Revolutionary & Communist Movements UPSC Previous Year Questions (PYQ) — HSRA, INA & Left Politics

All Revolutionary & Communist Movements Previous Year Questions (1995–2022)

1. 1 2022

   Consider the following freedom fighters:
   1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
   2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
   3. Rash Behari Bose Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?

   1. A 1 and 2
   2. B 2 only
   3. C 1 and 3
   4. D 3 only
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: D. 3 only

   Explanation

   Of the three, only Rash Behari Bose was directly and actively involved with the Ghadar Party's 1915 mutiny plans; Barindra Ghosh and Jogesh Chatterjee were instead linked to Bengal revolutionary groups such as the Anushilan Samiti.

2. 2 2021

   In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as

   1. A leaders of Swadeshi and Boycott Movement
   2. B members of the Interim Government in 1946
   3. C members of the Drafting Committee in the Constituent Assembly
   4. D officers of the Indian National Army
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: D. officers of the Indian National Army

   Explanation

   Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Dhillon were INA officers famously tried together in the 1945 Red Fort Trials.

3. 3 2015

   With reference to Congress Socialist Party, consider the following statements:
   1. It advocated the boycott of British goods and evasion of taxes.
   2. It wanted to establish the dictatorship of proletariat.
   3. It advocated separate electorate for minorities and oppressed classes.
   
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A 1 and 2 only
   2. B 3 only
   3. C 1, 2 and 3
   4. D None
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: D. None

   Explanation

   The Congress Socialist Party (founded 1934) actually opposed separate electorates rather than advocating them, and its own platform was distinct from Congress's general boycott-and-tax-evasion programme or from a doctrinaire call for proletarian dictatorship — so none of the three statements correctly describes it.

4. 4 2014

   The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a

   1. A revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco
   2. B nationalist organization operating from Singapore
   3. C militant organization with headquarters at Berlin
   4. D communist movement for India’s freedom with headquarters at Tashkent
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: A. revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco

   Explanation

   The Ghadar Party was a revolutionary organisation of Indian immigrants, founded in 1913 with its headquarters in San Francisco, aiming to overthrow British rule through armed uprising.

5. 5 2008

   During the Indian Freedom Struggle, who of the following raised an army called ‘Free Indian Legion’?

   1. A Lala Hardayal
   2. B Rashbehari Bose
   3. C Subhas Chandra Bose
   4. D V. D. Savarkar
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: C. Subhas Chandra Bose

   Explanation

   Subhas Chandra Bose raised the 'Free India Legion' from Indian prisoners of war in Germany during his stay there in the early 1940s, before moving on to lead the INA in Southeast Asia.

6. 6 2006

   Who among the following wrote “The Communist Manifesto” along with Karl Marx?

   1. A Emile Durkheim
   2. B Friedrich Engels
   3. C Robert Owen
   4. D Max Weber
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: B. Friedrich Engels

   Explanation

   Friedrich Engels co-authored 'The Communist Manifesto' (1848) together with Karl Marx.

7. 7 2006

   Consider the following statements about Madam Bhikaji Cama :
   1. Madam Cama unfurled the National Flag at the International Socialist Conference in Paris in the year 1907.
   2. Madam Cama served as private secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji.
   3. Madam Cama was born to Parsi parents.
   
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A 1, 2 and 3
   2. B 2 and 3, only
   3. C 1 and 2, only
   4. D 3 only
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: B. 2 and 3, only

   Explanation

   Madam Cama, born to a Parsi family (true) and formerly private secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji in London (true), actually unfurled an early version of the Indian flag at the International Socialist Congress in Stuttgart in 1907, not Paris — making the first statement incorrect and only 2 and 3 correct.

8. 8 2005

   In October 1920, who of the following headed a group of Indians gathered at Tashkent to set up a communist party of India?

   1. A H.K. Sarkar
   2. B P.C. Joshi
   3. C M.C. Chagla
   4. D M.N. Roy
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: D. M.N. Roy

   Explanation

   M.N. Roy led the group of Indian émigrés who founded the Communist Party of India at Tashkent in October 1920.

9. 9 2005

   Where were the Ghadar revolutionaries, who became active during the outbreak of the World War I, based?

   1. A Central America
   2. B North America
   3. C West America
   4. D South America
   Reveal answer

   ✓ Correct answer: B. North America

   Explanation

   Ghadar Party revolutionaries who mobilised at the outbreak of World War I were based among Indian immigrant communities on the west coast of North America.

10. 10 2005

    What was Komagata Maru?

    1. A A political party based in Taiwan
    2. B Peasant communist leader of China
    3. C A naval ship on voyage to Canada
    4. D A Chinese village where Mao Tse Tung began his Long March
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: C. A naval ship on voyage to Canada

    Explanation

    Komagata Maru was a chartered steamship carrying Indian, mostly Sikh, passengers that was famously denied entry into Canada in 1914 due to discriminatory immigration laws, an incident that fuelled the Ghadar movement.

11. 11 2001

    Who among the following organised the famous Chittagong armoury raid?

    1. A Laxmi Sehgal
    2. B Surya Sen
    3. C Batukeshwar Datta
    4. D J. M. Sengupta
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: B. Surya Sen

    Explanation

    Surya Sen ('Masterda') organised the famous 1930 Chittagong Armoury Raid.

12. 12 2000

    The Indian National Army (INA) came into existence in 1943 in

    1. A Japan
    2. B Burma
    3. C Singapore
    4. D Malaya
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: C. Singapore

    Explanation

    The Indian National Army, in its well-known reorganised form, came into existence in 1943 in Singapore under Subhas Chandra Bose's leadership.

13. 13 2000

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
    
    List I
    I. Chittagong Armoury Raid
    II. Abhinav Bharat
    III. Anushilan Samiti
    IV. Kuka Movement
    
    List II
    A) Kalpana Dutt
    B) Guru Ram Singh
    C) Vikram Damodar Savarkar
    D) Aurobindo Ghosh Codes:

    1. A I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B
    2. B I-A, II-C, III-B, IV-D
    3. C I-C, II-A, III-B, IV-D
    4. D I-C, II-A, III-D, IV-B
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: A. I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B

    Explanation

    Matching revolutionary events to the figures closely linked with them: the Chittagong Armoury Raid with Kalpana Dutt, Abhinav Bharat with V.D. Savarkar, Anushilan Samiti with Aurobindo Ghosh, and the Kuka Movement with Guru Ram Singh — giving I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B.

14. 14 1999

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
    
    List I (Persons)
    I. Shyamji Krishna Varma
    II. Madame Bhikaji Cama
    III. Annie Besant
    IV. Aurobindo Ghosh List II (Journals) A. Bande Mataram B. Indian Sociologist C. The Talwar D. Commonweal Codes:

    1. A I-B, II-C, III-D, IV-A
    2. B I-C, II-B, III-A, IV-D
    3. C I-B, II-C, III-A, IV-D
    4. D I-C, II-B, III-D, IV-A
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: A. I-B, II-C, III-D, IV-A

    Explanation

    Matching revolutionaries to the journals associated with them: Shyamji Krishna Varma with the 'Indian Sociologist' (London), Madame Cama with 'Talwar,' Annie Besant with 'Commonweal,' and Aurobindo Ghosh with 'Bande Mataram' — giving I-B, II-C, III-D, IV-A.

15. 15 1999

    'Abhinav Bharat' a secret society of revolutionaries was organised by

    1. A Khudiram Bose
    2. B V. D. Savarkar
    3. C Prafulla Chaki
    4. D Bhagat Singh
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: B. V. D. Savarkar

    Explanation

    V.D. Savarkar organised the secret revolutionary society 'Abhinav Bharat' in 1904.

16. 16 1998

    Who was the leader of the Ghaddar Party?

    1. A Bhagat Singh
    2. B Lala Hardayal
    3. C Bal Gangadhar Tilak
    4. D V. D. Savarkar
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: B. Lala Hardayal

    Explanation

    Lala Hardayal was the principal ideologue and leader of the Ghadar Party, founded in San Francisco.

17. 17 1997

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
    
    List I
    I. Chittagong Armoury Raid
    II. Kakori Conspiracy
    III. Lahore Conspiracy
    IV. Ghadar Party
    
    List II
    A) Lala Hardayal
    B) Jatin Das
    C) Surya Sen
    D) Ram Prasad Bismil E) Vasudev Phadke Codes:

    1. A I–C, II–D, III–A, IV–E
    2. B I–D, II–C, III–B, IV–E
    3. C I–C, II–D, III–B, IV–A
    4. D I–B, II–D, III–C, IV–A
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: C. I–C, II–D, III–B, IV–A

    Explanation

    Matching revolutionary episodes to their key figures: the Chittagong Armoury Raid with Surya Sen, the Kakori Conspiracy with Ram Prasad Bismil, the Lahore Conspiracy with Jatin Das, and the Ghadar Party with Lala Hardayal — giving I-C, II-D, III-B, IV-A.

18. 18 1996

    Who among the following was a prominent leader of the Congress Socialist Party?

    1. A M. N. Roy
    2. B Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
    3. C Pattam Thanu Pillai
    4. D Acharya Narendra Dev
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: D. Acharya Narendra Dev

    Explanation

    Acharya Narendra Dev, alongside Jayaprakash Narayan, was a prominent leader of the Congress Socialist Party.

19. 19 1996

    Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
    
    List I
    I. Abhinav Bharat Society
    II. Anushilan Samiti
    III. Ghadar Party
    IV. Swaraj Party
    
    List II
    A) Sri Aurobindo Ghosh
    B) Lala Hardayal
    C) C. R. Das
    D)
    V. D. Savarkar Codes:

    1. A I – D, II – A, III – C, IV – B
    2. B I – A, II – D, III – C, IV – B
    3. C I – A, II – D, III – B, IV – C
    4. D I – D, II – A, III – B, IV – C
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: D. I – D, II – A, III – B, IV – C

    Explanation

    Matching organisations to their leaders: the Abhinav Bharat Society with V.D. Savarkar, the Anushilan Samiti with Aurobindo Ghosh, the Ghadar Party with Lala Hardayal, and the Swaraj Party with C.R. Das — giving I-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C.

20. 20 1995

    The radical wing of the Congress Party, with Jawaharlal Nehru as one of its main leaders, founded the ‘Independence for India League’ in opposition to

    1. A the Gandhi Irwin Pact
    2. B the Home Rule Movement
    3. C the Nehru Report
    4. D the Montford Reforms
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: C. the Nehru Report

    Explanation

    Nehru's radical wing within Congress founded the 'Independence for India League' specifically to oppose the Nehru Report's goal of Dominion Status, demanding complete independence instead.

21. 21 1995

    Which one of the following was an émigré Communist Journal of M. N. Roy?

    1. A Kisan Sabha
    2. B The Worker
    3. C Vanguard
    4. D Anushilan
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: C. Vanguard

    Explanation

    'Vanguard' was the émigré communist journal M.N. Roy published from Europe to spread Marxist ideas among Indians.

22. 22 1995

    90. The Barrah dacoity was the first major venture of the revolutionary terrorist of the freedom movement in

    1. A Bombay Karnataka
    2. B Punjab
    3. C East Bengal
    4. D The Madras Presidency
    Reveal answer

    ✓ Correct answer: C. East Bengal

    Explanation

    The Barrah dacoity (1908) is regarded as the first major armed venture of revolutionary terrorists in East Bengal, linked to groups like Jugantar and Anushilan Samiti.