Modern History

Ans: a

Exp:

The Government of India Act was passed by the British parliament in 1935 and came into effect in 1937. It was based on a report by a Joint Select Committee, led by Lord Linlithgow, set up the two houses of the British parliament.

Some of the key features of the Act were:\

• The creation of a ‘Federation of India’ that consisted of two levels: a central executive and parliament, and below it, provinces and princely states. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
• It discarded the ‘dyarchy’ system at the provincial level and allowed for the emergence of popularly elected provincial legislatures. Dyarchy was introduced at the central level, key subjects like defence and foreign affairs were under the direct control of the Governor General. Hence, Statement 2 is incorrect.
• A federal court was established. 
• The franchise was expanded to 14% of the population from 3%.
• Separate electorates were provided for Muslims, Sikhs and others, but not to Depressed Classes.
• Governor enjoyed critical emergency powers.

Ans : b

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: In Ryotwari system the government revenue was a fixed amount, irrespective of crop output, and was to be paid in cash. Thus during periods of bad crops or low prices the peasants were forced to borrow from moneylenders to pay the land revenue. Once in the clutches of moneylenders they were rarely able to free themselves from debt and the end result invariably was mortgage or sale of land.

Statement 2 is correct: In Zamindari system the revenue was invariable, regardless of the harvest, and had to be paid punctually. According to the Sunset Law, if payment did not come in by sunset of the specified date, the zamindari was liable to be auctioned. 

Ans: a

Exp:

Alexander Rea (1858-1924) was an archaeologist who worked mainly in South British India and is known for unearthing a sarcophagus from the hillocks
of Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu. He arrived in India in 1882 and became assistant of Burgess in the Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.), Madras Division. He went on to become Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of Southern India (1902).

Albert Henry Longhurst (1876-1955) was an archaeologist and art historian who worked in India and Ceylon. He was in charge of the systematic digging of Nagarjunakonda (1927-1931).

Robert Sewell (1845-1925) was a civil servant in the Madras Presidency in colonial India. He undertook archaeological work at the Amaravati stupa. The site had previously been surveyed by Colin Mackenzie and Walter Elliot (1803-1887). James Burgess (1832-1916) was the founder of the Indian Antiquary in 1872 and an important archaeologist of British India in the 19th century. From 1886-89 he was Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Ans: a

Exp:

Statement-I is correct: The Government of India decided to designate the 7th of August every year as the National Handloom Day, and it was inaugurated
on 7 August 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai.
Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I: The Swadeshi Movement, which was launched on 7th August 1905 had encouraged indigenous industries (in particular handloom weavers). Hence, the Government of India decided to designate the 7th of August every year as the National Handloom Day.
Hence, both statement-I and statement-II are correct, and statement-II is the correct explanation for statement-I.

Other Swadeshi/indigenous Enterprises in the Early Nationalist Phase:

• The Swadeshi spirit also found expression in the establishment of Swadeshi textile mills, soap and match factories, tanneries, banks, insurance companies, shops, etc.
• These enterprises were based more on patriotic zeal than on business acumen.
  V.O. Chidambaram Pillai’s venture into a national shipbuilding enterprise – Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company – at Tuticorin, however, gave a challenge to the British Indian Steam Navigation Company.
• There had been a consciousness even in the 1890s that Indian products should be encouraged in the face of the onslaught of imported foreign goods. To this effect, several leaders had been organising melas (fairs) to exhibit Indian handicrafts and putting up stores for their sale so that their production could be encouraged:
  • Rabindranath’s Swadeshi Bhandar (1897)
  • Jogeshchandra Chaudhuri’s Indian Stores (1901)
  • Sarala Debi’s Lakshmi Bhandar (1903)
• The Bengal Chemicals factory was established by Prafullachandra Ray in 1893.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Various events during the advent of the Europeans

• Statement 1 is incorrect: There is a difference in timeline of the events. The end of Gajapati Dynasty was in 1542 and the United East India Company of the Netherlands, formed in March 1605 by the Charter of Dutch Parliament and founded their first factory in Masulipatnam in Andhra in 1605.
• Statement 2 is correct: Alfonso de Albuquerque considered as Founder of the Portuguese power in India: captured Goa from Bijapur; persecuted Muslims; captured Bhatkal from Sri Krishna Deva Rai (1510) of Vijayanagara.
• Statement 3 is correct: The English East India Company established a factory in Madras in 1639 on land leased from representatives of Vijayanagara Empire called the Nayakas

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Revolutionary Activities Abroad

Ghadar Party, 1913:

• Ghadar Party was a revolutionary group organised around a weekly newspaper “The Ghadar” with its headquarters at San Francisco and branches along the US coast and in the Far East.
• These revolutionaries included mainly ex-soldiers and peasants who had migrated from the Punjab to the USA and Canada in search of better employment
• Pre-Ghadar revolutionary activity had been carried on by Ramdas Puri, G.D. Kumar, Taraknath Das, Sohan Singh Bhakna and Lala Hardayal who reached there in 1911.
• To carry out revolutionary activities, the earlier activists had set up a ‘Swadesh Sevak Home’ at Vancouver and ‘United India House’ at Finally, in 1913, the Ghadar was established, with the aim of organising assassinations of officials, publishing revolutionary and anti- imperialist literature, work among Indian troops stationed abroad, procure arms and bring about a simultaneous revolt in all British colonies.
• The moving spirits behind the Ghadar Party were Lala Hardayal, Ramchandra, Bhagwan Singh, Kartar Singh Saraba, Barkatullah and Bhai Other prominent leaders involved in the movement: Kartar Singh Saraba, Raghubar Dayal Gupta, Rash Behari Bose, and Sachin Sanyal.

Additional Information:

• Barindra Kumar Ghosh was associated with a revolutionary group called Jugantar and Jogesh Chatterjee was associated with the Hindustan Republican Association/Army (HRA).

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Cripps Mission

Cripps Mission (1942):

• In March 1942, a mission headed by Stafford Cripps was sent to India with constitutional proposals to seek Indian support for World War Because of the reverses suffered by Britain in South-East Asia, the Japanese threat to invade India seemed real now and Indian support became crucial.
• There was pressure on Britain from the Allies (USA, USSR, and China) to seek Indian

Provisions:

• Indian union with a Dominion status would be set up and it would be free to decide its relation with the UN and the Commonwealth.
• After the war the Constituent Assembly would be formed with members from Provinces (elected through proportional representation) and Princely states (nominated). (Hence, statement 1 is )
• Conditions of Accepting New Constitution:
  • Any Province not willing to join the Union can have a separate Constitution and form a Separate union. (Hence, statement 2 is correct.)
  • New Constitution making Body and the Government would negotiate a treaty for Transfer of Power.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Factories of English East India Company

The English East India Company had a factory at Broach (present-day Bharuch) in Gujarat, India during the seventeenth century. However, Chicacole (present-day Srikakulam) and Trichinopoly (present-day Tiruchirappalli) were not among the locations of the Company’s factories during this period. Establishment of Factories by English East India Company:

• West Coast: The English India Company established their factories at Agra, Ahmadabad, Baroda and Broach by 1619, under the control of the president and council of the Surat factory which was established in the year 1612.

• South-eastern Coast: EIC established their factories at Masulipatam in 1611 and Armagaon near Pulicat in 1626.
• Eastern India: In eastern India EIC established their factories at Hariharpur and Balasore(now Odisha) in 1633, at Hugli in 1651, followed by setting up factories at Patna, Dacca, Kasimbazar in Bengal and Bihar respectively.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms post 1857

Montagu-Chelmsford Act, 1919:

• By demarcating and separating the central and provincial subjects, it relaxed the central control over the provinces
• Divided the provincial subjects into two parts:
  • Transferred and Reserved subjects: This dual scheme of governance was known as ‘dyarchy’.
• Introduced bicameralism and direct elections in the country.
• It required 3 out of 6 members in the Viceroy’s Executive Council to be Indian.
• Recommended the voting rights to women in limited numbers to be extended on the basis of property, tax or education
• Extended the principle of communal representation among the Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.

Government of India Act of 1935 Features:

• Act divided the powers between the Centre and units in terms of three lists—Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List (for provinces, with 54 items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items). Residuary powers were given to the Viceroy.
  • However, the federation never came into being as the princely states did not join it.
• It abolished dyarchy in the provinces and introduced ‘provincial autonomy’ in its place. The provinces were allowed to act as autonomous units of administration in their defined spheres.
  • Moreover, the Act introduced responsible governments in provinces, that is, the governor was required to act with the advice of ministers responsible to the provincial legislature. This came into effect in 1937 and was discontinued in 1939.
• It provided for the adoption of dyarchy at the Centre.
  • Consequently, the federal subjects were divided into reserved subjects and transferred subjects.
  • However, this provision of the Act did not come into operation at all.
• It introduced bicameralism in six out of eleven provinces. Thus, the legislatures of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, Bihar, Assam and the United Provinces were made bicameral consisting of a legislative council (upper house) and a legislative assembly (lower house).
• It extended the principle of separate electorates for depressed classes (scheduled castes), women and labour (workers).
• It abolished the Council of India, established by the Government of India Act of 1858. The secretary of state for India was provided with a team of advisors.
• Extended franchise: About 10 per cent of the total population got the voting right.
• It provided for the establishment of a Reserve Bank of India to control the currency and credit of the country.
• It provided for the establishment of not only a Federal Public Service Commission but also a Provincial Public Service Commission and Joint Public Service Commission for two or more provinces.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Quit India Movement

Option (a) is correct: Quit India Resolution was ratified in a Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank on 8th August 1942. Apart from QIM, other resolutions involved the Civil Disobedience Movement against British Rule. Mantra of “Do or Die” was adopted in this Session by Gandhiji. Option (b) is incorrect: More Indians were added to Viceroy’s executive council by the Government of India Act 1919. First time, an Indian was added in this council by the Government of India act 1909.

Option (c) is incorrect: The Congress Ministries resigned from seven provinces in 1939 in protest because the then Viceroy Lord Linlithgow’s (1936-1944) action declared India to be belligerent in the WW-II without even consulting the Indian people.

Option (d) is incorrect: Though Cripps proposed a dominion status to India and the failure of the cripps mission resulted in a nationwide Quit India Movement, this was not related to 8 August 1942.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Indian National Army/Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose/Red Fort Trial

Indian National Army (INA) Trials/ Red Fort Trials:

• Between November 1945 and May 1946, the INA officers were brought before a court martial at the Red Fort in Delhi. At the Red Fort in Delhi, about ten court-martials were held in public.
• By holding open trials in the Red Fort, Claude Auchinleck, the commander-in-chief of the British-Indian army, hoped to sway public opinion against the INA.
• Major General Shah Nawaz Khan, Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal and Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon were three of the senior-most officers of INA and trusted colleagues of Netaji.
• After considerable demonstrations and unrest in India, they were forced to be released after the British court-martialed them at Red Fort in 1945 and sentenced them to death.
• Congress leader and the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, also got on board the INA officers’ legal defence team, along with party colleague Bhulabhai Desai and barrister Tej Bahadur Sapru.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Reforms in Education during the British Time

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891) was appointed as the secretary of Bethune School/College established in 1849. Bethune School began as Hindu Female School in 1849 was renamed Bethune School in 1856. In 1856, the Government took charge of the Hindu Female School, later renamed Bethune School.

NOTE: Details of Annie Besant has already been covered in PYQs under Prominent Personalities in Modern History.

Ans: c          

Sub-Theme: Major events/Major places of Indian

Freedom Struggle

Option (a) is incorrect: The Indian tricolour was designed by Pingali Venkayya, who was a freedom fighter and was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Pingali Venkayya had designed the flag of India and presented it to Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 during the session of the All India Congress Committee in Vijayawada.

Option (b) is incorrect: During the QIM in Andhra the Provincial Congress Committee had issued a circular popularly known as the ‘Kurnool Circular’ as the police seized the copy when they rode ‘Kurnool Congress Office. This was drafted by Kala Venkat Rao, on 29th July 1942 and was sent for the approval of the Congress Working Committee through Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramaiah, a member of the working committee.

Option (c) is correct: Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.

Option (d) is incorrect: The Theosophical Society was founded by Madame H. P. Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in New York in 1875. In 1882, the headquarters of the Society were established in Adyar, near Madras (now Chennai) in India.

Ans: c        

Sub-Theme: Important Personalities/Phases of Mahatma Gandhi

Quit India Movement planned an all-out campaign to compel British withdrawal from India, after the failure of the Cripps Mission to reach a compromise. At the historic August meeting at Gowalia Tank in Bombay, Gandhi proclaimed his mantra—’do or die’. He was arrested on August 9, 1942. He undertook a 21-day fast in February 1943 to protest against the Government actions against Indians involved in the movement. Mahatma Gandhi wrote “Songs of Prison” during his imprisonment in Yerwada Jail, Poona. He translated hymns from the Upanishads and poems by Indian saint poets into English and that collection was published as Songs from the prison.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Important Keyword related to Colonial Revenue Policy

• Pair 1 is incorrect: Aurang is a Persian term referring to a warehouse where goods are collected before being sold.
• Pair 2 is correct: The word Bania (also Vania) is derived from the Sanskrit vanij, meaning ‘a merchant’. The banian acted as an agent for individual East India Company managers and performed a range of functions including, bookkeeping, interpreting, and brokerage, as well as managing his household and personal business activities. Banians served as middlemen for European merchants in Bengal during the British era.
• Pair 3 is correct: Mirasdar in Urdu means hereditary landowner, co-proprietor and in Persian, miras is inheritance, estate. Under the Ryotwari settlement system in Southern India, the East India Company recognized mirasdars as the only proprietors of land, dismissing tenants’ rights completely. They were prohibited by law from selling their land but it can be leased to tenants for a nominal fee in return for its cultivation. They acted as a designated revenue payer of the state.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Impact of Industrial Revolution on indigenous industry

Declining and deindustrialisation of the Indian traditional cottage and handicraft industry was a direct effect of the industrial revolution in England along with the colonisation of India. Industrial Revolution and its impact on India’s indigenous industry

• The Industrial Revolution brought severe consequences to Indian society.
• The fall and destruction of the urban and rural handicraft industry was one of the most significant effects of British Rule..
• The Industrial Revolution in England also affected the textile industries in India in many ways, such as:
  • English textiles were now posing a serious threat to Indian textiles in the European and American markets.
  • Textiles from India were subject to high taxes in Britain.
  • The African markets were successfully taken over by cheap, machine-made textiles from Britain.
  • By the 1830s, inexpensive British manufactured products had inundated the Indian marketplaces. The Indian textile industries suffered as a result of them being less expensive than Indian textiles.
• Following the Industrial Revolution, Britain began making textiles by a machine that were considerably more affordable and of higher quality than conventional Indian textile.
• The start of the industrial revolution had a negative impact on the Indian handicraft in India.
• Additionally, the decline of the kings, chieftains, and zamindars who served as the employers of these masters of handicrafts led to the steady expansion of British dominion in India through outright battles with the rulers, which resulted in the suffering of handicrafts in India.
• India became both a raw material supplier and a finished goods market. India, a country based on agriculture, became an economic colony.
• The British items were inexpensive and only required a little amount of duty, while the Indian goods were subject to heavy import duties.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Peasant Movement

• Indigo cultivation in India declined by the beginning of the 20th century because of new inventions of improved versions of chemical colours that substitute indigo, thus the production of indigo became unprofitable in the world market. Thus, its unprofitability in the world market because of new inventions’ caused decline in the Indigo Cultivation.

Indigo Revolt 1856-57:

• Area: Bengal
• Leaders: Bishnu Charan Biswas and Diagambar Biswas
• The great worth of indigo as a commerce commodity led to its frequent usage as the nickname “blue ” It gives the materials a blue tint.
• Reason: They started losing their land due to poor output and they started fall into debt trap
• India’s first peasant strike resulted in the compelled planting of indigo since the trade in it was profitable because blue dye was in high demand.
• During their strike, peasants refused to produce indigo or sign The strike expanded to other parts of Bengal, and other zamindars supported the uprisings. A commission was established in their favour.
• Intelligentsia helped to make it a powerful
• Harsh Chandra Mukherjee (editor Hindu patriot), Dinabandhu Mitra play: Neel Darpan.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Tribal Movement

Munda Rebellion:

• It is one of the prominent 19th century tribal rebellions in the subcontinent. In the years 1899–1900, Birsa Munda served as the movement’s leader in the south of
• The Ulgulan, also known as “the Great Tumult,” was an insurrection that aimed to establish Munda Raj or Munda authority in this area.

Reason of revolt:

• In 1874, the British replaced the traditional Khuntkari system of Munda tribals with the zamindari system.
• The introduction of the zamindari system created the classes of zamindars (landlords) and ryots (tenants).
• This led to the monetisation of the economy, the tribals had to depend on cash for paying the rent and for meeting their daily needs.
• This situation left them with no other option but to depend on the money-lenders, who used to lend money at an exorbitant rate.
• Birsa Munda:
  • A tribal liberation warrior from the Munda tribe, Bisra Munda is revered as a folk
  • He was a spearhead behind the Ulgulan movement that arose in the Chotanagpur region of Bihar and Jharkhand belt in the 19th century under the British
  • He is often referred to as the ‘Dharti Abba’ or the Earth Father.
  • Birsa Munda organised masses to stop paying debts/interest to moneylenders and taxes to the British. By this, he led a revolt to bring an end to Victorian rule and the establishment of Munda Rule in Jharkhand (Chotanagpur region).

   

  NOTE: If we go through Modern Ncert in detail, this question can be easily solved. It is advisable to remember keywords from Ncert such as Dikus, Ulgulan, Tebhaga, nij khamare dhan tolo etc. and corresponding movements.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Social Reformist/Social Reform Organization

Dr. Rakhmabai (1864–1955)

• Rakhmabai was an Indian physician and a feminist.
• Apart from being one of the first practising women doctors in colonial India, she was also involved in a landmark legal case involving her marriage as a child bride between 1884 and 1888.
• At the young age of eleven, she was married to Dadaji Bhikaji, who was then nineteen. Bhikaji petitioned the court in 1885, 12 years after they had been married, asking for the “restitution of conjugal rights.”
• Behramji Malabari and Pandita Ramabai established the Rakhmabai Defense Committee to stand up for her.
• The case lasted for 4 years until Dadji was compensated in 1888 out of court.
• The case was instrumental in the development of the Age of Consent Act in stipulating minimum age of consent to be 12 years however no minimum age of marriage was introduced.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Dr. Rakhmabai was an Indian physician and a feminist. At the young age of eleven, she was married to Dadaji Bhikaji, who was then nineteen. Bhikaji petitioned the court in 1885, 12 years after they had been married, asking for the “restitution of conjugal rights.”The Rakhmabai case did not involve the women’s right to gain education.

• Statement 2 is correct: The Rakhmabai case of 1884 was instrumental in the drafting of the Age of Consent Act in 1891. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Statement 3 is correct: Dr. Rakhmabai was married off at the young age of eleven with Dadaji Bhikaji, who was nineteen years old. In 1885, after 12 years of marriage, Bhikaji filed a petition in the court and sought “restitution of conjugal rights”. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Phases of Mahatma Gandhi/Gandhi- Irwin Pact

(UPSC didn’t give any answer in official key) Possible ans (b)

• Statement 1 is correct: The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was a political agreement signed by Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, on 5 March 1931 before the Second Round Table Conference in London, where the Indian National Congress was invited to participate.
• Statement 2 is correct: Withdrawal of all ordinances issued by the Government of India imposing curbs on the activities of the Indian National Congress was agreed by the Viceroy. Statement 3 is incorrect: The demand for a public enquiry of excesses committed by police during the civil disobedience movement was rejected by the Viceroy.
• Statement 4 is correct: Release of all political prisoners, except those guilty of violence was also agreed.
• NOTE: if we read Ncert, statement 1 is general and common. Securing participation by the Indian National Congress in the Second Round Table Conference was an important agenda of pact inter-alia. We also know that viceroy rejected commutation of the death sentence of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev to a life sentence, which was criticised by several leaders. This underlines that prisoners with violence charges were not released. This reasoning makes statement 4 correct. Option (b) i.e 1, 2 and 4 only is the only option with statement 1 and 4 in it !!

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Reforms in Education during the British Time

Fort William College (1800):

•   Fort William College was founded on 10 July 1800 in Calcutta, British India.

• Fort William College was set up by Lord Richard Wellesley in 1800
• It was set up for the training of civil servants of the Company in languages and customs of Indians.
• The court of directors of the British East India Company was not in support of a training college in Kolkata.
• Then it got closed in 1802 and a separate College was established in 1807 in England.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Literary Work during Indian National Movement

Statement 1 and 2 are correct: In overwhelming detail, the book “Desher Katha” summarised the work of M. G. Ranade and Naoroji in a popular idiom and warned in its concluding chapter against the colonial state’s “hypnotic conquest of the mind”. “Desher Katha” had an immense repercussion in Bengal, captured the mind of young Bengal and assisted more than anything else in the preparation of the Swadeshi Movement.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Deuskar uses the word ‘desh’ in the context of the whole country.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Literary Work during Indian National Movement

Gopal Baba Walangkar (1840-1900):

• He was also known as Gopal Krishna, born into a family of the untouchable Mahar caste in Maharashtra.
• Gopal Baba Walangkar is an early example of a social activist working to untrammel the untouchable people of India from their historic socio-economic oppression and he is generally considered to be the pioneer of that movement.
• He also developed a racial theory to explain the oppression and also published the first journal targeted at the untouchable people.
• The first publication to have the untouchable people as its target readership was Walangkar’s Vital-Vidhvansak (Destroyer of Brahmanical or Ceremonial Pollution), which he started publishing in 1888.
• He also wrote articles for Marathi-language newspapers such as Sudharak and Deenbandhu, as well as composed couplets in Marathi that were intended to inspire the people.
• In 1889, he published Vital Viduvansan (Annihilation of Ceremonial Pollution), which protested the position of untouchables in society and raised consciousness regarding what those people should expect.
• He addressed this pamphlet, which was crafted as a collection of 26 questions, to the elites of Maharashtrian society.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Columbian Exchange

Tobacco, cocoa, and rubber are the groups of plants that were domesticated in the ‘New World’ and introduced into the ‘Old World’ through the European explorers in the late medieval or early modern era.

The Columbian Exchange:

• The Columbian exchange, also known as the Columbian interchange, named for Christopher Columbus, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.
• It also relates to European colonization and trade following Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage. Invasive species, including communicable diseases, were a by-product of the Exchange.
• Old World to New World: Coffee, wheat, cotton, barley, rice, sugarcane and sugar beet, etc.
• New World to Old World: avocado, cashew, cocoa bean, potato, maize, rubber, tobacco, etc.

NOTE: Even if we don’t know the exact answer of this particular question, we can still attempt this question with our basic knowledge. For instance, Cotton and wheat has been a widely cultivated crop in India since ancient times. Even Harappans grew

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms before 1857

CHARTER ACT OF 1813:

• Company’s territories in India came under the Sovereignty of the British Government.
• Taxes could be levied against citizens by the local They could punish people for not paying taxes.
• It ended the East India Company’s monopoly on trading with India.
• The company’s rule was extended for another 20 years. The trade monopoly of their country was ended except for the trade in tea, opium, and with China.
• Giving missionaries permission to travel to India was one of the key components of this law.

PITT’S INDIA ACT OF 1784:

• Pitt’s India Act, 1784 extended the control of the British Government over the Company’s affairs and its administration in India.

The act was significant for two reasons:

• The Company’s possessions in India were officially referred to as “British possessions in India” for the first time.
• The Company’s activities and administration in India were placed under the total control of the British Government.
• Statement 1 is correct: The Charter Act 1813 ended the trade monopoly of the East India Company except for the trade in tea, opium, and with China.
• Statement 2 is correct: Company’s territories in India came under the Sovereignty of the British Government through this Act.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The revenue of India was controlled by the British parliament through Pitt’s India Act 1784.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Swadeshi Movement

Swadeshi and Boycott Movements:

• There were large-scale protests against the partition of Bengal. Later, the movement spread to other regions of the nation:
• The Boycott Resolution was passed at the Calcutta Town Hall on August 7, 1905, formally launching the Swadeshi Movement.
• Partition came into force: October 16, 1905
• There were also new means of protest like processions, public meetings, and boycotts of imported goods.
• Imaginative use of Traditional Festivals, Melas: Tilak’s Ganapati and Shivaji festivals became a medium of swadeshi
• Statement 1 is correct: Importance to Self- Reliance (Atma Shakti): Emphasis was placed on honour, social and economic regeneration of the villages. Swadeshi enterprises: Swadeshi textile mills, banks, etc, were set up. At Tuticorin, V.O. Chidambaram Pillai founded the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company.
• Statement 2 is correct: Swadeshi programme or National Education:

1. Bengal National College – Aurobindo Ghosh as its Principal – inspired by Tagore’s
2. The National Council of Education (1906) was set up to organise national education in the vernacular medium.
3. The Bengal Institute of Technology was established to provide technical training.
   • Cultural Impact: Rabindranath Tagore wrote Amar Sonar Bangla, Subramania Bharati wrote Swadesha Geetham.
   • Corps of Volunteers or ‘Samitis’: they generated political consciousness among the masses.

Ans: b        

Statement 1 is correct: During the early 1900s, Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in getting the indentured labour system abolished in the British Empire. He also supported Manilal Doctor’s campaign to get a resolution passed in the INC meeting condemning the indentured labour system in all British territories.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Lord Chelmsford, the then Viceroy of India, invited Gandhi to Delhi at a War Conference. In order to gain the trust of the empire, Gandhi agreed to move people to enlist in the army for WW-I.

Statement 3 is correct: Indian National Congress was declared illegal upon breaking of salt law. But this did not deter the satyagrahis who continued the movement.

Ans: d        

Sub-Theme: Important Personalities/ Important Organisations

Pair 1 is correct: All India Liberal Federation was founded by Surendra Nath Banarjea and some of its prominent leaders were Tej Bahadur Sapru, V. S. Srinivasa Sastri and R. Jayakar and Tej Bahadur Sapru were the presidents of Indian National Liberal Federation.

Pair 2 is correct: K.C. Neogy was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, a member of the first Cabinet of independent India and the chairman of the first Finance Commission of India.

Pair 3 is correct: P.C. Joshi was one of the early leaders of the communist movement in India, he was the first general secretary of the Communist Party of India from 1935–47.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Important Organisations

Pair 1 is correct: On 30 September 1932, Mahatma Gandhi founded the All India Anti Untouchability League, to remove untouchability in society.

Pair 2 is correct: Sahajanand Saraswati was the first President of the All-India Kisan Sabha.

Pair 3 is correct: The Self-Respect Movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in Tamil Nadu in 1925 with the aim of destroying the contemporary Hindu social order in its totality and creating a new, rational society without caste, religion and god.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: British Expansionist Policy

The system aimed to establish British paramountcy over the Indian States and to ensure their military and political subservience to the British East India Company. Securing a fixed income for the company was not the primary objective of the system.

Subsidiary Alliance by Wellesley (1798- 1805):

• Allying Indian states maintained the British army at its frontier and paid for their maintenance. Ruler had to post British officials at their Ruler couldn’t employ Europeans without the British’s permission. Couldn’t contact enemies to make peace.
• Maintenance asked was high → Ruler’s couldn’t pay → asked to cede part of their territory.
• Awadh was first to come under it.
• Signed by: Nawab of Awadh, Nizam of Hyderabad, Ruler of Mysore, Ruler of Tanjore, Peshwa, Bhonsle of Berar, The Sindhias, The Rajput states, The ruler of Bharatpur, Holkars.
• During this phase, almost all the Indian States came under British subordination, by compelling them to enter into subsidiary alliances with Also the Indian Princes were put under obligation to accept the British Paramountcy.
• It was a ‘Non-Intervention Policy’ used by Lord Wellesley to bring the Princely states under the control of the British.
• Though the native Indian ruler had to pay for the maintenance of the British army and if he failed to make the payment, a portion of his territory was taken away and ceded to the British, but securing fixed income was never part of the system of Subsidiary alliance.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Commercialisation of Indian Agriculture

One of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the commercialization of agriculture by introducing cash crops like opium and indigo

• Colonial rule has negatively impacted the Indian industries and handicrafts.
• The increase in the import of finished manufactured goods poses a threat to the indigenous factories.
• It was, economically, one of the results of British rule in India in the 19th Century was the growth of commercial crops like cotton, jute, groundnut, oilseeds, tobacco, sugarcane, etc. and the raw materials for the industries in Britain.
• There was no rapid increase in the urban population during 19th Century British India.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Colonial Trade

The East India Company was originally formed in Britain for pursuing trade with the East Indies in Southeast Asia. In fact, it ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China, where the main items of trade were cotton, silk, tea, opium, and saltpetre (potassium nitrate).

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms post 1857 As per the Government of India Act of 1935 Governor-General was empowered to authorise, either the Federal or the Provincial Legislature to enact a law with respect to any residuary matter.

The Government of India Act, 1935

• Divided the powers between the Centre and provinces in terms of three lists– Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List (for provinces, with 54 items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items).
• The allocation of residuary powers was unique. It was not vested in either of the legislatures, central or But the Governor-General was empowered to authorise, either the Federal or the Provincial Legislature to enact a law with respect to any residuary matter.
• Abolished dyarchy in the provinces and introduced ‘provincial autonomy’ in its place, while adopted the dyarchy at the Centre
• Enacted bicameralism in six out of eleven provinces
• It further extended the principle of communal representation to the depressed classes (Scheduled Castes), women and labour (workers).
• Abolished the Council of India, established by the Government of India Act of 1858.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Tribal Movement

Both the given measures were taken by the Colonial Government as a result of Santhal Uprising.

Santhal Uprising:

• Santhals: They used to live in the Daman- i-Koh area which is between Bhagalpur and Rajmahal, and ‘hool’ means uprising in the Santhali language.
• The Santhals of the Rajmahal Hills were resentful of the oppression they suffered at the hands of revenue officials, police, money- lenders, and landlords, by the “outsiders” (whom they called diku).
• In 1854, the Santhals under the leadership of Sido and Kanhu rebelled against their oppressors, declared the end of the Company’s control, and proclaimed their independence.
• The situation wasn’t brought under control until 1856, a year that saw extensive military Sido died in 1855, while Kanhu was arrested in 1866.
• A separate district of Santhal Parganas was created by the Government to pacify the Santhals. Thus, the government separated Santhal Parganas into its own district in order to pacify the Santhals.
• It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal. British Government enacted laws so that the lands of tribals could not be taken by outsiders (dikus).

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Phase of Mahatma Gandhi Champaran Satyagraha (1917):

• Mahatma Gandhi’s initial experiment of satyagraha was known as Champaran Satyagraha.
• It was undertaken after Mahatma Gandhi learned about the abuses suffered by farmers, who were forced into growing indigo by British planters and estate
• The tenants from Champaran were forced under the law to grow indigo on 3/20th part of the land (Tinkathia System) for his landlord.
• To increase their profits, European planters demanded exorbitant rents and illegitimate
• Rajkumar Shukla invited Gandhi to look into the problems of Indigo planters in Champaran, Bihar.
• Gandhiji intended to conduct a thorough investigation in the district and demand action based on its results.
• During this time Gandhiji was even charged with violating law and was told to leave Champaran, but he refused to leave.
• Later, the then Lieutenant Governor of Bihar ordered the withdrawal of the case against Gandhi, and the Collector wrote to Gandhi saying he was free to conduct the inquiry.
• In the history of the independence struggle, this tiny step in the form of passive protest was a great leap, signalling the beginning of the Gandhian period.
• Leaders associated: Rajendra Prasad, Mazhar-ul-Haq, Mahadeo Desai, Narhari Parekh, J.B. Kripalani etc.
• Gandhi’s position in India’s resistance to the British raj was solidified by the victory at Champaran.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Home Rule League Movement

Home Rule League Movement (1916):

• It was an Indian response to World War – I, inspired by Irish Home Rule Leagues.
• The movement sought to achieve self-rule through political discussion and education, public gatherings, etc.
• The government responded with severe repression, but it prepared masses for Gandhian style of politics.
• Tilak launched the Indian Home Rule League in April 1916 at Belgaum.
• Annie Besant launched the Home Rule League in September 1916 at Madras.
• The All India Home Rule League became Swarajya Sabha in 1920.
• Its demands included Swarajya, formation of linguistic states and education in the vernacular.
• Leaders: Motilal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai, Chittaranjan Das, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Tej Bahadur Sapru.
• Anglo-Indians, most of the Muslims and Non brahmins from south did not join as they felt it would mean home rule of the Hindu majority.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Reforms in Education during the British Time

Wood’s Dispatch (1854):

• Magna Carta of English Education in India.
• Government to take up the responsibility for the Education of masses.
• Hierarchy of Educational Institutions
• Emphasise on       Female,       Vocational Education and teachers’ training.
• Secular Education in Government Institutions. 
• Grants-in-aid to encourage private education.
• Recommended English as the Medium of Instruction in higher studies and vernaculars in school level.
• Universities with affiliations in three presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.

Statement 1 and 2 are correct: Grants-in-aid to encourage private education and affiliating universities in the presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were recommended in the Wood’s Despatch.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Woods Dispatch recommended English as the Medium of Instruction in higher studies and vernaculars in school level.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Reforms in Education during the British Time

Statement 1 is correct: The Charter Act of 1813 permitted Christian missionaries to propagate English and preach their religion.

Statement 2 is correct: As a president of the General Committee of Public Instruction, Lord Macaulay wrote a minute, where he Macaulay stressed the implementation of the English language as a medium of instruction through his minute.

Statement 3 is correct: One faction of the Anglicists was in favour of English language as the medium, while the other faction was in favour of Indian languages (vernaculars).

Charter Act of 1813:

• The idea of supporting educated Indians and promoting knowledge of contemporary sciences in the country was enshrined into the Charter Act of 1813.
• The Act required the Company to yearly approve one lakh rupees for this Even this meagre sum, though, was not made accessible until 1823, mostly due to the disagreement over the most appropriate strategy for this investment.
• The Charter Act of 1813 gave Christian missionaries the right to spread the English language and practise their religion.

General Committee on Public Instruction (1823):

• A “General Committee of Public Instruction” was established by the Governor-General-in-Council in 1823 with the task of allocating one lakh rupees for educational purposes.
• The General Committee of Public Instruction also was not able to decide the medium of instruction by vote; due to lack of majority.
• Out of ten members of which Lord Macaulay was the president, five were supporters of English language or Anglicist as the medium of instruction and the rest were supporters of oriental or classic language or Classicists as a medium of instruction.
• This is the famous Anglicist and Classicist controversy.
• On February 2, 1835, Lord Macaulay, who served as head of the General Committee of Public Instruction, penned a minute in which he stated his position on the issue.
• Through his minute, Lord Macaulay emphasised the use of the English language as a medium of instruction. He believed that English was the ideal language for instruction.

Orientalist-Anglicist controversy:

Ans: b       

Sub-Theme: Reforms in Education during the British Time

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Sanskrit College was established by Jonathan Duncan, the resident, at Benaras in 1791 for study of Hindu law and philosophy.

Statement 2 is correct: The Calcutta Madrasah was established by Warren Hastings in 1781 for the study of Muslim law and related subjects.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Fort William College was set up by Lord Richard Wellesley in 1800 for training of civil servants of the Company in languages and customs of Indians (closed in 1802).

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Important Personalities

Lala Lajpat Rai:

• Popularly known as Punjab Kesari. A member of the Lal Bal Pal trio.
• The INC’s president at the 1920 Calcutta Special Session.
• In 1921, he founded Servants of the People Society, a non-profit welfare organisation, in Lahore.
• Lajpat Rai travelled to the US in 1917.
• Led a non-violent march in protest to the Simon Commission. Brutally assaulted by the police and later succumbed to his
• Along with founding Arya Gazette as its editor, authored:

1. 1. The Story of My Deportation, 1908.
   2. Arya Samaj, 1915.
   3. The United States of America: A Hindu’s Impression, 1916.
   4. The problem of National Education in India, 1920
   5. Unhappy India, 1928.
   6. England’s Debt to India, 1917.
   7. Autobiographical Writings
   8. He also wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji, and Shrikrishna.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Literary Work during Indian National Movement

Option (a) is incorrect: The Arya samaj was founded by the Dayananda Saraswati on 7 April 1875.

Option (b) is correct: Neel Darpan is a Bengali play, written by Dinabandhu Mitra in 1858–1859.

Option (c) is incorrect: Anandamath the famous Bengali novel written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1882.

Option (d) is incorrect: Satyendranath Tagore was selected for Indian Civil Service in June 1863. He was the first Indian to succeed in the ICS Exam in 1863.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Land Revenue Settlement

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Labour Legislations

About the Trade Disputes Act, 1929:

• The Trade Disputes Act, 1929 was codified for five years as an experimental measure.
• The main objective of the Act was to make provisions for the establishment of Courts of Inquiry and Boards of Conciliation with a view to investigate and settle trade disputes.
• The Act banned unnoticed strikes or lockouts in the provision of public utility services.
• A strike or lockout that was intended to cause severe, widespread, or prolonged hardship for the community and compel the government to take or refrain from taking a particular course of action was also made illegal.
• This included strikes and lockouts that had any purpose other than to advance a trade dispute within the trade or industry in which the strikers or the employers locking out were engaged.
• The Act was amended in 1932 and was made permanent by the Trade Disputes (Extending) Act, 1934.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Labour Legislations/Labour Movement

Statement 1 is incorrect: The first Factory Act (1881) was passed in 1881 during the tenure of Lord Ripon. This legislation aimed to improve working conditions for factory workers. This act applies only to factories that use mechanical power, employing at least 100 workers. It prohibited employment of children under the age 7. Children between the ages 7-12 were to work for a maximum 9 hours. It also made compulsory that dangerous machinery should be fenced properly, but no mention of forming trade unions.

Statement 2 is correct: Narayan Meghaji Lokhande (1848–1897) was the father of the trade union movement in India. He is remembered not only for ameliorating the working conditions of textile mill-hands in the 19th century but also for his courageous initiatives on caste and communal issues. Lokhande is acclaimed as the Father of the Trade Union Movement in India. Some of the rights mill workers got because of N M Lokhande were:

• Mill workers should get a weekly holiday on Sunday
• In the afternoon, workers should be entitled to half-hour recess.
• The mill should start working from 6:30 in the morning and close by sunset.
• The salaries of the workers should be given by the 15th of every month.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms post 1857/ Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms/GoI Act 1919

Government of India Act/Montagu-Chelmsford Act, 1919 divided the provincial subjects into two parts: transferred and reserved, this dual scheme of governance was known as ‘dyarchy’.

Introduction to Diarchy:

• The GoI Act 1919 introduced a diarchy (rule of two individuals/parties) for the executive at the level of the provincial government.
• The diarchy was implemented in eight provinces: Assam, Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bombay, Madras and Punjab.
• The Dyarchy system increased the authority of the provincial governments.
• In the province, the governor was to serve as the chief executive.

Division of Subjects:

• Division of subjects into two lists: ‘reserved’ and ‘transferred’.
• The reserved list: included subjects such as law and order, finance, land revenue, irrigation and the subjects were to be administered by the governor through his executive council of bureaucrats. All significant subjects were maintained in the Provincial Executive’s reserved subjects.
• The transferred subjects: were to be administered by ministers nominated from among the elected members of the legislative council and it included subjects such as education, health, local government, industry, agriculture, excise, etc.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Important Commission during British

Butler Committee (1927):

• The Butler Committee was appointed under the chairmanship of Sir Harcourt Butler in 1927 to investigate and clarify the relationship between the paramount power of the British Raj in India, and the rulers of Princely States.
• There were two other members of the committee: William Searle Holdsworth and Sidney Peel.

Recommendations:

• In the committee’s report of 1929, the “paramountcy” doctrine was reaffirmed.
• Guidelines were given for its application, and it was made clear that the financial relationship between the Raj and the States should be fair.
• The relationship of the princely states with the British empire was not merely a contractual relationship, but a living, growing relationship shaped by the circumstances and policy, resting on the mixture of history and theory.
• British paramountcy to stay intact(solid) to preserve the princely state.
• State should not be transferred without their own consent to a relationship with a new government in British India responsible to an Indian legislature.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Last phase of Indian Freedom Struggle/RIN Movement

Second Round Table Conference (1931):

• In London, between September 7, 1931 to December 1, 1931.
• Result of the Gandhi-Irwin
• Gandhi was the sole representative of the
• Madan Mohan Malviya and A. Rangaswami Iyengar were also there.
• Muslim league represented by Aga Khan III, Maulana Mohammad Jinnah.
• Depressed classes by B. R. Ambedkar, Rettamalai Srinivasan, Sardar Sampuran Singh etc.
• Sarojini Naidu participated to represent
• Lord Willingdon was the viceroy of
• A Communal Award for representing minorities in India by providing for separate electorates for minority communities. Gandhi was against this.
• The government refused Indian demands and talks failed.

Quit India Movement/August Revolution (1942):

• After the failure of Cripps’s Mission, a Resolution was framed by Gandhiji for British withdrawal and  non-violent Non-Cooperation Movement against the Japanese Invasion.
• The resolution was accepted in the CWC meeting in Wardha on July 14, 1942.

Royal Indian Naval Mutiny (1946):

• On February 18, 1946, a mutiny started among the ratings of HMIS Talwar due to poor pay, inadequate food, and racial
• The Muslim League, Congress, and CPI’s red flags were raised.
• The intervention of Sardar Patel put an end to the rebellion. The mutineers faced trials despite promises.
• This led to Violence in Bombay, with the loss of 200 lives.
• Significance: On February 19, 1946, a Cabinet Mission was sent to India.

Ans: b        

Sub-Theme: Social Movement Organisations

• Pair 1 is correct: Raja Radhakanta Deb was the first President of the British Indian Association while Debendranath Tagore was its secretary.
• Pair 2 is incorrect: In 1884 Madras Mahajan Sabha  was established by M. Veeraraghavachariar, G. Subramania Iyer and P. Anandacharlu.
• Pair 3 is correct: Surendranath Banerjee and Anand  Mohan  Bose  founded  the Indian Association of Calcutta in 1876.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms/Montague- Chelmsford Reforms Act

Montague-Chelmsford Proposals had the scheme of constitutional reforms, known as the Montagu-Chelmsford (or Mont-Ford) Reforms, which led to the enactment of the Government of India Act of 1919.

• The GoI Act 1919 introduced a diarchy (rule of two individuals/parties) for the executive at the level of the provincial government.
• The diarchy was implemented in eight provinces: Assam, Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bombay, Madras and Punjab.
• The Dyarchy system increased the authority of the provincial governments.
• In the province, the governor was to serve as the chief executive.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Important INC Sessions/Surat Split/ Swadeshi Movement

Option (a) is incorrect: Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909 introduced separate electorates  on  the  basis  of  religion, thus introducing a system of communal representation. This was not the reason for the Congress split in 1907.

Option (b) is correct: On the backdrop of the Swadeshi Movement, the Extremists wanted either B.G. Tilak or Lajpat Rai as President. Moderates proposed Rashbehari Ghosh and wanted the session to be in Surat in order to exclude Tilak from the presidency. Since a leader from the host province could not be session president, they also sought to drop resolutions on swadeshi, boycott and national education. Thus it resulted in a split in the congress. Therefore, Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government’.

Option (c) is incorrect: Formation of Muslim League in 1906 at Dhaka was not the reason for Congress split in 1907.

Option (d) is incorrect: This is irrelevant to the particular question.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Swadeshi Movement

Option (a) is correct: The ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Boycott’ were the mass movements to oppose the Bengal partition.

Option (b) is incorrect: The Home Rule Movement in 1916 was the Indian response to the First World War in a less charged but in more effective way. With people already feeling the burden of war time miseries caused by high taxation and a rise in prices, Tilak and Annie Besant ready to assume the leadership, the movement started with great vigour.

Option (c) is incorrect: The time period of Swadeshi and Boycott Movement and Non- Cooperation Movement is different. Therefore it has no correlation with the Swadeshi and Boycott Movement.

Option (d) is incorrect: Simon Commission visited in 1928 to review the constitutional reform in Britain’s largest and most important possession.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Cripps Mission

Cripps Mission (1942):

• In March 1942, a mission headed by Stafford Cripps was sent to India with constitutional proposals to seek Indian support for World War II.
• Proposals:
  • Indian union with a Dominion status would be set up and it would be free to decide its relation with the UN and the Commonwealth.
  • After the war, the Constituent Assembly would be formed with members from Provinces (elected through proportional representation) and Princely states (nominated).
• Conditions of accepting the New Constitution:
  •  Any Province not willing to join the Union can have a separate Constitution and form a separate union.
  •  New Constitution-making Body and the Government would negotiate a treaty for Transfer of Power.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Social Reform Organization

An anti-caste movement was organized by Satya Shodhak Samaj in Maharashtra.

Satyashodhak Samaj:

• On 24 September 1873, Jotirao Govindrao Phule formed Satyashodhak Samaj to focus on the rights of depressed groups such as women, the Shudra, and the Dalit.
• The Satya Shodhak Samaj opposed idolatry and condemned the caste system by doing
• The Satyashodhak Samaj opposed the need for priests and advocated for the spread of reason.
• Jotirao Govindrao Phule founded Satyashodhak Samaj with the goals of promoting the happiness, well-being, equality, and simplicity of religious practices for all people.
• The Deenbandhu newspaper, published from Pune, gave the Samaj’s viewpoints a
• Muslims, Brahmins, and government officials all belonged to the Leading members and financial backers for the group came from Phule’s own Mali caste.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Social Reform Movement/Social Reformist

Keshab Chandra Sen (1838-1884):

• Appointed as Acharya of the Brahmo Samaj in 1858.
• Spread the ideas of the Samaj outside Bengal (in United Provinces, Bombay, Punjab, etc.).
• Showed radical views against caste system, favored inter-caste marriage.
• Expelled from Acharya’s position in
• Founded Brahmo Samaj of India (1866).
• Ananda Mohan Bose, Shibchandra Deb, and Umesh Chandra Datta created the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in opposition to his ideas.
• Keshab Chandra Sen erected the mandir known as the Tabernacle of New Dispensation on January 24, 1868, in honour of the Magha Festival..
• On October 29, 1870, the Indian Reform Association was founded with Keshab Chandra Sen as President. It comprised many people who did not belong to the Brahmo Samaj and represented the secular wing of the organisation.
• The objective was to put into effect some of the concepts Sen was exposed to while in Britain.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Economic Exploitation of the British/Economic critics of colonialism

Dadbhai Naoroji, Subramania Iyer and R.C. Dutt are considered as the economic critics of colonialism in India.

Nationalists Critique Of Colonial Economy:

• The early nationalist of India analysed the colonial character of British rule in India in great detail. The economic critique produced by them was one of the remarkable achievements of the moderate nationalists.
• Dadabhai Naoroji (Grand Old man of India): “Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India” – Propounded Drain of Wealth Uncovered the economic exploitation of India by the British.
• Romesh Chandra Dutta: “The Economic History of India” – Half of the annual GDP of India outflowed every year.
• V. Joshi: Pointed out that the development in India was like a subsidy to the British Industries.
• Other Critiques: Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, G. Subramaniam Iyer, G.K. Gokhale etc. examined every facet of the economy and subjected the entire range of economic issues and colonial economic policies to minute scrutiny.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms post 1857 The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms which became the Government of India Act in 1919, defined the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments.

• The GoI Act 1919 introduced a diarchy (rule of two individuals/parties) for the executive at the level of the provincial
• The diarchy was implemented in eight provinces: Assam, Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bombay, Madras and Punjab.
• The Dyarchy system increased the authority of the provincial governments.
• In the province, the governor was to serve as the chief executive.

Introduction to Diarchy:

• The GoI Act 1919 introduced a diarchy (rule of two individuals/parties) for the executive at the level of the provincial government.
• The diarchy was implemented in eight provinces: Assam, Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bombay, Madras and Punjab.
• The Dyarchy system increased the authority of the provincial governments.
• In the province, the governor was to serve as the chief executive.

Division of Subjects:

• Division of subjects into two lists: ‘reserved’ and ‘transferred’.
• The reserved list: included subjects such as law and order, finance, land revenue, irrigation and the subjects were to be administered by the governor through his executive council of bureaucrats. All significant subjects were maintained in the Provincial Executive’s reserved subjects.
• The transferred subjects: were to be administered by ministers nominated from among the elected members of the legislative council and it included subjects such as education, health, local government, industry, agriculture, excise, etc.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Swadeshi Movement

Swadeshi and Boycott Movements:

• It was launched due to the partition of Later, the movement spread to other regions of the nation:
  • Poona and Bombay: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Punjab: Lala Lajpat Rai, Ajit Singh
  • Delhi: Syed Haider Raza
  • Madras: Chidambaram Pillai
• The Swadeshi Movement contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress in 1907, resulting in the emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’.
• Congress Session 1907, Surat, presided by Rash Behari Ghosh was known as Surat split.
• Extremists wanted either G. Tilak or Lajpat Rai as President.
• Moderates proposed Rashbehari Ghosh and wanted the session to be in Surat in order to exclude Tilak from the presidency.
• Since a leader from the host province could not be session president, they also sought to drop resolutions on swadeshi, boycott and national education.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Phase of Mahatma Gandhi

Statement 1 is correct: Rowlatt Act was passed on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.

Statement 2 is correct: In organising his satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to utilise three types of political networks: The Home Rule Leagues; Certain Pan-Islamist groups and Satyagraha Sabha.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The two time periods are not the same. It has a gap of 9 years, the incident of Rowlatt Satyagraha took place in 1919 and the Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission took place in 1928, thus the two events cannot coincide.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Congress Socialist Party

Statement 1 is incorrect: On May 17, 1934, at Patna, with Acharya Narendra Dev as president and Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) as general secretary, the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) was founded within the Congress. The CSP advocated decentralised socialism in which co-operatives, trade unions, independent farmers, and local authorities would hold a substantial share of the economic power. It did not advocate.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Their focus was to attain independence and believed in socialism through nationalism. The CSP promoted a decentralised socialist system in which local authorities, cooperatives, trade unions, and independent farmers would control a sizable portion of the economic power. Hence, it did not aim to establish the dictatorship of the proletariat.

Statement 3 is incorrect: As secularists, they hoped to transcend communal divisions through class solidarity. Many people, like Narendra Deva and Basawon Singh (Sinha), favoured a democratic socialism that was separate from both reformist social democracy and Marxism.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Phases of Mahatma Gandhi/ SatyagrahaMovements/Salt Satyagraha

Civil Disobedience Movement – The Salt Satyagraha and other upsurges:

Dandi March (March 12- April 6, 1930):

• The Dandi march was led by Gandhi and began at Sabarmati Ashram and ended close to the Dandi village’s coastal location; it was also known as Salt Satyagraha.
• He reached Dandi on April 6, 1930, and broke the salt law by collecting salt from the beach.

Satyagraha at Different Places:

• Tamil Nadu: C Rajagopalachari organised a march from Tiruchirapalli to Vedaranniyam on Tanjore coast.
• Malabar: K. Kelappan known for Vailkom Satyagraha organised salt marches.
• Orissa: Gopal  Bandhu  Chaudhuri organised in Balasore, Cuttack etc.
• Bihar: Non chowkidari tax was
• Peshawar: Badshah khan/khan Abdul Gaffar Khan(Frontier Gandhi) who organised Khudaikhidmatgars (red shirts) organised a powerful march.
• Dharasana: Sarojini Naidu led the
• Nagaland: Rani Gaidinliu at the age of 13 years raised the banner against the British

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Cabinet Mission

Statement 1 is correct: On 22nd January 1946, the decision to send Cabinet Mission was taken and on 19th February 1946, the British PM C.R Attlee Government announced in the House of Lords about the mission and the plan to quit India. A high-powered mission of three British Cabinet members- Lord Pethick-Lawrence(the Secretary of State for India), Sir Stafford Cripps (President of the Board of Trade) and A. V. Alexander(the First Lord of the Admiralty) reached Delhi on 24th March 1946. All subjects other than Union subjects and residuary power would vest in the provinces of British India. Thus, the Cabinet Mission plan proposed a weak Centre with Provincial autonomy, essentially proposing a federal structure of government.

Statements 2 and 3 are incorrect: The plan did not include the enlargement of the powers of the Indian Court nor provided for more Indians in the ICS.

Objective of the Cabinet Mission:

• To resolve political deadlock between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League.
• The Congress party wanted to obtain a strong central government with more powers as compared to state governments.
• All India Muslim League under Jinnah wanted to keep India united but with political safeguards provided to Muslims such as ‘guarantee’ of ‘parity’ in the legislatures.
• On 16 May 1946, this plan was announced and preceded by the Shimla Conference of
• Recommendation:
  • The unity of India had to be retained
  • It proposed a very loose union of all the Indian territories under a centre that would control merely defence, the Foreign Affairs and the Communication. The Union would have the powers necessary to raise the finances to manage these subjects.
  • All subjects other than Union subjects and residuary power would vest in the provinces of British India. Thus, the Cabinet Mission plan proposed a weak Centre with Provincial autonomy, essentially proposing a federal structure of government.
  • The Princely Legislatures would then elect a Constituent Assembly or a Constitution making body with each province being allotted a specified number of seats proportionate to its population.
  • The proposed Constituent Assembly was to consist of 292 members from British India and 93 from Indian States.
  • The Mission proposed an immediate formation of Interim Government at the centre, enjoying the support of major political parties and with the Indians holding all the portfolios.

Ans: b        

Sub-Theme: Important Personalities/ Important sessions of INC

Statement 1 is incorrect: The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Annie Besant in the 1917 Calcutta Session. Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian woman President of INC in 1925 Kanpur Session.

Statement 2 is correct: Badruddin Tyabji became the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress in the 1887 Madras Session.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reforms post 1857/ Queen’s Proclamation

Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858):

• The proclamation was read out by Lord Canning at a durbar held on November 1, 1858 at Allahabad. It put an end to the rule of the East India Company and the government of India came directly under the Crown.
• According to the proclamation Lord Canning became the first viceroy and governor general of India.
• The proclamation put an end to the era of further expansion of the British Empire in India.

Government 0f India Act (1858)

• It was known as the “Act of Good Government of India”.
• According to its provisions, Her Majesty’s government would now be in charge of India and would do so in her name.
• It abolished the East India Company and transferred powers to the Crown.

Statement 1 is correct: The proclamation was read out by Lord Canning at a durbar held on November 1, 1858 at Allahabad. It put an end to the rule of the East India Company and the government of India came directly under the Crown. According to the proclamation Lord Canning became the first viceroy and governor general of India. The proclamation put an end to the era of further expansion of the British Empire in India.

Statement 2 is correct: Queen Victoria’s proclamation of 1858 aimed at ending the rule of the company and transferring all the powers to the British crown after the 1857 revolt. It also promised non- interference in the religious affairs of the people, grant of equal protection of law and respect for ancient rights and customs of the people.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858) is aimed at improving the administrative machinery of supervision and control over the Indian government.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Partition of Bengal

Partition of Bengal (1905):

• The decision to divide Bengal was made public by the British Government in 1903 and partition came into force in October 1905.
• Reasons given by British- Bengal are too big to be administered and this division of Bengal into eastern and western Bengal would develop Assam.
• Moderates started anti partition campaigns:
• Leaders: Surendranath Banerjee, K Mitra and Prithwishchandra Ray
• Newspaper: Hitabadi, Sanjibani,
• The Partition of Bengal was annulled during the visit of the Royal Majesties, George V and Queen Mary to India. Partition of Bengal was annulled mainly to curb the rising revolutionary extremism/terrorism. This action disappointed the Muslim political King George V announced the abrogation in the Delhi Durbar on 11th December, 1911. King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act as the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Revolutionary Activities Abroad

About the Ghadar:

• The Ghadar Party was a revolutionary organisation centred on the weekly newspaper “The Ghadar,” which had branches in the Far East and along the US coast in addition to its San Francisco
• Ramdas Puri, D. Kumar, Taraknath Das, Sohan Singh Bhakna, and Lala Hardayal, who arrived there in 1911, were involved in pre-Ghadar revolutionary activities.
• The Ghadar programme aimed to organise official assassinations, disseminate anti- imperialist and revolutionary literature, coordinate with Indian troops stationed abroad, get weapons, and spark a simultaneous uprising across all British colonies
• The Ghadar Party’s inspirational forces were Lala Hardayal, Ramchandra, Bhagwan Singh, Kartar Singh Saraba, Barkatullah, and Bhai Parmanand.
• The Ghadarites intended to bring about a revolt in Their plans were encouraged by two events in 1914, the Komagata Maru incident and the outbreak of the First World War.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Important Sessions of INC

Option (a) is incorrect: Attainment of Self- Government was declared as the objective of the Congress in the Calcutta Session, 1906.

Option (b) is correct: Attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress in the Lahore Session, 1929 under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru. Along with this, the Congress made the decision to abstain from the First Round Table Conference because the British Government declined to call a Constituent Assembly to draft a constitution for India. Launch of a civil disobedience movement for complete independence and 26 January to be observed as ‘Independence Day’/Swarajya Day were also decided in the Lahore Session.

Option (c) is incorrect: Mahatma Gandhi moved the Non-cooperation resolution in the Special Calcutta Session of Congress in 1920.

Option (d) is incorrect: Decision to participate in the Round Table Conference in London was taken in the Karachi Session of Congress in 1931.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Last phase of Indian Freedom Struggle/Boundary Commission/Mountbatten Plan/Transfer of Power

• In the event of Partition, a boundary commission led by Sir Cyril Radcliffe was established which was to delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan. Boundary Commission, consultative committee created in July 1947 to recommend how the Punjab and Bengal regions of the Indian subcontinent were to be divided between India and Pakistan shortly before each was to become independent from Britain.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Ilbert Bill controversy

Ilbert Bill Controversy (1883):

• Two types of law that had been common in India were what Lord Ripon sought to abolish.
• The legal system stipulated that a European could only be tried by a European Judge or a European Magistrate.
• The disqualification was unfair, because it was intended to disgrace and discredit the judges who were of Indian descent.
• A bill to end this prejudice in the judiciary was proposed in 1883 by lawmaker C.P. Ilbert. Europeans were vehemently against this Bill.
• The Ilbert Bill controversy made educated Indians aware of the need of an all Indian organisation, resulting in the formation of Indian National Congress in 1885 in Bombay with early leadership of Dadabhai Naroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, WC Banerjee etc.
• The Ilbert Bill Controversy is a high watermark in the history of the Indian National Movement. The immediate result of this awakening of India was the birth of the Indian National Congress in 1885, the very next year of Ripon’s departure.

Option (a) is incorrect: The Indian Arms Act (1878) imposed restrictions and it compelled the Indians to have license to keep, sell or purchase arms.

Option (b) is incorrect: The Vernacular Press Act (1878) posed restrictions on newspapers and magazines published in Indian languages.

Option (c) is  correct:  The  Ilbert  Bill Controversy 1883 was related to the removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans.

Option (d) is incorrect: On March 13th, 1879, Lord Lytton abolished the import duty on cotton goods except on the finest qualities and it has no relation with the Ilbert Bill controversy.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Peasant Movement

Tebhaga Peasant Movement (1946) in Bengal demanded the share of the landlords to be reduced from one-half of the produce to one third of the produce.

Tebhaga Movement (1946):

• In September 1946, the Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha gave a call to implement, through mass struggle, the Floud Commission recommendations of Tebhaga which means two-thirds’ share to the bargardars, the share-croppers also known as ‘bhagchasi’ or ‘adhyar’, instead of the one-half share.
• The jotedars rented the land that the bargardars worked on.
• The main slogan was “nij khamare dhan tolo,” which meant that sharecroppers should thresh their own paddy and not to the jotedar’s house, as before, so as to enforce tebhaga.
• North Bengal was the epicentre of the movement, particularly among the Rajbanshis, a low caste with tribal origins. Muslims took part in great numbers as well.
• The movement dissipated soon, as the League ministry’s sop of the Bargardari Bill, the popularisation of the Hindu Mahasabha’s campaign for a separate Bengal, and new riots in Calcutta, which eliminated the possibility of sympathetic support from the urban sections.

Ans: c

Sub -Theme: Administrative Refor m/ Constitutional Reforms

Simon Commission (1927):

• The Indian Statutory Commission, commonly referred to as the Simon Commission, was a group of seven British Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon who arrived in British India in
• Objective: The Simon Commission was appointed by the British government to assess India’s constitutional development and recommend constitutional reforms.
• Many Indians strongly opposed the Commission for a variety of reasons. The main reason behind the agitation against Simon Commission was that there were no Indian members of the panel and only seven British members of the British Parliament. This was viewed as racist and colonist.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Quit India Movement

The failure of the Cripps Mission to resolve the constitutional deadlock made it clear to the nationalists that any silence would amount to accepting the right of the British to decide the fate of Indians without consulting them.

• Quit India Movement was launched in response to Mahatma Gandhi’s national call for satyagraha. The All-India Congress Committee proclaimed a mass protest demanding what Gandhiji called “an orderly British withdrawal” from India.
• The Quit India resolution was ratified at the Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank, Bombay on August 8, 1942.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Important Personalities

Annie Besant 1847-1933:

• She fought for the freedom of thought, secularism, women’s rights, birth control, workers’ rights and Fabian socialism.
• Following her encounter with Helena Blavatsky in 1889, Besant became a Theosophist.
• In 1893, she made her first trip to India with the Theosophical Society.
• She and Henry Steel Olcott co-founded the Theosophical Society – Adyar.
• She was the society’s president from 1907 to 1933.
• In Benares, Besant founded the Central Hindu College (CHC).
• She joined the Indian National Congress (INC) and demanded government action towards self-rule. She became the President of the Calcutta Session of INC, AD 1917.
• In 1916, Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak founded the All-India Home Rule League.
• She did not attend the AD 1920 Session at Nagpur due to growing differences with Gandhiji as she felt that the Government of India Act, 1919 was a means to free India.
• Newspapers: New India and Commonweal.
• She wrote the ‘Lotus Song’, an English version of the Gita.

Statement 1 is correct: Annie Besant fought for  the  freedom  of  thought,  secularism, women’s rights, birth control, workers’ rights and Fabian socialism. In 1916, Annie Besant and Tilak started the Home Rule Leagues at Madras and Belgaum respectively.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Theosophical Society  was  founded  by  Madame  H.  P. Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in New York in 1875. In 1882, the headquarters of the Society were established in Adyar, near Madras (now Chennai) in India.

Statement 3 is correct: Annie Besant became the President of the INC in Calcutta Session,1917.

Ans: c          

Sub-Theme: Constitutional Development

The idea of a constituent assembly was put forward for the first time by MN Roy. The Indian National Congress (INC) first formally requested a constituent assembly to draft an Indian constitution in 1935. Representatives of each community were to be elected by members of that community in the provincial legislative assembly and voting was to be by the method of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. Composition of the Constituent Assembly:

• C.A. constituted in Nov 1946 under CMP (Cabinet Mission Plan).
• Seats allotted as per population proportion.
• Voting using a single transferable vote and the proportional representation system when a province is represented.
• Mahatma Gandhi was not part of C.A.
• Strength of the assembly:
  • Total strength of the assembly: 389
  • 296 seats for British India and 93 seats to princely states
  • 292 seats allocated for British India were to be from eleven governor’s provinces and four from Chief commissioner’s provinces.
  • Seats were allocated based on proportion to their respective population.
  • Muslims, Sikhs, and general voters were to determine which of the three major populations in each British province would hold the seats up for election in the provincial legislative assembly.
  • The heads of these princely states were supposed to nominate the representatives.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Land Revenue Settlement

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct: The Ryotwari System was started by Thomas Munro and Alexander Reed. It was started in the Baramahal district of Tamil Nadu and later spread to Madras, parts of Bombay, East Bengal, Assam and Kurg (Karnataka). It covered 51% of British India. Ryots (farmers) were given the ownership and other rights (Pattas) over the land and were required to pay the revenue directly to the government.
• Statement 3 is correct: The Ryotwari System involved high taxes (50% in dryland and 60% in wetland) and strict collection.
• Mahalwari System.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Economic Exploitation of the British/Economic critics of colonialism

Statement 1 is correct: Dadabhai Naoroji (Grand Old man of India) wrote the “Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India” a Propounded Drain of Wealth Theory and exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Vivekananda, etc. interpreted the ancient texts and restored the self confidence of Indians, not Dadabhai Naoroji. Swami Dayananda Saraswati even gave the call to “go back to vedas”.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshav Chandra Sen, Atmaram Pandurang, etc. emphasised the need for eradication of all social evils before anything else. Dadabhai Naoroji wasn’t a social reformer.

NOTE: If we carefully look at statement 3, it talks about the “eradication of all the social evils”. This sounds absolute and exclusive because of the extreme word “all”. Eliminating all social evils was a mammoth and uphill task. So there is less possibility of correctness of this statement. If we take calculable risk of eliminating statement 3, we can get an answer. Moreover, Dadabhai Naoroji propounded “Drain of wealth theory”. It was about exposing the economic exploitation of India by the British. This makes statement 1 correct. Economic Exploitation of the British/ Economic critics of colonialism theme is significant with respect to Colonial history in India. In the past, many questions came from this particular topic to check the analytical ability of aspirants.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Colonial Trade + Land Revenue Settlement

Statement 1 is incorrect: After getting the Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa in 1765 the major aim of the British East India Company was to increase their land revenue collection. So its policies were aimed at getting maximum income from land without caring of its consequences on cultivators and peasants. Three major systems of land revenue collection existed in India – Zamindari, Ryotwari and Mahalwari.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The first recorded use of Artillery in India is at the Battle of Adoni in 1368. In the Deccans the Bahamani kings led by Mohammand Shah Bahamani used a train of Artillery against the Raja of Vijaya-nagar.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Tobacco and Red Chillies were introduced by Portuguese not British.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reform post-1857 Statements 1 and 3 are correct: GoI Act 1919 introduced the dual scheme of governance known as  ‘dyarchy’  in  the  executive government of the provinces. By demarcating and separating the central and provincial subjects, it relaxed the central control over the provinces. It introduced bicameralism and direct elections in the country. The devolution of legislative authority by the centre to the provinces was done in the Government of India Act, 1919.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Indian Council Act, 1909 or the Morley-Minto Reforms introduced separate communal electorates for Muslims. It was put into place to appease the moderates (in Congress) and introduces separate electorates based on religion. Therefore, Lord Minto came to be known as “Father of the Communal Electorate in India”.

Ans: c

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reform post 1857

Government of India Act, 1935:

• Divided the powers between the Centre and provinces in terms of three lists– Federal List (for Centre, with 59 items), Provincial List (for provinces, with 54 items) and the Concurrent List (for both, with 36 items).
• Abolished dyarchy in the provinces and introduced ‘provincial autonomy’ in its place, while adopted the dyarchy at the Centre
• Introduced bicameralism in six out of eleven provinces
• Further extended the principle of communal representation to the depressed classes (Scheduled Castes), women and labour (workers).
• Abolished the Council of India, established by the Government of India Act of 1858.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Social Reform Organizations

Indian Social Conference (1887):

• It was formed by M. G. Ranade and Raghunath Rao in Madras.
• It is a separate social reform organ of the Indian National Congress as they did not want to include social reforms in their
• Advocated inter-caste marriage, opposed polygamy and kulinism.
• Launched “Pledge Movement to pledge against Child Marriage”

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Social Reform Organisations/ Social Reformist

Brahmo Samaj did oppose idolatry and denied the need for a priestly class for interpreting the religious texts.

BRAHMO SAMAJ (1828)

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj (1828) [formerly called Brahmo]
• Later Debendranath Tagore joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1842.
• Keshab Chandra Sen was appointed as Acharya of the Brahmo Samaj in 1858.
• Favoured: Human reason and conscience; Political upliftment of the masses, widow
• Against: Polytheism; Incarnations; Scriptural authority; Idol worship; Caste system; Untouchability; Sati; Child marriage; Purdah system.
• No definite view: on Karma and the transmigration of the soul.
• Punjab: Dyal Singh College at Lahore (1910) started by Dayal Singh Trust, popularised the ideas of the Samaj.

Statement 1 is correct: Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj (1828) [formerly called Brahmo Sabha.] Later Debendranath Tagore joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1842. Brahmo Samaj vehemently opposed idolatry or idol worship.

Statement 2 is correct: The chief aim of Brahmo Samaj was the worship of the eternal God. It was against priesthood, rituals and sacrifices.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Brahmo Samaj spread the religious treasure and teachings of Vedas but never claimed that Vedas are infallible.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Phase of Mahatma Gandhi/Acts and Regulation under the Crown Rule

Option (a) is incorrect: The drain on the Indian economy in the form of cash, kind and loans to the British government came to about 367 million pounds during the WW-I. Rowlatt Act has no relation with draining Indian money or economic support to war efforts.

Option (b) is correct: Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act/ Rowlatt act gives the notorious power to imprison activists without trial for two years, even possession of seditious newspapers is adequate evidence of guilt.

Option (c) is incorrect: The Khilafat Movement (1919-20) was a movement to express Muslim support for the Caliph of Turkey, to protect the institution of the Khalifa in Turkey, against the allied powers, particularly Britain. The Rowlatt Act was not aimed at suppressing the Khilafat Movement.

Option (d) is incorrect: Vernacular Press Act, 1878, The Newspaper Act, 1908 and The Indian Press Act, 1931 were passed in order to impose restrictions on freedom of press. It has no relation with the Rowlatt Act.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Important Sessions of INC

Statement 1 is correct: In the Lahore Session of INC(1929), the resolution on ‘Poorna Swaraj’  or  complete  independence  was passed.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The rift between the extremists and moderates took place in the Surat Session(1907) and the split was resolved in the Lucknow Session 1916.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Cabinet Mission recommended an undivided India and rejected the demand of the Muslim League for a separate Pakistan. The Cabinet Mission felt that a separate state would contain a larger proportion of the Non-Muslim population and a sizable population of Muslims will be left in India, if two states are declared.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Resignation of Congress Ministries

The Congress Ministries: In the early 1937, elections to  provincial  assemblies  were held and Congress Ministries were formed in Bombay, Madras, Central Provinces, United Provinces, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, and NWFP. By 1939, there were internal strifes, opportunism and hunger for power had started surfacing among Congressmen, yet they were able to utilise the council work to their advantage to a great extent and ruled for 28 months.

Resignation of Congress Ministries (1939):

• The Congress Ministries resigned in protest because the then Viceroy Lord Linlithgow (1936-1944) action of declared India to be belligerent in WW-II without even consulting the Indian people.

Ans: b         

Sub-Theme: Important Personalities

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Peasants and Workers Party of India was founded in 1947 The party was founded in Maharashtra by Tulsidas Jadhav, Keshavrao Jedhe and others.

Statement 2 and 3 are correct: Both The Independent Labour Party (1936) and All India Scheduled Castes Federation (1942) were established by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Ans: c     

Sub-Theme: Phases of Mahatma Gandhi

  Communal Award (1932):

• The Prime Minister of Britain Ramsay MacDonald, announced the Communal Award in August 1932 to pursue the British policy of divide and rule.
• The Communal Award recognised the depressed classes as minorities and provided them separate electorates.
• Earlier the British had already given separate electorates to Muslims, Christians and Sikhs.

Poona Pact 1932:

• B.R. Ambedkar negotiated the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi in late September 1932.
• It was signed by Madan Mohan Malviya on behalf of Gandhi, and B. R. Ambedkar signed it on behalf of the depressed classes.
• The background to the Poona Pact was the Communal Award of August 1932, which, among other things, reserved 71 seats in the central legislature for the depressed classes.
• Gandhi, who opposed the Communal Award and believed it was a British effort to divide Hindus, started a fast unto death in order to have it overturned.
• He rejected the concept of a special electorate for the depressed classes.
• However, the number of seats set aside for them in provincial legislatures was increased to 147, and in the Central Legislature, they now make up 18% of all seats.
• The findings of the Indian Franchise Committee, also known as the Lothian Committee, served as the foundation for the communal award.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Land Revenue Settlement

Reforms of Cornwallis:

• The Permanent Land Revenue Settlement of Bengal, which was extended to the provinces of Bihar and Orissa, was Lord Cornwallis’ most notable administrative
• The reforms had increased the litigation after the introduction of the land settlement system and the main reason for this was the removal of Court Fee and now everybody could drag anybody to the courts.
• The extension to the right of appeal was also one of the reasons court fees were abolished by Cornwallis and Lawyers were prescribed their fees.
• Zamindari System:

• The Zamindari System was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 through the Permanent Settlement Act 1793.
• The land where the zamindars had previously been responsible for collecting revenue was given to them as ownership.
• The settlement is referred to as the Zamindari Settlement since it was made with the zamindars.
• Since they were regarded as the soil’s tillers, the ryots were made tenants.
• The demand for land revenue was predetermined and out of controlled revenue, 10/11th part was given to the
• Company also added the “Sunset clause” for the zamindars.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Economic Exploitation of the British/Economic critics of colonialism

Drain of Wealth and Home Charges:

• Dadabhai Naoroji (Grand Old man of India) in his “Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India” (1901), propounded the Drain of Wealth Theory.
• Home Charges played a significant role in the Drain of Wealth from India. It comprised of:
  • Funding for the Indian offices in London.
  • Funds for paying the salaries and pensions of British employees working in India.
  • Funds used for additional capital investments, such as railways, and to pay interest on debts.
• “Economic history of India” book was written by R. C. Dutta.

Statement 1 is correct: Funds used to supportthe India Office in London. Hence,

Statement 2 is correct: Funds used to pay salaries and pensions of British personnel engaged in India.

Statement 3 is incorrect: No the funds collected as Home Charges were never used for waging wars outside India by the British.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Administrative Reform post-1857

Together with Dadabhai Naoroji and other supporters of India, Sir William Wedderburn and W.  S.  Caine established the “Indian Parliamentary Committee” in 1893. The Indian Parliamentary Committee’s mission is to lobby the House of Commons for political reforms in India.

About Sir William Wedderburn:

• President of INC: 1838-1918 (Bombay, 1889, Allahabad, 1910)
• He came to India in 1860 and registered for work as an Assistant Collector at Dharwad.
• His interest in these issues led him to contact the Indian National Congress.
• After retiring, Wedderburn threw himself into He presided over the fourth Congress held in Bombay in 1889.
• Together with Dadabhai Naoroji and other supporters of India, Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine established the “Indian Parliamentary Committee” in 1893. The Indian Parliamentary Committee’s mission is to lobby the House of Commons for political reforms in India.
• In 1895, Wedderburn represented India on the Welby Commission (i.e. Royal Commission) on Indian Expenditure.
• He also began participating in the activities of the Indian Famine Union set up in June 1901, for investigation into famines and proposing preventive measures.
• He came to India in 1904 to attend the 20th session of the Indian National Congress in Bombay, which was presided over by Sir Henry Cotton.
• He was again invited in 1910 to preside over the 25th session.
• He remained the Chairman of the British Committee of the Congress from July 1889 until his death.

Ans: d

Sub-Theme: Tribal Movement

The essence of Tribal life, i.e. shifting cultivation, hunting, fishing and the use of forest produce etc. was completely disrupted during the colonial rule.

Causes of Tribal Revolts in India in the 19th Century:

• The cornerstone of Tribal life was shifting cultivation, hunting, fishing and the use of forest produce.
• The practice of settled agriculture was established with the inflow of non-tribals into the traditional tribal lands and as a result of it the tribal population suffered a land loss.
• There were restrictions imposed on the utilisation of forest products, shifting agriculture, and hunting methods. This led to the loss of livelihood for the tribals.
• The tribals turned into landless agricultural laboures.
• Money lenders were introduced by the British into the tribal regions, which greatly increased the exploitation of the native tribes. Under the new economic structure, they were reduced to bonded labour.
• A joint ownership arrangement for land existed in tribal communities before the idea of private property took hold.
• Tribal society has historically been egalitarian in contrast to mainstream society, which is characterised by caste and class However, with the arrival of non-tribals or outsiders, tribal people began to be seen as belonging to the lowest strata of society.
• In order to manage the abundant riches of Indian forests, the government established a Forest Department in 1864. A comprehensive government monopoly on the forested land was created by the Govt Forest Act of 1865 and the Indian Forest Act of 1878.
• The work of Christian missionaries also led to social unrest in tribal societies, which also aroused their resentment.
• Major Tribal movements of 19th Century: Kol Rebellion (1832); Santhal Rebellion (1855-56); Munda Rebellion (1899-1900)

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Phase of Mahatma Gandhi

Statement 1 is correct: Kheda Satyagraha (1918) was  the first Non-cooperation Movement. Crops failed in Kheda district of Gujarat because of drought. The yield was less than 1/4th of normal produce so farmers were entitled to remission according to revenue code but the Government demanded taxes and ordered seizure of property, if not paid. Mahatma Gandhi asked the farmers not to pay the taxes and organise a satyagraha on behalf of the peasants. Leaders: Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Mohanlal Pandya, Narhari Parekh, etc. Government finally agreed to return all confiscated property, reduce the increase in tax, and suspend the tax for the year.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Permanent Settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1893 and it was confined in the areas of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Varanasi (United Provinces), Northern Karnataka. It was never introduced in Gujarat.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Nehru Report

Nehru Report (1928):

As an answer to Lord Birkenhead’s challenge, the Nehru report was prepared by a committee headed by Motilal Nehru, the committee included Tej Bahadur Sapru, Subhash Bose, M.S. Aney, Mangal Singh, Ali Imam, Shuab Qureshi and G.R. Pradhan as its members.

Recommendations:

• Dominion status on lines of self- governing dominions. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
• Rejection of separate electorates. Joint electorates with reservation of seats for Muslims at the Centre and in provinces where they were in minority. Therefore, statement 2 is correct.
•  Linguistic provinces.
  • Nineteen fundamental rights, including the rights to form unions, the right to equal treatment for women, and universal adult suffrage. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.
  • Responsible government at the Centre and in provinces.
  • Full protection of the cultural and religious interests of Muslims.
  • Complete dissociation of State from religion.
  • The three Indian Round Table Conference (1930–1932) attendees had access to both the Nehru Report and the Simon Commission report.
  • Nehru and Subash Bose rejected the congress goal and set up the Independence for India league.

Ans: b

Sub-Theme: Quit India Movement

Quit India Movement/August Revolution (1942):

• After failure of Cripps’s Mission, a Resolution was framed by Gandhiji for British withdrawal and non-violent Non- Cooperation Movement against Japanese
• Resolution was accepted in the CWC meeting in Wardha on July 14, 1942.
• AICC Gowalia Tank Meeting, Bombay:
  • The Quit India Resolution was ratified in a Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank on 8th August 1942.
  • Apart from QIM, other resolutions involved the Civil Disobedience Movement against British Rule.
  • Mantra of “Do or Die” was adopted in this Session by Gandhiji.
  • Major activity after QIM resolution was passed:
  • It was started in response to Mahatma Gandhi’s national appeal for satyagraha. Gandhiji advocated for “an orderly British withdrawal” from India as the All-India Congress Committee announced a nationwide protest.
  • Destruction of symbols of Public Authority.
  • Underground activities: Usha Sharma started an underground Radio to give fuel to the movement.
  • Yusuf Meherally, a communist and trade unionist who also held the office of Mayor of Mumbai, is credited with coining the phrase “Quit India.”
  • Parallel Government: established in Ballia (UP), Tamluk (Bengal) organised “Bidyut Bahini”, Satara (Maharashtra) “Prati Sarkar” was organised by Y. B. Chavan, Nana Patil etc.
  •  Youth, Women, Workers, Peasants, Government officials especially of lower levels, Muslims, Communists participated in the movement. Upper class remained Loyalists.
  • There were no communal clashes during the movement. But there was severe government repression with upto 10,000 being killed.
• Option (a) is correct: The movement basically promoted the non-violent and non-cooperative movement.
• Option (b) is incorrect: The British Govt responded to the call of Gandhi by arresting all major Congress leaders the very next day. Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, etc. were all behind the bars. This left the movement in the hands of the younger leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia, besides many regional leaders also rose up to lead this movement in their respective regions.
• Option (c) is correct: The Quit India movement was the spontaneous participation of the masses compared to the other Gandhian movements like non-cooperation and civil disobedience.
• Option (d) is correct: Quit India Movement did not attract the labour class in general.

Ans: a

Sub-Theme: Quit India Movement

Option (a) is correct: Usha Sharma started an underground Radio to give fuel to the movement. Hence, she was well-known for underground activities during the Quit India Movement.

Option (b) is incorrect: Second Round Table Conference was held in London between September 7, 1931 to December 1, 1931 and Sarojini Naidu participated to represent women.

Option (c) is incorrect: Usha Mehta was part of a small group which ran the Congress radio. She started an Underground Radio in Bombay whereas Captain Lakshmi Sahgal was the commander of the Jhansi Regiment of INA. Option (d) is incorrect: She was not a part of the Interim Government.