GS Prelims Test - 06 (Solutions)

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GENERAL STUIDES (P) TEST – 2433 (2018)
Q 1.C
 The Indian army was carefully reorganised after 1858. Some changes were made necessary by the transfer
of power to the Crown. Firstly, the domination of the army by its European branch was carefully
guaranteed. The proportion of Europeans to Indians in the army was raised. Moreover, the European
troops were kept in key geographical and military positions. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 The organisation of the Indian section of the army was based on the policy of divide and rule so as to
prevent its chance of uniting again in an anti-British uprising. Communal, caste, tribal and regional
loyalities were encouraged amongst the soldiers so that the sentiment of nationalism would not grow
among them. For example caste and communal companies were introduced in most of the
regiments. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
 The older policy of excluding Indians from the officer corps was strictly maintained. Till 1914, no Indian
could rise higher than the rank of a subedar. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Q 2.B
 In May 1873, an agrarian league or combination was formed in Yusufshahi Parganah in Pabna district
of Bengal to resist the demands of the zamindars of enhanced rents.The league organized mass
meetings of peasants.and large crowds gathered and then they marched towards the villages frightening
the zamindars. The league organized a rent-strike- the ryots refused to pay the enhanced rents -
and challenged the zamindars in the courts. The struggle gradually spread throughout Pabna and then to
the other districts of East Bengal.
 Everywhere agrarian leagues were organized, rents were withheld and zamindars fought in the courts. The
main form of struggle was that of legal resistance. There was very little violence - it only occurred when
the zamindars tried to compel the ryots to submit to their terms by force.
 In the course of the movement, the ryots developed a strong awareness of the law and their legal rights
and the ability to combine and form associations for peaceful agitation.
Q 3.A
 The Congress had resolved on the boycott of Simon Commission at its annual session in December 1927
at Madras.The Civil Disobedience Movement was started by Gandhi ji in March 1930 with his
famous Dandi March and in 6th April he broke the Salt law. Gandhi-Irwin Pact (in March 1931) was
signed between Mahatma Gandhi and the then Viceroy of India Lord Irwin by which he agreed to take
part in the Second Round Table Conference (Sept. – Dec 1931).
Q 4.B
 In January 1926, Jayakar, the officer charged with the duty of reassessment of the land revenue,
recommended a thirty percent increase over the existing assessment. This led to the resentment among the
local peasants, leading to Bardoli Satyagraha.
 The issue of withdrawal of plague bonus was taken up during Ahemdabad mill strike. Hence, statement 1
is not correct.
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 Vallabhbhai Patel‘s capacities as an organizer, speaker, campaigner was so inspiring that the women of
Bardoli gave him the title of Sardar. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Q 5.C
 A revolutionary phase in Bengal saw large scale participation of young women under Surya Sen's
leadership, they provided shelters, acted as messengers and custodians of arms and fought guns in hand.
Preetilata Waddekar died while conducting a raid, while Kalpana Dutt was arrested and tried along with
Surya Sen and given a life sentence. In December 1931, two school girls Commilla, Shanti Ghosh and
Suniti Chaudhary, shot dead the district magistrates. In December 1932, Beena Das fired point blank at
the Governor while receiving her degree at the convocation.
Q 6.B
 The leading figures during the first phase of the National Movement (1885-1905) were moderates.
Leading moderates were A.O. Hume, W.C. Banerjee, Surendra Nath Banerjee, Pherozeshah Mehta,
Gopalakrishna Gokhale, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Badruddin Tyabji, Justice Ranade,
G.Subramanya Aiyar.
 The closing decade of the nineteenth century and early years of the twentieth century witnessed the
emergence of a new and younger group within the Indian National Congress, which was sharply critical of
the ideology and the methods of the old leadership. These extremists were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghose.
Q 7.D
The important contributions of early nationalists in Indian National Movement were:
 To provide leadership to the movement in the early stage.

 To provide economic criticism of colonial government.
 To create public interest in political questions and organization of public opinion.
The early nationalists did not believe in the capacity of masses and considered them as uneducated. It was the
major weakness of early nationalists most of whom were elite educated Indians. Hence, statement 2 is not
correct.
Q 8.A
 Lord Cornwallis, who came to India as Governor-General in 1786, was determined to purify the
administration, but he realised that the Company's servants would not give honest and efficient service so
long as they were not given adequate salaries. He therefore enforced the rules against private trade and
acceptance of presents and bribes by officials with strictness. At the same time, he raised the salary of the
Company‘s servants. For example, the Collector of a district was to be paid Rs. 1500 a month and one per
cent commission on the revenue collection of his district. In fact the Company's Civil Service became the
highest paid service in the world. Cornwallis also laid down that promotion in the Civil Services would
be by seniority so that its members would remain independent of outside influence. Hence, statement 1
is correct.
 In 1800, Lord Wellesley pointed out that even though civil servants often ruled over vast areas, they came
to India at the immature age of 18 or so and were given no regular training before starting on their jobs.
They generally lacked knowledge of Indian languages. Wellesley therefore established the Fort William
college at Calcutta for the education of young recruits to the Civil Services. Hence, statement 2 is not
correct.
 Civil services examination started to be held in India from 1922 (Lord Reading) onwards. It was not
introduced by Lord Cornwallis . Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Q 9.A
The new political thrust in the years between 1875 and 1885 was the creation of the younger, more radical
nationalist intellectuals most of whom entered politics during this period. They established new associations
for their programmes and political activities as well as social bases.
 1836-Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha.

 1838 - Zamindari Association or Landholders' Society in Calcutta. The promotion of landholders'
interests through petitions to government and discreet persuasion of the bureaucracy was its professed
object.
 1843-Bengal British India Society
 In 1873-74, the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, led by Justice Ranade, organized a successful campaign among
the peasants, as well as at Poona and Bombay against the land revenue settlement of 1867.
 The British Indian Association of Bengal was established in 1851.
 The younger nationalists of Bengal, led by Surendranath Banerjea and Anand Mohan Bose, founded The
Indian Association in 1876.
 Younger men of Madras - M. Viraraghavachariar, G. Subramaniya Iyer, P. Ananda Charlu and others -
formed the Madras Mahajan Sabha in 1884.
 In Bombay, the more militant intellectuals like K.T. Telang and Pherozeshah Mehta broke away from
older leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji and Dinshaw Petit on political grounds and formed the Bombay
Presidency Association in 1885.
 1883-India National Conference- Surendranath Banerjee
 All India Muslim League was formed in 1906 at Dacca.
Q 10.B
 Early nationalists were critical of large scale investment in Railways and plantation as it resulted into
drain of wealth. These investments facilitate easy export of raw material and came at high interest
rate. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 They saw solution to poverty in India in the development of domestic industries. So they promote the idea
of Swadeshi. Hence, statement 2 is correct .
 They supported Indian capitalist class but were critical of British capitalist class. Hence, statement 3 is
not correct.
 They demanded abolition of salt tax since starting. Hence, statement 4 is correct.
Q 11.B
 In 1873-74, the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (Poona Public Society), led by Mahadev Govind Ranade,
who organized a successful campaign among the peasants, as well as at Poona and Bombay against the
land revenue settlement of 1867. The Servants of India Society was formed in Pune, Maharashtra, on
June 12, 1905 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who left the Deccan Education Society to form this association.
 This agitation had generated a mentality of resistance among the peasants which contributed to the rise of
peasant protest in 1875. The Sabha as well as many of the nationalist newspapers also supported the
Deccan Agriculturists‘ Relief Bill. Under its impact, a large number of peasants refused to pay the
enhanced revenue.
Q 12.A
 The Indian capitalist class had its own notions of how the anti-imperialist struggle ought to be waged. It
was always in favour of not completely abandoning the constitutional path and the negotiating table and
generally preferred to put its weight behind constitutional forms of struggle as opposed to mass civil
disobedience. This was due to several reasons
First, there was the fear that mass civil disobedience, especially if it was prolonged, would unleash forces
which could turn the movement revolutionary in a social sense (i.e., threaten capitalism itself).
Second, the capitalists were unwilling to support a prolonged all-out hostility to the government of the day
as it prevented the continuing of day-to-day business and threatened the very existence of the class.

 The Indian capitalists‘ support to constitutional participation, whether it be in assemblies, conferences or

even joining the Viceroy‘s Executive Council, is not to be understood simply as their getting co-opted into
the imperial system or surrendering to it. Further, however keen the capitalists may have been to keep
constitutional avenues open, they clearly recognized the futility of entering councils.
 Finally, it must be noted that for the capitalist class constitutionalism was not an end in itself, neither did
it subscribe to what has often been called ‗gradualism‘ in which case it would have joined hands with the
Liberals and not supported the Congress which repeatedly went in for nonconstitutional struggle including
mass civil disobedience.
 The Indian capitalist class grew from about the mid 19th century with largely an independent
capital base and not as junior partners of foreign capital or as compradors. The capitalist class on the
whole was not tied up in a subservient position with pro-imperialist feudal interests either economically or
politically.
Q 13.C
 The Government of India Act 1935 provided for the establishment of on All India Federation which
was to be based on union of princely states. There was to be a bicameral federal legislature in which states
were given disproportionate weightage. The representatives of the states were not to be elected by the
people but appointed directly by the rulers. It also provided for a new system of government for the
provinces on the basis of provincial autonomy.
 The franchise was restricted and only about 14 percent of the total population in British India was given
the right to vote.There were restrictions on the basis of tax, property and educational qualifications.
Q 14.D
 Gaffar Khan, also called Badshah Khan and Frontier Gandhi, had started the first Pushto political
monthly Pukhtoon and had organised a volunteer brigade 'Khudai Khidmatgars', popularly known as
the 'Red-Shirts', who were pledged to the freedom struggle and non-violence.
 They played an extremely active role in the Civil Disobedience Movement. The atmosphere created by
their political work contributed to the mass upsurge in Peshawar during which the city was virtually in the
hands of the crowd for more than a week.
Q 15.D
 All the statements are not correct.

 The British guaranteed the Princes against any threat to their autocratic power, internal or external. Most
of the princely States were run as unmitigated autocracies, with absolute power concentrated in the hands
of the ruler or his favorites. The burden of the land tax was usually heavier than in British India and
there was usually much less of the rule of law and civil liberties. The rulers had unrestrained power
over the state revenues for personal use, and this often led to ostentatious living and waste. Some of the
more enlightened rulers and their ministers did make attempts, from time to time, to introduce reforms in
the administration, the system of taxation and even granted powers to the people to participate in
government. But the vast majority of the States were bastions of economic, social, political and
educational backwardness, for reasons not totally of their own making.
Q 16.D
 Statements 1 and 3 are correct: An important aspect of the swadeshi Movement was the emphasis
placed on self-reliance or ‗Atmasakti‘, which means assertion of national dignity, honour and self-
confidence. In economic field, fostering of indigenous industries was emphasised.
 Statement 2 is correct: Nationalists opened National Education institutions who regarded the existing
education system as inadequate. To this effect, National Council of Education was setup in 1906. Also
active participation of women and many prominent muslims such as Abdul Rasul, Liaquat Hussain,
Guznavi etc. was seen.
Q 17.C
 As the World War II situation worsened, President Roosevelt of the USA and President Chiang Kai-Shek
of China as also the Labour Party leaders of Britain put pressure on Churchill to seek the active

cooperation of Indians in the War. To secure this cooperation the British Government sent to India in
March 1942 a mission headed by a Cabinet minister Stafford Cripps, a leftwing Labourite who had earlier
actively supported the Indian national movement. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 Even though Cripps announced that the aim of British policy in India was ‗the earliest possible realization
of self- government in India,‘ the Draft Declaration he brought with him was disappointing. The
Declaration promised India Dominion Status and a constitution-making body, after the war, whose
members would be elected by the provincial assemblies and nominated by the rulers in case of the
princely states. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Q 18.B
 The British introduced the modern concept of the rule of law. This meant that their administration was to
be carried out, at least in theory, in obedience to laws, which clearly defined the rights, privileges, and
obligations of the subjects and not according to the caprice or personal discretion of the ruler. One
important feature of the concept of the rule of law was that any official could be brought before a court
of law for breaches of official duty or for acts done in excess of his official authority. The rule of law
was to some extent, a guarantee of the personal liberty of a person. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 The Indian legal system under the British was based on the concept of equality before law. This meant
that in the eyes of law all men were equal. The same law applied to all persons irrespective of their
caste, religion, or class. Previously, the judicial system had paid heed to caste distinctions and had
differentiated between the high-born and low-born. For the same crime lighter punishment was awarded
to a Brahmin than to a non-Brahmin. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
 There was one exception to this principle of equality before law. The Europeans and their descendants had
separate courts and even laws. In criminal cases they could be tried only by European judges. Hence,
statement 3 is correct.
Q 19.B
 In 1916 at Lucknow, both the Congress and Muslim League signed a pact known as the Lucknow Pact,
and put forward common political demands before the Government including the demand for self-
government for India after the war. The Pact accepted separate electorates and the system of weightage
and reservation of seats for the minorities in the legislatures.
Q 20.C
 In March 1919, the government passed the Rowlatt Act even though every single Indian member of the
Central Legislative Council opposed it. It aimed at severely curtailing the civil liberties of Indians in the
name of curbing terrorist violence. Thus, this Act authorised the Government to imprison any person
without trial and conviction in a court of law. The Act would thus also enable the government to suspend
the right of Habeas corpus which had been the foundation of civil liberties in Britain. Hence, option (c) is
correct.
Q 21.B
Anglo-French rivalry in India coincided with the wars between the English and French in Europe for
primarily two reasons :
 For protection of commercial interests.

 Political developments in the south India and Europe provided pretexts to contest their claims which
culminated in the three Carnatic wars.
o First Carnatic War (1740-48) - It was an extension of the Anglo-French rivalry in Europe and ended
in 1748 with the treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle.
o Second Carnatic War (1749-54) - Although inconclusive, it undermined the French power in the south
India vis-a-vis the English.
o Third Carnatic War (1758-63) - A decisive war, known for the Battle of Wandiwash.
By the Treaty of Paris (1763), the French were allowed to use Indian settlements for commercial purposes
only and fortification of settlements was banned.
Q 22.B
 Raja Rammohan Roy was the first Indian to start an agitation for political reform. He advocated the
substitution of English in place of Persian language in courts of law, employment of Indian personnel in
civil services, separation of offices of judges and revenue commissioners. He also suggested consultation
with Indian public before enactment of law in the country.
Q 23.A
 The safety valve theory is that the Indian National Congress was started by A.O. Hume and others under
the official direction, guidance and advice of Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy, to provide a safe, mild, peaceful,
and constitutional outlet or safety valve for the rising discontent among the masses, which was inevitably
leading towards a popular and violent revolution.
Q 24.D
 Subhas Chandra Bose resigned from the presidentship of Congress in April, 1939 and founded
the Forward Bloc.
 Congress Socialist Party was founded in 1934 under the leadership of Acharya Narendra Dev and Jai
Prakash Narayan.
 Communist Party of India grew under the leadership of P.C. Joshi after 1935.The first all India peasant
organization, the All India Kisan Sabha was formed in 1936 under the presidentship of
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati.
Q 25.C
 In 1903, in South Africa, Gandhi started a weekly newspaper, Indian Opinion. From India Gandhi
continued supporting Indian Opinion all his life by providing regular editorial materials and moral and
financial support. In 1919, Gandhi started two weeklies in India, Young India and Navjivan. In 1933,
Gandhiji added a third weekly, Harijan(which means ‘the children of God’)
 In early 1915, Annie Besant launched a campaign through her two papers, New India and Commonweal,
and organized public meetings and conferences to demand that India be granted self-government on the
lines of the White colonies after the War.
Q 26.B
 In the first week of February in 1922 at Chauri-Chaura, demonstrators participating in the Non-
cooperation movement attacked and set fire to a police station, killing all of its occupants. On 12 February
1922, the Congress leaders met at Bardoli and Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-cooperation
movement. By Bardoli resolution Non-cooperation movement was withdrawn. Bardoli (Surat,
Gujarat) satyagraha was a no-tax movement launched in mid-February 1928.
Q 27.D
All the statements are correct.
Following were the reasons for stagnation and deterioration of agriculture during the British period in India-
 The destruction of the traditional industries resulted in unemployement among the handicraftsmen and
rural artisans. This forced them to crowd them into agriculture.
 British government used to charge heavy taxation over peasantry.
 The growth of subinfeudation or intermediaries was a remarkable feature of the spread of landlordism.
Through this process a large number of rent receiving intermediaries sprang up between the actual
cultivator and the government. It was the tenants who had to bear the burden of maintaining the horde of
superior landlords.
 Indian agriculture was technologically stagnating. There was absence of use of modern machinery to
improve the status of indian agriculture.

Q 28.B
The main provisions of Indian Councils Act 1892 were as follows:

 Number of additional members in Imperial Legislative Councils and the Provincial Legislative Councils
was raised. In Imperial Legislative Council, now the governor-general could have ten to sixteen non-
officials (instead of six to ten previously). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 Some of these additional members could be indirectly elected Thus an element of election was
introduced for the first time. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
 Budget could be discussed.
 Questions could be asked.
But there were certain limitations of these reforms:
 The officials retained their majority in the council, thus leaving ineffective the non-official voice.
 The reformed Imperial Legislative Council met, during its tenure till 1909, on an average for only thirteen
days in a year, and the number of unofficial Indian members present was only five out of twenty-four.
 The budget could not be voted upon, nor could any amendments be made to it. Hence statement 3 is
not correct.
 Supplementary questions could not be asked, nor could answers be discussed.
Q 29.B
 The Swarajaya or Swarajist Party, established as the Congress-Khilafat Swarajaya Party, in January
1923 after the Gaya session in December 1922 of the Indian National Congress included Motilal Nehru
and C.R Das as its members. They believed that nationalists should end the boycott of legislative
councils, enter them, obstruct their working, expose their weaknesses etc. However, Vallabhbhai Patel,
Dr Rajendra Prasad opposed council entry.
Q 30.D
 Both the statements are not correct.
 The Indian press was freed of restrictions by Charles Metcalfe in 1835. He is called 'Liberator of
India Press'. This step had been welcomed enthusiastically by the educated Indians. It was one of the
reasons why they had for some time supported British rule in India. But the nationalists gradually began to
use the press to arouse national consciousness among the people and to sharply criticise the reactionary
policies of the Government. This turned the officials against the Indian press and they decided to curb its
freedom. This was attempted by passing the Vernacular Press Act in 1878. This Act put serious
restrictions on the freedom of the Indian language newspapers only.
Q 31.D
The most militant and widespread of the peasant movements was the Indigo Revolt of 1859-60.
 The planters forced the peasants to take a meager amount as advance and enter into fraudulent
contracts which, often he was not in a position to repay. The advance was used by the planters to compel
them to go on cultivating indigo.
 The price paid for the indigo plants was far below the market price.
 The peasant was forced to grow indigo on the best land he had whether or not he wanted to devote his
land and labour to more paying crops like rice.
 At the time of delivery, he was cheated even of the due low price. He also had to pay regular bribes to the
planter‘s officials.
 Since the enforcement of forced and fraudulent contracts through the courts was a difficult and prolonged
process, the planters resorted to a reign of terror to coerce the peasants.
 With a few exceptions, the magistrates, mostly European, favoured the planters with whom they dined and
hunted regularly. Those few who tried to be fair were soon transferred.
Q 32.B
 Peasants were moved by strong notions of legitimacy, of what was justifiable and what was not. That is
why they did not fight for land ownership or against landlordism but against eviction and undue
enhancement of rent. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 Peasants did not object to paying interest on the sums he had borrowed; he hit back against fraud and
chicanery by the moneylender and when the latter went against tradition in depriving him of his land.
 They did not deny the state‘s right to collect a tax on land but objected when the level of taxation
overstepped all traditional bounds. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
 They did not object to the foreign planter becoming his zamindar but resisted the planter when he took
away his freedom to decide what crops to grow and refused to pay him a proper price for his crop. Hence,
Q 33.D
 Komagatamaru incident occurred in 1914.

 Mahatama Gandhi arrived India in January 1915.
 Home Rule leagues were set up in 1916. (Tilak - April,1916 and Annie Besant - September,1916)
 Hence option (d) is correct.
Q 34.B
 Option (b) is the correct answer.

 The most outstanding Rajput ruler of the 18th century was Raja Sawai Jai Singh of Amber (1681-1743).
He was a distinguished statesman, law-maker and reformer. But most of all he shone as a man of science
in an age when Indians were oblivious to scientific progress. He founded the city of Jaipur and made it a
great seat of science and art. Jai Singh was above all a great astronomer. He set up observatories with
accurate and advanced instruments at Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura. Jai Singh was also a
social reformer. He tried to enforce a law to reduce the lavish expenditure which Rajputs had to incur on
their daughters wedding and which led to female infanticide.
Q 35.C
 The Indian Councils Act of 1909 increased the number of elected members in the imperial Legislative
Council and the provincial legislative councils. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 Most of the elected members were still elected indirectly. An Indian was to be appointed a member of the
Governor-General‘s Executive Council. Of the sixty-eight members of the Imperial Legislative Council,
thirty-six were officials and five were nominated non-officials. Out of twenty seven elected members, 8
seats were reserved for the Muslims; six were elected by big landlords and two by British
capitalists. Separate electorates for Muslims, big landlords and by British capitalists. Separate
electorates means only Muslims/landlord/ British capitalists should vote for candidates for a seat reserved
for Muslim/landlord/ British capitalists respectively. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
 The Act permitted members to introduce resolutions; it also increased their power to ask
questions. Voting on separate budget items was allowed. But the reformed councils still enjoyed no real
power and remained mere advisory bodies. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Q 36.B
 The sudden suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement shattered the high hopes raised earlier. Many
young people began to question the very basic strategy of the national leadership and its emphasis on non-
violence and began to look for alternatives. They were not attracted by the parliamentary politics of the
Swarajists or the patient and undramatic constructive work of the no-changers. Many were drawn to the
idea that violent methods alone would free India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 The Russian revolution and the success of the young Socialist State was a major influence. The
revolutionaries were keen to learn from and take the help of the Soviet state and its ruling Bolshevik
party. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
 There was no split in Congresss during 1920s. The National Congress also successfully avoided a split
once the lessons of the Surat split of 1907 had been learned. All this was possible because Congressmen
after 1919 were as a whole committed to mass politics and not to constitutional politics. Whenever the
mass upsurge came, Congressmen abandoned the legislatures and plunged into the mass
movement. Hence, statement 2 is not correct
Q 37.A
 The Communist Party of India, Congress Socialist Party and Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose and other
Left leaders, all shared a common political programme which enabled them, despite ideological and
organizational differences, to work together after 1935 and make socialism a strong current in Indian
politics. The basic features of this programme were: consistent and militant anti-imperialism, anti-
landlordism, the organization of workers and peasants in trade unions and kisan sabhas, the
acceptance of a socialist vision of independent India and of the socialist programme of the economic and
social transformation of society, and an antifascist, anti-colonial and anti-war foreign policy.
Q 38.D
 Statement 1 is not correct: Swami Dayanand Saraswati favoured the study of western sciences as they
deal with the problems of men in real world instead of following traditional beliefs.
 Statement 2 is not correct: Vedas were considered as infalliable by the institution, whereas Swami
Dayanand Saraswati believed that selfish and ignorant priests had perverted Hindu religion with the aid of
Puranas, which were full of false teachings.
Q 39.C
 Edward Montagu (Secretary of State) and Lord Chelmsford (The viceroy) produced scheme of
constitutional reforms (Montagu-Chelmsford reforms) which formed the basis of the Government of India
Act 1919. Under it the provincial legislative councils were enlarged and the majority of their members
were to be elected. The provincial governments were given more powers under the system of Dyarchy
(some subjects called reserved subjects remained under the direct control of the governor and others
called transferred were to be controlled by the ministers responsible to the legislatures. At the centre
there were to be two houses of legislature. The lower house (Legislative Assembly) and the upper house
(Council of State).
Q 40.A
 Statement 1 is correct: The Labour Party, which had come to power in Britain after the War, was in a
hurry to settle the Indian problem. As a result the ban on the Congress was lifted and elections declared.
 Statement 2 is not correct: The Indian National Army was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists
in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. Its aim was to secure Indian independence from British
rule.
 Statement 3 is not correct: RIN revolt occurred after the elections. Hence, it was not responsible for the
declaration of elections by British government.
Q 41.D
 The major cause of all the civil rebellions taken as a whole was the rapid changes the British introduced in
the economy, administration and land revenue system. These changes led to the disruption of the agrarian
society, causing prolonged and widespread suffering among its constituents
 Another major cause of the rebellions was the very foreign character of British rule. Like any other
people, the Indian people too felt humiliated at being under a foreigner‘s heel. This feeling of hurt pride
inspired efforts to expel the foreigner from their lands.
 The new courts and legal system gave a further fillip to the dispossessors of land and encouraged the
rich to oppress the poor. Flogging, torture and jailing of the cultivators for arrears of rent or land revenue
or interest on debt were quite common. The ordinary people were also hard hit by the prevalence of
corruption at the lower levels of the police, judiciary and general administration. The petty officials
enriched themselves freely at the cost of the poor. The police looted, oppressed and tortured the common
people at will.
 The ruin of Indian handicraft industries, as a result of the imposition of free trade in India and levy of
discriminatory tariffs against Indian goods in Britain, pauperized millions of artisans. The misery of the

artisans was further compounded by the disappearance of their traditional patrons and buyers, the princes,
chieftains, and zamindars.
 The scholarly and priestly classes were also active in inciting hatred and rebellion against foreign rule.
The traditional rulers and ruling elite had financially supported scholars, religious preachers, priests,
pandits and maulvis and men of arts and literature. With the coming of the British and the ruin of the
traditional landed and bureaucratic elite, this patronage came to an end, and all those who had depended
on it were impoverished.
Q 42.A

Following were the reasons for 1857 revolt-
 Limited territorial spread was one factor; there was no all-India veneer about the revolt. The eastern,
southern and western parts of India remained more or less unaffected.
 The Indian soldiers were poorly equipped materially, fighting generally with swords and spears and very
few guns and muskets. On the other hand, the European soldiers were equipped with the latest weapons of
war like the Enfield rifle. The electric telegraph kept the commander-in-chief informed about the
movements and strategy of the rebels.
 The revolt was poorly organized with no coordination or central leadership.The principal rebel leaders-
Nana Saheb,Tantia Tope, Kunwar Singh,Laxmibai - were no match to their British opponents in
generalship. On the other hand, the East India Company was fortunate in having the services of men of
exceptional abilities in the Lawrence brothers, John Nicholson, James Outram, Henry Havelock, Edward,
etc.
Q 43.B
 Statement 1 is not correct: The Vaikom Satyagraha was launched in Kerala in 1924 and was led by K.P.
Kesava.The Vaikom Satyagraha created enthusiasm all over the country and volunteers began to arrive
from different parts of India. An Akali jatha arrived from Punjab. E.V. Ramaswami Naicker (popularly
known as Periyar later) led a jatha from Madurai and underwent imprisonment. Kandukuri Veeresalingam
Pantulu was the great Social Reformer from the state of Andhra Pradesh. He was not related with Vaikom
Satyagraha.Veeresalingam took part in the controversy by championing women‘s education.To propagate
his views effectively Veeresalingam started his journal ‗Vivekavardhini‘ in 1874 at Rajahmundry.
 Statement 2 is correct: It demanded the throwing open of Hindu temples and roads to the untouchables.
Many savarna organizations such as the Nair Service Society, Nair Samajam and Kerala Hindu Sabha
supported the Satyagraha. Yogakshema Sabha, the leading organization of the Nambudiri (highest
Brahmins by caste), passed a resolution favoring the opening of temples to avarnas (lower castes).
Q 44.D
Nehru Report, 1928, was the first major attempt by the Indians to draft a constitutional framework for the
country.
Recommendations:
 Dominion status on lines of self-governing dominions as the form of government desired by Indians
 Dissociation of the state from religion in any form.
 Rejection of separate electorates which had been the basis of constitutional reforms so far; instead, a
demand for joint electorates with reservation of seats for Muslims at the centre and in provinces where
they were in minority.
 Responsible government at the centre and in provinces— the central government to be headed by a
governor-general, appointed by the British Government but paid out of Indian revenues, who would act on
the advice of the central executive council responsible to the Parliament.
 Universal adult suffrage.
 Equal rights for women
 Freedom to form unions

Q 45.B
 It was influenced by Non Cooperation Movement not Civil Disobedience Movement. Hence, statement 1
is not correct.
 The Akali movement was a campaign to bring reform in the Gurudwaras in India during the early
1920s. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
 It was based on Ahimsa and Satyagraha philosophy. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
 It led to the introduction of the Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925 and achieved its objective.
Q 46.A
 The first Indian Factory Act was passed in 1881. The Act primarily dealt with the problem of child
labour. It laid down that children below 7 could not work in factories, while children between 7 and 12
would not work for more than 9 hours a day. Children would also get four holidays in a month. The Act
also provided for the proper fencing off of dangerous machinery. The second Indian Factories Act was
passed in 1891. It provided for a weekly holiday for all workers. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
 The Factory Act 1881 did not provide for equal pay for equal work for men and women. Whereas,, the
second Factory Act, 1891 fixed working hours for women at 11 hours per day. Hence, statement 2 is not
correct.
Q 47.D
 The Congress met at Karachi on 29 March 1931 to endorse the Gandhi-Irwin or Delhi Pact. The session
became memorable for its resolution on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme.
Q 48.D
 All pairs are correctly matched.
 Indian Association was founded by Surendernath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose.
 Bombay Presidency Association was founded by Pherozeshah Mehta, K.T Telang and Badruddin Tyabji.
 Poona Sarvajanik Sabha founded by Justice M.G Ranade.
Q 49.C
 The Cabinet Mission arrived on March 24, 1946 ,discussed with the leaders of various political parties,
but could not arrive at any agreed solution. So finally it announced its own recommendations on May 16,
1946.
 It proposed a federation of provinces and princely states, with the federal centre controlling
only Defence, communications and foreign affairs. The union would have powers necessary to raise the
finances to manage the subjects. Thus, the Cabinet Mission plan proposed a weak Centre.
 It provided that all the members of the Interim cabinet would be Indians and there would be minimum
interference by the Viceroy. It also provided for formation of the constituent assembly on democratic
principle of population.
 It was accepted by both Indian National Congress and the Muslim league but the two could not agree on
the plan for an interim government which would convene a constituent assembly to frame a constitution
for the free, federal India. It also recommended an undivided India and turned down the Muslim
league‟s demand for a separate Pakistan. The Cabinet mission restricted the Communal representation.
Q 50.D
 Statement 1 is correct: The quick collapse of the urban handicrafts was caused largely by competition
with the cheaper imported machine-goods from Britain. Indian goods made with primitive techniques
could not compete with goods produced on a mass scale by powerful steam-operated machines.
 Statement 2 is correct: The ruin of Indian industries was also contributed by oppression practiced by the
East India Company. They forced craftsmen to sell their goods below the market price.
 Statement 3 is correct: The gradual disappearance of Indian rulers and their courts who were the main
customers of the handicrafts also gave a big blow to these industries.

Q 51.B
 Vasudev Balwant Phadke, an educated clerk, raised a Ramosi peasant force of about 50 in Maharashtra
during 1879, and organized social banditry on a significant scale. Hence, pair 1 is correctly matched.
 The Kuka Revolt in Punjab was led by Baba Ram Singh and had elements of a messianic movement. It
was crushed when 49 of the rebels were blown up by a cannon in 1872. Hence, pair 2 is correctly
matched.
 Displaced peasants and demobilized soldiers of Bengal led by religious monks and dispossessed
zamindars were the first to rise up in the Sanyasi rebellion, made famous by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
in his novel Anand Math, that lasted from 1763 to 1800. Hence, pair 3 is incorrectly matched.
Q 52.D
 All the statements are correct.
 Tolstoy Farm was established by Mahtma Gandhi in South Africa which was made possible through
the generosity of his German architect friend, Kallenbach, to house the families of the Satyagrahis and
give them a way to sustain themselves. Tolstoy Farm was the precursor of the later Gandhian ashrams
that were to play so important a role in the Indian national movement. Funds also came from India - Sir
Ratan Tata sent Rs. 25,000 and the Congress and the Muslim League, as well as the Nizam of
Hyderabad, made their contributions and main purpose behind this was to house the families of
Satyagrahis and give them a way to sustain themselves.
Q 53.B
 The spirit of reform embraced almost the whole of India beginning with the efforts of Raja Rammohan
Roy in Bengal leading to the formation of the Brahmo Samaj in 1828.
 Raja Rammohan Roy considered different religions as national embodiments of universal theism. The
Brahmo Samaj was initially conceived by him as a universalist church. He was a defender of the basic and
universal principles of all religions - the monotheism of the Vedas and the Unitarianism of Christianity
and at the same time attacked polytheism and idolatry of Hinduism and the trinitarianism of
Christianity. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.
 Swami Dayananda Saraswati gave the slogan - Go back to the vedas. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
Q 54.B
 Poona pact was signed by Pt Madan Mohan Malviya and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (on behalf of depressed
classes) and some Dalit leaders at Yerwada Central Jail in Pune, to break Mahathma Gandhi's fast unto
death.
 In Poona Pact the idea of separate electorates for the Depressed Classes was abandoned but the seats
reserved for them in the provincial legislatures were increased from 71 to 147 and in the Central
Legislature to 18 per cent of the total. Hence, statement 1 is not correct but statement 2 is correct.
Q 55.C
 H.P Blavatsky was one of the founder of Theosophical Society in the United State of America in 1875. He
was not associated with Home Rule League.
 Annie Besant and Tilak both had set up home rule leagues. She was joined by Arundale, C.P.
Ramaswamy Aiyar, and B.P. Wadia, Jawaharlal Nehru in Allahabad and B. Chakravarti and J. Banerjea
in Calcutta joined the Home Rule League.
Q 56.D
While there was agreement among Congressmen on the question of attitude towards the World War II and the
resignation of the ministries, sharp differences developed over the question of the immediate starting of a
mass satyagraha. Gandhiji and the dominant leadership advanced three broad reasons for not initiating an
immediate movement.

 First, they felt that since the cause of the Allies i.e. Britain and France, was just, they should not be
embarrassed in the prosecution of the War.
 Second, the lack of Hindu- Muslim unity was a big barrier to a struggle. In the existing atmosphere any
civil disobedience movement could easily degenerate into communal rioting or even civil war.
 Above all, they felt that there did not exist in the country an atmosphere for an immediate
struggle. Neither the masses were ready nor was the Congress organizationally in a position to
launch a struggle. The Congress organization was weak and had been corrupted during 1938-39. There
was indiscipline and lack of cohesion within the Congress ranks. Under these circumstances, a mass
movement would not be able to withstand severe repressive measures by the Government.
Q 57.A
 Statement (a) is correct: The Theosophists advocated the revival and strengthening of the ancient
religions of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. They recognised the doctrine of the transmigration
of soul.
 Statement (b) is not correct: The movement was led by Westerners, but they made peculiar contribution
to developments in modern India. Their effort to glorify Indian religious and philosophical traditions
helped Indians in recovering their self-confidence.
 Statement (c) is not correct: Ramakrishna Paramhansa subscribed to Vedanta which he declared to be a
fully rational system. Theosophical society aimed itself at the revival of ancient religions and wasn‘t
based on any system.
 Statement (d) is not correct: The society was founded in the United States whereas, later founded the
headquarters at Adyar near Madras in 1886.
Q 58.B
 Before the Quit India Movement could be launched Gandhiji and all other leaders of the Congress were
imprisoned. Thus, the people were left leaderless. People took it as a challenge and resorted to hartals,
mass meetings, processions etc. The Government banned them all and imposed section 144 at most of the
places. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 The people disrupted railway lines, burnt out police and railway stations, destroyed telephone and
telegraph poles. The revolt was spearheaded by the students, peasants, workers and lower middle class
people. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
 People set up parallel government at some places. There were four parallel Governments established
during the Quit India Movement - a) Baliya (UP), b)Tamluk (Bengal), c) Satara (Maharashtra), d) Talchar
(Orissa). The government was able to crush the open movement with a heavy hand. Hence, statement 3 is
correct.
Q 59.B
 The Indian National Congress, along with Indian business leaders, kept away from the conference.
Many of them were in jail for their participation in Civil Disobedience Movement.
 In 1930, the FICCI (in sharp contrast to the Liberals) advised its members to boycott the Round
Table Conference (RTC) stating that ‗no conference, convened for the purpose of discussing the
problem of Indian constitutional advance can come to a solution, unless such a conference is attended by
Mahatma Gandhi, as a free man, or has at least his aproval.‖
 This was partially because the capitalists did not want India to present a divided front at the RTC and
because they knew only the Congress could actually deliver the goods. As Ambalal Sarabhai put it in
November 1929, 'Minus the support of the Congress, the government will not listen to you.'
 Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, Indian Liberal Party among others attended the conference.
Q 60.D
All the pairs are not correctly matched.
 Kanpur : Nana Saheb

 Bareilly : Khan Bahadur
 Bihar : Kunwar Singh
 Jhansi : Rani Laxmi Bai

 Lucknow : Begum Hazrat Mahal
 Faizabad : Maulvi Ahmedullah
 Delhi : General Bakht Khan
Q 61.D
Following were the economic impact of the British rule in India:
 Deindustrialisation- India was a major player in the world export market for textiles in the early 18th
century, but by the middle of the 19th century it had lost all of its export market and much of its domestic
market. Other local industries also suffered some decline, and India underwent de-industrialization as a
consequence. While India produced about 25 percent of world industrial output in 1750, this figure fell to
only 2 percent by 1900.
 Ruralisation- Loss of peasantry during early years of British rule, along with the loss of handicrafts
Industry in India led to formation of new urban centres and ruralisation of many ancient and medieval
towns in India.
 Deterioration of Agriculture- Faulty Land revenue collection practices, plantation Crops cultivation with
little or no revenue for the farmers, transferability of land, little spending by Government on improvement
of land productivity made farmer miserable. The peasant turned out to be the ultimate sufferer under the
triple burden of the Government, zamindar and moneylender. His hardship increased at the time of famine
and scarcity.
 Rise of bourgeoisie class in India - There emerged the new class of Indian traders, moneylenders and
bankers. But, the colonial situation retarded the development of a healthy and independent industrial
bourgeoisie, and its development was different from other independent countries like Germany and
Japan.
 Famine and Poverty - Regular recurrence of famines became a common feature of daily existence in
India. These famines were not just foodgrain scarcity-based phenomena, but were a direct result of
poverty unleashed by colonial forces in India.
Q 62.D
 The Portuguese hold over the coastal areas and superiority in naval power helped them significantly. By
the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese captured not only Goa, Daman, Diu, and Salsette but also
a vast stretches along the Indian coast.
 The French establishments included Pondicherry, Karikal and Yanam on the Coromandel
Coast, Mahe on the Malabar Coast and Chandernagor in Bengal.
 The Dutch, during their stay in India, tried their hands on the minting of coinages. As their trade
flourished they established mints at Cochin, Masulipattam, Nagapatam Pondicherry and Pulicat. Even
more, Gold pagoda with an image of Lord Venkateswara, (God Vishnu) was issued at Pulicat mint. The
coins issued by the Dutch were all modelled on the local coinages.
Q 63.C
 The nineteenth century witnessed a cultural-ideological struggle against the backward elements of
traditional culture, on the one hand, and the fast hegemonizing colonial culture and ideology on the other.
 Although religious reformation was a major concern of these movements, none of them were exclusively
religious in character. Strongly humanist in inspiration, the idea of otherworldliness and salvation were
not a part of their agenda; instead their attention was focused on worldly existence. Hence, statement 1 is
not correct.
 Two important intellectual criteria which informed the reform movements were rationalism and religious
universalism. Social relevance was judged by a rationalist critique. It is difficult to match the
uncompromising rationalism of the early Raja Rammohan Roy or Akshay Kumar Dutt. Hence, statement
2 is correct.
 If the reform movements had totally rejected tradition, Indian society would have easily undergone a
process of westernization. But the reformers were aiming at modernization rather than

westernization. A blind initiation of western cultural norms was never an integral part of reform. Hence,
Q 64.C
Permanent Settlement System: The Permanent Settlement of Bengal was brought into effect by the East India
Company headed by the Governor-General Lord Cornwallis in 1793. This system was also called the
Zamindari System. This was basically an agreement between the company and the Zamindars to fix the land
revenue.
First enacted in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, this was later followed in northern Madras Presidency and the
district of Varanasi. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Features of the system were as follows:
 Landlords or Zamindars were recognised as the owners of the land. They were given hereditary rights of
succession of the lands under them. The Zamindars could sell or transfer the land as they wished. Hence,
 The Zamindars‘ proprietorship would stay as long as he paid the fixed revenue at the said date to the
government. If they failed to pay, their rights would cease to exist and the land would be auctioned off.
 The amount to be paid by the landlords was fixed. It was agreed that this would not increase in future
(permanent). The fixed amount was 10/11th portion of the revenue for the government and 1/10th was for
the Zamindar. (The revenue settled under the Ryotwari settlement was periodically revised after 20-30
years when the revenue demand was usually raised.) Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
 The Zamindar also had to give the tenant a patta which described the area of the land given to him and the
rent he had to pay the landlord.
Q 65.B
 All India Muslim League was founded in 1906 by a group of big zamindars ex-bureaucrats and
other upper class Muslims like the Aga Khan, the Nawab of Dacca and Nawab Mohsin-uI-Mulk.
 Muhammad Ali Jinnah served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan's
independence on 14 August 1947. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 Founded as a loyalist, communal and conservative political organization, the League supported the
partition of Bengal, raised the slogan of separate Muslim interests, demanded separate electorates and
safeguards for Muslims in government services, and reiterated all the major themes of communal politics
and ideology enunciated earlier by Syed Ahmed and his followers. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
 Though the interim government on 1946 was initially formed by the Congress, Muslim league joined
it later. Liyaqat Ali khan a Muslim league leader was finance minister in interim government during
1946. He was instrumental in hamstringing interim government‘s decision. Hence, statement 3 is
correct.
Q 66.D
Swadeshi Movement 1905, declined due to several reasons.
 First, the government, seeing the revolutionary potential of the movement, came down with a heavy
hand. Repression took the form of controls and bans on public meetings, processions and the press.
Student participants were expelled from Government schools and colleges, debarred from Government
service, fined and at times beaten up by the police.
 Second, the internal squabbles, and especially, the split, in 1907 in the Congress, the apex all-India
organization, weakened the movement.
 Third, the Swadeshi Movement lacked an effective organization and party structure. The movement
had thrown up programmatically the entire gamut of Gandhian techniques. It was, however, unable to give
these techniques a centralized, disciplined focus.
 Lastly, the British policy of consciously attempting to use communalism to turn the Muslims against the
Swadeshi Movement was to a large extent responsible for, breaking out of communal riots in Bengal at
the height of the Swadeshi Movement

Q 67.A
Some of the important outcomes of the pact are-
 The pact involved immediate release of all political prisoners except those who were convicted on charge
of violence. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
 The demand of Public inquiry into police excess was proposed by Congress but rejected by Lord
Irwin. Hence, statement 3 is not correct
 Discontinuation of Civil Disobedience Movement.
 Conferring of right to peaceful and non aggressive picketing.
 Return of confiscated properties not yet sold. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Q 68.C
 Sanyasi rebellion was an early war against foreign rule and the affected areas included Murshidabad and
Baikunthupur forests of Jalpaiguri, in West Bengal. This rebellion was more focused on
the interference of religious freedom of the monks and fakirs. The holy men both Hindus and Muslim
wanted to pursue their way of suvival which they had been practicing for centuries and be left alone.
 The Hindu sanyasis or monks and the Muslim fakirs protested against the tax collection by the British
company soon after Bengal famine of 1770. Both Hindu and Muslim holy men in those days used to go
on a pilgrimage to various places of worship in Bengal and en route they would accept sizeable money
from rich landlords and Zamindars and this tradition had continued for many centuries.
 After Battle of Buxar 1763, under the new administration, the colonial rulers hiked the taxes and forced
the landlords/Zamindars to pay revised taxes thus, little money was left with them and they were unable to
pay money to the Sanyasis and fakirs.
 Once British started collecting higher revenues the Sanyasis were not given any alms / money and
numerous restrictions were placed on their movements. Further, the British considered them as looters.
The result was that these Sanyasis started raiding the government treasuries and Company‘s factories.
 Thus, displaced peasants and demobilized soldiers of Bengal, led by religious monks and
dispossessed zamindars were the first to rise up in the Sanyasi rebellion.
 It was made famous by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his novel Anand Math, that lasted from 1763 to
1800.
 Warren Hastings contained the raids by the Sanyasis and his direct action resulted in the massacre of 150
sanyasi in 1771. After this, half a century long strife – the Sanyasi Uprising finally came to an end in the
second quarter of the nineteenth century.
Q 69.B
 The Indian National Congress and nationalists in Bengal firmly opposed the decision to partition Bengal
in 1905. They saw the act of partition as a challenge to Indian nationalism and not merely an
administrative measure. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 They saw it as a deliberate attempt to weaken nationalism in Bengal and divide the bengalis as it was a big
blow to bengali culture and language. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Q 70.A
Statement 1 is correct: Workers‘ and Peasants‘ Party (WPP) became an all-India party in 1928. It was a
merger of following provincial organizations -
 The Labour-Swaraj Party of the Indian National Congress organized by Muzaffar Ahmed, Qazi Nazrul
Islam, Hemanta Kumar Sarkar, and others in Bengal in November 1925.
 Congress Labour Party was formed in Bombay and a Kirti-Kisan Party in Punjab in late 1926
 A Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan of Madras -1923.
Thus, by 1928 all of these provincial organizations had been renamed as the Workers‘ and Peasants‘ Party
(WPP), whose units were also set up in Rajasthan, UP and Delhi.
 Statement 2 is correct: All Communists were members of this party.

 Statement 3 is not correct: The basic objective of the WPPs was to work within the Congress to give it a
more radical orientation and make it ‗the party of the people‘ and independently organize workers and
peasants in class organizations, to enable first the achievement of complete independence and ultimately
of socialism.
Q 71.B
 Statement 1 is not correct: In the Haripura session of 1938, the Congress had reiterated its policy that
movements in the States should not be launched in the name of the Congress but should rely on their own
independent strength and fight through local organizations.
 Statement 2 is correct: The outbreak of the Second World War brought about a distinct change in the
political atmosphere. Congress Ministries resigned, the Government armed itself with the Defence of
India Rules, and in the States as well there was less tolerance of political activity. Things came to a head
again in 1942 with the launching of the Quit India Movement. This time the Congress made no
distinction between British India and the Indian States and the call for struggle was extended to the people
of the States. The people of the States thus formally joined the struggle for Indian independence, and
in addition to their demand for responsible government they asked the British to quit India and
demanded that the States become integral parts of the Indian nation.
Q 72.B
 THE KANPUR COMMUNIST (BOLSHEVIK) CONSPIRACY CASE - The Peshawar Conspiracy
cases failed, to check the spread of communism in India. Communist activities again started in the
metropolitan cities of Calcutta, Bombay, Madras and other cities like Kanpur and Lahore. The communist
groups in these city areas were involved in organising the workers and educating them with communist
ideology and politics. Particularly after the withdrawal of the first non-cooperation movement, the radical
sections of the Congress were gradually attracted towards the communist ideology. Sensing the situation,
the governor-general of India sent a message on 28 February, 1923 to the Home Secretary in London to
the effect that if mass movements started again, a section of non-cooperators and ex-terrorists will join
hands with the communists to launch a fresh offensive. So a new conspiracy case was master-minded to
smash the budding communist organisation.
 It started with the arrests of Shaukat Usmani on 8 May and of Muzaffar Ahmad on 19 May, 1923. Ghulam
Hussain was also arrested about the same time and were immediately sent to Peshawar, Lahore and Dacca
jails respectively. Muzaffar made a statement to the police about his connections with Nalini Gupta, the
linkman of Comintern and Roy with the Indian communist organisers of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
But this information added nothing new to what the government already knew about correspondence
between MN Roy and the Indian communists. Nalini Gupta was arrested on 20 December, 1923 and he
made a series of statements hi late December, 1923 and early January, 1924. A complaint under section
121-A, IPC against these eight accused was made before the District Magistrate on 3 March, 1924. Dange
was arrested three days before and an warrant was issued on 6 March against Singaravelu Chettiar, who
was arrested the same day at Madras. So Usmani, Muzaffar Ahmad, Ghulam Hussain, Nalini Gupta,
Dange and Singaravelu were prosecuted.
 But Ghulam Hussain made a confessional statement and appealed for mercy and wanted to help as an
approver in the Peshawar case against Md. Shafiq and he was never produced before the sessions judge
for trial. As MN Roy who was then in Germany and RL Sharma who was in Pondichery could not be
produced before the court, their names did not figure in the sessions trial. Singaravelu appealed for bail on
health ground, and was also not produced in the sessions court. Thus ultimately the case “The Crown
Vs. Bolsheviks” under section 121-A IPC was put up against Usmani, Muzaffar Ahmad, SA Dange
and Nalini Gupta at the sessions court of that notorious HE Holme (who had given death sentences
to 172 peasants in the Chauri-Chaura case) on 22 April, 1924. The appeal by the accused to transfer
the case to any metropolitan city was summarily rejected. After four weeks of sham trial, the sessions
court gave its verdict i.e. 4 years‘ Rigorous imprisonment to the four accused.
 Bhagat Singh was part of Lahore Conspiracy case (1928-31).
Q 73.D
 Under Morley-Minto reforms, number of elected members in the Imperial Legislative Council and
Provincial legislative Council was increased. In the Provincial Councils, non-official majority was
introduced but since some of these non-official were nominated and not selected, the overall non-elected
majority remained. Hence, option (d) is correct.
Q 74.C
 Dharasana Satyagraha was a protest against the British salt tax in colonial India in May, 1930. After the
conclusion of the Salt March to Dandi, Mahatma Gandhi chose a non-violent raid of the Dharasana Salt
Works in Gujarat as the next protest against the rule of the British Raj. But before it, he was arrested by
Police. In the absence of Gandhi Ji, this unfinished task was completed by Sarojini Naidu, Imam Saheb
and Manilal. Hundreds of satyagrahis were beaten by Indian soldiers under British command at
Dharasana. The ensuing publicity attracted world attention to the Indian independence movement, and
brought into question the legitimacy of British rule in India.
 Jawaharlal Nehru was not part of Dharsana Satyagraha.
Q 75.D
 During Civil Disobedience Movement, Gandhiji was arrested on May 4, 1930 when he had announced
that he would lead a raid on Dharsana Salt Works on the west coast. His arrest was followed by massive
protests in Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta and in Sholapur, where the response was the fiercest. After Gandhi‘s
arrest, the Congress Working Committee sanctioned:
 non-payment of revenue in Ryotwari areas;
 no-chowkidara tax campaign in zamindari areas - In Bihar, a campaign was organised for refusal to pay
chowkidara tax and a call was given for resignation of chowkidars and influential members of
chowlcidari panchayat who appointed these chowkidars. At Bengal, Anti-chowkidara tax and anti-union
board tax campaign h was met with repression and confiscation of property.
 violation of forest laws in the Central Provinces.
 In United Provinces: Non-revenue campaign by Zamindars against paying revenue to the government
and a No-Rent Campaign by tenants against Zamindars.
 In Maharashtra, Karnataka and Central Provinces: the forest laws were defied.
Q 76.B
 The East India company became the real master of Bengal at least from 1765. As the Diwan, the
Company directly collected its revenues, while through the right to nominate the Deputy Subahdar, it
controlled the Nizamat or the police and judicial powers. The virtual unity of two branches of
Government under British control was signified by the fact that the same person acted in Bengal as the
Deputy Diwan on behalf of the Company and as Deputy Subahdar on behalf of the Nawab. This
arrangement is known in history as the Dual or Double Government. It held a great advantage for the
British: they had power without responsibility. They controlled the finances of the province and its army
directly and its administration indirectly. The Nawab and his officials had the responsibility of
administration but not the power to discharge it. The weakness of the government could be blamed on the
Indians while its fruits were gathered by the British. The consequences for the people of Bengal were
disastrous: neither the Company nor the Nawab cared for their welfare. In any case, the Nawab‘s officials
had no power to protect the people from the greed and rapacity of the Company and its servants. On the
other hand, they were themselves in a hurry to exploit their official powers. Hence, statement 2 is
correct.
Q 77.A
 K. Kelappan was a founding member and president of the Nair Service Society a reformer, an Indian
freedom fighter, educationist and journalist. He is also known as Kerala Gandhi.He was actively involved
in Vaikom Satyagraha and also walked from Calicut to Payannur to break salt law in response to Salt
Satyagraha. He took up the question of temple entry in 1931 during the period when the Civil
Disobedience Movement was suspended. A vast campaign of public meetings was organized throughout
Malabar. The Kerala Provincial Congress Committee (KPCC) decided to make a beginning by organizing
a temple entry Satyagraha at Guruvayur on 1st November 1931 for which he also undertook fast unto
death.
 While in Tamil Naidu C. Rajagopalachari organized a Salt Satyagraha march from Trichinopoly to
Vedaranniyam.

Q 78.C
Both the statements are correct.
 The nationalists were unwilling to take up the question of labour versus the indigenous employer because
they thought doing so will reduce the competitiveness of Indian industries and in turn it will further help
the British manufacturing draining the of wealth out of India.
 They also saw industrialization as the panacea for the problems of Indian poverty and degradation.
Supporting the regulation they thought will impede the pace of industrialization.
Q 79.A
 Option (a) is correct.

 Santhal Rising: The Santhals of Rajmahal Hills resented the oppression by revenue officials, police,
money-lenders, 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 Pargana, was created by the Government to pacify the Santhals.
Q 80.B
 Statement 1 is correct: Indian revolutionaries in the United States of America and Canada had
established the Ghadar (Rebellion) Party in 1913.
 Statement 2 is not correct: The ideology of the party was secular. Sohan Singh Bakhna, one of its
prominent leader said ―We are not Sikhs or Punjabis. Our religion was patriotism‖.
 Statement 3 is correct: Along with Lala Hardyal and Ram Chandra, Mohammed Barkatullah, Bhagwan
Singh and Sohan Singh Bakhna were some of the prominent leaders of the Ghadar Party.
Q 81.D
 There was the emergence of what came to be known as the Vande Mataram Movement in late 1930s.
Students of colleges in Hyderabad city organized a protest strike against the authorities‟ refusal to
let them sing Vande Mataram in their hostel prayer rooms. This strike rapidly spread to other parts of
the State and many of the students who were expelled from the Hyderabad colleges left the State and
continued their studies in Nagpur University in the Congress-ruled Central Provinces where they were
given shelter by a hospitable Vice-Chancellor. This movement was extremely significant because it
created a young and militant cadre that provided the activists as well as the leadership of the movement in
later years.
Q 82.D
 The decision to effect the Partition of Bengal was announced in July 1905 by the Viceroy of India, Lord
Curzon. The partition took place on 16 October 1905 and separated the largely Muslim eastern areas
from the largely Hindu western areas.
 The Communal Award was made by the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald on 16 August
1932 granting separate electorates in India for the Forward Caste, Lower Caste, Muslims, Buddhists,
Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Europeans and Untouchables (now known as the Dalits) etc.
 Indian Councils Act, 1909: The Indian Councils Act 1909 or Morley-Minto Reforms was passed by
British Parliament in 1909. For the first time, the Indian Councils act gave recognition to elective
principle for the appointment of nonofficial members to the councils. However, it introduced seperate
electorates.The electorate was decided on the basis of class & community. For the provincial councils a
provision of three categories was made viz. general, special and chambers of commerce. However, for the
central council, a fourth category Muslims was added.

Q 83.D
 Madras Mahajan Sabha was founded by M. Viraraghavachari, G Subramanian Iyer and Ananda
Charlu in 1884 to promote the right of Indians. It was earlier known as Madras Native Association which
was established by Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty in 1849.
Q 84.C
 Debendranath Tagore was a product of the best in the traditional Indian learning and the new thought of
the West. In 1839 he founded the Tatvabodhini Sabha to propagate Rammohun Roy‘s ideas. The
Tatvabodhini Sabha and its organ the Tatvabodhini Patrika promoted a systematic study of India‘s past in
the Bengali language. It also helped to spread a rational outlook among the intellectuals of Bengal. Hence,
both the statements are correct.
Q 85.C
 Ilbert Bill proposed in 1883 that sought to allow senior Indian magistrates to preside over cases
involving British subjects in India.
 British subjects in 1873 had been exempted from trial by Indian magistrates, and in cases involving death
or transportation they could only be tried by a high court.
 But by 1883 the liberal Governor General and Viceroy, Lord Ripon, proposed to make British
subjects amenable to sessions courts, over which Indians were now senior enough in the civil service
to preside.This proposal as embodied in the Ilbert Bill provoked furious protests, especially among the
Calcutta (Kolkata) European business community and the Bengal indigo planters, and there was covert
sympathy from many officials. The Ilbert Bill thus divided the Indian public opinion sharply into two
blocs'the Indian bloc which supported the Bill enthusiastically, and the European bloc which opposed it
tooth and nail. In the end, the European bloc won and succeeded in forcing the government for modifying
the Bill in the line of European demands. A compromise was reached by which a British subject could
claim a jury, half of which would be Europeans.
Q 86.D
 Gandhiji wrote in his periodical Harijan that, if they (Royal Indian Navy) mutinied for freedom of
India they were doubly wrong, further he brought in Tilak's concept of Swaraj and reiterated that, swaraj
can't be obtained by what is going on now in Bombay, Calcutta and Karachi.
 Vallabhbhai Patel asked the ratings to surrender because he saw the British mobilization for
repression in Bombay. Congress did not officially support RIN revolt as it felt their tactics and timing
were wrong.
 Muslim ratings went to the League to seek advice on future action. Mohmmad Ali Jinnah adviced
Muslim ratings to surrender.
Q 87.B
 In an effort to reach all regions, it was decided to rotate the Congress session among different parts of the
country. The President was to belong to a region other than where the Congress session was being
held. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 To reach out to the followers of all religions and to remove the fears of the minorities a rule was made at
the 1888 session that no resolution was to be passed to which an overwhelming majority of Hindu or
Muslim delegates objected. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
Q 88.C
 The strategy of Congress agrarian legislation was worked out within certain broad parameters. First, the
Congress was committed by its election manifesto and the election campaign to a policy of agrarian
reform through reform of the system of land tenures and the reduction of rent, land revenue and
the burden of debt. The Congress had asked rural voters to vote for its candidates by making large
promises in this respect. The voters had taken them seriously; for example, according to government
reports from Pratapgarh in U.P., on election day ‗a very large number of voters had brought with them
pieces of dried cow dung to the various polling stations where these were lighted and, according to the
tenants, ―bedakhlis‖, i.e., ejectment orders, were burnt once for all.
 The Congress could not attempt a complete overhaul of the agrarian structure by completely
eliminating the zamindari system. This was, for two reasons, according to the constitutional structure of
the 1935 Act, the provincial Ministries did not have enough powers to do so. They also suffered from an
extreme lack of financial resources, for the Government of India appropriated the lion‘s share of India‘s
revenues. The Congress Ministries could also not touch the existing administrative structure, whose
sanctity was guarded by the Viceroy‘s and Governor‘s powers.
Q 89.B
 Statement (b) is correct.

 The mutinying sepoys appeared at the Red Fort to appeal to Bahadur Shah II, the Mughul Emperor- a
pensioner of the British East India Company, who possessed nothing but the name of the mighty Mughals
- to become their leader, thus, give legitimacy to their cause. Bahadur Shah vacillated as he was neither
sure of the intentions of the sepoys nor of his own ability to play an effective role. He was however
persuaded, if not coerced, to give in and was proclaimed the Shahenshah-e-Hindustan.
 The capture of Delhi and the proclamation of Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of Hindustan gave a positive
political meaning to the revolt and provided a rallying point for the rebels by recalling the past glory of
the imperial city.
Q 90.C
On 14 October 1919, Government of India announced the formation of a committee of inquiry into the
events in Punjab also known as Hunter Commission. The report of commission however condemned most
of the decisions taken by General Dyer, it agreed with imposition of the martial law in Punjab. It also
criticized the method of Satyagraha adopted by Gandhi and held Gandhi partially responsible for
'deteriorated' law and order situation. Even Britishers rewarded General Dyer.
Q 91.D

 The colonial policies of the East India Company destroyed the traditional economic fabric of the Indian
society. The peasantry were never really to recover from the disabilities imposed by the new and a highly
unpopular revenue settlement. Impoverished by heavy taxation, the peasants resorted to loans from
moneylenders/traders at usurious rates, the latter often evicting the former on non-payment of debt
dues. These moneylenders and traders emerged as the new landlords.
 An Indian sepoy was made to feel a subordinate at every step and was discriminated against racially
and in matters of promotion and privileges. In this context, T.R. Holmes wrote 'he knew that he could
never attain the pay of an English subaltern and that the rank to which he might attain, after 30 years of
faithful service, would not protect him from the insolent dictation of an ensign fresh from England'.
 The rumours about the Government‘s secret designs to promote conversions to Christianity further
exasperated the sepoys. The official-missionary nexus gave credence to the rumour. In some
cantonments missionaries were permitted to preach openly and their diatribe against other religions
angered the sepoys. The reports about the mixing of bone dust in atta and the introduction of the Enfield
rifle enhanced the sepoys‘ growing disaffection with the Government.
Q 92.D
 The Lahore session of the Congress gave voice to the new militant spirit. It passed a resolution
declaring Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) to be Congress objective. On 31st December 1929
newly adopted tricolor flag was hoisted. 26th January fixed as first Independence Day, which was to be
celebrated every year. Launching of civil disobedience movement was also announced here, however it
did not draw up a programme of struggle as it was left to Gandhi ji.

Q 93.D
 During the opening decades of 20th century revolutionary youth decided to copy the methods of the Irish
nationalists and Russian nihilists and populists. They decided to organize the assassination of unpopular
British officials which would strike terror into the hearts of the rulers, amuse the patriotic instincts of the
people, inspire them and remove the fear of authority from their minds.
 A steadily increasing number of young men turned to this form of political struggle. In 1904, V.D.
Sarvarkar organized Abhinav Bharat as a secret society of revolutionaries. Very soon secret societies
of revolutionaries came up all over the country, the most famous and long lasting being Anushilan Samiti
and Yugantar. Their activities took two forms---the assassination of oppressive officials and informers
and traitors from their own ranks and dacoities to raise funds for purchase of arms etc.
Q 94.C
 After World War Two, the British captured some 23,000 INA soldiers and charged them with treason. In
November 1945, the INA trials began at the Red Fort. SN Khan, PK Sahgal and GS Dhillon, the first three
senior INA officers became symbols of India fighting for her Independence.
 All India Congress Committee (AICC) at its first post-War session held in Bombay from 21 to 23
September 1945, adopted a strong resolution declaring its support for the INA prisioners. The defence of
the INA prisoners was taken up by the Congress and Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, K.N.
Katju, Jawaharlal Nehru and Asaf Ali. All appeared in court at the historic Red Fort trials.
Q 95.C
 Gandhiji, in an obvious reference to Chaturvarna and the inherent differences in quality between man and
man, observed that all leaves of the same tree are not identical in shape and texture. To this Narayana
Gurupointed out that the difference is only superficial, but not in essence: the juice of all leaves of a
particular tree would be the same in content. It was he who gave the call - „one religion, one caste and
one God for mankind‟ which one of his disciples, Sahadaran Ayyapan, changed into ‗no religion, no
caste and no God for mankind.‘
 Narayana Guru was a social reformer in India. He led a reform movement in Kerala , rejected casteism,
and promoted new values of spiritual freedom and social equality.
 He stressed the need for the spiritual and social uplift of the downtrodden by their own efforts through the
establishment of temples and educational institutions. In the process, he denounced the superstitions that
clouded the fundamental Hindu cultural convention of caste.
Q 96.B
 Cripps Mission was sent by the British Government in March 1942.The radicals and leftists wanted to
launch a mass civil disobedience movement, but here Gandhi insisted on Individual Satyagraha by a few
selected individuals. It was kept limited so as not to embarrass Britain‟s war effort by a mass
upheaval in India. The Individual Satyagraha was not to seek independence but to affirm the right of
speech.
Q 97.B
 Statement 1 is correct and 2 is not correct: To conciliate the Moderates as well as to stave off any
possible government repression, he publicly declared Tilak stated publicly that he is trying in India, as the
Irish Home-rulers had been doing in Ireland, for a reform of the system of administration and not for
the overthrow of Government.
 Statement 3 is not correct: Many Moderate Congressmen, who were dissatisfied with the inactivity into
which the Congress had lapsed, joined the Home Rule agitation.
Q 98.B
 The idea of the INA was first conceived in Malaya by Mohan Singh, an Indian officer of the British
Indian Army, when he decided not to join the retreating British army and instead went to the Japanese for
help. Indian prisoners of war were handed over by the Japanese to Mohan Singh who then tried to recruit
them into an Indian National Army. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
 The outbreak of Quit India Movement gave a fillip to the INA as well. Anti-British demonstrations
were organized in Malaya. On 1 September 1942, the first division of the INA was formed with 16,300

men. The second phase of the INA began when Subhas Chandra Bose was brought to Singapore on 2 July
1943, by means of German and Japanese submarines. Subhas Bose set up two INA headquarters, in
Rangoon and in Singapore, and began to reorganize the INA. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
 Recruits were sought from civilians, funds were gathered, and even a women‟s regiment called the Rani
Jhansi regiment was formed. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Q 99.B
 Statement 1 is not correct: Muhammedan Literary Society was founded at Calcutta in 1863 by Nawab
Abdul Latif. This society is marked as beginning in the direction of western education. It promoted
discussions of religious, social and political questions.
 Statement 2 is correct: In the wake of reconciliation of modern scientific thought with Islam, he first of
all, declared Quran alone as the authoritative work for Islam. Even the Quaran he interpreted in the light
of contemporary rationalism and science.
 Statement 3 is not correct: He wrote in favour of raising women‘s status in society and condemned the
customs of polygamy and easy divorce along with removal of purdah as well.
Q 100.D

 Champaran Satyagarh was started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917 to look into the problem of Tinkathiya
system in which peasants of Champaran were forced to grow Indigo on 3/20th of the total land. In this
background, Raj kumar shukla persuaded Gandhi to look into the peasants problem. Later Rajendra
Prasad, J.B Kripalni, Mahadeo Desai and Narhari Parekh joined Gandhi in the movement.
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ANSWERS & EXPLANATION

1 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

The important contributions of early nationalists in Indian National Movement were:

 To provide leadership to the movement in the early stage.

2 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 1836-Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha.

3 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 The Indian capitalists‘ support to constitutional participation, whether it be in assemblies, conferences or

 All the statements are not correct.

4 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 For protection of commercial interests.

All the statements are correct.

6 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

The main provisions of Indian Councils Act 1892 were as follows:

 Komagatamaru incident occurred in 1914.

 Option (b) is the correct answer.

All the statements are correct.

9 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

All the statements are correct.

10 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

11 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 All the statements are correct.

12 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

All the pairs are not correctly matched.

 Kanpur : Nana Saheb

 Jhansi : Rani Laxmi Bai

Following were the economic impact of the British rule in India:

14 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

Features of the system were as follows:

Swadeshi Movement 1905, declined due to several reasons.

15 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

Some of the important outcomes of the pact are-

 Statement 2 is correct: All Communists were members of this party.

16 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 Jawaharlal Nehru was not part of Dharsana Satyagraha.

18 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

Both the statements are correct.

 Option (a) is correct.

19 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 Statement (b) is correct.

 All the statements are correct.

21 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

22 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

 All the statements are correct.

Copyright © by Vision IAS

23 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

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