Class 12 HistoryImportant Questions for Board Exams 2025-26
30
Total Questions
30
Long Answer
0
Short Answer
The Story of the First Cities — Harappan Civilisation
2 questionsWhat were the distinctive features of Harappan cities? How do archaeologists infer that the Harappan society was not a simple one?
Why is the Harappan script considered a challenge for historians?
Kings, Farmers and Towns — Early States and Economies
2 questionsHow do historians reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire? What kinds of sources do they use?
What was Ashoka's Dhamma? What were its core principles?
Kinship, Caste and Class — The Mahabharata
2 questionsDescribe the social norms found in the Mahabharata. What do they tell us about society?
What are the limitations of using the Mahabharata as a historical source?
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings — Buddhism and Sanchi
2 questionsDescribe what you know about the Sanchi stupa. What does it tell us about Buddhist society?
What are the core teachings of the Buddha?
Through the Eyes of Travellers — Al-Biruni, Ibn Battuta, Bernier
2 questionsCompare the perspectives of Ibn Battuta and Bernier on Indian society. How are their viewpoints different?
What are the limitations of using travel accounts as historical sources?
Bhakti-Sufi Traditions
2 questionsDescribe the major ideas of the Bhakti movement. How did it challenge the existing social order?
What was the Sufi tradition? Describe the role of the Chishti silsila in India.
An Imperial Capital — Vijayanagara
2 questionsDescribe the features of the capital of the Vijayanagara empire. What does it tell us about the power of the rulers?
What do we learn about Vijayanagara from the accounts of foreign travellers?
Peasants, Zamindars and the State — Mughal Agrarian Society
2 questionsDescribe the relationship between zamindars and the Mughal state. What were the rights and obligations of zamindars?
What were the main features of the Mughal land revenue system?
Kings and Chronicles — The Mughal Court
2 questionsWhat can we learn about the Mughal court from its chronicles? What are the limitations of these sources?
Describe the structure of the Mughal court. What roles did different people play?
Colonialism and the Countryside
2 questionsDescribe the main features of the Permanent Settlement. What were its effects on Bengal's peasants?
Who were the Santhals? How did they resist colonial encroachment?
Rebels and the Raj — The 1857 Revolt
2 questionsAnalyse the main causes of the Revolt of 1857. Why did it fail?
How have historians interpreted the Revolt of 1857 differently?
Colonial Cities — Bombay, Madras, Calcutta
2 questionsDescribe the features of a typical colonial city in India. How were they different from pre-colonial towns?
What were the social changes brought about by colonial urbanisation?
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement
2 questionsHow did Gandhi mobilise different sections of Indian society into the nationalist movement?
What was the significance of the Salt March? How did it change the nature of the freedom struggle?
Understanding Partition
2 questionsWhat were the main causes of the Partition of India? How did it happen so suddenly?
How do oral histories help us understand the experience of Partition differently from official records?
Framing the Constitution
2 questionsDescribe the key debates in the Constituent Assembly. How were disagreements resolved?
What was Dr Ambedkar's contribution to the making of the Indian Constitution?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the most important questions in Class 12 History for CBSE board exam?
All 30 questions listed here are selected based on CBSE board exam frequency and marks weightage. Prioritise long-answer (5-mark) questions first — 30 questions here — as they carry the most marks. Short-answer questions (0 here) are next. Together they cover the questions most likely to appear.
Is it enough to study only important questions for CBSE Class 12 History?
Practising these 30 important questions gets you to 70–75% marks. For 85%+, also read chapter summaries and attempt at least one full sample paper under timed conditions. Use these important questions as your minimum baseline, not your ceiling.
How should I write answers in CBSE Class 12 History board exam?
For 1-mark questions: one direct sentence — no elaboration needed. For 3-mark questions: 3 clearly numbered points, each 1–2 lines. For 5-mark questions: brief intro + 4–5 numbered points with subject-specific keywords + 1-line conclusion. CBSE examiners look for keywords in marking schemes — structure your answers around them.
How many questions come from each chapter in Class 12 History CBSE board exam?
CBSE doesn't publish a fixed chapter-wise distribution, but chapters with more important questions listed here have historically appeared more frequently in board papers. Focus extra time on chapters with 5 or more questions — those chapters consistently carry high marks.