1. Consider the following statements about the ‘Quit India’ Resolution of

Consider the following statements about the ‘Quit India’ Resolution of 1942 :

  • 1. Its text was carefully drafted to make it clear that it put India among the countries at war with the Axis Powers and fully aligned with the Allied Powers (United Nations).
  • 2. It called upon Britain to immediately hand over power to an Indian Provisional Government composed of representatives of all sections of the population.

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 CISF-AC-EXE – 2024
Statement 1 is incorrect, but statement 2 is correct.
The Quit India Resolution, passed in August 1942, was a decisive call by the Indian National Congress for immediate independence from British rule during World War II.
The Quit India Resolution (also known as the ‘Quit India’ or ‘Bharat Chhodo’ Resolution) demanded an immediate end to British rule in India. It called for the withdrawal of British power and the formation of a provisional government representing all sections of the Indian population. Far from aligning India with the Allied Powers under British control, the resolution essentially gave an ultimatum to the British, stating that India would not participate in the war effort under colonial subjugation. The resolution did not explicitly align India with the Allied Powers; rather, it emphasized that a free India would be able to defend itself better against fascism and imperialism.

2. In 1942, the Prati Sarkar was started in

In 1942, the Prati Sarkar was started in

Belgaum in Karnataka
Chittagong in Bengal
Guntur in Andhra Pradesh
Satara in Maharashtra
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2019
In 1942, the Prati Sarkar (parallel government) was started in Satara in Maharashtra.
– During the Quit India Movement of 1942, various forms of ‘parallel governments’ or ‘Prati Sarkars’ were established in several parts of India by nationalist activists who had gone underground.
– Prominent examples include the Prati Sarkar in Satara district, Maharashtra (led by leaders like Nana Patil and Y.B. Chavan), the Jatiya Sarkar in Tamluk, Midnapore district, Bengal (led by figures like Satish Chandra Samanta and Ajoy Mukherjee), and the government in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh (under Chittu Pandey for a short period).
– The Prati Sarkar in Satara was one of the most significant and long-lasting, operating for several years and undertaking constructive work as well as revolutionary activities.
These parallel governments aimed to undermine British authority, carry out local administration, dispense justice, and organize resistance, representing a significant phase of popular defiance during the Quit India Movement. Chittagong is famous for the 1930 armoury raid, not a 1942 parallel government. While activities happened in Belgaum and Guntur during Quit India, Satara’s Prati Sarkar is the most widely recognized example of this phenomenon from 1942.

3. With reference to 8th August, 1942 in Indian history, which one of the

With reference to 8th August, 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct?

The Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC.
The Viceroy's Executive Council was expanded to include more Indians.
The Congress ministries resigned in seven provinces.
Cripps proposed an Indian Union with full Dominion Status once the Second World War was over.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2021
On 8th August, 1942, the Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC.
The historic Quit India Resolution, also known as the ‘Bharat Chhodo Andolan’, was passed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) at its meeting in Bombay on August 8, 1942. The resolution called for an end to British rule in India. Following the adoption of the resolution, Mahatma Gandhi gave his famous ‘Do or Die’ speech. The leadership of the Congress was arrested the next day, triggering spontaneous mass protests across the country.
The expansion of the Viceroy’s Executive Council occurred earlier in the context of the August Offer (1940). The resignation of Congress ministries in seven provinces took place in October/November 1939 after the Viceroy declared India a belligerent in World War II without consulting Indian leaders. The Cripps Mission, which proposed Dominion Status, visited India in March 1942, several months before the Quit India Movement was launched.

4. Quit India Movement was launched in response to

Quit India Movement was launched in response to

Cabinet Mission Plan
Cripps Proposals
Simon Commission Report
Wavell Plan
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2013
The Quit India Movement was launched in response to the failure of the Cripps Proposals.
In March 1942, Sir Stafford Cripps was sent by the British government with proposals to secure India’s full cooperation and support in World War II. The Cripps Proposals offered Dominion Status after the war and permitted provinces to opt out of the proposed Indian Union, among other things. However, they did not offer immediate independence or a concrete plan for transfer of power acceptable to the Indian National Congress, which demanded a provisional government with real power. The failure of the Cripps Mission, combined with growing discontent over British rule and the impact of the war, led Mahatma Gandhi to call for the Quit India Movement in August 1942, demanding the immediate end of British rule in India.
The Quit India Movement was a significant turning point in the Indian independence struggle. It involved widespread civil disobedience and protests, though it faced severe repression by the British authorities.

5. Which of the following was/were the features of the Quit India Movemen

Which of the following was/were the features of the Quit India Movement?

  • From the very beginning, it was a rural revolt
  • It was essentially a moderate movement
  • It was marked by the unprecedented use of violence
  • It was marked by acute state repression

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 only
1 and 2
3 and 4 only
1, 3 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2016
The correct answer is C. Statements 3 and 4 accurately describe key features of the Quit India Movement, while statements 1 and 2 do not.
– Statement 1: “From the very beginning, it was a rural revolt”. Incorrect. The Quit India Movement was launched by the Congress leadership (in Bombay) and began with urban protests following the arrests of leaders. While it quickly spread to rural areas and saw significant participation there, including the setting up of parallel governments, it was not exclusively or primarily a rural revolt *from the very beginning*.
– Statement 2: “It was essentially a moderate movement”. Incorrect. The Quit India Movement (variously called August Kranti or Bharat Chhodo Andolan) was one of the most militant and radical phases of the Indian independence movement, characterized by mass participation, widespread disruption, and violence (both by protesters and the state).
– Statement 3: “It was marked by the unprecedented use of violence”. Correct. Following the sudden arrest of leaders, the movement became decentralized and spontaneous. There were widespread attacks on symbols of British authority – police stations, post offices, railway lines, and other government infrastructure. While not centrally directed, violence became a significant feature.
– Statement 4: “It was marked by acute state repression”. Correct. The British government responded swiftly and brutally. Congress leaders were imprisoned, meetings banned, protests fired upon, and widespread arrests and repression followed, crushing the movement within months, though localized resistance continued.
The Quit India Movement, launched in August 1942, was a call for immediate independence. With the leadership jailed, the movement took a more spontaneous and often violent turn, involving a wide range of people from students to peasants. Despite the severe repression, it demonstrated the depth of anti-British sentiment and the willingness of the masses to participate in a radical struggle.

6. Which of the following presents the main phases of the Quit India Move

Which of the following presents the main phases of the Quit India Movement ?

1. Strikes, boycotts, and picketing in urban centres

2. Widespread attacks in rural areas on the many symbols and means of colonial rule and authority, e.g. railways, telegraph lines, and Government buildings

3. Formation of Home Rule leagues

4. The ‘Karnataka method’

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 only
2, 3 and 4
1, 2 and 4
1 and 4 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2015
The correct option is C.
The Quit India Movement (1942) unfolded in several phases:
1. The initial phase, immediately following the arrest of major leaders, was marked by widespread strikes, hartals, and protests in urban centres (Statement 1 is TRUE).
2. As the movement progressed and faced severe repression in cities, it spread to rural areas and became more radical. This second phase involved attacks on symbols of British authority and means of communication, such as railway lines, telegraph wires, police stations, and government buildings (Statement 2 is TRUE). This was an attempt to paralyse the government machinery.
3. The formation of Home Rule Leagues occurred much earlier, during the First World War (1916), led by figures like Annie Besant and B.G. Tilak. It is not a phase of the Quit India Movement (Statement 3 is NOT TRUE).
4. The later phase saw the emergence of underground activities and the formation of parallel governments in various parts of the country, such as Ballia, Tamluk, Satara, and pockets of Karnataka. The ‘Karnataka method’ refers to such underground activities and alternative structures of governance in Karnataka during this period (Statement 4 is TRUE).
Therefore, the main phases or characteristics of the Quit India Movement are represented by statements 1, 2, and 4.
The Quit India Movement was unique due to the absence of top leadership (all were arrested early on), making it a spontaneous and largely decentralized mass uprising. The violence was often directed against government property and infrastructure. The parallel governments established in some areas demonstrated the populace’s determination to overthrow British rule and create alternative structures.

7. Consider the following statement : “India would be far more reliable a

Consider the following statement :
“India would be far more reliable as a base for operations. Moreover the prospect of a settlement will be greatly enhanced by the disappearance of Gandhi, who had for years torpedoed every attempt at a settlement.”

The above statement was made by the British in the context of

Kheda Satyagraha
Civil Disobedience Movement
Quit India Movement
Non-Cooperation Movement
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2012
The statement reflects a British perspective during a critical phase when Gandhi was actively opposing their policies and his removal was seen as beneficial for their strategic interests, particularly in the context of war. The Quit India Movement (1942) was launched during World War II, demanding the immediate end of British rule. The British government was heavily reliant on Indian resources and manpower for the war effort. Gandhi’s call for ‘Quit India’ and ‘Do or Die’ was a direct challenge that could jeopardize their war operations. The British responded by arresting Gandhi and other leaders, effectively making them ‘disappear’ from the public scene, hoping this would enhance the reliability of India as a base for operations and facilitate a ‘settlement’ (perhaps implying securing Indian cooperation or suppressing the movement). The other movements listed occurred earlier when the context of a World War and the specific phraseology about “reliability as a base for operations” and “settlement” linked to war efforts were not as prominent.
The quote points to a situation where Gandhi was seen as a major obstacle to British operations and settlements, likely in the context of securing Indian support during a war, which strongly aligns with the circumstances surrounding the Quit India Movement during World War II.
The Quit India movement led to the arrest of almost all major Indian National Congress leaders. Despite the lack of leadership, the movement saw spontaneous protests and widespread unrest across India. The British used severe force to suppress the movement.

8. Freedom Fighter Kanaklata Barua sacrificed her life while participatin

Freedom Fighter Kanaklata Barua sacrificed her life while participating in

Rowlatt Satyagraha
Non-Cooperation Movement
Civil Disobedience Movement
Quit India Movement
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2024
The correct answer is Quit India Movement.
Kanaklata Barua was a young freedom fighter from Assam who participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942. She was leading a procession of the Mrityu Bahini (‘death squad’), a group formed by the Congress activists, towards the police station at Gohpur to hoist the national flag. She was shot dead by the police during this demonstration at the age of 17.
The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 demanding an end to British rule in India. It saw widespread protests and civil disobedience across the country. Kanaklata Barua is remembered as a martyr for her sacrifice during this movement.

9. “…the immediate ending of British rule in India is an urgent necessi

“…the immediate ending of British rule in India is an urgent necessity…” was a resolution of

Non Co-operation Movement
Quit India Movement
Individual Movement
Civil Disobedience Movement
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2023
The resolution “Immediate ending of British rule in India is an urgent necessity…” is the core demand of the Quit India Movement, which was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in August 1942 during World War II. The Congress passed the ‘Quit India’ resolution at the Bombay session on August 8, 1942, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the British from India.
The call for the “immediate ending of British rule” was the central slogan and demand of the Quit India Movement (1942).
Other movements had different primary focuses or demands. The Non-Cooperation Movement aimed at non-cooperation to achieve Swaraj. The Civil Disobedience Movement aimed at breaking specific laws and achieving Purna Swaraj (complete independence), but the urgency and immediate nature emphasized in the quote are most strongly linked to the Quit India Movement in the context of WWII. Individual Satyagraha was a limited, symbolic protest.

10. Which one of the following statements about the Quit India Movement is

Which one of the following statements about the Quit India Movement is not correct ?

It broke out in August 1942.
Ahmedabad Textile Mills went on strike for more than three months.
Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha actively participated in the movement.
Communist Party did not support the movement.
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2017
The statement that Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha actively participated in the movement is NOT correct.
The Quit India Movement was largely led by the Indian National Congress. The Muslim League, under Muhammad Ali Jinnah, did not support the movement and instead focused on its demand for Pakistan. The Hindu Mahasabha also did not officially support the movement.
The movement did break out in August 1942. There were significant industrial strikes, including in the Ahmedabad Textile Mills. The Communist Party of India also did not support the Quit India Movement initially, as they aligned with the Allied war effort after Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union; they viewed the war as a ‘People’s War’ against Fascism.