UPSC Prelims · Modern History PYQ
Formation of Congress, Moderate vs Extremist phases, Partition of Bengal, and the Swadeshi Movement.
Includes
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : 7th August is declared as the National Handloom Day.
Statement-II : It was in 1905 that the Swadeshi Movement was launched on the same day. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Correct answer: A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
Explanation
Both statements hold true: National Handloom Day is observed on 7 August because the Swadeshi Movement was launched on that very date in 1905, so the second statement directly explains the first.
With reference to the book ‘Desher Katha’ written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during the Swadeshi Movement, consider the following statements:
1. It alerted the Indian people to the dangers of colonial rule.
2. It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs.
3. The use of the term ‘desh’ by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Correct answer: C. 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Deuskar's 'Desher Katha' (1904) warned Indians of colonial economic exploitation and specifically used the term 'desh' for the Bengal region — both true; it is remembered chiefly for shaping nationalist consciousness rather than for directly inspiring Swadeshi-era street plays and folk songs.
With reference to Swadeshi Movement, consider the following statements:
1. It contributed to the revival of the indigenous artisan crafts and industries.
2. The National Council of Education was established as a part of Swadeshi Movement.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct answer: C. Both 1 and 2
Explanation
The Swadeshi Movement did revive indigenous crafts and industries, and it also led to the founding of the National Council of Education in 1906 to promote indigenous, technical, and literary education — both statements are correct.
Consider the following pairs:
1. Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association
2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty — Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha
3. Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Correct answer: B. 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Radhakanta Deb was indeed the first President of the British Indian Association, and Surendranath Banerjee did found the Indian Association — both correct; the Madras Mahajana Sabha, however, was founded by leaders like M. Viraraghavachariar and G. Subramania Iyer, not by Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty.
The 'Swadeshi' and 'Boycott' were adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the
Correct answer: A. agitation against the Partition of Bengal
Explanation
'Swadeshi' and 'Boycott' were first adopted as organised methods of protest during the agitation against Curzon's Partition of Bengal in 1905.
What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907?
Correct answer: B. Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government
Explanation
The 1907 Surat split occurred mainly because the Extremists had lost faith in the Moderates' ability to negotiate effectively with the British government.
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?
Correct answer: B. 2 only
Explanation
Badruddin Tyabji was actually the first Muslim President of Congress (1887); Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman President (1925), but the first woman President overall was Annie Besant (1917) — so only the second statement is correct.
Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in the emergence of 'moderates' and 'extremists'?
Correct answer: A. Swadeshi Movement
Explanation
The Swadeshi Movement, sparked by the Partition of Bengal, widened the gulf between Moderates and Extremists within Congress, eventually leading to the Surat split.
The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until
Correct answer: B. King George V abrogated Curzon's Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911
Explanation
The Partition of Bengal remained in effect until King George V annulled it at the 1911 Delhi Durbar.
Annie Besant was
1. Responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement
2. The founder of the Theosophical Society
3. Once the President of the Indian National Congress
Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.
Correct answer: C. 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Annie Besant did help launch the Home Rule Movement (1916) and did serve as Congress President (1917), both true; however, she was not the founder of the Theosophical Society, which was established earlier by Helena Blavatsky and Henry Olcott — so only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
What was the purpose with which Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine had set up the Indian Parliamentary Committee in 1893?
Correct answer: A. To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons
Explanation
Wedderburn and Caine set up the Indian Parliamentary Committee in 1893 to press directly for Indian political reforms within the House of Commons.
Four resolutions were passed at the famous Calcutta session of Indian National Congress in 1906. The question of either retention OR of rejection of these four resolutions became the cause of a split in Congress at the next Congress session held in Surat in 1907. Which one of the following was not one of those resolutions?
Correct answer: A. Annulment of partition of Bengal
Explanation
The four Calcutta 1906 resolutions covered Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and Self-Government; annulling the Partition of Bengal was not one of them — that only happened later, in 1911 — making it the odd one out.
What was the immediate cause for the launch of the Swadeshi movement?
Correct answer: A. The partition of Bengal done by Lord Curzon
Explanation
The Swadeshi Movement was launched directly in response to Curzon's Partition of Bengal in 1905.
In the context of the Indian freedom struggle, 16th October 1905 is well known for which one of the following reasons?
Correct answer: B. Partition of Bengal took effect
Explanation
16 October 1905 marks the date the Partition of Bengal formally came into effect.
Who among the following rejected the title of Knighthood and refused to accept a position in the Council of the Secretary of State for India?
Correct answer: C. G. K. Gokhale
Explanation
Gopal Krishna Gokhale declined a Knighthood and a seat on the Secretary of State's Council to preserve his political independence.
Who among the following gave a systematic critique of the moderate politics of the Indian National Congress in a series of articles entitled New Lamps for Old?
Correct answer: A. Aurobindo Ghosh
Explanation
Aurobindo Ghosh wrote the 'New Lamps for Old' series, sharply critiquing the Moderates' reliance on petitions and calling for a more assertive nationalism.
Where was the First Session of the Indian National Congress held in December 1885?
Correct answer: B. Bombay
Explanation
The first Congress session, held in December 1885, took place in Bombay under W.C. Bonnerjee's presidency.
The song ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’, written during the Swadeshi Movement of India, inspired the Liberation Struggle of Bangladesh and was adopted as the National Anthem of Bangladesh. Who wrote this song?
Correct answer: D. Rabindranath Tagore
Explanation
Rabindranath Tagore composed 'Amar Sonar Bangla' during the Swadeshi-era anti-partition agitation; it was later adopted as Bangladesh's national anthem.
Consider the following statements:
1. The First Session of the Indian National Congress was held in Calcutta.
2. The Second Session of the Indian National Congress was held under the presidentship of Dadabhai Naoroji.
3. Both Indian National Congress and Muslim League held their sessions at Lucknow in 1916 and concluded the Lucknow Pact. Which of these statements given above is/are correct?
Correct answer: C. 2 and 3
Explanation
The first Congress session was actually held in Bombay, not Calcutta, so the first statement is false; the second session was indeed presided over by Dadabhai Naoroji in Calcutta (1886), and both Congress and the Muslim League did hold their 1916 sessions together at Lucknow, concluding the Lucknow Pact — so statements 2 and 3 hold.
Which one of the following submitted in 1875 a petition to the House of Commons demanding India’s direct representation in the British Parliament?
Correct answer: D. The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
Explanation
The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha submitted a petition to the House of Commons in 1875 demanding direct Indian representation in the British Parliament.
The President of the Indian National Congress at the time of the partition of India was
Correct answer: B. J. B. Kripalani
Explanation
J.B. Kripalani was serving as Congress President at the time of India's partition and independence in 1947.
With reference to the period of extremist nationalist movement in India with its spirit of Swadeshi, which one of the following statements is correct?
Correct answer: A. Laikat Hossain led the Muslim peasants of Barisal in their agitations
Explanation
Liaquat/Laikat Hossain led Muslim peasants of Barisal in agitations connected with the anti-partition Swadeshi movement in East Bengal.
A London branch of the All-India Muslim League was established in 1908 under the presidency of
Correct answer: B. Ameer Ali
Explanation
Syed Ameer Ali presided over the London branch of the All-India Muslim League, established in 1908.
Consider the following statements about the Indian National Congress:
I. Sarojini Naidu was the first woman to be the President of the Congress.
II. C. R. Das was in prison when he functioned as the President of the Congress.
III. The first Britisher to become the President of the Congress was Alan Octavian Hume.
IV. Alfred Webb was the President of the Congress in 1894. Which of these statements are correct?
Correct answer: B. II and IV
Explanation
Sarojini Naidu was not the first woman Congress President — that distinction belongs to Annie Besant (1917) — so statement I is false; C.R. Das did preside over a Congress session (Gaya, 1922) while in prison, true; A.O. Hume, the Congress's founding secretary, was never its President, so statement III is false; and Alfred Webb, an Irish MP, genuinely was Congress President in 1894, true — giving II and IV.
Assertion (A): The basic weakness of the early nationalist movement lay in its narrow social base. Reason (R): It fought for the narrow interests of the social groups which joined it.
Correct answer: C. A is true, but R is false
Explanation
It is true the early nationalist movement had a narrow social base largely confined to educated elites; but this was not because it consciously served only narrow group interests — its formal demands covered broader political and economic concerns, so the reason given does not hold.
The Congress policy of pray and petition ultimately came to an end under the guidance of
Correct answer: B. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation
Bal Gangadhar Tilak, with his call for assertive Swaraj politics, helped end the earlier Congress era of relying purely on prayer and petition.
Assertion (A): Partition of Bengal in 1905 brought to an end the Moderates’ role in the Indian freedom movement. Reason (R): The Surat session of Indian National Congress separated the Extremists from the Moderates.
Correct answer: D. A is false, but R is true
Explanation
The Partition of Bengal (1905) actually strengthened Extremist politics rather than ending the Moderates' role outright, so the assertion is false; the Surat session (1907) genuinely did formalise the split between Extremists and Moderates, so the reason given is true on its own.
What is the correct sequence of the following events?
I. Tilak’s Home Rule League
II. Kamagatamaru Incident
III. Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival in India
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Correct answer: D. II, III, I
Explanation
Chronologically: the Kamagata Maru incident (1914), Gandhi's return to India (1915), and the founding of Tilak's Home Rule League (1916) fall in the sequence II, III, I.
The Indian Muslims, in general, were not attracted to the Extremist movement because of the
Correct answer: D. Extremists’ policy of harping on Hindu past
Explanation
Indian Muslims were generally not drawn to Extremist politics partly because Extremist rhetoric often invoked a specifically Hindu cultural and religious past, which limited its appeal to Muslim participants.
Which one of the following defines extremist ideology during the early phase of Indian freedom movement?
Correct answer: B. Obtaining self-government by aggressive means in place of petitions and constitutional ways
Explanation
Extremist ideology sought self-government through direct, assertive methods, replacing the Moderates' earlier reliance on petitions and constitutional channels.
Of the four forms of political protests mentioned below, which one is derived from the name of the person who used it as a political weapon for the first time?
Correct answer: A. Boycott
Explanation
The term 'Boycott' derives from Captain Charles Boycott, an English land agent in Ireland ostracised by tenants in 1880, and was later adopted in India as a political weapon during the Swadeshi Movement.