on the Indian freedom struggle. Discuss the scope and importance of objectivity and bias in historical writing. Explain the impact of Renaissance and Post-Modernism on history writing. What are the key features of the administrative system under the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals? Describe the development of education and fine arts during the medieval period. Most Frequently Asked Questions in UGC NET History 2025 The most frequently asked questions in UGC NET History 2025 focus on key themes from ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history, as well as historiography and research methodology. (A) Sources of History and Historiography What are the main archaeological and literary sources for reconstructing ancient Indian history? Discuss the impact of Renaissance and Post-Modernism on historical writing. Explain objectivity and bias in history writing. (B) Ancient Indian History Describe the Indus Valley Civilization—its origin, extent, and decline. Explain the political and social institutions during the Vedic period. Discuss the rise and administration of the Mauryan Empire and its decline. Outline the Gupta Empire's achievements and administration. (C) Medieval Indian History Discuss the foundation and expansion of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire. Explain the administrative reforms introduced by Sher Shah Suri. Describe the Bhakti and Sufi movements and their socio-cultural impact. Outline the rise of regional kingdoms and the Maratha Empire. (D) Modern Indian History Discuss the causes and consequences of the Revolt of 1857. Explain the economic policies and their impact under British colonial rule. Describe the formation and early objectives of the Indian National Congress. Discuss Gandhian mass movements and their role in the freedom struggle. (E) Research and Teaching Aptitude (Paper 1) Teaching methods and learner-centered approaches. Research ethics and qualitative vs quantitative research methods. Logical reasoning, data interpretation, and communication skills. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) basics relevant to teaching. Preparation Tips for UGC NET History 2025 Exam To prepare for UGC NET History 2025, candidates need to understand the full syllabus well. The exam has two papers, held together in three hours. Paper 1 tests general teaching and research skills. Paper 2 is all about History. It has 100 questions for 200 marks. The History syllabus is divided into ten main units. These include topics like archaeological sources, Indus Valley, and Vedic periods. Other key units are the Gupta Empire, Harsha's rule, and regional kingdoms like those in the Deccan and South India. Medieval history covers the Mughals, Marathas, and Vijayanagara. Modern history includes British rule, the 1857 Revolt, and Indian nationalism. There are also topics on historiography, the economy, society, and world history. Candidates should plan their study time wisely. They must focus more on important and frequently asked topics.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Manivannan takes over as BDA commissioner, Mohandas Pai calls him ‘action-oriented'
In a key bureaucratic reshuffle, the Karnataka government on Friday appointed senior IAS officer Manivannan P. as the new Commissioner of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). According to a report by The Hindu, a 1998-batch officer, Manivannan will take over with concurrent charge while continuing as the Principal Secretary of the Social Welfare Department. His appointment, effective May 31, comes as the current BDA Commissioner Jayaram N. is set to retire on the same day, the report added. The BDA, often at the centre of criticism over Bengaluru's chaotic urban expansion, is currently grappling with multiple challenges. One of its flagship projects, the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, has seen sluggish progress, and residents continue to complain of poor infrastructure. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently announced that the skydeck project, part of the city's broader development push, will take shape within this very layout in Kengeri. The BDA, along with the BBMP, has also faced backlash for approving layouts and constructions without ensuring adequate infrastructure, thereby contributing to urban sprawl and civic stress in India's tech capital. (Also Read: Bengaluru's long-waited Ejipura flyover gets official attention as BBMP chief pays visit) The appointment has drawn attention from public figures and civic commentators. Prominent Bengaluru-based entrepreneur and investor Mohandas Pai welcomed the decision on X (formerly Twitter), saying, 'Thank you very much Rao avare. Your constant Indus film is very needed. Pl busy Shante's 25 days to see progress. Only way to get things improved. @BBMPCOMM great work. Thanks Minister @DKShivakumar for having an action-oriented dynamic officer.' Pai's endorsement reflects a broader hope among citizens that Manivannan's track record of proactive governance will bring new energy and accountability to the BDA. Manivannan has previously held key roles across departments in Karnataka, and his appointment comes at a time when Bengaluru's planning agencies are under increased scrutiny for their role in shaping the city's future. (Also Read: 'You had no role in India's progress': Mohandas Pai shreds Indian-American millionaire over quality of life remarks)
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
India's water strike on Pakistan may backfire as China could block Brahmaputra
India's decision to suspend the Indus water treaty with Pakistan could have unintended consequences with China. An RTI investigation by India Today reveals that China's cooperation with India on transboundary rivers has collapsed, with no hydrological data shared since 2022. The expired MOUs on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers mean India has lost real-time access to upstream water flow data, while China continues to build massive dams in Tibet, potentially threatening India's water and power supply in the northeast.
Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Has the Indus Waters Treaty been fair to India, and what is the way forward: An Expert Explains
Earlier this month, Pakistan signalled to India that it was willing to discuss the Indus Waters Treaty, which New Delhi had put in abeyance after the Pahalgam attack of April 22. While the treaty came under renewed focus after Pahalgam — with Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterating that 'blood and water cannot flow together' — India had issued a notice to Pakistan to renegotiate its terms back in January 2023. The Indus treaty has endured for almost 65 years, sharing the waters of the Indus river system — the 'Eastern Rivers', namely Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, for India, and the 'Western Rivers' of Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab for Pakistan. Sections in both India and Pakistan have claimed the treaty is unfair to their country and too generous to the other. When it was signed, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had termed it the 'price of peace for Pakistan'. Now, there are calls within India to scrap it entirely, while Pakistan has claimed that any disruption to its water supply will be treated as 'an act of war'. However, amid all the clamour, much about the treaty remains little-understood, to its supporters and detractors alike. Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses breaks down the terms of the treaty, and what keeping it 'in abeyance' means. The Indus Waters Treaty was a product of the context in which it was signed. A lot has changed since then, not just politically, but hydro-geomorphologically and in terms of population growth and irrigation use. In all fairness, the treaty needs to be renegotiated keeping the current realities in mind. Under the treaty, Pakistan got a higher volume of water. The average annual flow of water in the 'western rivers' (135.6 million acre feet) is more than four times that of the eastern rivers (32.6 maf). But two things are important to note here. India needed the exclusive use of the waters of the eastern rivers, which the treaty secured for us. India has since built dams and other water projects on these rivers, including the Bhakra Nangal dam and the Rajasthan canal project now called the Indira Gandhi Canal, which have helped irrigate Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. In return, Pakistan got a much larger portion of the flow of water from the three western rivers but India was entitled to certain use on these rivers such as domestic use, non-consumptive use, agriculture use and generation of hydro-electric power. This we have not fully utilised. Also, India has the right to create water storage capacity of up to 3.6 million acre-feet (MAF) on the western rivers. A capacity of only about .7 MAF on Salal and Baglihar dams havebeen achieved. With the Pakaldul dam nearing completition, the storage capacity is set to inch up to .8 maf. It helps to remember that the treaty was negotiated by civil engineers and not politicians and diplomats. So it took a pragmatic and utilitarian view of the Indus Basin. The system of rivers was apportioned or divided into eastern and western rivers and not volumetric allocations. If it was based on volumes, it would have required negotiating six separate agreements, a task that would have never been accomplished. Contrary to what sections in Pakistan have accused India of, keeping the treaty in abeyance does not mean blocking water to Pakistan. It means India will focus on the provision of the treaty on the western rivers and optimise it. India does not have the storage capacity to prevent water from flowing into Pakistan. But it can carry out 'sediment flushing operation' from the existing dams. There is a strategic intent as well. Suspending the treaty sends a strong signal to Pakistan that business as usual is not possible. So far, India has been a very responsible upper riparian state [region located upstream of a river], and all the hydro-power projects it has initiated have gone through the due process mentioned in the treaty. Now, New Delhi is making it clear that new terms are needed if the treaty has to go ahead. When the treaty is renegotiated, what changes should India ask for? Two things are very important. One is the grievance redressal mechanism in the treaty. Article IX of the treaty lays down a graded three-level mechanism, in which disputes are first taken up at the level of the Indus Commissioners of India and Pakistan, then escalated to the World Bank-appointed Neutral Expert, and finally to the International Court of Arbitration (CoA) in The Hague. For long, Pakistan has used this three-level mechanism to delay dams and hydro-electric projects by India. Pakistan has repeatedly misused Article IX of the treaty to stall Indian projects—objecting to the Salal Dam, dragging Baglihar to a Neutral Expert, halting the Tulbul navigation project since 1987, and forcing the Kishanganga project to arbitration, where India ultimately prevailed but faced imposed restrictions. Just like India has maintained that all its issues with Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally, the Indus treaty too should have a bilateral dispute resolution mechanism. Pakistan always seeks international arbitration. I mentioned earlier that the treaty was negotiated by civil engineers. In its earliest hearings, India sent eight engineers. Pakistan sent two engineers and 176 lawyers. The attempt from Islamabad has been to internationalise the issue and paint India as misusing its upper riparian position. The revised treaty should have provisions against this. The second thing is that the treaty is very prescriptive about what India can or cannot do when building dams. Since then, dam-building technology has progressed a lot. India should renegotiate and incorporate these elements into the treaty. The Indus originates in Tibet. Should India be concerned about China's interference while it resolves the river issue with Pakistan? According to satellite imagery and other available information, China is, as of now, not building dams on Indus. Unlike Pakistan, which is among the worst water managers in the world, China is a highly skilled dam-builder. A dam on the Indus only to spite India, when it does not serve domestic purposes, is possibly not on the cards for Beijing. However, India is a lower riparian state with China on the Brahmaputra too, where it is planning to build a 'super dam', and about which New Delhi has raised concerns. But this is a problem that New Delhi is well aware of. To address water-related tensions with Beijing, India must strengthen its capabilities on the Brahmaputra while forging strategic lower-riparian partnerships with Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh to present a unified front in engaging China on transboundary water concerns. A task made all the more challenging by the fragile and shifting dynamics in the neighbourhood. Yashee is an Assistant Editor with the where she is a member of the Explained team. She is a journalist with over 10 years of experience, starting her career with the Mumbai edition of Hindustan Times. She has also worked with India Today, where she wrote opinion and analysis pieces for DailyO. Her articles break down complex issues for readers with context and insight. Yashee has a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Presidency College, Kolkata, and a postgraduate diploma in journalism from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, one of the premier media institutes in the countr ... Read More
Techday NZ
23-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Cloudera adds AI & secure visualisation to on-prem data tools
Cloudera has announced the extension of its Data Visualization capability to on-premises environments, offering integrated AI tools and secure access for enterprises managing data across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures. The updated Cloudera Data Visualization service provides organisations with a platform for self-service data visualisation, allowing users to generate insights from on-premises data through out-of-the-box picturing and natural language querying. This development is intended to address challenges enterprises face in visualising data held in silos across multiple platforms, as well as issues related to complex integration and data governance. Data engineers, business analysts, and data scientists can now access integrated AI visualisation features within the Cloudera platform, enabling them to communicate, collaborate, and share data insights without compromising security or governance. The ability to gain a secure, unified view aims to prevent incomplete or misleading visualisation results, which can hinder effective decision-making within organisations. Cloudera highlighted the key features included in the on-premises release. Out-of-the-box imaging is supported via an intuitive drag-and-drop builder and a suite of custom extension options for creating graphs and charts appropriate for diverse use cases such as customer loyalty tracking and analysing long-term trading trends. The platform includes built-in AI tools, such as AI Visual, which allow users to leverage natural language querying to unlock visual and structured reports. This feature integrates AI directly into business intelligence workflows, designed to make AI-driven insights more accessible across an organisation. The Predictive Application Builder enables the creation of bespoke applications built on machine learning models available in Cloudera AI, Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, and Microsoft Azure OpenAI. This capability allows organisations to deploy and use predictive models within their data visualisation processes. Cloudera Data Visualization maintains enterprise security standards through integration with the Cloudera Shared Data Experience (SDX). This means organisations can leverage data from any location without moving, copying, or exposing information to security gaps. Additionally, the platform offers robust governance tools that provide full control over the data used in visualisation projects. Addressing the significance of this development, Leo Brunnick, Chief Product Officer at Cloudera, said: "As enterprises continue to prioritise both multi-cloud and hybrid environments, they need to see their data as a part of a bigger picture. Bringing together AI-driven insights, secure infrastructure, and seamless collaboration in one unified platform, users can see the missing puzzle pieces of their data, wherever they may be. It's not just about being able to see the data; it's about seeing how it all fits together to deliver business-critical insights." Industry analyst Sanjeev Mohan commented on the release: "By integrating directly with Cloudera's unified platform, users benefit from a consistent experience, enhanced collaboration, and full lifecycle data exploration - all while retaining full control over their own infrastructure. Now, Cloudera users can picture and share insights securely within their on-prem environment, allowing their teams to be more agile and informed in their decision-making." Cloudera's Data Visualization is available for deployment across multi-cloud and hybrid infrastructures, intended to support improved collaboration and decision-making processes for enterprise clients managing complex data ecosystems.
