PRELIM BITS

CDS Modern History PYQs (2009 – 2025)

Question WITH Answers
Also Important for All other UPSC and State PSC Exams

By Roman
4/14/2025

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in whole or in part, without prior written permission from Prelim Bits, is strictly prohibited.

© 2025 Prelim Bits. All Rights Reserved.

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2009 (1) ....................................................................................................................... 2

2009 (2) ..................................................................................................................... 24
2010 (1) ..................................................................................................................... 34
2010 (2) ..................................................................................................................... 53

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2009 (1)
1. What is the correct sequence of the following events?
1. Rowlatt Act
2. Gandhi-Irwin Pact
3. Morley-Minto Reforms
4. Ilbert Bill
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1-2-4-3
B. 4-3-1-2
C. 4-1-3-2
D. 3-4-1-2
Ans. B
 Ilbert Bill – 1883
 Morley-Minto Reforms – 1909
 Rowlatt Act – 1919
 Gandhi-Irwin Pact – 1931
The Ilbert Bill Controversy (or White Mutiny, 1883)
 During Lord Ripon, the Ilbert Bill (written by Sir Ilbert, the law member of the Viceroy‘s
Council) sought to give Indian members of the ICS the same judicial powers as their
European colleagues enjoyed and accordingly, Indian judges could try European
accused.
 This raised a lot of hue and cry among the Europeans who all stood united to oppose
the bill in what came to be known as the White Mutiny of 1883.
 The most vocal opposition to the Bill came from British tea and indigo plantations
owners in Bengal.
 English women also opposed the bill and argued that ‗ignorant‘ Bengali women are
neglected by their men, and hence the Bengali men should therefore not be given the right
to judge cases involving English women.
 On the other hand, the Bengali women supported the bill and pointed out that more
Indian women had academic degrees than British women did at the time, alluding to the
fact that the University of Calcutta became one of the first universities to admit female
graduates to its degree programmes in 1878, before any of the British universities had
done the same.

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 In face of opposition by a majority of English women, Ripon had to modify the Bill
in favor of the Europeans and an amendment was introduced whereby a jury of
50% Europeans was required if an Indian judge was to face a European on the dock.
 This controversy proved to be an eye-opener to the Indian intelligentsia. It proved to them
that justice and equality could not be expected where the interests of European community
were involved.
 It also demonstrated to them the value of organized protest. The bitter controversy ended
up deepening antagonism between the British and the Indians and emerged as a prelude
to the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885.
Act of 1909 / Morley-Minto Reforms
 Named after Viceroy Lord Minto and Secretary of State John Morley.

 The Act made the first attempt to bring in a representative and popular element in the
governance of the country.

 The strength of the Imperial Legislative Council was increased.

 An Indian member was taken for the first time in the Executive Council of the
Governor-General (Satyendra Prasad Sinha was the first Indian to join the Governor-
General‘s—or Viceroy‘s— Executive Council, as law member.)
 The members of the Provincial Executive Council were increased.
 The powers of the legislative councils, both central and provincial, were increased.
o For example, members were allowed to ask supplementary questions, move
resolutions on the budget and so on.
 Problems with Morley-Minto Reforms
 The real power remained with the government. SEPARATE ELECTORATES for Muslims
were introduced.
 Representation in excess of their population strength was accorded to the Muslims.
 Also, the Income Qualification for Muslim voters was kept lower than that for Hindus.

 The system of election was very indirect. Thus, the representation of the people at
large remained remote and unreal.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (or Delhi Pact, 5th March 1931)
 On 14th February 1931, Gandhi-Irwin talk was initiated by the efforts of Sir TB Sapru
and Sir MR Jayakar.
 The fortnight-long talks culminated in the Delhi Pact on 5th March 1931, also known as
Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
 The pact was signed by Gandhi on behalf of the Congress and by Irwin on behalf of the
government making it the first pact between the Congress and the government on an
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equal footing.
As per the Pact, the Congress agreed to the following
 Withdraw the CDM immediately and effectively in all respects.
 Participate in the next Round Table Conference (with Gandhi as the sole representative of
the Congress).
 Withdraw the boycott of British goods forthwith.
The government agreed to the following:
 Withdraw ordinances promulgated in relation to the CDM.
 Release political prisoners against whom there were no allegations of violence.
 Return confiscated land not yet sold to third parties.
 Lenient treatment to government employees who had resigned from the service.
 Remit penalties that had not been realized.
 Pay indemnities to those who had suffered in the movement.
 The government would not amend the salt act but will permit the collection and
manufacture of salt freely to the people living within a specified area from the sea-
shore.
 The government also conceded the right to peaceful picketing.
The viceroy, however, turned down two of Gandhi's demands
 a public inquiry into police excesses, and
 Gandhi‟s request for remitting the death sentence of Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev and
Rajguru and the three were hanged on 23rd March 1931.
Rowlatt Act / Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act (February) 1919
 During World War I (1914-18) the British government of India enacted a series of
repressive emergency powers that were intended to combat subversive activities.
 In this context, this act was passed on the recommendations of the
SEDITION COMMITTEE chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt

 It gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and

allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years. [no Habeas
Corpus.]
Background
 Mahatma Gandhi wanted non-violent civil disobedience against such unjust laws, which
would start with a hartal on 6th April 1919.

 In Punjab, on 9th April 1919, two nationalist leaders, Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr.
Satyapal, were arrested by the British officials without any provocation except that
they had addressed protest meetings, and taken to some unknown destination.

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 This caused resentment among the Indian protestors who came out in thousands
on 10th April to show their solidarity with their leaders.
 To curb any future protest, the government put martial law in place and law and order in
Punjab was handed over to Brigadier-General Dyer.

Saifuddin Kitchlew (1888 - 1963)

 He was a lawyer and a Muslim nationalist leader. He is most remembered for leading a
protest in Punjab against the Rowlatt Act after which he along with Dr. Satyapal were
arrested and secretly sent to Dharmashala.
 Kitchlew was a founder member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha (Indian Youth Congress)
as well as Jamia Mlila Islamia.
 He founded the Urdu daily Tanzim as well as the Swaraj Ashram (Amritsar, 1921).
 Sometime after independence, he left the Congress party, moved closer to the Communist
party of India was recipient of the Stalin Peace Prize in 1952
The Defence of India Act, 1915
 Also referred to as the Defence of India Regulations Act, it was an emergency criminal
law enacted with the intention of curtailing the nationalist and revolutionary activities
during the First World War.
 The Act allowed suspects to be tried by special tribunals each consisting of three
Commissioners appointed by the Local Government.
 The act empowered the tribunal to inflict sentences of death, transportation for life, and
imprisonment of up to ten years for the violation of rules or orders framed under the act.
 The trail was to be in camera and the decisions were not subject to appeal.
 The act was later applied during the First Lahore Conspiracy trial.
 This Act, after the end of First World War, formed the basis of the Rowlatt Act.

Day of the Incident

 On 13th April, Baisakhi day, a large crowd of people mostly from neighbouring villages,
unaware of the prohibitory orders in Amritsar gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh.
 Brigadier-General Dyer arrived on the scene with his men.
o Michael O‟Dwyer was the Lt. Governor of Punjab and the military commander
was General Reginald Dyer.
 The troops surrounded the gathering under orders from General Dyer and blocked the
only exit point and opened fire on the unarmed crowd killing more than 1000 unarmed
men, women, and children.
Aftermath/Significance of the Incident
 Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore renounced the knighthood (the Sir) & Mahatma
Gandhi renounced his ‗Kaiser-i- Hind‟.
 Gandhi began organizing his first large-scale and sustained nonviolent protest (satyagraha)

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campaign, the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)

o Kaiser-i-Hind →
 The Kaiser-i-Hind Medal for Public Service in India was a medal awarded by
the British monarch to civilians of any nationality who rendered
distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British
Raj.
 Mahatma Gandhi was awarded the Kaisari-
Hind in 1915 by Lord Hardinge for raising
an Indian Ambulance Code during BOER
WARS. [in S. Africa]
 Gandhi returned the medal in 1920 as part
of the national campaign protesting the
Jillian WalaBagh massacre.
 The then government of India ordered an investigation of the incident (the Hunter
committee of inquiry / Disorders Inquiry Committee. 3 Indians were in the
committee), which in 1920 censured Dyer for his actions and ordered him to resign from
the military.
Congress View
 INC appointed its own committee- Motilal Nehru, C. R. Das, Abbas Tyabji, M. R. Jayakar,
and Gandhi.
 Criticized Dyer‟s action.

2. Under which one of the following systems of assessment, the British Government
collected revenue directly from the farmers?
A. Zamindari
B. Ryotwari
C. Annawari
D. Desahvari
Ans. B
Ryotwari System (by Sir Thomas Munro and Captain Alexander Reed, Madras, 1820)
 The defects of Permanent Settlement became more prominent with time and the British
began to devise other ways of collecting land-tax. Moreover, new challenges emerged
when the British conquered South and South Western India.
What was Ryotwari System
 In 1792, two officers Munro and Read were sent to administer the newly conquered
regions of Madras.

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 They found that there were no large zamindars with large estates in these regions with
whom land revenue settlement could be made.
 They therefore recommended that settlement should be made directly with the actual
cultivators or „ryots‟ based on their Field Assessment == > Ryotwari System

 Under this system, the cultivator was to be recognized as the owner of his
land so long as he paid the land tax == > ELIMINATION OF MIDDLEMEN
 The tax payable on each field was fixed by a government officer and then the cultivator
had the choice of cultivating the field and paying the amount, or not cultivating it.

 Under this system government gave Pattas to the ryots. The Settlement under this system
was not made permanent but was revised after every 20 or 30 years and the revenue
demand was usually raised.

3. Who among the following has started the Public Works Department in India in AD 1848?
A. Lord William Bentinck
B. Lord Dalhousie
C. Lord Wellesley
D. Lord Cornwallis
Ans. B
 Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856) is credited with starting
the Public Works Department (PWD) in 1848.
 He is known for his significant contributions to infrastructure development in India,
including railways, telegraphs, roads, and canals.
 Establishing the PWD was part of his broader efforts to modernize India‘s infrastructure and
administration.
Dalhousie (1848 -1856) - Notable Events
 Doctrine of Lapse in 1848
 Charter Act, 1853
 Bethune Collegiate School (1849) (was also known as Calcutta Female School) was
established by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune
 Charles Wood Despatch (1854)
 Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) (The sole aim of Dalhousie was to humiliate and annex
more of Burmese Territories. Burma was attacked unprovoked)
 First Passenger train between Bombay and Thane (1853)
 First telegraph Line was laid between Diamond Harbour to Calcutta. (1851)
 Post Office Act, 1854
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 Established Public Works Department (1854)

 Ganges Canal was declared open (1854)
 The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849) (The British totally defeated the Sikh
Empire and annexed Punjab)
 Santhal Rebellion (1855) (15,000 Santhals were killed by the British Army during the
rebellion. Elephants were used to destroy Santhal Dwellings)
 Religious Disabilities Act, 1856
 Annexation of Oudh (Awadh) on the grounds of alleged internal misrule (1856)
 Banned Female Infanticide completely and Human Sacrifice in Central province, Odisha
and Maharashtra

4. Who among the following was thrice elected President of the Indian National Congress?
A. Dadabhai Naoroji
B. Surendranath Banerjee
C. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D. Shankaran Nair
Ans. A
Naoroji
 Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the ‗Grand Old Man of Indian Nationalism‟, was a prominent
early nationalist. He was also ―Unofficial Ambassador of India‖ in England.
 He was elected to the Bombay Municipal Corporation and Town Council during the 1870s.
Elected to the British Parliament in 1892 [1st Asian], he founded the India Society (1865)
and the East India Association (1866) in London. He was elected thrice as the President of
the INC. He became the president of the Congress party in 1886, 1893, and 1906.
o Dadabhai Naoroji demanded Swaraj as national demand for the first time at the
Calcutta session of Congress in 1906
 After his death, Dadabhai Naoroji was referred to as the ―Father of the Nation‖ by Gandhiji
and as ―Father of the Indian National Congress‖ by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
 His major contribution to the Indian nationalist movement was his book Poverty and Un-
British Rule of the British in India (1901). In this book, he put forward the concept of
‗DRAIN OF WEALTH‟.
Surendranath Bannerjee / Banerji
 Born in Kolkata, West Bengal to a Bengali family, Surendranath Banerji was greatly
influenced by the liberal and open-minded thinking of his father.
 Surendranath Banerji was also fondly known as Rashtraguru (teacher of the nation).

 Banerji was the founder of the Indian National Association [or Indian Association of

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Calcutta]. The Indian Association was the first avowed nationalist organization

 In 1868, Banerji travelled to England to sit for the Indian Civil Service Exam and though
he cleared the exam, he was prohibited from joining the services because of a dispute
over his correct age.
 In 1871 he cleared the exam and was posted as an assistant magistrate in the Sylhet
District (now in Bangladesh).
 In 1875 Banerji became a professor of English at the Metropolitan Institute at Ripon
College.

 On 26th July 1876, the Indian National Association was founded by Banerji and
Anandmohan Bose.
 Banerji launched action against the issue of age-limit restrictions for Indian students
taking the Indian Civil Service Exams through this organization.

 In 1879, Banerji published the newspaper ‗The Bengalee‟. [bought it from Grish
Chandra Ghosh]
 He was arrested in 1883 for certain controversial statements published in the paper.
 Banerji merged the Indian National Association WITH THE Indian National Congress
(founded in 1885 in Bombay), because of their common vision and goals.
 Banerji was elected as Congress President in Pune (1895) and in Ahmedabad (1902).

 Banerji was one of the most prominent and vocal leaders against the partition
of Bengal in 1905.
 He did not accept extremist views or the Non-Cooperation Movement of Mahatma
Gandhi.
 Banerji was a source of inspiration to other leaders such as Sarojini Naidu and Gopal
Krishna Gokhale.
 Banerji played a major role in the Swadeshi Movement.
 He supported the Morley-Minto Reforms (1909) which was criticized by most Indians as
being meaningless.
 Gradually, Banerji‟s popularity as a moderate Indian politician began to decline.
 The British referred to him as ―Surrender Not Banerji‖.
 The British knighted him in 1921 for his political support.
 Surendranath Banerji published a substantial work titled ―A Nation in Making‖ for which
he is remembered.
 From 1921-1924, Banerji held the position of Minister for Local Self Government.
 He passed away on 6th August 1925 in Barrackpore, West Bengal.

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Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1886-1915)

 Between 1899 and 1902, he was a member of the Bombay Legislative Council followed
by work at the Imperial Legislative Council from 1902 till his death (1915).
 At the Imperial legislature, Gokhale played a key role in framing the Morley-Minto
reforms of 1909.
Role in INC
 He was associated with the Moderate Group of INC (joined in 1889).
 He became president of INC in 1905 in Banaras session.
 This was the time when bitter differences had arisen between his
group of ‗Moderates‟ and the ‗Extremists‟ led by Lala Lajpat Rai and
Bal Gangadhar Tilak among others.
o The two factions split at the Surat session of 1907.
Related Societies and Other Works
 He established the Servants of India Society in 1905 for the expansion of Indian
education.
 He was also associated with the Sarvajanik sabha journal started by Govind Ranade.

 In 1908, Gokhale founded the Ranade Institute of Economics.

 He started english weekly newspaper, The Hitavada (The people's paper).
Mentor to Gandhi
 As a liberal nationalist, he is regarded by Mahatma Gandhi as his political guru. Gandhi
wrote a book in Gujarati dedicated to the leader titled „Dharmatma Gokhale‟.
Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair (1857 – 1934)
 Served as Advocate-General of Madras (1906–1908)
 Appointed Puisne Justice of the Madras High Court (1908–1915)
 Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, holding the Education portfolio (1915–1919)
Political Contributions
 President of Indian National Congress in 1897
 Led the Egmore faction within INC, opposing the Mylapore group
Reputation & Peers
 Recognized as a leading figure of the Madras Bar
 Ranked alongside:
o C. R. Pattabhirama Iyer
o M. O. Parthasarathy Iyengar
o V. Krishnaswamy Iyer
o P. R. Sundaram Iyer
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o Sir V. C. Desikachariar
 Considered just behind legal stalwarts:
o Sir V. Bhashyam Aiyangar
o Sir S. Subramania Iyer
Publications
 Author of Gandhi and Anarchy (1922), a critical work on Mahatma Gandhi's methods

5. Match List I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the
Lists:

Person Associated in Formation of

A. G. K. Gokhale 1. Servants of India Society

B. M. M. Malaviya 2. Benaras Hindu University

C. C. Rajagopalachari 3. Free India Society

D. V. V. Savarkar 4. Swatantra Party

Codes:
A. A-1, B-2, C-4, D-3
B. A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
C. A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3
D. A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
Ans. A
Servants of India Society (1905)
 Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866-1915), a liberal leader of the Indian National Congress,
founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 with the help of M.G. Ranade. He who left
the Deccan Education Society to form this association.
 Other peoples associated with this society → Gopal Krishna Deodhar, Anant
Patwardhan, Natesh Appaji Dravid, C. Setalvad, B.N. Rao and Alladi Krishnaswamy
Iyer, V. S. Srinivasa Sastri, Hridya Nath Kunzru, Sriram Vajpayee & so on.
 The aim of the society was to UNITE AND TRAIN INDIANS OF DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES and
RELIGIONS in welfare work.

 It was the FIRST SECULAR ORGANIZATION in the country to devote itself to the
betterment of underprivileged, rural and tribal people, emergency relief work, the
increase of literacy, and other social causes.

 Headquarters in Pune (Maharashtra) and notable branches in Chennai (Madras), Mumbai

(Bombay), Allahabad and Nagpur.
 In 1911, the Hitavada began to be published to project the views of the society.
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 The society chose to remain aloof from political activities and organisations like the Indian
National Congress.
 In 1915 Gokhale was succeeded as president by Srinivasa Sastri
Benaras Hindu University
 Annie Basant founded the Central Hindu College in Benaras (later upgraded as Benaras
Hindu University by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916).
Free India Society
 Savarkar went to London in 1906. He soon founded the Free India Society, based on the
thoughts of the Italian nationalist Giuseppe Mazzini (Savarkar had written a biography of
Mazzini).
 Initially an intellectual group, it became a revolutionary outfit under its founding leader,
Bhikaji Cama. This organization released a newspaper also called Free India Society to
propagate revolutionary ideas.
 The Free India society aimed on using violent methods such as killing the British officers.
Madan Dhingra, under the orders of the founder of this group killed Curzon Wyllie,
therefore getting hanged on 17 August 1909.

6. Who among the following Urdu poets was invited to the Second and Third Round Table
Conference?
A. Faiz Ahmad Faiz
B. Josh Maihabadi
C. Muhammad Iqbal
D. Firaq Gorakhpuri
Ans. C
 Muhammad Iqbal, a renowned Urdu poet, philosopher, and political thinker, was
invited to both the:
o Second Round Table Conference (1931)
o Third Round Table Conference (1932)
 He played a significant role in articulating the idea of a separate Muslim state, which later
influenced the Pakistan Movement.

7. What is the correct sequence of the following events?

1. Bardoli Satyagraha
2. Rajkot Satyagraha
3. Champaran Satyagraha
4. Nagpur Satyagraha
Codes:
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A. 1-2-3-4
B. 3-4-1-2
C. 2-3-4-1
D. 4-3-2-1
Ans. B
Gujarat and Bardoli Satyagraha (1928)
 The Bardoli Taluk (Guj) was hit by floods and famines in 1925, which adversely affected
crop.
 Bombay Presidency increased the tax rates by 22% despite petitions and appeals
 In 1927, the local Congress Party published a report to protest the decision.
 In January 1928, farmers in Bardoli invited Vallabhai Patel to lead the movement + non-
violence Movement
 Gandhiji support to the movement through his writings in ‗Young India‟ magazine.
 Patel divided the taluk into camps + men and women from Hindu, Muslim and Parsi
communities + Door-to-door campaigning
 The women of Bardoli gave Patel the title of “Sardar”.
 Peasants were asked to take oaths not pay the taxes & boycotted those who paid taxes
 They also worked for the betterment of the Kaliparaj caste (farmers who worked as
landless labourers).
 K M Munshi and Lalji Naranji resigned from the Bombay Legislative Council.

 Finally Government set up the Maxwell-Broomfield commission to look into the

matter.
 The revenue was reduced to 6.03%.
 The peasants were returned their confiscated land.
Rajkot Satyagraha (1939)
 Location: Rajkot, a princely state in British India. The Rajkot Satyagraha was the first major
attempt to seek constitutional change through mass civil disobedience in a princely state.
o Unlike British India, where political rights were granted after the Government of
India Acts of 1919 and 1935, the people in princely states had no such rights.
 Type: Anti-British, non-violent civil disobedience movement
Initial Developments
 Sparked by reports of violence and administrative atrocities in early 1939
o Protest against the autocratic rule of the Raja of Rajkot.
o The economic burden on the common people due to heavy taxation.

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o Lack of political rights and civil liberties in the princely states.

o Social and economic backwardness, with state revenues being spent on the rulers‘
luxurious lifestyles.
 Kasturba Gandhi and Manibhen Patel arrived in Rajkot to support the cause but were
arrested and detained
Gandhi’s Involvement
 Mahatma Gandhi traveled to Rajkot after the arrests
 Before his arrival, the agitation was halted
 Gandhi:
o Visited villages and jails
o Collected firsthand accounts from the public and prisoners
o Engaged in talks with key officials: Thakore, Virawala, and Gibson
Demand to Honour Agreement
 Gandhi demanded that the British honour the original agreement given by Thakore to
Sardar Patel
 Warned that he would begin a fast unto death if not fulfilled
Outcome
 Gandhi began an indefinite fast after receiving no favorable response
 The issue gained nationwide attention
 No consensus was reached due to various complications
 Gandhi ultimately withdrew the fast without resolution

8. In which of the following years was the first Railway line between Bombay and Thane
laid?
A. 1853
B. 1854
C. 1856
D. 1858
Ans. A
British India : Roads and Indian Railways
 Upto the 1850s, the means of transport in India were confined to animal driven carts.
Driven by the need for imperial defence from both external and internal threats and fuller
exploitation of Indian resources, the British began development of roadways, railways and
waterways.

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o In 1839, work on the Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Delhi was started and
completed in 1850s. However, real change came with the introduction of Indian
Railways.
o The First railway engine was designed by George Stephenson. In 1814, it was first
put on the rails.
o In 1849, Lord Dalhousie [Maker of Modern India] became Governor- General of India
and advocated rapid railway construction.
o In 1853, first railway line in India was laid in between Bombay and Thane
o In 1854, 120-mile railway line was laid between Calcutta and Raniganj by East
India Railway.

9. Who among the following was not a party to the league that was defeated by the British
in the Battle of Buxar?
A. Shuja-ud-daulah
B. Shah Alam
C. Mir Jafar
D. Mir Kasim
Ans. C
Mir Jafar, on the other hand, had been reinstated by the British as the Nawab of Bengal after they
deposed Mir Kasim.
Battle of Buxar (1764)
English side = Hector Munro
Indian Side = Mir Qasim + Shuja-ud-Daulah + Shah Alam II
 The abuse of dastaks (duty free trade permits) by the Company‘s servants for their private
trade became the immediate cause of the war of 1764.
The Battle
 The three allies clashed with the Company‘s army at the battlefield of Buxar on 22 October
1764. The allies‘ forces stood at nearly 40,000 to 60,000, whereas the English forces stood at
nearly 7,000 commanded by Major Munro. It was a closely contested battle with heavy
casualties on both sides and ended in the victory of the superior military power, the
British.
Result of war
 Mir Jafar was brought back to the throne of Bengal, this time on much harsher terms. Mir
Jafar agreed to hand over the districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and Chittagong to the
English and permitted them duty free trade in Bengal (with the exception of 2% duty on
salt).
 This decisive battle confirmed British power over Bengal and marked the end of the

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attempt to rule Bengal through a puppet nawab.

 The battle resulted in the Treaty of Allahabad, 1765 in which the Mughal Emperor
surrendered sovereignty of Bengal to the British.
The victory made the British, a great power in northern India and contenders for supremacy over
the whole country.
Treaty of Allahabad, 1765
 In 1765, two Treaties were concluded by Robert Clive at Allahabad with Nawab Shuja-
ud-Daulah and Emperor Shah Alam II.
First treaty with the Nawab of Awadh
 Allahabad and Kara were surrendered by the Nawab to Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II.
 A sum of Rs 50 lakh was paid to the Company as war indemnity.
 Balwant Singh, the Zamindar of Banaras, was given full possession of his estate.
Clive did not want to annex awadh bcoz it would have placed the Company under an obligation to
protect an extensive land frontier from the Afghan and the Maratha invasions. [Buffer State]
Second treaty with Shah Alam II
 The emperor was asked to reside at Allahabad under the Company‘s protection.

 The Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were granted to the East India Company in lieu
of an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh
 An amount of Rs 53 lakh was to be given by the Mughal Emperor to the Company in return
for Nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) of the said
provinces.

The major difference in the significance of the Carnatic Wars (1740-48, 1749-53 and 1758-
63), Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Buxar (1764) is:
 The Carnatic Wars established British supremacy in trade in India.
 The Battle of Plassey laid the foundation of British Empire in India.
 The Battle of Buxar established the British as masters of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and
made them a great power of Northern India and contenders for the supremacy of
the whole country

Dual Government in Bengal (1765-72)

 Introduced by [Link]
 In this Dual System of Government in Bengal, the company had Diwani rights that is the
rights to collect revenue and the Nizam or Indian chiefs had the power on administrative
authority.
 But in reality this Nizamat function was also controlled by Company.
 It was Warren Hasting who abolish this system in in 1772.

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[Link] among the following was the founder of the Muslim League?
A. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
B. Shaukat Ali
C. Nawab Salimullah
D. Aga Khan
Ans. C
Formation of the Muslim League (30th December 1906)
 Following the Simla Deputation, the Muslim leaders put forth the idea of a central
Muhammadan association.
 Accordingly, on 30th December 1906, their efforts culminated in the formation of the
All India Muslim League, under the leadership of Nawab Salimullah of Dacca and with
government patronage, as a political organisation dedicated to advance Muslim political
interests.
 Salimullah was also given a loan of 14 lakh by the government and he supported the
creation of a Muslim Majority province in Bengal.
 The League comprised of upper class Muslims like Nawab Salimullah, Aga Khan,
Nawab Mosin-ul-Malik, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Muhammad Ali, and Moulana
Zafar Ali.

 In this way, the Muslim League was a communal body from its very inception, formed to
safeguard the interests of Muslim community alone.
 Its main motive was to keep the Muslim intelligentsia from joining the Congress and
the national movement. The League was formed as purely a loyalist body which
constantly looked upto the government for favour and patronage, and it was never
disappointed.

[Link] among the following had moved the objectives resolution which formed the basis of
the Preamble of the Constitution of India in the Constituent Assembly on December 13,
1946?
A. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
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B. Dr. Rajendra Prasad

C. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
D. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. D
 On December 13, 1946, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution in
the Constituent Assembly of India. This resolution laid down the fundamental principles
and philosophy that would guide the making of the Indian Constitution.
 The Objectives Resolution later served as the foundation for the Preamble of the
Constitution.
 It outlined ideals such as sovereignty, democracy, justice, liberty, and equality, which
were eventually enshrined in the Preamble.

[Link] among the following was not a member of the Constituent Assembly?
A. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
B. Acharya J. B. Kriplani
C. Lok Nayak Jayprakash Narayan
D. K. M. Munshi
Ans. C
The Constituent Assembly
 The CA was constituted in 1946 under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission
Plan (CMP).
 The total strength was to be 389. Of these, 296 seats
were to be allotted to British India and 93 seats to the
Princely States.
o However, as a result of the partition under the
Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947, a separate
constituent assembly was set up for Pakistan
and representatives of some provinces ceased to
be members of the assembly. As a result, the membership of the assembly was
reduced to 299 (out of 299, 15 were women)
 Each Province and Princely State (or group of states in case of small states) were to be
allotted seats in PROPORTION TO THEIR RESPECTIVE POPULATION. Roughly, one seat
was to be allotted for every million population.
o The members of the constituent Assembly from the provinces were indirectly
elected by the members of the provincial assemblies, who themselves were
elected on a limited franchise
 Seats allocated to each British province were to be divided among the three principal

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communities → MUSLIMS, SIKHS AND GENERAL (all except Muslims and Sikhs), in
proportion to their population.
 The REPRESENTATIVES OF PRINCELY STATES WERE TO BE NOMINATED BY THE
HEADS OF THE PRINCELY STATES.
o Thus CA was to be a PARTLY ELECTED AND PARTLY NOMINATED body.
 The elections to the Constituent Assembly (for 296 seats allotted to the British Indian
Provinces) were held in July-August 1946.
 The INC won 208 seats, the Muslim League 73 & reaming by others.
o The 93 seats allotted to the princely states were not filled as they decided to stay
away from the CA.
Working Of The Constituent Assembly
 CA held its 1st meeting on DECEMBER 9, 1946. The Muslim League boycotted (Bcoz they
were demanding Separate CA]
 Dr Sachchidanand Sinha, was elected as the temporary President & Later, Dr. Rajendra
Prasad was elected as the President of the Assembly.
 Vice-Presidents → H.C. Mukherjee and V.T. Krishnamachari
Objective Resolution (OR)
 On December 13, 1946, by J. Nehru
 India is an INDEPENDENT, SOVEREIGN, REPUBLIC; [not mention the word
“Democratic‖]
 India shall be a UNION
 Territories forming the Union shall be autonomous
 All powers and authority of sovereign and independent India and its constitution shall
flow from the people;
 All people of India shall be guaranteed and secured social, economic and political
justice; equality of status and opportunities and equality before law; and fundamental
freedoms - of speech, expression, belief, faith, worship, vocation, association and action -
subject to law and public morality; [meaning FR]
 The minorities, backward and tribal areas, depressed and OBCs shall be provided
adequate safeguards;
 The territorial integrity of the Republic and its sovereign rights on land, sea and air shall
be maintained according to justice and law of civilized nations;
 The land would make full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and
welfare of mankind.
OR was Unanimously adopted by the Assembly on JANUARY 22, 1947. Its modified version
forms the Preamble of the present Constitution.
Significance of Objectives Resolution

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 The Objectives Resolution identified ―Fundamentals‖ which were to guide lines for the
structure of Constitutions which the Constituent Assembly has gathered to meet.
 These “Fundamentals” laid foundations about nature of political system, its territorial
boundaries, division of power between union and its constituent units, supremacy of the
people as source of all power and authority, social justice to all, and safeguarding
interests of minorities.
Changes by the Independence Act
 The Assembly was made a fully SOVEREIGN BODY, which could frame any Constitution it
pleased.
 Assembly also became both Constituent & Legislative Body →
o Two separate functions were assigned to the Assembly
1. Making of the Constitution for free India (chaired by Dr. Rajendra)
2. Enacting of ordinary laws for the country (chaired by G.V. Mavlankar. Later
became 1st LS Sp.)
 These two functions continued till November 26, 1949, when the task of making the
Constitution was over
Other Functions Performed by CA
 It adopted the National Flag on July 22, 1947
o Ashoka wheel in the national flag also denotes motion. There is death in stagnation.
There is life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go
forward. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change.’ – Dr. Sarvapalli
Radhakrishnan
 It ratified the India‘s membership of the Commonwealth in May 1949.
 It adopted the National Anthem & Song on January 24, 1950.
o First time Jana Gana Mana, India‘s national anthem was sung publicly at the
Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1911.
o Rabindranath Tagore composed Bharata Bhagyo Bidhata. The first stanza of it,
Jana Gana Mana, is now our national anthem.
 It elected Dr Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India on January 24, 1950.
 The State Emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. The state
emblem was adopted on 26 January 1950.
CA had 11 sessions over two years, 11 months and 18 days. The Constitution-makers had gone
through the constitutions of about 60 countries, and the Draft Constitution was considered for 114
days.
On January 24, 1950, the CA held its final session. It, HOWEVER, did not end, and continued as
the provisional parliament of India from January 26, 1950, till the formation of new Parliament after
the first general elections in 1951–52

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Committees Of The Constituent Assembly

Drafting Committee (DC)

 DC was set up on August 29, 1947. It was this committee that was entrusted with the task
of preparing a draft of the new Constitution.
 It consisted of Seven Members →

 Towards the end of October 1947, the Drafting Committee began to scrutinise the

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Draft Constitution prepared by the B.N Rau, the Constitutional Advisor.

 The Constitution as adopted on November 26, 1949, contained a Preamble, 395 Articles
and 8 Schedules. The Preamble was enacted AFTER the entire Constitution was already
enacted.

[Link] among the following was elected as the President of All-India Khilafat Conference
met at Delhi in 1919?
A. Motilal Nehru
B. Mahatma Gandhi
C. M. A. Jinnah
D. Shaukat Ali
Ans. B
All-India Khilafat Conference met in Delhi in 1919,
 The All-India Khilafat Conference met in Delhi in 1919, and Mahatma Gandhi was elected
as its President. His leadership in the Khilafat Movement marked a significant step in uniting
Hindus and Muslims in the national movement against British rule.

[Link] which of the following years was the All-India Trade Union Congress formed in
Bombay?
A. 1918
B. 1919
C. 1920
D. 1921
Ans. C
Formation of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC, Bombay, 31st October 1920)
 The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) is the oldest trade union federation in India. It
is associated with the Communist Party of India.
 It was founded on 31 October 1920 [In Bombay] with Lala Lajpat Rai as its first
president.
 Founding member → Lala Lajpat Rai, Joseph Baptista, N. M. Joshi, Diwan Chaman Lall
o In this first conference with Lala Lajpat Rai as president, Deewan Chaman Lal was
the General Secretary.
 Later on Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, V. V. Giri, Sarojini
Naidu, C.R. Das and several of other political leaders of the freedom struggle were
associated with subsequent conferences.

 AITUC in its second session in 1921 in Jharia had adopted a resolution of

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Swaraj (Complete independence from British rule), almost eight years before
the Congress adopted such resolution in 1929.
 In the aftermath of second World War the AITUC played significant role in the
foundation of World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), in the conference held in
London with 204 delegates and observers representing 670 million workers from all parts of
the world. AITUC was represented by S.A. Dange, R.A. Khedgikar and Sudhindra
Pramanik. This conference adopted workers charter.

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2009 (2)
[Link] Doctrines of ‘Non-Violence’ and ‘Civil Disobedience’ associated with Mahatma Gandhi
were influenced by the works of
A. Churchill-lrwin-Tolstoy
B. Ruskin-Tolstoy-Thoreau
C. Thoreau-Humen-Shaw
D. Cripps-Tolstov-Howes
Ans. B
Mahatma Gandhi was deeply influenced by the works of the following thinkers:
 John Ruskin – His book "Unto This Last" shaped Gandhi‘s ideas on the dignity of labor and
the importance of simple living.
 Leo Tolstoy – His writings on non-violence and Christian anarchism influenced Gandhi‘s
spiritual and moral philosophy.
 Henry David Thoreau – His essay "Civil Disobedience" provided the conceptual
foundation for Gandhi's method of passive resistance (Satyagraha).

[Link] the following

Person Satyagraha

A. Raj Kumar Shukla 1. Kheda Satyagraha

B. Ambalal Sarabhai 2. Ahmedabad Mill Strike

C. Indulal Yagnik 3. Bardoli Satyagraha

D. Vallabhbhai Patel 4. Champaran Satyagraha

Codes:
a) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
b) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3
c) A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
d) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4
Ans. C

[Link] the following statements relating to Raja Rammohan Roy

1. He knew that the spread of Western education was necessary to develop a national and
scientific attitude in the Indian society.
2. He played a pioneering role in the religious and social reform movements of 19th century,
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Bengal.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. C
Raja Rammohan Roy
 Raja Rammohan Roy strongly supported the introduction of Western education, especially
science and rational thought. He believed it was essential to develop a modern, rational,
and scientific outlook among Indians.
 He was indeed a pioneer of religious and social reform in 19th-century Bengal. His efforts
led to the abolition of Sati, promotion of women‟s rights, and he founded the Brahmo
Samaj, which played a key role in reforming Hinduism.

[Link] of the following statements on Gandhian movements is not correct?

A. Mahatma Gandhi was in favour of mass movement
B. Gandhian movements were non-violent in nature
C. In Gandhian movements, leadership had no role
D. Mahatma Gandhi was in favour of passive resistance
Ans. C
 Gandhi himself provided strong moral and strategic leadership, and he nurtured other
leaders like Nehru, Patel, and Rajendra Prasad.

19. Which British military officer defeated Tipu Sultan in India, Napolean Bonaparte in
Europe and eventually, became the Duke of Wellington?
A. Arthur Wellesley
B. Robert Clive
C. Warren Hastings
D. Richard Wellesley
Ans. A
Arthur Wellesley was younger brother of Richard Wellesley, Governor-General of Bengal.
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
 He was an Anglo-Irish statesman, soldier, and Tory politician who was one of the leading
military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of the

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United Kingdom.
 He is among the commanders who won and ended the Napoleonic Wars when the
Seventh Coalition defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
 Wellesley was born in Dublin into the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. He was
commissioned as an ensign in the British Army in 1787, serving in Ireland as aide-de-camp
to two successive lords lieutenant of Ireland. He was also elected as a member of Parliament
in the Irish House of Commons. He was a colonel by 1796 and saw action in the
Netherlands and in India, where he fought in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War at the Battle
of Seringapatam.
 He was appointed governor of Seringapatam and Mysore in 1799 and, as a newly appointed
major-general, won a decisive victory over the Maratha Confederacy at the Battle of Assaye
in 1803.

20. Consider the following statements

1. Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875.
2. The Arya Samaj repudiated the authority of the caste system.
3. Dayanand Saraswati was born in the Brahman family.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3
B. 1 and 2
C. 2 and 3
D. 1 and 3
Ans. A
Dayanand Saraswati
 Born as Mool Shankar Tiwari in 1824 in a Brahmin family in Gujarat.
 He was an Indian philosopher, social leader and founder of the Arya Samaj. He was the
first to give the call for Swaraj as "India for Indians" in 1876, a call later taken up by
Lokmanya Tilak.
 The first Arya Samaj unit was formally set up by him at Mumbai (then Bombay) in
1875 and later the headquarters of the Samaj were established at Lahore.
 He stressed on One God and rejected idol worship. He also advocated against the
extolled position of priests in Hinduism.
 His vision of India included a classless and casteless society, a united India (religiously,
socially and nationally), and an India free from foreign rule, with Aryan religion being the
common religion of all.
 He took inspiration from the Vedas and considered them to be „India‟s Rock of Ages‟, the
infallible and the true original seed of Hinduism. He gave the slogan “Back to the Vedas or

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Go back to the Vedas”

 He subscribed to the Vedic notion of CHATURVARNA SYSTEM in which a person was not
born in any caste but was identified as a brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya or
shudra according to the occupation the person followed.
 He introduced a complete overhaul of the education system and is often considered
as one of the visionaries of modern India.
 The DAV (Dayanand Anglo Vedic) schools came into existence in 1886 to realize the
vision of Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
 The first DAV School was established at Lahore with Mahatma Hansarj as the headmaster.
 Books → His major contribution is the Satyartha Prakash. Other books include the
Sanskarvidhi, Rigved Bhashyam, etc.
21.
Assertion (A) First War of independence broke out in India in 1857, soon after the departure
of Lord Dalhousie from India.
Reason (R) Lord Dalhousie’s annexationist policy had caused great discontent.
Codes:
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C. A is true, but R is false
D. A is false, but R is true
Ans. A
 The First War of Independence (1857 Revolt) did occur soon after Lord Dalhousie‟s
departure from India (he left in early 1856).
 Lord Dalhousie‘s annexationist policies, especially the Doctrine of Lapse, angered many
Indian rulers and people. This was a major underlying cause of the 1857 revolt.
Dalhousie (1848 -1856)
 Doctrine of Lapse in 1848
 Charter Act, 1853
 Bethune Collegiate School (1849) (was also known as Calcutta Female School) was
established by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune
 Charles Wood Despatch (1854)
 Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) (The sole aim of Dalhousie was to humiliate and annex
more of Burmese Territories. Burma was attacked unprovoked)
 First Passenger train between Bombay and Thane (1853)
 First telegraph Line was laid between Diamond Harbour to Calcutta. (1851)

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 Post Office Act, 1854

 Established Public Works Department (1854)
 Ganges Canal was declared open (1854)
 The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849) (The British totally defeated the Sikh
Empire and annexed Punjab)
 Santhal Rebellion (1855) (15,000 Santhals were killed by the British Army during the
rebellion. Elephants were used to destroy Santhal Dwellings)
 Religious Disabilities Act, 1856
 Annexation of Oudh (Awadh) on the grounds of alleged internal misrule (1856)
 Banned Female Infanticide completely and Human Sacrifice in Central province, Odisha
and Maharashtra

[Link] the following statements about Swami Vivekananda

1. He said that Vedanta was the religion of all.
2. He believed in reviving all the best traditions of Hinduism.
3. He was impressed by the status of women in the West.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3
B. 1 and 2
C. 2 and 3
D. 1 and 3
Ans. A
Swami Vivekananda
 He was a true luminary, credited with enlightening the western world about
Hinduism.
 He was an ardent disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and a major force in the
revival of Hinduism in India.
 He pushed for national integration in colonial India, and his famous speech remains as
the one that he gave in Chicago in 1893.
Early life & Contribution
 Born in Kolkata on January 12, 1863 in Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda was known
as Narendra Nath Datta in his pre-monastic life.
 He is known to have introduced the Hindu philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the
West.
 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had called Vivekananda the “maker of modern India.”

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 In 1893, he took the name ‗Vivekananda‘ after Maharaja Ajit Singh of the Khetri State
requested him to do so, changing from „Sachidananda‟ that he used before.

 He formed the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 ―to set in motion a machinery which will
bring noblest ideas to the doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest.‖

 In 1899, he established the Belur Math, which became his permanent abode.
 He preached „NEO-VEDANTA‟, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and
believed in combining spirituality with material progress.
 Books written by him
o Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga
 National Youth Day is 12 Jan. to mark his birthday

Key-highlights of the Speech in Chicago

 Swami Vivekananda is best known in the United States for the speech given by
him in 1893 World‘s Parliament of Religions.
 In this speech he Introduced Hinduism to America and called for religious
tolerance and an end to fanaticism
 He mentioned the basic yet most important things that one should follow in life.
These things included:
 being patriotic
 loving all religions
 analysing religion
 being acquainted with science
 knowing importance and necessity of rituals
 being aware of roots of Hinduism
 being aware of the goal of science
 being aware of the cause of downfall of India
 being against religious conversations

Prabuddha Bharata
 It is a monthly Magazine of the Ramakrishna Order.
 This magazine was founded in the year 1896 by P. Aiyasami, B. R. Rajam Iyer, G. G.
Narasimhacharya, and B. V. Kamesvara Iyer under the guidance of Swami Vivekananda.
 Prabuddha Bharata magazine was of great significance in spreading the message of the
ancient spiritual wisdom of the country.
 The magazine comprises of the articles and translations by monks, scholars and other
writers on humanities and social sciences.

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[Link] among the following was not one of the provisions of the ‘Communal Award’?
A. Member of the depressed classes were assigned reserved seats and separate electorates
B. Separate electorates for the Muslims
C. Separate electorates for the Europeans and the Sikhs
D. The separate electorates were to lapse at the end of 10 years
Ans. D
There was no provision in the Award that the separate electorates would lapse after 10 years
— this clause is not part of the Communal Award.
Communal Award (1932)
 In 1932, the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, announced the COMMUNAL
AWARD → separate electorates for the „Depressed Classes‟, the Muslims, the
Europeans, the Sikhs, the Anglo-Indians and the Indian-based Christians.
 Congress decided neither to accept it nor reject it. But Ambedkar was in favour of the
award, as according to him political solutions like separate electorate would work for
upliftment of depressed classes.
 Mahatma Gandhi was opposed to the communal award, as the award would divide
Indians. He went on an indefinite fast [in Yerawada jail]

[Link] of the following statements about Annie Besant are correct?

1. She founded the Central Hindu College at Benaras.
2. She organised the Home Rule League.
3. She introduced the Theosophical Movement in India.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
A. 1, 2 and 3
B. 1 and 2
C. 2 and 3
D. 1 and 3

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Ans. B
 Annie Besant established the Central Hindu College in 1898, which later became a part of
Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
 In 1916, she started the Home Rule League to demand self-government for India, similar
to the dominion status of other British colonies.
 The Theosophical Society was introduced in India by Madame H.P. Blavatsky and
Colonel H.S. Olcott in 1879. Annie Besant later joined the movement and became one of
its most prominent leaders in India, but she did not introduce it.
Theosophical Society
 The Theosophical Society is the organisational body of Theosophy, an esoteric new
religious movement.
 It was founded in New York City, USA in 1875.
 Among its founders were Helena Blavatsky, a Russian mystic and the principle thinker of
the Theosophy movement, and Henry Steel Olcott, its first president.

 In 1882, they shifted their headquarters to Adyar, on the outskirts of Madras (at that
time) in India.
 The society believed that a special relationship could be established between a person‟s
soul and God by contemplation, prayer, revelation, etc. It accepted the Hindu beliefs in
reincarnation and karma, and drew inspiration from the philosophy of the Upanishads
and samkhya, yoga and Vedanta schools of thought.
 The Three Objects of the Theosophical Society are as follows →
o To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity without distinction of
race, creed, sex, caste, or colour.
o To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy, and science.
o To investigate the unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in man.
 The Theosophical Movement came to be allied with the Hindu renaissance. (At one time it
allied with the Arya Samaj too.)
 It opposed child marriage and advocated the abolition of caste discrimination, uplift
of outcastes, improvement in the condition of widows.
 In India, the movement became somewhat popular with the election of Annie Besant as
its president after the death of Olcott in 1907.
 The Theosophical Society provided a common denominator for the various sects and
fulfilled the urge of educated Hindus.
 HOWEVER, to an average Indian the Theosophist philosophy seemed to be vague and
lacking a positive programme; to that extent its impact was limited to a small segment
of the westernised class.
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o As religious revivalists, the Theosophists did not attain much success, but as a
movement of westerners glorifying Indian religious and philosophical traditions,
it gave much needed self-respect to the Indians fighting British colonial rule.
o Viewed from another angle, the Theosophists also had the effect of giving a false
sense of pride to the Indians in their outdated and sometimes backwardlooking
traditions and philosophy.
 Key Peoples : George Arundale, Annie Besant, Mohini Chatterjee, C. Jinarajadasa, Jiddu
Krishnamurti, Charles W. Leadbeater, Emily Lutyens, Jiddu Nityananda, A. P. Sinnett, William
Butler Yeats.
Annie Basant (1847 - 1933)
 Besant was Irish by birth and had been active in the Irish home rule, fabian socialist and
birth control movements while in Britain.
o Fabian socialism, founded in 1884, is a form of socialism that advances the principles
of democratic framework to achieve gradual conversion to socialism rather than by
revolutionary overthrow. This originated from the movement for the Utopian
socialism.
 She joined the Theosophical Society, and came to India in 1893. [converted to
Theosophy after meeting Helena Blavatsky in 1889]
 She founded the Central Hindu College in Benaras (later upgraded as Benaras Hindu
University by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916).
 With the death of H. S. Olcott in 1907, Besant succeeded him as the international president
of the Theosophical Society.
 She started a weekly The Commonweal in 1914 → Religious freedom etc.
 She published a book How India Wrought for Freedom in 1915. In this book she asserted
that the beginnings of national consciousness are deeply embedded in its ancient past.
 She also started a daily newspaper New India on July 14, 1915.
 On September 28, 1915, Besant made a formal declaration that she would start the
Home Rule League Movement for India with objectives on the lines of the Irish Home
Rule League. → Moderates did not like the idea of establishing another separate
organisation.
 In 1916, two Home Rule Movements were launched in the country:
o One under Tilak and the
o Other under Besant with their spheres of activity well demarcated.
 The two leagues worked closely with one another. However, they did not
merge to avoid friction between both the leaders.
 Anglo-Indians, most of the Muslims and non-brahmins from the South did not join as
they felt Home Rule would mean rule of the Hindu majority, and that too mainly by the
high caste
 The twin objectives was →

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o The establishment of Home Rule for India in British Empire and

o Arousing in the Indian masses a sense of pride for the Motherland.

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2010 (1)
[Link] the death of Raja Rammohan Roy, the Brahmo Samaj split into two sections; the
Brahmo Samaj of India and the Adi Brahmo Samaj. Who were the leaders of the two
sections, respectively?
A. Keshab Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore
B. Radhakanta Deb and Debendranath Tagore
C. Keshab Chandra Sen and Radhakanta Deb
D. Debendranath Tagore and Radhakanta Deb
Ans. A
Brahmo Samaj
 In 1828, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the ‗Brahma Samaj‘.
 Through ‗Brahma Samaj, he wanted to expose the religious hypocrisies and check the
growing influence of Christianity on the Hindu society.
 The Samaj was committed to “the worship and adoration of the Eternal,
Unsearchable, Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver of the
Universe”. The Samaj was opposed to idolatry and meaningless rituals.
 The long-term agenda of the Brahmo Samaj → to purify Hinduism and to preach
monotheism—was based on the twin pillars of reason and the Vedas and Upanishads.
 The Brahmo Samaj had the issue of widow remarriage high on its agenda and did
much to popularise
 Raja Ram Mohan Roy‘s efforts bore fruit when in 1829, the Sati system was abolished.
 Key individuals → Keshub Chunder Sen & Debendranath Tagore.
Brahmo Samaj after Ram Mohan Roy
 After the death of Ram Mohan Roy in 1833, the Brahmo tradition was carried forward by
Debendranath Tagore.
Debendranath Tagore (1817-1905)
 Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore, was a product of the best in Indian
as well as Western knowledge.
 In 1839, he established the Tattvabodhini Sabha with the aim of propagating Ram
Mohan‟s ideas and finding the spiritual truth.
o It aimed at countering the rapid influence of Christianity in India by enthusiastic
advocacy of Vedantism and indigenous culture.
o The Sabha also established a Tattvabodhini Press and started publishing the
Tattvabodhini Patrika (1843) for the propagation of its ideas.
 It promoted study of India‟s past in Bengali language and also published

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texts on various subjects in Bengali.

 In 1843, Debendranath Tagore became a Brahmo and he reorganised the Brahmo Samaj
the same year, putting new life into it.
 Under his leadership, the influence of the Samaj widened, many new branches were
established and the message of the Samaj spread even to the countryside of Bengal.
Keshub Chandra Sen (1838-84)
 In 1858, Keshub Chandra Sen joined the Brahmo Samaj.
 Soon he was appointed as Acharya of the Samaj by Debendranath Tagore.
 Keshub‟s entry brought new energy and vigour and the influence of the Samaj expanded
even outside Bengal.
 Branches were opened up in UP, Punjab, Bombay, Madras and other towns.
 Keshub laid stress on women education. He also laid stress on universalism as opposed to
Debendranath‘s stress on national Hindu identity.
Split in Brahmo Samaj
 Under Keshub, the Samaj began to drift away from its Hindu moorings and religious
texts of Christians, Muslims, Parsis, etc., began to be read in the Brahmo Samaj
meetings.
 This liberal and cosmopolitan outlook of Keshub was seen as too radical by Tagore and he
dismissed Keshub from the office of the Acharya in 1865.
 This led to a split in Brahmo Samaj-Keshub had his followers left the parent body and
formed the Brahmo Samaj of India in 1865.
 Tagore‟s Samaj henceforth came to be known as Adi Brahmo Samaj.
 Despite their differences, the Brahmos collectively contributed to the dissemination of
Ram Mohan‟s views and changing Bengal‘s society.
Another split ( In Keshub’s Samaj)
 Keshub began to be accused of authoritarianism.
 Moreover, some followers had begun to worship Keshub as an incarnation, which was
also disliked by some of his other followers.
 Discontent reached its peak when Keshub, who had always advocated a minimum
age for marriage among the Brahmos, married his own 13-year-old daughter with
the Maharaja of Kooch-Bihar with all elaborate Hindu ceremonies.
 Many of Keshub‘s followers felt disgusted and set up a new organisation called the
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.
Reasons for Decline of Brahmo Samaj are as follows
 The influence of the Brahmo Samaj remained confined mostly to the educated Bengalis.
 Samaj was also weakened by internal dissensions in the latter half of the 19th century.
 The activities of Brahmo Samaj were opposed by the Dharma Sabha, founded by
orthodox Hindus led by Raja Radhakant Deb.

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 The early death of Ram Mohan in 1833 left the Brahmo Samaj without a guiding soul and
a steady decline set in.
Despite the above, Brahmo Samaj cast adequate influence on the socio-religious and political life
of Bengal and the rest of India.

26. The ‘dual government’ recommended by Lord Clive provided that the
A. criminal justice would be left to the Nawabi officials, while civil and fiscal matters would be
controlled by the company
B. company will look after fiscal matters and all the rest would be dealt by the Indian rulers
C. Indian rulers will deal with all the matters of administration under the supervision of a
company official
D. Indian rulers will be only titular heads and all the powers shall be directly dealt by the
company
Ans. A
Dual Government system
 Robert Clive recommended the Dual Government system, which provided Criminal Justice
will be taken care of by Nawabs and all civil and fiscal matters will be taken care of by
Company.
 The Dual Government system came into existence in 1765 and remained in practice till
1773.
 Dual Government system divided the administration of Bengal into Nizamat and Diwani.
o Diwani was carried out by the company and had the right to collect revenue.
o Nizamat or Territorial Jurisdiction was conducted by the Bengal Nawab who in
turn was the puppet of British.
 Theoretically, this system divided Company and the Nawabs but actually all powers
remained with the company.
 It was Warren Hasting who abolish this system in in 1772

[Link] the following statements relating to the famous Muzaffarpur murders (1908)
1. The bomb, which was hurled at their carriage of Mrs Pringle and her daughter was actually
intended for Mr Kingsford, the District Judge of Muzaffarpur.
2. The revolutionaries wanted to kill Mr Kingsford, because he had inflicted severe
punishments on Swadeshi activists.
3. Khudiram and Prafulla Chaki had to pay the penalty for their action by death.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. Only 1

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B. Only 2
C. 2 and 3
D. All of these
Ans. D
Muzaffarpur Conspiracy (1908)
 On 30 April 1908, Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose threw a bomb at a carriage, which
they believed was occupied by the unpopular British Magistrate Douglas Kingsford,
district judge of Muzaffarpur (now in Bihar) and ended up killing two English women
(Mrs. Pringle and her daughter) travelling in it (Muzaffarpur Murders).
 On seeing the impending arrest, Chaki shot himself dead while Bose was tried and
hanged in what came to be known as the Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case (MCC).

[Link] Nehru-Liaquat Pact between India and Pakistan was signed in 1950 to resolve the
issue of
A. the protection of minorities
B. the accession of princely states
C. the border disputes
D. the problem of refugees
Ans. D
Liaquat–Nehru Pact (1950)
 The Liaquat–Nehru Pact (or the Delhi Pact) was a bilateral treaty between India and Pakistan
in which refugees were allowed to return to dispose of their property, abducted women
and looted property were to be returned, forced conversions were unrecognized, and
minority rights were confirmed.
 The treaty was signed in New Delhi by the Prime Minister of India Jawahar Lal Nehru and
the Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan on April 8, 1950. The treaty was the
outcome of six days of talks sought to guarantee the rights of minorities in both
countries after the Partition of India and to avert another war between them.
 This pact also introduced visa system for refugees and free passage of refugees across
border was restricted.
 Minority commissions were set up in both countries. More than one million refugees
migrated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to West Bengal in India.

[Link] 26, 1947 is an important date in the Indian history, because of

A. Maharaja Hari Singh‘s signing on Instrument of Accession
B. ceasefire with Pakistan

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C. merger of Sind
D. declaration of war over India by Pakistan
Ans. A
Accession Day (Jammu and Kashmir)
 Accession Day is a public holiday in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,
commemorating 26 October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed off the Instrument of
Accession, in which Jammu and Kashmir joined the Dominion of India.
 It became an official public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in 2020.

[Link] drafted the Constitution of Muslim League, ‘The Green Book’?

A. Rahamat Ali
B. Muhammad Iqbal
C. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
D. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar
Ans. D
 The League's constitution was framed in 1907, espoused in the "Green Book," written by
Mohammad Ali Jauhar.
Muhammad Ali Jauhar
 He is also known as Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, was an Indian Muslim leader, activist,
scholar, journalist, and poet, and was among the leading figures of the Khilafat Movement.
 He is credited for the drafting of “The Green Book”, the constitution of the Muslim
League.
 Mohammad Ali Jauhar was a product of the Aligarh Movement.
 He was elected to become the President of the Indian National Congress party in 1923 and
it lasted only for a few months.
 He was also one of the founders and presidents of the All-India Muslim League.
Choudhry Rahmat Ali
 He was a Pakistani nationalist who was one of the earliest proponents of the creation of the
state of Pakistan.
 He is credited with creating the name "Pakistan" for a separate Muslim homeland in South
Asia and is generally known as the originator of the Pakistan Movement.
Muhammad Iqbal
 He was a South Asian Muslim writer, philosopher, and politician, whose poetry in the Urdu
language is among the greatest of the twentieth century, and whose vision of a cultural and
political ideal for the Muslims of British-ruled India was to animate the impulse for Pakistan.
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Muhammad Ali Jinnah

 Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan.
 He is revered in Pakistan as Quaid-i-Azam.
 Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the
inception of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, and then as the Dominion of Pakistan's first
Governor-General until his death.

[Link] the following statements and identify the person referred to therein with the
help of the codes given below
During his stay in England, he endeavoured to educate the British people about their
responsibilities as rulers of India. He delivered speeches and published articles to support his
opposition to the unjust and oppressive regime of the British Raj. In 1867, he helped to establish
the East India Association of which he became the Honorary Secretary
Codes
A. Pherozeshah Mehta
B. Mary Carpenter
C. Dadabhai Naoroji
D. Anand Mohan Bose
Ans. C
Naoroji
 Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the ‗Grand Old Man of Indian Nationalism‟, was a prominent
early nationalist. He was also ―Unofficial Ambassador of India‖ in England.
 He was elected to the Bombay Municipal Corporation and Town Council during the 1870s.
Elected to the British Parliament in 1892[1st Asian], he founded the India Society (1865)
and the East India Association (1866) in London. He was elected thrice as the President of
the INC.
 After his death, Dadabhai Naoroji was referred to as the ―Father of the Nation‖ by Gandhiji
and as ―Father of the Indian National Congress‖ by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
 His major contribution to the Indian nationalist movement was his book Poverty and Un-
British Rule of the British in India (1901). In this book, he put forward the concept of
‗DRAIN OF WEALTH‟.
 He stated that in any country the tax raised would have been spent for the wellbeing of the
people of that country. But in British India, taxes collected in India were spent for the
welfare of England.
 Naoroji argued that India had exported an average of 13 million pounds worth of goods to
Britain each year from 1835 to 1872 with no corresponding return. The goods were in lieu of
payments for profits to Company shareholders living in Britain, guaranteed interest to
investors in railways, pensions to retired officials and generals, interest for the money

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borrowed from England to meet war expenses for the British conquest of territories in India
as well as outside India. All these, going in the name of Home Charges, Naoroji asserted,
made up a loss of 30 million pounds a year.
Pherozeshah Merwanjee Mehta (1845 – 1915)
 Sir Pherozeshah Merwanjee Mehta was an Indian politician and lawyer from Bombay.
 He was knighted by the British Government in India for his service to the law.
 He became the Municipal commissioner of Bombay Municipality in 1873 and its
president four times – 1884, 1885, 1905 and 1911.
 Mehta was one of the founding members and President of the Indian National Congress
in 1890 held at Calcutta.
 Mehta went to England from India to study law at Lincoln's Inn in London. Here, he met
and began association with fellow Indian barristers Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee and
Badruddin Tyabji.
 In 1868, he became the first Parsi barrister called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn. The same
year, he returned to India, was admitted to the bar, and soon established a practice for
himself in a profession then dominated by British lawyers.
 It was during a legal defence of Arthur Crawford that he pointed out the need for reforms
in the Bombay municipal government. Later, he drafted the Bombay Municipal Act of
1872 and is thus considered the 'father of Bombay Municipality'. Eventually, Mehta left
his law practice to enter politics.
Political and social activities
 When the Bombay Presidency Association was established in 1885, Mehta became its
president, and remained so for the rest of his years.
 He encouraged Indians to obtain western education and embrace its culture to uplift
India. He contributed to many social causes for education, sanitation and health care in the
city and around India.
 Mehta was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress. He was the chairman of
the Reception Committee in its fifth session in Bombay in 1889. He presided over the
next session in Calcutta.
 Mehta was nominated to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1887 and in 1893 a member
of the Imperial Legislative Council.
 In 1894, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) and
was appointed a Knight Commander (KCIE) in 1904.
 In 1910, he started The Bombay Chronicle, an English-language weekly newspaper,
which became an important nationalist voice of its time, and an important chronicler of the
political upheavals of a volatile pre-independent India.
Anand Mohan Bose (1847-1906)
 He was the first Indian wrangler and received a First Class degree. Bose trained to
become a barrister in Britain and was admitted to the Bar in 1874.
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 Bose was a member of the Brahmo Samaj and accompanied Keshub Chunder Sen to
Britain in February 1870.
 Indian Association of Calcutta 1876
o also known as the Indian National Association
o Was founded in 1876 by younger nationalists of Bengal led by Surendranath
Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose. The Indian Association was the most important
of pre - Congress associations. It later merged with the Indian National Congress
in 1886.
 Bose joined the INC when it was established in 1885. In 1898, he presided over the 14th
Session in Madras.
 Sadharan Brahmo Samaj
o In 1878, Keshab‟s inexplicable act of getting his thirteen-year-old daughter
married to the minor Hindu Maharaja of Cooch-Behar with all the orthodox Hindu
rituals caused split in Keshab‟s Brahmo Samaj of India.
o After 1878, the disgusted followers of Keshab set up a new organisation, the
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.
o Started by Ananda Mohan Bose, Shibchandra Deb and Umesh Chandra Datta.
 He and a few other Indians founded "India Society" while in England.
 He was also involved with Sisir Kumar Ghosh's "Indian League."
 He spoke out against the Vernacular Press Act and the reduction of the Indian Civil Service
Examination's overall age limit.
 Ananda Mohan was dubbed "Saint Bose" by his friends and admirers.
 Sister Nivedita referred to him as "the forerunner of a new Knighthood of Civil Order."
 He presided over a protest meeting against Bengal partition held at Federation Hall in 1905
but due to his ill health, his address was read by Rabindranath Tagore.
Mary Carpenter
 Was an English educational and social reformer.
 The daughter of a Unitarian minister, she founded a ragged school and reformatories,
bringing previously unavailable educational opportunities to poor children and young
offenders in Bristol (England).

32. Which one of the following commissions/ committees was appointed by the British
Government to investigate into the massacre in Jallianwala Bagh?
A. Welby Commission
B. Hunter Committee
C. Simon Commission

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D. Butler Committee
Ans. B

1895 Welby Welby Lord Elgin Set up by the British Government to

Commission investigate wasteful spending in India.
Its official name was the Royal
Commission on the Administration of
Expenditure of India.

1919 Hunter William Lord To enquire into the Punjab

Commission Hunter, Lord Chelmsford disturbances [Jallianwala Bagh
Hunter massacre]

1928 Butler Horcourt Lord Irwin Examine the nature Relations

Commission Butler between the British Govt. and
Native States
They submitted their report in
February 1929. The Butler committee
gave the following
recommendations →
 Paramountcy must remain
supreme and must fulfil its
obligations, adopting and
defining itself according to the
shifting necessities of time
amid progressive development
of states.
 The states were bound by
treaties with the Crown, and
the states should not be
handed over without the
ruler‟s prior consent to an
Indian Government in British
India responsible to an Indian
Legislature.
 The Viceroy, not the
Governor-General in Council
was to be the Crown agent in
dealing states.

[Link] one of the following statements related to the Boston Tea Party on December 16,
1773 during the American War of Independence is correct?
A. The revolutionaries stealthily entered into the ships and threw all the chests of tea into the
water

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B. The revolutionaries hosted a Tea Party in the honour of Charles Townshend, the British
Chancellor of the exchequer in order to place their grievances before him
C. It marked a celebration when Lord North, the successor of Townshend, repealed some of
the duties imposed by Townshend
D. It was a protest against the Quebec Act
Ans. A
 On the 16th of December 1773, a group called the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as
Native Americans. These men boarded British ships harboured at Boston and dumped 342
chests of tea into the sea. This event was called the 'Boston Tea Party'. It marked the start of
the American War of Independence.

[Link] of the following was/were the main feature (s) of the Government of India Act,
1919?
1. Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims.
2. Devolution of legislative authority by the centre to the provinces.
3. Expansion and reconstitution of central and provincial legislatures.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
A. Only 2
B. 1 and 3
C. Only 3
D. 2 and 3
Ans. D
Separate electorates for Muslims were actually introduced by the Morley-Minto Reforms
(Government of India Act, 1909), not the Government of India Act, 1919. Therefore, this
statement is incorrect.
Government of India Act (1919)
 On August 20, 1917, the British Govt. declared, for the first time, that its objective was the
gradual introduction of responsible Govt. in India
o The Act carried a Preamble which laid down the basic principles on which reforms
were to be carried out. It was based on the Montagu Declaration of 20th August
1917
 The GOI Act of 1919 was thus enacted, which came into force in 1921. This Act is also
known as Montagu- Chelmsford Reforms (Montagu was the Sec. of State for India and
Lord Chelmsford was the VR of India).
 The Act carried a Preamble which laid down the basic principles on which reforms were to
be carried out. It was based on the Montagu Declaration of 20th August 1917
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Main Provisions
Changes in Home Government
 The Secretary of State for India was now to be paid by the British Exchequer
and not out of the Indian revenues as had been the case since 1793, thus undoing a long-
drawn injustice.
o Some of his functions were also taken away and given to the High Commissioner
for India who was to be appointed and paid by the Government of India and was to
act as an agent of GG-in-Council.
Changes in the Government of India
Central Government
 The Central Executive
o Under the Act, The Central government did not undergo any change in its basic
principle.
o The chief-executive authority remained vested in the GG who was responsible to
the British Parliament (BP) through the Secretary of State and not to the Indian
Legislature. Thus, it continued to remain unrepresentative government.
 The Central Legislature

o Under the Act, a Bicameral Legislature was established. The two Houses were
the Indian Legislative Assembly and the Council of State.

o The Indian Legislative Assembly (Lower House) →

 It was to consist of 145 members of whom 42 were to be nominated and 104
were to be elected members.
 The method of indirect election as prevalent under the Act of 1909 was
abolished and, for the first time, direct election was introduced.

 The system of Communal Electorate continued and was extended to

Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans
 The seats were distributed among the provinces not on the basis of their
population but on the basis of their so-called importance. For example, both
Bombay and Madras were granted 12 seats each though the population of
Bombay was only half of that of Madras, the reason being the commercial
importance of Bombay.

 The term of the Assembly was fixed at three years but it could be
extended by the GG (It is noteworthy that the last Assembly elected in 1936
was dissolved only after 10 years).
o The Council of State (Upper House) →

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 It was to consist of 60 members, 26 of whom were to be nominated by the

GG and 34 were to be elected, thus introducing an elected majority.
 Each member held his seat for five years, though the Council itself was
partially renewed every year.
 The members were called ‗Honorable‘. Women were not allowed to become
a member of the House.
 Franchise was highly restricted to secure the representation of hereditary
aristocracy or mercantile aristocracy.
 Other Changes →

o The right to ask supplementary questions was extended to all members of

the legislature (Under the Act of 1909, member asking original question alone could
ask supplementary questions). Short notice questions could also be asked. The
members enjoyed the right to freedom of speech.
o Since Partial Responsible Government was introduced in the provinces,.
Accordingly, Two Lists were drawn → the Central list and the Provincial list.
o Under the Act, complete separation of sources of revenue between the centre and
the provinces was made to give meaning to the partial transfer of power to Indians.
Special powers of the GG

 In addition to the veto power, he was given the power of certification.

o Meaning, once the bill was refused by the legislature, he could certify that a bill
was essential for safety, tranquility or interests of British India and secure its
enactment.
o The GG could refuse his assent to bills passed by the Legislature.
Significance of the Changes Introduced at the Centre
 The Act of 1919 introduced a responsive if not responsible government at the Centre.
 Though the GG and his Executive Council were irremovable, this did not mean they could
neglect the wishes of the Legislature.
 The members became part of the standing committees such as Public Accounts
Committee and got ample opportunity to exercise control on government policy.
 They also exercised control by asking questions and moving motions of adjournment.
 They could also reject the budget and pass resolutions against the government.
 The large elected majority in the Assembly made it virtually impossible for the Executive
Councillors to remain unresponsive to the wishes of the members of the Legislature.
Changes in the Provincial Government
 In order to give effect to the aim of decentralisation and devolution of powers, Provincial

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Autonomy was introduced for the first time. It means freedom of a provincial
government from control by the central Govt.
 The independent powers of the provinces were defined in the „Devolution Rules‟.
Devolution was brought about in areas of finance, legislation and administration.
 Financial devolution →
o The first step towards devolution was taken by providing for a complete separation
of sources of revenue between the centre and the provinces.
 Accordingly, land revenue, excise, irrigation and stamps were made exclusively
provincial items.
o The loss of income was compensated by introduction of the system of provincial
contribution to the central government.
o The provinces were given near complete freedom in preparation of provincial
budgets.
o Taxation powers of the provinces were enlarged by doing away with the
requirement of previous sanction of the GG.
 Legislative devolution →
o This was brought about by separating the items of legislation by the Centre and
the provinces. Accordingly, two lists were drawn → Central list and
Provincial list.
 Central List → Included subjects of national importance or which related to
more than one province like Foreign Affairs, Political Relations, Defence,
Communications, Post and Telegraph etc.
 Provincial List → included subjects which were only of provincial
importance like Local Self Government, Public Health and Sanitation etc.
o The provincial government could also make laws for the ‗peace and good
government‘ of the provinces.
o Central control over provincial legislation still remained and was carried out in
two ways →
 Firstly, a copy of every provincial act had to be sent to the GG, who might
or might not give his assent to it.
 Secondly, if the GG gave his assent, then its copy was sent to the Secretary
of State, who again might or might not give his assent.
The Provincial Executive (Dyarchy or diarchy)
 Dyarchy was introduced in the provinces to meet two main aims →
o firstly, to give responsibility to popular representatives, and

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o secondly, to meet the condition of political backwardness and administrative

inexperience of the Indian people.
 Thus, responsibility for certain subjects of the government was transferred to the Indian
hands (Transferred list) while control over others was reserved in British hands (Reserved
list). In this way, the provincial government was divided into two halves
o the Governor and his Executive Council administered the reserved list while
o the Governor and his Ministers administered the transferred list.

 This novel distribution of executive powers in the provinces was called „dyarchy‟. On
matters of common concerns, there was provision for joint consultation, with the
Governor presiding and having the last word.
 Transferred list → [Can be asked in prelim so have a general idea]
o It included the so-called nation-building subjects which were mainly four, i.e. Local
Self Government, Health, Education (other than European and Anglo-Indian
Education) and some departments relating to Agriculture.
 Other subjects were Public Works, Libraries, Museums, Co-operatives,
Veterinary Departments, Fisheries, Industries, Weights and Measures, Public
Entertainments, Religious and Charitable Endowments, etc.

o These subjects were administered by the Governor acting with

Ministers appointed by him from among the elected members of the
legislature and who were responsible to the Legislature.
 Reserved list →
o It included all remaining subjects like Land Revenue, Police, Justice, Printing Presses,
Pensions, Irrigation and Waterways, Electricity, Mines, Factories, etc.

o These were administered by the Governor with the help of members of

the Executive Council who were nominated by him and who were not
responsible to the Legislature.
o The Governor and his Executive Councillors were appointed by the Crown
for a period of five years and were jointly responsible to the GG and the
Secretary of State. The number of executive councillors was fixed at
maximum four.

Originally, the Act of 1919 applied to only eight provinces → Bengal, Madras, Bombay, United
Provinces, Punjab, Bihar and Orissa, Central Provinces and Assam. In 1923, the Act was extended
to Burma and sometime later to North Western Frontier Province.
The Provincial Legislature (or the Provincial Council)
 The Montford Reforms envisaged the introduction of a new principle called 'Responsible
Government‘. The provincial councils were modified as per this principle in the following

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ways
 Composition
o In each province, unicameral legislature was created which was called the
Legislative Council.
o It was to comprise a Governor‘s Executive Council, elected members and nominated
members.
 Numbers
o The size of the provincial councils was considerably increased and it varied from
province to province.
o The maximum number was 140 for Bengal and minimum was 53 for Assam [Number
is not important for Prelim]
 Proportion of Officials and Non-officials
o In the new Councils, minimum 70 % of the members were to be elected and
maximum 20 per cent could be officials.
 Method of Appointment
o The elected members were to be elected by direct election, i.e. the primary voters
electing the members.
 Qualification for Voters
o Right to vote depended on a number of qualifications such as
 residence in that constituency for a minimum period of time,
 ownership or occupation of a house with minimum rental value,
 payment of a minimum municipal tax or income tax,
 receipt of a military pension, etc.
o As a result, the franchise was extremely narrow.
o In 1920, less than 5 % people got the right to vote. Women could not vote or
contest elections.
 In Britain itself, women got the right to vote only in 1918.
 Duration of the Council
o The term of the Council was fixed at three years. But it could be dissolved earlier
by the Governor and in such a case a new Council was to be elected within six
months after the dissolution.
 Functions of the Councils
o The functions were also enlarged.
o The members enjoyed the right to freedom of speech. They could ask questions

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and supplementaries, move resolutions and initiate legislations concerning any

provincial subject and could even reject the budget (though the Governor could
restore it).
Other Changes (Reforms) Introduced by Act
 New office of the High Commissioner for India in London
 Establishment of a public service commission. Hence, a Central Public Service
Commission was set up in 1926 for recruiting civil servants.
 STATUTORY COMMISSION will be appointed after 10 yrs. of act = Simon Commission.
Criticisms of the Act of 1919
 The Absence of even partial Responsible Government at the Centre.
 The continuation and even extension of separate electorates, even as the Montford
Report had declared the separate electorates as a very serious hindrance to the
development of the self-governing principle.
 The special powers of the Governor. Given these powers, the principle of responsible
government could not be put into practice.
 The introduction of dyarchy.
o The Dyarchy was put into operation during the period April 1921 to April 1937,
though it ceased to function for some time in two provinces—in Bengal (1924-27)
and the Central Provinces (1924-26).
o In its operation, dyarchy was a complete failure. This was reiterated by the official
committee formed to examine the working of Dyarchy, led by Sir Alexander
Muddiman.

[Link]’ was first introduced in India under

A. Morley-Minto reforms
B. Montford reforms
C. Simon Commission plan
D. Government of India Act, 1935
Ans. B

[Link] Lord Mountbatten became the first Governor- General of India, who among the
following became the Governor-General for Pakistan?
A. Lord Mountbatten
B. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
C. Liaquat Ali Khan
D. Shaukat Ali

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Ans. B
 When Lord Mountbatten became the first Governor-General of independent India in August
1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the first Governor-General of Pakistan.
 Jinnah played a central role in the creation of Pakistan and remained its Governor-General
until his death in 1948.

[Link] the following paragraph

He was seriously injured in police lathi charge in Lahore during demonstrations against Simon
Commission, for which he subsequently died in November, 1928. Later on, the British officer who
was responsible for the lathi charge on him, was shot dead by Bhagat Singh and Rajguru. The
revolutionary referred to in the above paragraph is
A. Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant
B. Lala Lajpat Rai
C. Mangal Singh
D. Motilal Nehru
Ans. B
Govind Ballabh Pant (1889-1961)
 Resident : Uttarakhand, Almora
 Established an organisation called Prem Sabha (reforms org.)
 Joined the Congress in December 1921 and soon joined the NCM.
 He was the first Chief Minister of UP (1946 -1954) and prepared the ―Pant Report‖ on
agrarian reforms in UP.
 He abolished Zamindari System in UP.
 He was elected as the Home Minister in 1955 and is a recipient of ‟Bharat Ratna'.

Motilal Nehru (6 May 1861 – 6 February 1931)

 Was an Indian lawyer, activist and politician belonging to the Indian
National Congress. He also served as the Congress President twice, 1919–
1920 and 1928–1929.
 He was a patriarch of the Nehru-Gandhi family and the father of
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
 He is known for his 1928 Nehru Report
Mangal Singh (1892 - 1987)
 Was a Punjabi politician and legislator, member of Central Legislative Assembly and
also served as President of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.
 Mangal Singh actively participated in Gurdwara Reform Movement. He was the member
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of ad hoc committee who negotiated with Britishers which ultimately led to the passing of
Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925. He served as president of SGPC from 1925 to 1926
 He represented the Sikhs in the Motilal Nehru Committee which drew up a draft
constitution of India commonly known as Nehru Report.
 He elected to Central Legislative Assembly in 1935 on nominee of Indian National Congress
and then again in 1945 on the nominee of Shiromani Akali Dal.
Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab Kesari /Lion of Punjab)
 Was influenced by Swami Dayananda Saraswati who founded Arya Samaj. Later on, he
set up a Dayanand Anglo-Vedic school in Lahore.
 He believed that the ideals in Hinduism combined with nationalism will lead to the
establishment of a secular state.
 Along with Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he formed the Lal-Bal-Pal trio of
EXTREMIST LEADERS
 He was also involved with the Hindu Mahasabha.
 He fought against untouchability.
Political Contribution
 He joined the INC and participated in many political agitations in Punjab.
 For his political agitation, he was deported to Mandalay (Myanmar) without trial in
1907 but returned after a few months because of lack of evidence.
 He was opposed to the partition of Bengal.
 He founded the Home Rule League of America in 1917 in New York. In the USA, he
worked to get moral support for the Indian independence movement from the international
community.
 In England, he also became a member of the British Labour party.
 He was also elected President of the All India Trade Union Congress.
 He supported the non-cooperation movement of Gandhi at the Nagpur session of
the Congress in 1920 [Lala was elected as President]
 He protested against the Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that followed.
 He joined the Swaraj Party in 1926 and was elected as its Deputy Leader in the Central
Legislative Assembly in 1926.
 In 1928, he moved a resolution in the assembly refusing cooperation with the Simon
Commission since the Commission had no Indian members.
Social Contribution
 He founded Hindu Relief movement in 1897 to provide help to the famine -stricken
people and thus preventing them falling into the clutches of the missionaries.
 He founded the Servants of People Society at Lahore in 1921

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Biographies
 His biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, and Shivaji were published in 1896 and those
of Dayanand and Shri Krishna in 1898.
 His purpose in selecting Mazzini and Garibaldi was to infuse patriotic sentiment in the
youth of Punjab, who had no access to books in English.
 He wanted his countrymen to become acquainted with the teachings of Italian leaders who
had so impressed his own mind.
Institutional Contribution
 In the wake of the Swadeshi movement (anti-partition of Bengal. 1905-8), when ―the idea
of a national education caught the imagination of the whole of India‖, it was Lajpat
Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who ―propagated the idea‖. He went to set up the
National College in Lahore, where Bhagat Singh studied.
 He founded several institutions and organizations such as Hisar Bar Council, Hisar Arya
Samaj, Hisar Congress, National DAV Managing Committee.
 He was the editor of the Arya Gazette, which he had founded.
 He co-founded the Punjab National Bank in 1894, Lakshmi Insurance Company.
Death
 In 1928, he was leading a silent protest against the Simon Commission in Lahore when
he was brutally lathi-charged by Superintendent of Police, James Scott. He died of
injuries sustained a few weeks later. Scott, was later targeted and killed by Bhagat Singh,
Rajguru, and others as an act of revenge for Lala Lajpat Rai's death.

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2010 (2)
[Link] among the following are the five principles of peaceful co-existence of Panchsheel
as outlined by Jawaharlal Nehru?
A. Mutual respect, military collaboration, economic collaboration, de-colonisation and
territorial integrity
B. Mutual respect for each other territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-
interference, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence
C. Peaceful co-existence, economic collaboration cultural interaction, territorial integrity and
decolonisation
D. Disarmament, peaceful co-existence, economic collaboration, cultural interaction and
territorial integrity
Ans. B
Principles of Panchsheel
 The principles of Panchsheel were first publicly formulated by Zhou Enlai — "While
receiving the Indian delegation to the Tibetan trade talks on Dec. 31, 1953 he enunciated
them as "five principles governing China‘s relations with foreign countries."
 Then in a joint statement in Delhi on 18 June 1954, the principles were emphasized by
the Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Premier Zhou Enlai in a broadcast
speech made at the time of the Asian Prime Ministers Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka
just a few days after the signing of the Sino-Indian treaty in Beijing.
The Five Principles, as stated in the Sino–Indian Agreement 1954, are:
1. mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty,
2. mutual non aggression,
3. mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs,
4. equality and co-operation for mutual benefit, and
5. peaceful co-existence

[Link] of the following statements regarding Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of

Satyagraha is/are correct?
1. Truth and non-violence are its two vital ingredients.
2. The follower of Satyagraha would resist evil but not hate the evil doer.
3. The Satyagrahi would, if necessary, inflict suffering on himself, and also the evil doer.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
A. 1, 2 and 3

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B. 2 and 3
C. Only 1
D. 1 and 2
Ans. D

Gandhi’s Ideology → Satyagraha

 Satyagraha was the chief aspect of Gandhian ideology. Literally it means persistence of
truth or „true force‟.
 Satyagraha was evolved by Gandhi in South Africa and later used as a dominant tool in
India‟s freedom struggle from 1919 onwards.
 In satyagraha, the aim was to insist on truth and make the enemy see one‟s own point
of view by „self-suffering‟ and not by violence.
 This may be done variously by showing passive resistance or civil disobedience to
authority, by non cooperation with evil, by fasting, striking, marching, etc.
 As a result, a satyagrahi would not seek to vindicate the truth by violent means, rather
he would wean the opponent from error by patience and sympathy.
 While distinguishing between satyagraha and passive resistance, Gandhi had clarified
that satyagraha excluded the use of violence in any shape, whereas passive resistance
did not.
[Link] one among the following prompted Rabindranath Tagore to surrender his title of
‘Sir’?
A. The passing of the Rowlatt Act
B. The passing of the Act of 1919
C. To support Mahatma Gandhi‘s Satyagraha Movement
D. To protest against the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh and the imposition of martial law in
Punjab
Ans. D
 Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood (the title of 'Sir') in 1919 as a protest
against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the repressive measures that followed,
including the imposition of martial law in Punjab.
 He expressed his anguish in a powerful letter to the Viceroy, condemning the British actions
as a betrayal of humanity and justice.

[Link] the following statements relating to Indigo Revolt

1. The Indigo Revolt is particularly memorable for the role played by the intelligentsia to
uphold the cause of the movement.
2. After the revolt, the colonial authorities set-up the Indigo Commission to enquire into the
grievances of the Indigo cultivators.
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Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. C
Indigo Revolt (1859-60)
 In Bengal, the indigo planters, nearly all Europeans, exploited the local peasants by forcing
them to grow indigo on their lands instead of the more paying crops like rice.
 The planters forced the peasants to take advance sums and enter into fraudulent
contracts.
 The anger of the peasants exploded in 1859 when, led by Digambar Biswas and Bishnu
Biswas of Nadia district, they decided not to grow indigo under duress and resisted the
physical pressure of the planters.
 The planters also tried methods like evictions and enhanced rents.
 The Bengali intelligentsia played a significant role by supporting the peasants‘ cause.
o Nil Darpan (The Mirror of Indigo) by Dinabandhu Mitra written in 1858 – 59
portrayed the farmers‘ situation accurately.
 The Government appointed an indigo commission to inquire into the problem of indigo
cultivation.
 Based on its recommendations, the Government issued a notification in November 1860
that the ryots could not be compelled to grow indigo and that it would ensure that all
disputes were settled by legal means.

[Link] to 1813, which among the following measures, was not adopted by the British to
exploit the Indians economically ?
A. Monopolising the trade of raw goods wherever possible and selling them at high rates
B. Forcing Indian craftsman to produce quality products in fixed quantity and at fixed price
C. Free Trade Policy
D. Elimination of Indian traders from competition by every means
Ans. C
Shifting Financial Base of the Company (from Trade to Land Revenue)
 From the mid-18th century till 1813, the Company‘s directors had to struggle very hard to
retain Company‘s effective monopoly for many reasons →
o There were always merchants and adventurers who somehow managed to make
their way into Indian trade.

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o The Company‘s own employees were not above temptation to set up their own
private trade.
o The company‘s monopoly also came under severe attack in England owing to the
emergence of the doctrine of Free Trade or laissez faire promoted by economists
like Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations, 1776).
o The capital accumulating in England also wanted freedom of investment.
o With the ongoing industrial revolution, the importance of purely merchandising
activities of the Company (i.e. importing goods from India) diminished in
comparison with industrial manufacturing. There emerged strong lobbies in
England that began pressurising for the abolition of the Company‘s monopoly.
 Owing to the above factors, the Company‘s monopoly was gradually ended by the
Charter Acts of 1813 and 1833.
 With the prospect of declining income from trade, the Company‟s financial base began to
shift from trade and commerce to land revenue, from business of trade to business of
government. This naturally pushed the Company to go ahead with continuous territorial
expansion.

[Link] one of the following statements regarding the Revolt of 1857 is not correct?
A. The revolt was supported whole heartedly by the educated, elite Indian everywhere
B. The diverse elements which took part in the revolt were united by their hatred of British rule
C. The role of Hindu-Muslim unity in the revolt was acknowledged by many, including British
officials
D. The revolt did not spread to South India
Ans. A
Revolt of 1857
 The 1857 rebel witnessed diverse participation by following reasons-
o The revolt had a socio-religious cause because the British interfered in religious
practices of Sati, Women's education, etc.
o The heavy tax on land and strict land revenue collection laws also frustrated the
people.
o Various saints, kings, queens, and noblemen from various parts of the country
participated due to sudden and exploitative administrative practices.
 The revolt of 1857 was characterised by Hindu-Muslim unity.
o The Sepoys and the common people of both the major communities i.e. Hindus and
the Muslims fought together against the British.
o Though there was some division between the Hindus and Muslims before the

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beginning of the revolt.

o But the two communities sank their differences to get united and fight against the
British Raj in 1857, which provided a new strength and energy to the uprising.
 The revolt spread over the entire area from the neighbourhood of Patna to the borders of
Rajasthan.
o The main centres of revolt in these regions namely Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Jhansi,
Gwalior and Arrah in Bihar.
o Thus, we can say that It was limited only to northern India.
 But, most of the educated elite stayed away from the revolt.
o They believed that the British could only reform Indian society and modernise it.
o They helped the Britishers to suppress the revolt.
Thus, we can say that the statement 'It was enthusiastically supported by the educated elite
everywhere' is not correct regarding the revolt of 1857.

[Link] one of the following was not a result of British colonial rule in India?
A. Ruin of Indian agriculture
B. Ruin of Indian industries
C. Ruin of Indian trade
D. Ruin of Indian feudalism
Ans. D
 In fact, the British strengthened feudal structures by introducing systems like Zamindari,
where landlords collected revenue on behalf of the British.
 Examples:
o Under the Permanent Settlement (1793) in Bengal, Zamindars (landlords) were
given legal ownership of land in return for fixed revenue payments to the British.
o This created a class of loyal feudal landlords who oppressed peasants but ensured
revenue collection for the British.
 This reinforced the power of feudal lords rather than destroying it.

[Link] the following events in the history of British India

1. Santhal Rebellion
2. Indigo Revolt
3. Sanyasi and Fakir Rebellion
4. Birsa Munda Rebellion
Which one of the following is a correct chronological sequence of the above events starting with

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the earliest?
A. 3, 2, 1, 4
B. 1, 4, 2, 3
C. 3, 1, 2, 4
D. 2, 1, 4, 3
Ans. C
 Sanyasi and Fakir Rebellion (1770-77)
 Santhal Rebellion (Rajmahal Hills, 1855-56)
 Indigo Revolt (1859-60)
 Munda / Ulgulan Rebellion (Chota Nagpur, 1874-1901)
Santhal Rebellion (Rajmahal Hills, 1855-56)
 The Santhals of Rajmahal Hills (Bihar) resented the oppression by revenue
officials, police, money-lenders, and landlords (in general, by the ―outsiders‘
whom they called diku).

 The Santhals under Sido and Kanhu rose up against their oppressors, declared the end
of the Company‘s rule and asserted themselves independent in 1854.
 It was only in 1856 after extensive military operations that the situation was brought
under control. 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.
 The colonial state hoped that by creating a new territory for the Santhals and imposing
some special laws within it, the Santhals could be conciliated.
 It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal. British government
enacted laws so that the land of tribals could not be taken by outsiders (dikus).
 Hul Divas is observed annually on June 30 in memory of tribals — Sidho and Kanhu Murmu
— who led the Santhal Hul (rebellion) on June 30, 1855, at Bhognadih in Sahebganj district.
Munda / Ulgulan Rebellion (Chota Nagpur, 1874-1901)
 This was a tribal movement that developed between 1874 and 1901 and was led by Birsa
Munda from 1895. It affected an area of about 400 square miles in the Chota Nagpur
region of South Bihar.
 The Khuntkatti system, which was a joint holding of land, prevailed among the Mundas.
o But the advent of the British and the outsider-Zamindars replaced the Khunkatti
with the Zamindari system. This caused indebtedness and forced labour among
the tribals.
 The movement had a distinct connection with Christianity in its early phase.

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o The Mundas accepted Christianity with the belief that the German missionaries
would help them against the exploitation of the zamindars.
o However, dissatisfaction with the German missionaries made them turn to the
Catholic mission.
 In 1899, Birsa Munda declared a rebellion to establish the Munda rule and encouraged
the killing of „jagirdars and rajas and hakims (rulers) and Christians‟.
 There was active participation of women in this movement. Economically weaker non-
tribal people were not attacked.
 Suppression → The rebellion was ruthlessly suppressed by the British forces. Birsa was
arrested in 1900 and he died in prison the same year.
Sanyasi and Fakir Rebellion
 Sanyasis: Literally, Sanyasi refers to one who has renounced the world for the sake of
spiritual life. In the British documents, they have been identified as ―gypsies of Hindustan―,
―trading pilgrims―, ―disorderly tribe of lawless mendicants―, ―religious vagrants‖ etc.
 Fakirs: Muslim: belonged to Madariya group of the Sufi Silsila
 Reasons of the Revolt
o British control over Bengal after battles of Plassey and Buxar cause many difficulties
for Zamindars + peasants + Fakirs and Sanyasis + Bengal Famine → Zamindars
could not pay the taxes & their land was confiscated. (Fakirs and Sanyasis used to
wander whole north Bengal and collect sizeable amount of alms from local
Zamindars. But now zamindar have no money for them so they were also unhappy)
o They raided government treasuries, killed British officers and caused acute chaos and
misery.
o In 1771, 150 Fakirs were killed for no good reason. This triggered rebellion which
reached its climax in late 1770s.
 Leaders and Groups involved
o Displaced Zamindars, peasants, artisans and disbanded armies of Nawabs
o Leader For Fakirs: Majanun Shah & Musa Shah
o Leader For Sanyasi: Bhabani Pathak and Devi Chowdhurani (Chaudhurani) &
Chirag Ali
 Anandamath, a semi-historical novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, is based on
the Sanyasi Revolt.

[Link] the following statements

Statement I : Bal Gangadhar Tilak sought to diffuse the spirit of nationalism among the masses.
Statement II : Tilak organised a corps of volunteers to help the famine stricken people in the
Deccan.
Codes:
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A. Both the statements are true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
B. Both the statements are true, but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
C. Satement I is true, but Statement II is false
D. Statement I is false, but Statement II is true
Ans. B
Bal Gangadhar Tilak sought to diffuse the spirit of nationalism among the masse (True)
 Tilak was one of the earliest leaders to link cultural revivalism with nationalism. He used
public festivals like Ganesh Utsav and Shivaji Jayanti to awaken national pride and
political awareness among the masses.
Tilak organised a corps of volunteers to help the famine-stricken people in the Deccan (True)
 Tilak indeed took social initiatives such as mobilizing volunteers to provide relief during the
famine of 1896–97 in the Deccan region.
However, the second statement is not the direct explanation for the first. Helping famine
victims was a humanitarian and social effort, whereas the diffusion of nationalism was done
primarily through political and cultural means.

[Link] the following statements about the Non- Cooperation Movement

1. The movement was a mixture of nationalism, middle class politics, religion, feudalism,
agrarian discontent and working class agitation.
2. The movement was much greater in intensity than any other political agitation which came
before it.
3. The movement helped to foster Hindu-Muslim unity.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. Only 2
B. 2 and 3
C. Only 3
D. 1 and 3
Ans. B
The movement was a mixture of nationalism, middle class politics, religion, feudalism, agrarian
discontent and working class agitation (Not entirely accurate)
 While the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) did draw support from various social
groups (middle class, peasants, workers), the reference to "feudalism" is misleading.
 The movement was not supported by most feudal or princely elements, who were generally
loyal to the British. Also, the working-class participation was limited and not centrally
organized under this movement.

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The movement was much greater in intensity than any other political agitation which came before it
(True)
 This was the first mass movement with nationwide participation involving millions of
people from both rural and urban areas. It marked a new phase in Indian nationalism by
including peasants, students, and workers in large numbers.
The movement helped to foster Hindu-Muslim unity (True)
 The movement coincided with the Khilafat Movement, which brought Hindus and Muslims
together on a common platform against British rule. Gandhi had actively supported the
Khilafat cause as part of the Non-Cooperation strategy.

[Link] of the following statements above Ryotwari settlement is/are correct?

1. It recognised the cultivators as the owner of land.
2. It was a temporary settlement.
3. It was introduced later than the permanent settlement.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
A. 1 and 2
B. 2 and 3
C. Only 1
D. All of these
Ans. D
Ryotwari System (by Sir Thomas Munro and Captain Alexander Reed, Madras, 1820)
 The defects of Permanent Settlement became more prominent with time and the British
began to devise other ways of collecting land-tax. Moreover, new challenges emerged
when the British conquered South and South Western India.
What was Ryotwari System
 In 1792, two officers Munro and Read were sent to administer the newly conquered
regions of Madras.

 They found that there were no large zamindars with large estates in these regions with
whom land revenue settlement could be made.
 They therefore recommended that settlement should be made directly with the actual
cultivators or „ryots‟ based on their Field Assessment == > Ryotwari System

 Under this system, the cultivator was to be recognized as the owner of his
land so long as he paid the land tax == > ELIMINATION OF MIDDLEMEN
 The tax payable on each field was fixed by a government officer and then the cultivator
had the choice of cultivating the field and paying the amount, or not cultivating it.

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 Under this system government gave Pattas to the ryots. The Settlement under this system
was not made permanent but was revised after every 20 or 30 years and the revenue
demand was usually raised.
Land Survey and Assessment under Ryotwari
 In fixing the assessment, the REVENUE OFFICERS SURVEYED EACH FIELD, considered the
soil quality as well as the field area and then fixed the assessment on it based on their
survey. [ rates were 50% in dryland and 60% in wetlands]

 However, in practice, the Ryotwari System was extended in the Madras Presidency
(1920) in forms different from the one originally envisaged by Munro. No survey was
carried out in many districts and assessment was done based on tax paid in previous
years, known as Putcut Assessment.
 The government officers also began to compel the ryots to cultivate land against their
wishes and employ oppressive methods of collection, leading to the setting up of Madras
Torture Commission in 1854.
Negative Impact of Ryotwari System
 However, Ryotwari System did not bring about a system of peasant ownership of land.
 The government later also declared that the land revenue was rent and not tax.
 Also, the revenue was fixed at a very high rate (45-50%), the government could raise it at
will
 Ryot had to pay the revenue even when his crop was wholly destroyed.
 Use of harsh collection practices was common and included vile practices of torture
 The system caused widespread oppression; the peasantry sank deep in poverty and fell
into the clutches of the chetty (moneylender).
Areas Covered
 In 1792, this System was first implemented in Baramahal district by Colonel Read.
 After 1820, this system was extended to most of Madras Presidency.
 In 1825, this system was introduced in Bombay and by 1858 it was being implemented
in entire Deccan.

Thus, Ryotwari system was implemented in Madras, Bombay, East Bengal, Assam and Coorg. It
covered 51 per cent area of British India. In this way, this system was implemented on maximum
land area.

[Link] the following statements about Dr Ram Manohar Lohia

1. He believed the Satyagraha without constructive work is like a sentence without a verb.
2. He wrote his PhD thesis paper on the topic of Salt Satyagraha, focusing on Mahatma
Gandhi‘s socioeconomic theory.

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3. He recognised that caste, more than class, was the huge stumbling block to India‘s
progress.
Which of the statements give above is/are correct?
A. Only 1
B. 2 and 3
C. 1 and 3
D. All of these
Ans. C
Ram Manohar Lohiya
 Was an activist in the Indian independence movement and a socialist political leader.
 During the last phase of British rule in India, he worked with the Congress Radio which
was broadcast secretly from various places in Bombay until 1942.
National movement
 Lohia's PhD thesis at the University of Berlin was titled "Salt Taxation in India". His thesis,
submitted in 1933, focused on the impact of salt taxation in India, particularly in relation to
Gandhi's socio-economic theories. While he completed the thesis, he did not obtain the
PhD due to failing to submit the required number of printed copies.
 Lohia was one of the founders of the Congress Socialist Party and editor of its
mouthpiece Congress Socialist.
 In 1936, he was selected by Jawaharlal Nehru as the secretary of the Foreign Department
of the All India Congress Committee (A.I.C.C), the highest body of the Congress Party.
 By the time he quit that responsibility in 1938, Lohia started to develop his own political
standpoint by critically examining positions held by the Gandhian leadership of the
Congress and the Communists who had poured into the CSP.
 In June 1940, he was arrested and sentenced to a jail term of
two years for delivering anti-war speeches. Already released by
the end of 1941, Lohia became one of the leading figures of
the Central Directorate which clandestinely tried to organise
the Quit India revolt, sparked by Gandhi in August 1942.
 Captured in May 1944, he was incarcerated and tortured in
Lahore Fort. As one of the last high security prisoners, Lohia,
together with Jayaprakash Narayan, was finally released on 11
April 1946. He was the one who gave the idea of sapta kranti.
 Lohia advocated devolution of politico-administrative power and coined the phrase
‗Four-Pillar State‟. He supported Panchayat Raj.
Later political career
 As a member of the Congress Socialist Party Lohia joined with that party when it left

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Congress. He remained a member of the Socialist Party when it fused in 1952 with the
Kisan Majdoor Praja Party to form the Praja Socialist Party.
 Unhappy with the new party Lohia led a split from it to reform the Socialist Party (Lohia)
in 1956.
 He lost to Nehru in 1962 general election in Phulpur. In 1963 Lohia became a member
of the Lok Sabha after a by-election in Farrukhabad (Lok Sabha constituency) and in
1965 merged the Socialist Party (Lohia) into the ranks of the Samyukta Socialist Party. The
two socialist factions merged, split and re-merged several times.
 In 1967, Lohia played an instrumental role in formation of the first non-Congress
government in Uttar Pradesh. This alliance was formed by Lohia and Bharatiya Jan Sangh
leader Nanaji Deshmukh.
 He won Lok Sabha general election of 1967 from Kannauj (Lok Sabha constituency), but
died a few months later.
Lohiaite
 Lohiaite refers to a follower or supporter of Ram Manohar Lohia, an Indian socialist leader
and political thinker.
 Lohiaites advocate for:
o Socialism with an Indian context (opposing both capitalism and communism).
o Economic self-reliance and decentralization.
o Caste and gender equality with a focus on social justice.
o Opposition to Congress-style politics and promotion of grassroots democracy.

[Link] of the following statements relating to the Non - Alignment Movement is/are not
correct?
1. Non-alignment came to symbolise the struggle of India and other newly independent
nations to retain and strengthen their independence from colonialism and imperialism.
2. Non-alignment advanced the process of democratisation of international relations.
3. Military alliances formed a major part of non-alignment.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
A. 1 and 2
B. 2 and 3
C. Only 3
D. Only 1
Ans. A
 Non-alignment explicitly rejected military alliances. The core idea was to remain
independent of major power blocs, especially military ones like NATO or the Warsaw Pact.
NAM promoted peaceful coexistence and neutrality in global conflicts.
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Non-alignment Movement
 The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States
that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the
Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral.
 The Non-Aligned Movement was founded and held its first conference (the Belgrade
Conference) in 1961 under the leadership of →
o Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia,
o Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt,
o Jawaharlal Nehru of India,
o Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, and Sukarno of Indonesia.

[Link] which among the following the residuary powers were conferred by the federation
established by the act of 1935?
A. Federal legislature
B. Provincial legislatures
C. Governor-General
D. Provincial Governors
Ans. C
Government of India Act, 1935
 Under the Government of India Act, 1935, a federal structure was proposed (though it
was never fully implemented). The powers were divided into three lists:
o Federal List – For the central government
o Provincial List – For the provinces
o Concurrent List – Shared by both
 However, any subject not mentioned in these lists — i.e., residuary powers — were not
given to the provinces or the federal legislature.
 Instead, the residuary powers were vested in the Governor-General, who could legislate
on these matters in his discretion.
 This marked a significant centralizing feature of the Act, giving the British-controlled
Governor-General overriding authority.

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