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Key Facts: PSEB SS PHC Exam

80 + 20

PSEB Senior Secondary PHC Theory + Project/INA mark split

PSEB Class 12 Scheme of Studies 2026–27

Code 003

Punjab History and Culture subject code (in lieu of Punjabi 002)

PSEB Class 12 Scheme of Studies 2026–27

33%

Separate pass floor in Theory, INA, and aggregate

PSEB Class 12 Scheme of Studies 2026–27

3 hours

Typical PSEB Senior Secondary PHC theory exam duration

Common Class 12 theory logistics / confirm on pseb.ac.in

4 units

Official PHC theory units from Mughals through legends/literature

PSEB Class XII PHC syllabus 2025–26

5 map themes

Banda, Guru Gobind Singh, Ranjit Singh, First & Second Anglo-Sikh Wars

PSEB Class XII PHC syllabus 2025–26 map list

PSEB Senior Secondary PHC is a Class 12 public-exam subject (code 003, in lieu of compulsory Punjabi) with Theory 80 + Project/INA 20 (about 3 hours theory) and 33% pass separately in theory, INA, and aggregate — not a pure MCQ board paper. This free 2026 bank is an English MCQ study adaptation for Mughals, Gurus, Banda, Misls, Ranjit Singh, Anglo-Sikh wars, legends, and classical literature.

Sample PSEB SS PHC Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PSEB SS PHC exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which Mughal ruler’s victory at the First Battle of Panipat (1526) opened the Indo-Gangetic plain and brought the Punjab under early Mughal control?
A.Sher Shah Suri
B.Babur
C.Humayun
D.Akbar
Explanation: Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat in 1526, founding Mughal rule in northern India and making the Punjab a key corridor of the new empire.
2A major Mughal administrative legacy felt in the Punjab was the mansabdari system. What did it primarily organise?
A.Only village panchayats without ranks
B.Ranks and military-civil obligations of imperial officers
C.Only Sikh misl cavalry rolls
D.British district boards after 1849
Explanation: Mansabdari ranked nobles (mansabdars) by zat/sawar and tied them to military and administrative service under the emperor—central to Mughal provincial governance including Punjab.
3Which Mughal capital city in the northwest became a major imperial centre with the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens associated with later Mughal grandeur?
A.Agra only, never Lahore
B.Lahore
C.Delhi’s Shahjahanabad alone with no Lahore role
D.Multan exclusively
Explanation: Lahore was a major Mughal provincial and sometimes imperial centre; monuments such as the Lahore Fort complex and Shalimar Gardens embody Mughal architectural legacy in the Punjab.
4Under which Mughal emperor was Guru Arjan Dev Ji martyred in 1606, marking a sharp turn in Sikh–Mughal relations?
A.Akbar
B.Jahangir
C.Shah Jahan
D.Aurangzeb
Explanation: Guru Arjan Dev Ji was executed in 1606 during Jahangir’s reign, a watershed that pushed the Sikh community toward more defensive organisation under later Gurus.
5Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s martyrdom at Delhi in 1675 is most closely associated with the reign of which Mughal emperor?
A.Babur
B.Akbar
C.Aurangzeb
D.Bahadur Shah I only
Explanation: Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was executed in Delhi in 1675 under Aurangzeb, remembered in Sikh tradition for defending freedom of conscience (including Kashmiri Pandits).
6Which land-revenue approach, refined under Akbar with Raja Todar Mal’s association, influenced Mughal agrarian administration in provinces including the Punjab?
A.Permanent Settlement of Cornwallis only
B.Zabt / measurement-based assessment systems of the Mughal era
C.Ryotwari as invented solely by the British East India Company in 1526
D.Jagirdari abolition by Babur in 1526
Explanation: Akbar-era revenue reforms (often linked to Todar Mal) developed measurement and cash assessment practices (zabt and related methods) that structured Mughal agrarian extraction across fertile provinces such as Punjab.
7A cultural legacy of long Mughal presence in the Punjab included the prestige of which court language for administration and high literature?
A.Only Gurmukhi as the sole Mughal court language
B.Persian
C.Only English from Babur’s time
D.Only Sanskrit for all farmans
Explanation: Persian was the Mughal language of administration and high culture; its influence shaped documents, poetry, and elite communication in the Punjab until later shifts under Sikh and British rule.
8How did Mughal rule most significantly affect Punjab’s strategic role in the empire?
A.It made Punjab irrelevant to imperial communications
B.It positioned Punjab as a frontier–corridor province linking Hindustan to Kabul and Central Asian routes
C.It closed all northwest passes permanently after 1526
D.It transferred the entire imperial capital permanently to Multan only
Explanation: The Punjab sat astride routes toward Kabul and the northwest; Mughals treated it as a strategic corridor and recruiting/revenue base, not a peripheral backwater.
9Which statement best captures a lasting Mughal architectural legacy visible in historic Punjab urban landscapes?
A.Only wooden longhouses with no stone forts
B.Garden-palace complexes, forts, and tomb architecture in the Indo-Islamic style
C.Only Greek theatres built by Babur at every tehsil
D.Only Victorian railway stations from 1526
Explanation: Mughal legacy includes forts, gardens (charbagh traditions), mosques, and tombs combining Persianate and Indian features—seen in Lahore and other historic centres.
10Compared with Akbar’s relatively accommodating religious politics, Aurangzeb’s orthodoxy is often linked in Punjab–Sikh history to:
A.Complete disappearance of all Islam from the region
B.Heightened conflict culminating in Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom and later Sikh militarisation pressures
C.Immediate British annexation in 1675
D.Foundation of the Khalsa by Aurangzeb himself
Explanation: Aurangzeb’s stricter religious politics and the 1675 martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur intensified Sikh–Mughal conflict and form a backdrop to the martial turn under Guru Gobind Singh.

About the PSEB SS PHC Exam

Punjab Senior Secondary Punjab History and Culture under PSEB is Class 12 subject code 003—an official alternative to compulsory General Punjabi (002) for eligible candidates—with Theory 80 + Project/INA 20 = 100. Core theory follows the Board syllabus: Mughal legacy in the Punjab; Guru Nanak Dev Ji and the line of Sikh Gurus through the Khalsa; Banda Singh Bahadur; 18th-century Sikh mastery (Dal Khalsa/misls); Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire; British occupation through the Anglo-Sikh Wars and 1849 annexation; plus Unit IV legends (Puran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal) and medieval classical literature, with compulsory map work on prescribed battles. Official assessment is a mixed theory paper of about 3 hours for 80 marks plus 20 project/INA, not a pure MCQ board paper. Pass requires 33% separately in Theory and INA and 33% aggregate per the Scheme of Studies 2026–27. Pair this English four-option MCQ bank with official syllabus/scheme materials, map practice, and written short/essay answers via pseb.ac.in.

Exam sponsor: Punjab School Education Board (PSEB). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

PSEB Senior Secondary Punjab History and Culture is a Class 12 subject under the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (subject code 003) offered in lieu of compulsory General Punjabi (002) for eligible candidates, with Theory 80 + Project work/Internal Assessment (INA) 20 = 100. Official logistics describe about 3 hours of theory work. Syllabus (2025–26): Unit I — Great Mughals and their legacy to the Punjab; Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji; successors of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Unit II — Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and his martyrdom; Sikhs became the masters of the Punjab. Unit III — Punjab under Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh; British occupation of the Punjab. Unit IV — famous legends (Puran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal); classical literature of the medieval period. Map question topics: important battles/wars of Banda Singh Bahadur, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, First Anglo-Sikh War, and Second Anglo-Sikh War. English, Punjabi, and Hindi media may be available; this practice bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation. Confirm the current syllabus PDF, Scheme of Studies, and circulars on pseb.ac.in.

Time Limit

3 hours

Passing Score

33% separately in Theory and INA, and 33% in aggregate

Exam / Certification Fees

As notified by PSEB and paid through affiliated schools for regular and compartment/improvement sittings (no single fixed public subject fee for all categories).

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

~10% of this local bank

Mughals & Legacy to the Punjab

Imperial corridor, administration, culture, and Sikh–Mughal conflict markers.

~12% of this local bank

Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Life, Udasis, teachings, Kartarpur, and succession.

~14% of this local bank

Successors of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Institutions, scripture, miri-piri, martyrdoms, and Khalsa.

~12% of this local bank

Banda Singh Bahadur

Mission, Sirhind, reforms, and 1716 martyrdom.

~12% of this local bank

Sikhs Masters of the Punjab

Dal Khalsa, misls, Ghallugharas, and territorial mastery.

~14% of this local bank

Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Empire-building, administration, treaties, and character.

~12% of this local bank

British Occupation of the Punjab

Anglo-Sikh Wars, annexation 1849, and colonial beginnings.

~14% of this local bank

Legends & Medieval Classical Literature

Puran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal, qissa and Sufi classics.

Preparing for the PSEB SS PHC Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 33% separately in Theory and INA, and 33% in aggregate
  • Assessment: PSEB Senior Secondary Punjab History and Culture is a Class 12 subject under the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (subject code 003) offered in lieu of compulsory General Punjabi (002) for eligible candidates, with Theory 80 + Project work/Internal Assessment (INA) 20 = 100. Official logistics describe about 3 hours of theory work. Syllabus (2025–26): Unit I — Great Mughals and their legacy to the Punjab; Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji; successors of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Unit II — Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and his martyrdom; Sikhs became the masters of the Punjab. Unit III — Punjab under Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh; British occupation of the Punjab. Unit IV — famous legends (Puran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal); classical literature of the medieval period. Map question topics: important battles/wars of Banda Singh Bahadur, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, First Anglo-Sikh War, and Second Anglo-Sikh War. English, Punjabi, and Hindi media may be available; this practice bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation. Confirm the current syllabus PDF, Scheme of Studies, and circulars on pseb.ac.in.
  • Time limit: 3 hours
  • Exam / certification fees: As notified by PSEB and paid through affiliated schools for regular and compartment/improvement sittings (no single fixed public subject fee for all categories). Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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PSEB SS PHC: Suggested Study Strategy

1Build one master timeline: 1469 Nanak → 1526 Babur/Panipat → 1606 Guru Arjan → 1675 Tegh Bahadur → 1699 Khalsa → 1710 Chappar Chiri → 1716 Banda → misls/Ghallugharas → 1799/1801 Ranjit Singh → 1809 Treaty of Amritsar → 1839 death → 1845–46 / 1848–49 wars → 1849 annexation.
2Pair each Guru with one signature institution or event (Gurmukhi, manjis/langar, Amritsar, Adi Granth, miri-piri/Akal Takht, Khalsa, Guru Granth Sahib).
3For Unit IV, prepare one-paragraph plot and place notes for Puran Bhagat (Sialkot/Luna), Heer Ranjha (Waris Shah/Jhang–Takht Hazara), and Sohni Mahiwal (Chenab pot crossing).
4Map list is high-yield: mark major battles of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Banda Singh Bahadur, Ranjit Singh’s kingdom extent, and First/Second Anglo-Sikh War sites (e.g., Sobraon, Chillianwala).
5Do not neglect project/INA (20 marks) — pass requires the INA component as well as theory and aggregate thresholds.
6Use current PSEB Class 12 PHC syllabus materials from pseb.ac.in to balance objective drills with long-answer and map practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is PSEB Senior Secondary Punjab History and Culture officially examined?

PHC is examined under the Punjab Senior Secondary Certificate Examination as Class 12 subject code 003 with Theory 80 marks and Project work/Internal Assessment (INA) 20 marks (total 100). It is offered in lieu of compulsory General Punjabi (002) for eligible candidates. Confirm the year’s syllabus PDF, Scheme of Studies, date sheet, and circulars on pseb.ac.in.

Is this practice bank the same format as the official Senior Secondary PHC paper?

No. Official PSEB Class 12 PHC theory papers mix objective and subjective sections, including map work, plus school project/INA. This bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation for concepts, timelines, legends, and map-related facts only — not an official translation, blueprint replica, or full written-paper simulation.

What syllabus does this bank follow?

It is aligned to the official PSEB Class XII Punjab History and Culture syllabus (2025–26): Great Mughals and legacy to Punjab; Guru Nanak Dev Ji and successors; Banda Singh Bahadur; Sikhs as masters of the Punjab; Maharaja Ranjit Singh; British occupation; legends (Puran Bhagat, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal); medieval classical literature; and prescribed map topics for Banda, Guru Gobind Singh, Ranjit Singh, and both Anglo-Sikh Wars.

What is the pass mark for PSEB Senior Secondary PHC?

Candidates must secure a minimum of 33% marks separately in Theory and INA (and practical where applicable) as well as 33% in the aggregate under the PSEB Class 12 Scheme of Studies 2026–27. Always verify the current circular for your sitting.

Who can take Punjab History and Culture instead of Punjabi?

Code 003 is the Scheme of Studies alternative to compulsory General Punjabi (002) for eligible candidates. The Scheme notes that a candidate who passed Class 11 with Punjab History and Culture under PSEB can opt for PHC in lieu of compulsory Punjabi in Class 12. Confirm full eligibility with your school and the current PSEB notification.

Is PSEB Class 12 PHC the same as PSEB Class 12 History (code 025)?

No. History (025) is a separate elective with its own Part A/B Punjab-history outline. PHC (003) is the compulsory-track alternative to Punjabi with four units that also include prescribed legends and medieval classical literature plus a specific map list. Content overlaps on Sikh political history but the subject codes, roles, and full unit lists differ.

Where should I check official syllabus and date sheets?

Use the Punjab School Education Board website at pseb.ac.in for Class 12 syllabus entries (including PHC code 003), Scheme of Studies, date sheets, and exam circulars. The PHC syllabus PDF is published under PSEB static media for the session.