Modern History: Miscellaneous Archives

11. With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the fol

With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements :

Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the abolition of the system of ‘indentured labour’.
In Lord Chelmsford’s ‘War Conference’, Mahatma Gandhi did not support the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War.
Consequent upon the breaking of Salt Law by Indian people, the Indian National Congress was declared illegal by the colonial rulers.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2 only

1 and 3 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2019

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Statement 1 is correct. Mahatma Gandhi was deeply involved in the campaign against the indentured labour system, having witnessed its harsh realities firsthand with Indian labourers in South Africa. His efforts contributed significantly to its abolition by the British government in 1917. Statement 2 is incorrect. In the Delhi War Conference of 1918, Mahatma Gandhi actually supported the resolution to recruit Indians for World War I, hoping that this cooperation would lead to political concessions from the British. Statement 3 is correct. Following the Dandi March and the breaking of the Salt Law in 1930, which marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement, the Indian National Congress was declared an illegal organization by the colonial authorities. Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Gandhi opposed indentured labour, supported WWI recruitment initially, and INC was banned after the Salt Satyagraha.

The indentured labour system, often called the ‘new system of slavery’, saw Indian labourers transported to various British colonies (like Fiji, Mauritius, Caribbean) under coercive contracts. Gandhi’s support for WWI recruitment was a strategic move based on the principle of “cooperation to secure cooperation,” a strategy he later abandoned as British promises of self-rule proved elusive. The declaration of INC as illegal led to widespread arrests of leaders and members during the Civil Disobedience Movement.

12. Consider the following pairs : Movement/Organization Leader 1

Consider the following pairs :

Movement/Organization	Leader
1. All India Anti-Untouchability League	: Mahatma Gandhi
2. All India Kisan Sabha	: Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
3. Self-Respect Movement	: E. V. Ramaswami Naicker

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1 only

1 and 2 only

2 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2019

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All three pairs are correctly matched.

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Mahatma Gandhi founded the All India Anti-Untouchability League in 1932 to work for the eradication of untouchability. It was later renamed Harijan Sevak Sangh.
Pair 2 is correctly matched: Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was a prominent figure in the Indian peasant movement and founded the All India Kisan Sabha in 1936 as the apex body of peasant organizations in India.
Pair 3 is correctly matched: E. V. Ramaswami Naicker, also known as Periyar, founded the Self-Respect Movement in 1925 in Tamil Nadu. The movement aimed at achieving a society where backward castes have equal human rights and encouraging them to live with self-respect.

These movements represent different facets of social and political reform in India during the colonial period, addressing issues like caste discrimination, agrarian distress, and social equality.

13. Consider the following events : 1. The first democratically elected

Consider the following events :

1. The first democratically elected communist party government formed in a State in India.
2. India’s then largest bank, ‘Imperial Bank of India’, was renamed ‘State Bank of India’.
3. Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier.
4. Goa became a part of independent India.

Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events ?

4-1-2-3

3-2-1-4

4-2-1-3

3-1-2-4

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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The events in chronological order are: Air India was nationalised (1953), Imperial Bank of India was renamed State Bank of India (1955), the first democratically elected communist government was formed in Kerala (1957), and Goa became part of independent India (1961). This sequence corresponds to option B (3-2-1-4).

Key dates for these events are: Air India nationalisation – 1953; SBI formation – 1955; First communist government in Kerala (EMS Namboodiripad) – 1957; Goa Liberation (Operation Vijay) – 1961.

Air India was nationalised through the Air Corporations Act, 1953. The State Bank of India was formed by nationalizing the Imperial Bank of India under the State Bank of India Act, 1955. The Communist Party of India won the assembly elections in Kerala in 1957, forming the first non-Congress government and the first democratically elected communist government in an Indian state. Goa, a Portuguese colony, was integrated into India through military action in 1961.

14. Which among the following events happened earliest ?

Which among the following events happened earliest ?

Swami Dayanand established Arya Samaj.

Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neeldarpan.

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Anandmath.

Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to succeed in the Indian Civil Services Examination.

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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The correct answer is B) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neeldarpan.

To determine the earliest event, we need to know the approximate dates of each event:
A) Swami Dayanand established Arya Samaj in 1875.
B) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neeldarpan between 1858 and 1859 (it was published in 1860).
C) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Anandmath in 1882.
D) Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to succeed in the Indian Civil Services Examination in 1863.
Comparing the dates, the writing of Neeldarpan occurred earliest.

Neeldarpan (The Mirror of Indigo) is a Bengali play that depicted the plight of indigo farmers under British planters. It caused significant controversy and highlighted the brutal treatment of the farmers, contributing to the Indigo Revolt (1859). The Arya Samaj was a Hindu reform movement promoting Vedic values. Satyendranath Tagore’s achievement in the ICS broke barriers and was a significant milestone for Indians in the colonial administration. Anandmath is a Bengali novel set in the context of the Sannyasi Rebellion and contains the song ‘Vande Mataram’.

15. He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; s

He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was

Aurobindo Ghosh

Bipin Chandra Pal

Lala Lajpat Rai

Motilal Nehru

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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The correct option is C, Lala Lajpat Rai. The description accurately matches the historical figure Lala Lajpat Rai, also known as ‘Punjab Kesari’.

Lala Lajpat Rai was a prominent Indian nationalist leader, part of the ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’ trio. He was known for his intellectual and political activities, including writing biographies of inspirational figures and engaging in political advocacy both in India and abroad.

Lala Lajpat Rai authored biographies of Giuseppe Mazzini, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Shivaji, and Shrikrishna. He spent a significant period in the United States from 1914 to 1920, during which he founded the Indian Home Rule League of America in New York. After returning to India, he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly. These details align perfectly with the description provided in the question.

16. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following even

With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events :

1. Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy
2. Quit India Movement launched
3. Second Round Table Conference

What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events ?

1-2-3

2-1-3

3-2-1

3-1-2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2017

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The correct option is C, representing the chronological sequence 3-2-1.

The events occurred in the following years:
1. Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy (RIN Mutiny): February 1946
2. Quit India Movement launched: August 1942
3. Second Round Table Conference: September-December 1931
Arranging them chronologically from earliest to latest: 3 (1931), then 2 (1942), then 1 (1946). This gives the sequence 3-2-1.

The Round Table Conferences (1930-1932) were a series of peace conferences organized by the British Government and Indian political personalities to discuss constitutional reforms in India. The Quit India Movement was a major civil disobedience movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi during World War II demanding an end to British Rule. The RIN Mutiny was an armed uprising of Indian sailors against British rule in the Royal Indian Navy.

17. When was the first All India Census attempted?

When was the first All India Census attempted?

1871

1872

1881

1861

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2022

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The correct answer is B) 1872.

– The first attempt at a comprehensive, albeit non-synchronous, census covering various parts of British India was conducted in 1872.
– This census was not conducted simultaneously across the entire country but consolidated data collected at different times in different regions.

– The first *synchronous* all-India census, meaning it was conducted simultaneously across the country, was carried out in 1881.
– Since 1881, India has conducted a decennial census every 10 years without interruption until the 2021 census was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

18. Which of the following pairs of years and historical events is correct

Which of the following pairs of years and historical events is correctly matched?

1878 : Second Anglo-Afghan War

1885 : Ilbert Bill Controversy

1785 : Fox's India Bill

1898 : Lord Curzon becomes the Viceroy

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2022

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The correct option is A. The year 1878 correctly matches the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

– Option A: The Second Anglo-Afghan War began in November 1878 during the tenure of Viceroy Lord Lytton and concluded in 1880.
– Option B: The Ilbert Bill Controversy occurred in 1883-1884, during the time of Viceroy Lord Ripon (1880-1884). 1885 is notably the year the Indian National Congress was founded.
– Option C: Fox’s India Bill was introduced in the British Parliament in 1783 but did not pass. Pitt’s India Act was passed in 1784. 1785 is not specifically associated with these major India Bills.
– Option D: Lord Curzon became the Viceroy of India in 1899, not 1898. Lord Elgin II was Viceroy from 1894 to 1898.

– The Second Anglo-Afghan War was fought due to British concerns over increasing Russian influence in Afghanistan.
– The Ilbert Bill sought to allow Indian judges to preside over cases involving British subjects, which caused significant controversy among the British community in India.
– The regulatory framework for British rule in India was significantly altered by legislation in the late 18th century, including Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
– Lord Curzon’s tenure (1899-1905) is known for various administrative reforms and controversial policies, including the Partition of Bengal.

19. Initially, what was the purpose of setting up of the hill stations dur

Initially, what was the purpose of setting up of the hill stations during the colonial period in India?

To serve as winter capitals for the British

To serve the needs of the British army

To source timber from forests

To set up sanatoria

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2021

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The correct answer is D) To set up sanatoria.

– During the colonial period, British officials and soldiers in India faced health challenges due to the tropical climate and diseases prevalent in the plains.
– Hill stations, with their cooler climates, were initially developed as sanatoria and health resorts where personnel could recuperate and escape the unhealthy conditions of the plains during the summer months.
– While they later evolved to serve various administrative, military, and recreational purposes, the primary *initial* purpose was related to health and well-being (sanatoria).

– Option A is incorrect; hill stations typically served as summer capitals (e.g., Simla for the Government of India), not winter capitals.
– Option B, serving the needs of the British army, is too broad, though sanatoria for military personnel were a significant part of this. Option D is more specific to the initial health-related purpose.
– Option C, sourcing timber, was an economic activity but not the primary reason for establishing hill stations themselves.

20. On which one of the following conditions did the Marathas agree to ser

On which one of the following conditions did the Marathas agree to serve the Mughal king with a cavalry contingent of 15,000 in the early 18th century ?

Grant of the jagir of Malwa province

Control of the resources of Gujarat

The right to levy chauth and sardeshmukhi in the Deccan and South India

The right to mint coins in their own name

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2020

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The correct answer is (C) The right to levy chauth and sardeshmukhi in the Deccan and South India.

In the early 18th century, particularly after the decline of Aurangzeb and during the reign of his successors, the Mughal Empire struggled to contain the Marathas. Through negotiations and military pressure, the Marathas, under leaders like Shahu, secured the right to collect chauth (one-fourth of the revenue) and sardeshmukhi (an additional tenth) from the six subahs (provinces) of the Deccan, including Mysore, Trichinopoly, and Tanjore in South India. This right was formally granted by the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1719 through a treaty negotiated by the Syed Brothers, in exchange for military service and maintaining order in the Deccan. The cavalry contingent of 15,000 likely refers to the obligation associated with these rights, where the Marathas were to provide troops for the Mughal Emperor when needed.

While the Marathas aimed for control over territories like Malwa and Gujarat later, the primary condition under which they formally agreed to serve the Mughal king with a contingent in the early 18th century was the grant of revenue rights (chauth and sardeshmukhi) in the Deccan. This grant effectively legitimized the Maratha’s financial claims over vast territories nominally under Mughal control and was a major step in their rise to power. The right to mint coins in their own name was a symbol of sovereignty which they achieved much later, not as a condition for serving the Mughals.