Modern History: Miscellaneous

41. Which of the following are the features of the ideology of utilitarian

Which of the following are the features of the ideology of utilitarianism?

  • 1. Utilitarians believed that all value derives from land
  • 2. The most celebrated spokesmen of utilitarianism were Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
  • 3. Utilitarians were advocates of the idea that India could be ruled through indigenous laws and customs
  • 4. Utilitarians were advocates of the idea of the ‘greatest good for the greatest number of people’

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Join Our Telegram Channel
1 and 4 only
2 and 4 only
1, 2 and 4
2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2016
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct answer is B. Utilitarianism is a philosophy that holds that the best course of action is the one that maximizes utility, often defined as maximizing happiness or pleasure and minimizing suffering or pain.
Statement 1 is incorrect; Utilitarianism is based on utility/happiness, not land value. Statement 2 is correct; Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are considered the most important figures in classical Utilitarianism. Statement 3 is incorrect; Utilitarians often advocated for legal and social reforms based on rational principles aimed at maximizing utility, sometimes viewing indigenous laws and customs as obstacles to progress. Statement 4 is correct; The principle of “the greatest good for the greatest number” is a central tenet of Utilitarianism, especially associated with Bentham.
Bentham focused on a quantitative approach to calculating utility (felicific calculus), while Mill introduced qualitative distinctions among pleasures and emphasized individual liberty within the framework of utilitarian principles. Utilitarian ideas significantly influenced legal reform, administrative policy, and political thought, including British policy in India, where it was sometimes used to justify intervention and reform on the grounds of promoting the “greatest good.”

Subscribe on YouTube

42. The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) was drafted by:

The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) was drafted by:

Subscribe on YouTube
P C Mahalanobis
K N Raj
J C Kumarappa
Jawaharlal Nehru
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
Download PDFAttempt Online
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) of India focused primarily on agricultural development, irrigation, and power projects. While the plan was guided by the Planning Commission under the chairmanship of Jawaharlal Nehru and influenced by economic models like the Harrod-Domar model, the technical drafting and significant intellectual contribution came from economists. K. N. Raj (Kakkadan Nandanath Raj) was a key economist involved in the formulation of the First Five Year Plan. P. C. Mahalanobis is most prominently associated with the Second Five Year Plan and the Mahalanobis model.
K. N. Raj, a distinguished economist, played a crucial role in the drafting and formulation of India’s First Five Year Plan.
K. N. Raj’s contributions included emphasizing the need for public investment in agriculture and infrastructure during the initial phase of planning. He was a close associate of Nehru and a prominent figure in early Indian economic policy-making. While Nehru chaired the Planning Commission, the technical and detailed planning work was done by economists and experts, among whom K. N. Raj was a key member for the First Plan.

Join Our Telegram Channel

43. Which of the following statements about hill stations of colonial Indi

Which of the following statements about hill stations of colonial India is/are correct?

Join Our Telegram Channel
  • 1. The architecture of hill stations sought to recreate the European style
  • 2. Hill stations were developed as sanitariums where soldiers were treated for illness
  • 3. Shimla became the official residence of the Commander in Chief of the Indian Army
  • 4. In 1864, Shimla had to be evacuated because of a Typhoid epidemic

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Subscribe on YouTube
1 only
1, 2 and 3
3 and 4
2 and 3 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
Download PDFAttempt Online
Statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct regarding the colonial hill stations in India. Statement 4, regarding the specific evacuation of Shimla in 1864 due to a Typhoid epidemic, is not a widely cited or confirmed major historical event, making it likely incorrect in the context of such a general question about characteristics. Therefore, options 1, 2, and 3 are the correct statements.
Colonial hill stations in India served multiple purposes for the British: they provided a cooler climate reminiscent of Europe, offered a retreat from tropical diseases (acting as sanitariums), and became administrative and military centers. The architecture often mimicked European styles like cottages, churches, and public buildings. Shimla, in particular, became the summer capital and an important military headquarters.
The development of hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie, Darjeeling, and Ooty was a significant aspect of British colonial infrastructure in India. They facilitated the administration by allowing the British to escape the heat of the plains and provided health benefits, especially for European soldiers and civilians susceptible to tropical ailments. While health and sanitation were issues in these growing towns, especially with rapid population increase during the summer, a full evacuation specifically in 1864 due to typhoid is not a commonly documented event on the scale suggested.

44. Consider the following statements about the arrival of tobacco in Indi

Consider the following statements about the arrival of tobacco in India :

Subscribe on YouTube
  • 1. Tobacco plant arrived first in the Deccan.
  • 2. Tobacco spread to northern India in the early years of the seventeenth century.

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 NDA-1 – 2024
Download PDFAttempt Online
Tobacco was introduced to India by the Portuguese, who were prominent maritime traders and had established coastal settlements and influence. It arrived in the late 16th or very early 17th century, primarily through the western ports, which would include regions in the Deccan (like Goa, part of the Portuguese Estado da Índia) and Gujarat. Statement 1, that tobacco plant arrived first in the Deccan, is consistent with its introduction by sea via the west coast. Tobacco cultivation and consumption spread rapidly. By the early years of the 17th century, it had reached the Mughal court and other parts of northern India, becoming widely popular despite initial efforts to control or prohibit it by rulers like Jahangir. Statement 2, that tobacco spread to northern India in the early years of the seventeenth century, is also accurate.
– Tobacco was introduced to India by the Portuguese.
– Introduction likely occurred via western coastal areas, including the Deccan.
– Tobacco spread quickly throughout India in the early 17th century.
The arrival of tobacco in India was part of the Columbian Exchange, the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries. Tobacco originated in the Americas.

Join Our Telegram Channel

45. Which one of the following tribes from India’s North-East had the earl

Which one of the following tribes from India’s North-East had the earliest known association with cultivation and production of tea ?

Join Our Telegram Channel
Khasis
Garos
Singhphos
Jayantias
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2023
Download PDFAttempt Online
The Singphos tribe, primarily residing in Assam and parts of Arunachal Pradesh in India, and also in Myanmar, has the earliest known historical association with the cultivation and production of tea in India. They traditionally consumed a beverage brewed from tea leaves long before the British introduced commercial tea cultivation to Assam.
– The question asks about the *earliest known association* within North-East India.
– Historical accounts and traditions indicate the Singphos tribe had indigenous knowledge of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis var. assamica).
– They were instrumental in introducing the plant to the British, who then developed the massive tea industry in Assam.
While other tribes in North-East India have their own cultural practices and agricultural histories, the specific link between the Singphos and the origin of commercial tea production in India is well-documented. The discovery of indigenous tea plants in Assam and the knowledge of the Singphos tribe were crucial steps in the history of Indian tea.

Subscribe on YouTube

46. The Treaty of Yandabo was concluded as part of which one of the follow

The Treaty of Yandabo was concluded as part of which one of the following wars ?

Subscribe on YouTube
First Anglo-Burmese War
Second Anglo-Burmese War
Anglo-Kuki War
Anglo-Maratha War
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2023
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct answer is A) First Anglo-Burmese War.
The Treaty of Yandabo was signed on 24 February 1826, ending the First Anglo-Burmese War, which lasted from 1824 to 1826. This treaty forced Burma (under the Konbaung dynasty) to cede territory to the British, pay a large indemnity, and accept a British resident in their capital, significantly weakening the Burmese kingdom and setting the stage for future British annexations in the Second and Third Anglo-Burmese Wars.
The Second Anglo-Burmese War took place from 1852 to 1853, and the Third Anglo-Burmese War from 1885 to 1886. The Anglo-Kuki War was a rebellion against British rule in Manipur (1917-1919). The Anglo-Maratha Wars were a series of conflicts between the British East India Company and the Maratha Confederacy in India (late 18th to early 19th centuries).

Join Our Telegram Channel

47. The Battle of Rezang La, an epic battle in hostile conditions, was fou

The Battle of Rezang La, an epic battle in hostile conditions, was fought by the Indian Army in :

Join Our Telegram Channel
1948
1956
1962
1972
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2023
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct answer is C) 1962.
The Battle of Rezang La was fought on 18 November 1962, during the Sino-Indian War. A small company of 120 Indian soldiers of the 13 Kumaon regiment, led by Major Shaitan Singh, defended the strategically important Rezang La pass in Ladakh against a much larger attacking force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Despite being heavily outnumbered and fighting in harsh high-altitude conditions, the Indian soldiers fought valiantly, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers before being overrun. The battle is remembered as one of the most courageous last stands in military history.
Major Shaitan Singh was posthumously awarded India’s highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, for his bravery and leadership during the battle. The battle is commemorated annually on Rezang La Day.

Subscribe on YouTube

48. The treaty of Yandabo was signed in

The treaty of Yandabo was signed in

Join Our Telegram Channel
1826
1825
1824
1823
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2019
Download PDFAttempt Online
The treaty of Yandabo was signed in 1826.
The Treaty of Yandabo was signed on February 24, 1826, at Yandabo, concluding the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826).
This treaty forced the Burmese to cede territories like Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim to the British, recognize British sovereignty over Cachar and Jaintia, and pay a large indemnity.

Subscribe on YouTube

49. Who among the following was not associated with the Sarvodaya movement

Who among the following was not associated with the Sarvodaya movement ?

Subscribe on YouTube
Jaya Prakash Narayan
Acharya Vinoba Bhave
Dhirendra Mazumdar
G V Apparao
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2015
Download PDFAttempt Online
The correct answer is D) G V Apparao.
Jaya Prakash Narayan, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, and Dhirendra Mazumdar were prominent figures actively involved in the Sarvodaya movement and its related activities like the Bhoodan and Gramdan movements, inspired by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. G V Apparao (Gurajada Apparao) was a renowned Telugu writer and social reformer from Andhra Pradesh, known for his literary works and efforts against social evils, but he is not primarily associated with the Sarvodaya movement led by Gandhians like Vinoba Bhave and JP Narayan.
The Sarvodaya movement aims for the welfare of all (sarva=all, udaya=uplift). It is based on Gandhian principles of non-violence, self-sufficiency, and social justice, seeking a non-violent social revolution. Key figures associated with it include Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave (who led the Bhoodan-Gramdan movement as a follow-up to Sarvodaya ideals), and Jaya Prakash Narayan (who played a significant role, especially in the later phase and related political movements).

Join Our Telegram Channel

50. Pochampally in Nalgonda district of Telengana became famous in April,

Pochampally in Nalgonda district of Telengana became famous in April, 1951 because

Join Our Telegram Channel
the Bhoodan movement was launched there by Vinoba Bhave
the landless peasants rose up in arms against the landlords
it witnessed violent anti-Hindi agitation
Silk weavers' cooperative was formed for the first time in India
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2015
Download PDFAttempt Online
Pochampally, a village now in Telangana (then part of Hyderabad State), gained prominence in April 1951 because it was the starting point of the Bhoodan Movement (Land Gift Movement) led by Acharya Vinoba Bhave. Vinoba Bhave was undertaking a walking tour in the region, which had recently experienced the Telengana peasant uprising. On April 18, 1951, while addressing a meeting in Pochampally, some landless villagers requested land. A local landlord, Vedire Ramachandra Reddy, spontaneously offered to donate 100 acres of his land. This act inspired Vinoba Bhave to launch the Bhoodan movement, appealing to landowners across India to donate land for redistribution to the landless poor as a voluntary, non-violent land reform initiative.
Pochampally is historically significant as the location where the Bhoodan movement, a key post-independence social movement focused on voluntary land reform, originated.
The Bhoodan movement aimed to bring about agrarian revolution through peaceful means, based on Gandhian principles. It later evolved into the Gramdan movement, where entire villages were donated for collective ownership. While Pochampally is also famous for its Ikat weaving, its fame in the context of April 1951 is directly linked to the launch of the Bhoodan movement.

Subscribe on YouTube
Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5