Ans: A

Exp:

Statement I is correct: The Indian nationalists, including both moderates and extremists, initially supported the British in their war efforts during the First World War in 1914. This support was based on the belief that contributing to the war would lead to an improvement in India’s political status and might result in greater self-governance or reforms.

Statement II is correct:  Russia, USA, Italy, and Japan against Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey. This period saw the maturing of Indian nationalism. The nationalist response to British participation in the First World War was three-fold:

• Moderates supported the empire in the war as a matter of duty;
• Extremists, including Tilak (who was released in June 1914), supported the war efforts in the
• mistaken belief that Britain would repay India’s loyalty with gratitude in the form of self-government;
• the revolutionaries decided to utilise the opportunity to wage a war on British rule and liberate the country.

The Indian supporters of British war efforts failed to see that the imperialist powers were fighting to safeguard their own colonies and markets.

Reference: Spectrum CHAPTER 11 Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase

Ans: A

Exp:

Statement 1 is correct: In the later 1870s and early 1880s, a solid ground had been prepared for the establishment of an all-India organisation. The final shape to this idea was given by a retired English civil servant, Allan Octavian Hume, who mobilised leading intellectuals of the time and, with their cooperation, organised the first session of the Indian National Congress

Statement 2 is incorrect: The first session of the Indian National Congress was held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay in December 1885 and presided over by Womesh Chandra  Bonnerjee.

Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose were the main architects of the Indian National Conference.

Reference: Spectrum CHAPTER 11 Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase

Ans: C

Exp:

The main aims of the Indian National Congress in the initial stage were:

• To find a democratic, nationalist movement;
• To politicise and politically educate people;
• To establish the headquarters for a movement;
• To  promote friendly relations among nationalist political workers from different parts of the country;
• To develop and propagate an anti-colonial nationalist ideology;
• To formulate and present popular demands before the government with a view to unifying the people over a common economic and political programme;
• To develop and consolidate a feeling of national unity among people irrespective of religion, caste, or province.
• To carefully promote and nurture Indian nationhood.

Reference: Spectrum CHAPTER 11 Indian National Congress: Foundation and the Moderate Phase

Ans: C

Exp:

A direct tax is a tax that a person or organization pays directly to the entity that imposed it. Examples include Personal income tax, Corporate taxes, Minimum alternate tax, Dividend distribution tax, Securities Transaction Tax (STI), Banking Cash Transaction Tax, Wealth Tax, Real property tax, Personal property tax, and taxes on assets, all of which are paid by an individual taxpayer directly to the government. However, Customs duty is included in Indirect taxes.

Ans: A

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: GST Council was formed by the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act and Article 279(a) was inserted in the Constitution. It empowered the President of India to constitute the GST Council. Hence, it is a Constitutional body and not a statutory body 

Statement 2 is incorrect: The GST council is the governing body of GST and it is headed by the Union  Finance Minister (not the RBI Governor).

Statement 3 is correct:  The GST Council requires a quorum of 50 percent of the total members; a resolution requires a 75 percent majority of members present and voting and Central Government’s vote has a weightage of one-third of the total votes cast and States together have two-third weightage.