Indian National Congress Archives

1. The first session of the Indian National Congress was presided over by

The first session of the Indian National Congress was presided over by

A.O. Hume.

W.C. Bonnerjee.

Dadabhai Naoroji.

Surendranath Banerjee.

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2021

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The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay from 28th to 31st December 1885. The session was presided over by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (W.C. Bonnerjee), a prominent lawyer from Calcutta.

– The INC was founded in 1885.
– The first session took place in Bombay.
– W.C. Bonnerjee was elected as the president for the first session.
– A.O. Hume was the founder of the INC.

The first session was attended by 72 delegates from different parts of India. The initial aims of the INC included uniting Indians on a common political platform, discussing pressing social problems, and formulating demands for political reforms.

2. Which of the following statements about the founding of the Indian Nat

Which of the following statements about the founding of the Indian National Congress is/are correct ?

It was supported by A.O. Hume who was a political liberal.
It was based on similar associations in South-East Asia.
It was initially supported by Indian elites who had access to Western education and English.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

2 only

2 and 3 only

1 and 3 only

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2018

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The correct option is D) 1 and 3 only.

Statement 1 is correct. A.O. Hume, a retired British Indian Civil Service officer who held liberal views, played a crucial role in the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. He is often credited with initiating the idea and bringing together the early leaders.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The Indian National Congress was primarily modelled after liberal political associations and debating societies in Britain, not on similar associations in South-East Asia.
Statement 3 is correct. The initial leadership and membership of the INC were predominantly drawn from Western-educated Indian elites – lawyers, journalists, teachers, landlords, and merchants – who were proficient in English and familiar with Western political thought.

The founding of the INC is sometimes referred to as the ‘Safety Valve Theory’, suggesting that Hume initiated it partly to provide a platform for educated Indians to express their grievances peacefully and thereby prevent a larger uprising. While this theory is debated, Hume’s role and the background of the early leaders (statement 1 and 3) are well-established facts.

3. Which one of the following statements about the founding of the Indian

Which one of the following statements about the founding of the Indian National Congress is correct ?

It was founded in December 1885 by seventy-two political workers.

It was founded in December 1885 under the leadership of David Hume.

It was founded in Lahore.

Lord Macaulay was the Viceroy of India at the time of its founding.

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2017

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The correct answer is A.

The Indian National Congress was founded on 28 December 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai).
The first session was attended by 72 delegates from various parts of India.
It was convened by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British Indian Civil Service officer.

Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was the first President of the Indian National Congress. David Hume mentioned in option B is Allan Octavian Hume (A.O. Hume), the founder, but the leadership of the session was by the President, W.C. Bonnerjee. The first session was held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay. Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy of India at the time of the founding of the INC, not Lord Macaulay (who had died long before in 1859).

4. Consider the following statements: 1. The first woman President of t

Consider the following statements:

1. The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.
2. The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2015

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Statement 1 is incorrect. The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Annie Besant, who presided over the Calcutta session in 1917. Sarojini Naidu was the first *Indian* woman President, presiding over the Kanpur session in 1925.
Statement 2 is correct. Badruddin Tyabji was the third President of the Indian National Congress and the first Muslim President. He presided over the Madras session in 1887.
Therefore, only statement 2 is correct.

– Annie Besant was the first woman INC President.
– Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman INC President.
– Badruddin Tyabji was the first Muslim INC President.

The first President of the Indian National Congress was W.C. Bonnerjee (1885). The second President was Dadabhai Naoroji (1886).

5. The British Committee of the Indian National Congress was founded in

The British Committee of the Indian National Congress was founded in

1889

1892

1898

1901

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2020

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The British Committee of the Indian National Congress was founded in 1889.

The British Committee of the INC was established in London to represent the Congress’s views and objectives to the British public and Parliament.

Key figures involved in its establishment included Dadabhai Naoroji, William Wedderburn, and George Yule. The Committee published a weekly journal called *India* starting from 1890 to disseminate information about the Indian situation and the Congress’s demands.

6. Which of the following active step(s) was/were taken by the Congress i

Which of the following active step(s) was/were taken by the Congress in 1823 to eradicate untouchability from India ?

1. Effort to educate and mobilize opinion among caste Hindus
2. Efforts to educate the ‘avarnas’ about the evils of untouchability
3. Forcibly open the doors of temples for ‘avarnas’
4. Petition the Government to pass laws that would declare untouch- ability unlawful

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

1 and 2

2, 3 and 4

4 only

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2017

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The active steps taken by the Congress in the early 1920s to eradicate untouchability included efforts to educate and mobilize opinion among caste Hindus and efforts to educate the ‘avarnas’ (depressed classes).

Following the Non-Cooperation Movement, Mahatma Gandhi made the removal of untouchability a key component of the Congress’s constructive program. This involved multiple activities: appealing to the conscience of caste Hindus to abandon the practice (education and mobilization – Point 1), setting up schools and promoting education among the depressed classes, encouraging hygiene and self-respect among them (education and upliftment – Point 2), and promoting social mixing like inter-dining and common use of wells. Temple entry movements were also supported or initiated, but ‘forcibly’ opening doors (Point 3) was not the primary non-violent method advocated by Gandhi and the mainstream Congress. While Congress eventually came to support legal measures against untouchability, the focus in the early 1920s was more on social reform through persuasion and voluntary action (Point 4 was not the primary ‘active step’ in 1923 compared to social mobilization). Therefore, steps 1 and 2 were prominent components of the Congress’s anti-untouchability work around 1923.

The Congress session at Kakinada in 1923 reiterated the importance of removing untouchability as a national duty. Activities under the constructive program aimed at reforming caste Hindu attitudes and uplifting the depressed classes, which included educational efforts for both groups.

7. Which of the following statements about the founding of the Indian Nat

Which of the following statements about the founding of the Indian National Congress (INC) is / are correct ?

1. The INC was formed in Bombay in 1885
2. The first president of the INC was W.C. Bonnerjee

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2016

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The correct answer is C because both statements regarding the founding of the Indian National Congress (INC) are factually accurate.

– Statement 1 correctly states that the INC was formed in Bombay in 1885. The first session was held from 28 to 31 December 1885 at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay.
– Statement 2 correctly identifies W.C. Bonnerjee (Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee) as the first president of the INC. He presided over the inaugural session in Bombay.

The Indian National Congress was founded by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British Indian Civil Service officer, with the objective of creating a forum for civil and political dialogue among educated Indians and serving as a link between the Indian populace and the British government. The first session was attended by 72 delegates from various parts of India.

8. Which one among the following explains the meaning of the ‘Safety Valv

Which one among the following explains the meaning of the ‘Safety Valve Theory’ in the context of Indian National Movement ?

A theory that argued that the Congress was formed as a safe outlet to the discontented educated Indians

A theory that argued that the Congress was formed as a safe outlet to the hostile attitude of the British towards the Indian people

A theory which believed that the British and the ex-rebels of 1857 should amicably resolve their differences against each other

An idea aimed at promoting goodwill among the Indian people

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2014

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The ‘Safety Valve Theory’ is a historical interpretation of the formation of the Indian National Congress. This theory suggests that the Congress was founded by A.O. Hume, a retired British ICS officer, with the tacit approval of the then Viceroy, Lord Dufferin, to provide a safe, constitutional outlet for the growing discontent and nationalist feelings among educated Indians. The aim was to prevent a potential violent uprising, similar to the Mutiny of 1857, by allowing Indians to voice their grievances through an organized platform under British supervision. Option A accurately reflects this theory.

– Propounders: Often attributed to Lala Lajpat Rai (though he presented it as a critique) and later elaborated by historians like R. Palme Dutt.
– Core Idea: Congress was formed to channel nationalist aspirations peacefully, preventing a rebellion.
– Key figures: A.O. Hume, Lord Dufferin.

While the Safety Valve Theory was a prominent interpretation for a long time, many modern historians argue that the formation of Congress was more complex and involved genuine efforts by Indian nationalists to create an all-India political organization. They contend that while Hume might have had his own motives and the British initially viewed Congress favorably, the organization quickly developed into a platform for genuine nationalist struggle.

9. Soon after the formation of Indian National Congress, the British beca

Soon after the formation of Indian National Congress, the British became suspicious of nationalists. Who among the following called Congress representing only the elite — ‘a microscopic minority’ ?

Lord Napier

Lord Dufferin

Lord Ripon

Lord Lytton

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-1 – 2015

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The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 during the tenure of Lord Dufferin as the Viceroy of India (1884-1888). Initially, the Viceroy viewed the Congress positively, seeing it as a potential ‘safety valve’. However, as the demands of the Congress grew and it gained popularity, Dufferin became critical of it. He famously ridiculed the Congress, stating it represented only a “microscopic minority” of the Indian population, suggesting it did not speak for the masses.

Lord Dufferin’s description of the INC as a “microscopic minority” reflects the early British imperial stance of dismissing the representative character and political significance of the nascent nationalist movement.

The early Indian National Congress was indeed composed primarily of Western-educated elites from various parts of India. However, its leaders aspired to represent the interests of the entire nation and gradually broadened its base and demands over time.

10. In which one of the following years did Indian National Congress inclu

In which one of the following years did Indian National Congress include in its goal the independence of the Princely States?

1927

1929

1938

1939

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Geoscientist – 2020

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The correct answer is 1938. In 1938, the Indian National Congress included the goal of independence for the Princely States in its official policy.

– Prior to 1938, the Congress policy towards Princely States was generally one of non-interference in their internal affairs, though it supported the demand for responsible government by the people within the states.
– At the Haripura Session of the Congress in 1938, presided over by Subhash Chandra Bose, a resolution was passed that explicitly declared Purna Swaraj (complete independence) as the goal for the Princely States as well as British India.
– This marked a shift towards closer involvement in the political movements within the states (often organized under ‘Praja Mandals’ or ‘Praja Parishads’) and aligning their aspirations with the national goal of independence.

The years 1927 and 1929 were significant for Congress’s demand for Purna Swaraj for British India (Lahore Session, 1929, formalizing the goal). However, the explicit inclusion of Princely States in this goal and a more active stance on their future occurred in 1938. The 1939 session (Tripuri) saw the re-election of Subhash Bose and subsequent crisis leading to his resignation.