UPSC Prelims 2013–2026 — Modern India
India in the 18th Century (15 Q)
Indian Renaissance and Reform Movements (10 Q)
Early Uprising Against the British and Revolt of 1857 (4 Q)
Rise of Indian National Movement: Moderate and Extremists Phase (12 Q)
Phases of Revolutionary Nationalism (2 Q)
The Beginning of Gandhian Era (24 Q)
The National Movement in the 1940s (10 Q)
Development of Press, Education and Civil Services (4 Q)
Independence to Partition (6 Q)
UPSC Prelims 2026 Additions (5 Q)
1. India in the 18th Century
Q1. Consider the following fruits: (2025) I. Papaya II. Pineapple III. Guava How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) All the three. The Portuguese also introduced many ‘New World’ fruits like the pineapple, Papaya, Sapodilla, and the Guava which found acceptance and became part of Indian food culture.
Q2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: This item was not linked to a dependable official key during extraction, so the quiz does not force one marked answer for it.
Q3. Who among the following rulers of medieval Gujarat surrendered Diu to the Portuguese? (2023)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Bahadur Shah. In 1534, the Bahadur Shah signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese. By this, he ceded Diu to the Portuguese, as well as other territories of his empire such as Vasai and the islands that today form Mumbai.
Q4. By which one of the following Acts was the Governor General of Bengal designated as the Governor General of India? (2023)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) The Charter Act of 1833. The Governor-General of Bengal was made the Governor General of India (Sir William Bentinck became the first) by the Charter Act of 1833.
Q5. With reference to Indian History, Alexander Rea, A.H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Walter Elliot were associated with (2023)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) archaeological excavations. Alexander Rea: Archaeologist known for excavations at Taxila and Amaravati.
Q6. The English East India Company established a factory at Madras on a plot of land leased from a representative of the Vijayanagara empire. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1 and 3 only. In 1534, the Bahadur Shah signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese. By this, he ceded Diu to the Portuguese, as well as other territories of his empire such as Vasai and the islands that today form Mumbai.
Q7. Trichinopoly Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 3 only. In 1534, the Bahadur Shah signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese. By this, he ceded Diu to the Portuguese, as well as other territories of his empire such as Vasai and the islands that today form Mumbai.
Q8. Which of the following statements correctly explains the impact of the Industrial Revolution on India during the first half of the nineteenth century? (2020)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) Indian handicrafts were ruined.. India’s textile exports declined by the mid-19th century due to British industrial imports and policies.
Q9. Mirasidar : Designated revenue payer to the State Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 3 only. In 1534, the Bahadur Shah signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese. By this, he ceded Diu to the Portuguese, as well as other territories of his empire such as Vasai and the islands that today form Mumbai.
Q10. Wellesley established the Fort William College Calcutta because (2020)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) He wanted to train British civilians for administrative purpose in India India in the 18th Century 1 3 India in the 18th Century. Choice (d) is the right one: Fort William College, founded in 1800 by Wellesley, trained Company officials in Indian languages for administration.
Q11. Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the New world and introduced in the Old World? (2019)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) Tobacco, cocoa and rubber. Choice (a) is the right one: Old-World crops like wheat and barley were introduced to the Americas post-1490s; New-World crops include tobacco, cocoa, and rubber.
Q12. The revenues of India were now controlled by the British Parliament. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1 and 3 only. In 1534, the Bahadur Shah signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese. By this, he ceded Diu to the Portuguese, as well as other territories of his empire such as Vasai and the islands that today form Mumbai.
Q13. The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were: (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium. Choice (d) is the right one: British India supplied food, cotton, silk, and raw materials like saltpetre, opium, and indigo for British capitalism.
Q14. Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley? (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) To secure a fixed income for the Company. Choice (c) is the right one: Introduced by Wellesley, the Subsidiary Alliance aimed at British control, not securing fixed income.
Q15. Thomas Munro Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 2 and 3 only. In 1534, the Bahadur Shah signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Portuguese. By this, he ceded Diu to the Portuguese, as well as other territories of his empire such as Vasai and the islands that today form Mumbai.
2. Indian Renaissance and Reform Movements
Q16. Who among the following was the founder of the ‘Self-Respect Movement’? (2025)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) ‘Periyar’ E.V.Ramaswamy Naicker. Ramaswami Naicker gave a concrete shape to his ideas on social reform by founding the Suyamariyati iyakkam otherwise known as the Self-Respect Movement.
Q17. Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy: (2025) I. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East. II. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Both I and II. Statement I is correct: Ram Mohan Roy valued Eastern thought but believed Western culture could modernize India. Statement II is Correct: He advocated tenant rights, women’s protection, liberal education, and a just social order.
Q18. With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct? (2021)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.. Madanapalle, in Andhra Pradesh, is where Rabindranath Tagore translated “Jana Gana Mana” into English and set it to music. Tagore, a renowned Bengali poet and the first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature, collaborated with Margaret Cousins, who composed the song’s music.
Q19. The Vital-Vidhwansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience, was published by: (2020)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) Gopal Baba Walangkar. Choice (a) is the right one: Gopal Baba Walangkar pioneered Dalit activism, publishing Vital Vidhwansak for untouchables in 1888.
Q20. Restitution of conjugal rights Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1 and 3 only. Madanapalle, in Andhra Pradesh, is where Rabindranath Tagore translated “Jana Gana Mana” into English and set it to music. Tagore, a renowned Bengali poet and the first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature, collaborated with Margaret Cousins, who composed the song’s music.
Q21. Self-Respect Movement Naicker E.V. Ramaswami Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 2 and 3 only. Madanapalle, in Andhra Pradesh, is where Rabindranath Tagore translated “Jana Gana Mana” into English and set it to music. Tagore, a renowned Bengali poet and the first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature, collaborated with Margaret Cousins, who composed the song’s music.
Q22. Which among the following events happened earliest? (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neel Darpan.. Dinabandhu Mitra’s Neel Darpan (1858–59) depicted the Indigo Revolt, Dayanand founded Arya Samaj in 1875 to reform society, Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian ICS officer in 1863, and Bankim’s Anandamath (1882) inspired nationalism through the Sanyasi Rebellion.
Q23. Satya Shodhak Samaj organised: (2016)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra. Satya Shodhak Samaj, founded by Jyotirao Phule in 1873, rejected Vedic authority and caste, promoting equality for Shudras through its mouthpiece Deenbandhu.
Q24. Indian Reform Association Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 3 only. Madanapalle, in Andhra Pradesh, is where Rabindranath Tagore translated “Jana Gana Mana” into English and set it to music. Tagore, a renowned Bengali poet and the first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature, collaborated with Margaret Cousins, who composed the song’s music.
Q25. Once the President of the Indian National Congress. Select the correct statement/statements using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1 and 3 only. Madanapalle, in Andhra Pradesh, is where Rabindranath Tagore translated “Jana Gana Mana” into English and set it to music. Tagore, a renowned Bengali poet and the first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature, collaborated with Margaret Cousins, who composed the song’s music.
3. Early Uprising Against the British and Revolt of 1857
Q26. Indigo cultivation in India declined by the beginning of the 20th century because of: (2020)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) its unprofitability in the world market because of new inventions. Choice (b) is the right one: New inventions took place in Germany where the invention of scientific techniques like modern synthetic chemistry took place. By the late 19th century, nearly all indigo came from indigo bush plantations in India. The Germans succeeded in making it in the laboratory in 1878, but it took nearly three decades for the large-scale production of synthetic indigo.
Q27. With reference to the history of India, “Ulgulan” or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following events? (2020)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) BirsaMunda’s Revolt of 1899-1900. The Munda Rebellion (1899-1900), led by Birsa Munda in southern Ranchi, aimed to restore Munda land rights and establish Munda Raj. The uprising protested the loss of traditional khuntkatti land to outsiders; later, the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 recognized tribal land rights and banned forced labor (beth begari).
Q28. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non- Santhal. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Neither 1 nor 2. The Munda Rebellion (1899-1900), led by Birsa Munda in southern Ranchi, aimed to restore Munda land rights and establish Munda Raj. The uprising protested the loss of traditional khuntkatti land to outsiders; later, the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 recognized tribal land rights and banned forced labor (beth begari).
Q29. To regulate East India Company’s trade with India. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1 and 3 only. The Santhal Revolt (1855–56) in Jharkhand was the first major peasant movement in India, led by the Murmu brothers against the oppressive zamindari system. The British responded by creating the Santhal Pargana district in 1885 and passing laws to protect tribal land from being taken by outsiders (dikus).
4. Rise of Indian National Movement: Moderate and Extremists Phase
Q30. The use of ‘desh’ by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1 and 3 only. Lala Lajpat Rai, famously known as the “Lion of Punjab,” was a nationalist leader who inspired patriotic zeal in Punjab through his writings, including biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji, Dayanand, and Shri Krishna in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
Q31. Economically one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the: (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Commercialization of Indian agriculture. British rule commercialized Indian agriculture by pushing cash crop cultivation like indigo, which led to increased landlessness, exploitation by middlemen, and a significant drain of wealth to Britain through exports and administrative costs.
Q32. 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: (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Lala Lajpat Rai. This choice matches the concept tested under Rise of Indian National Movement: Moderate and Extremists Phase; the other alternatives do not satisfy the wording of the item.
Q33. Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 2 and 3 only. Lala Lajpat Rai, famously known as the “Lion of Punjab,” was a nationalist leader who inspired patriotic zeal in Punjab through his writings, including biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji, Dayanand, and Shri Krishna in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
Q34. N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organising the labour movement in British India. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Both 1 and 2. British rule commercialized Indian agriculture by pushing cash crop cultivation like indigo, which led to increased landlessness, exploitation by middlemen, and a significant drain of wealth to Britain through exports and administrative costs.
Q35. What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907? (2016)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government.. The 1907 Surat Split divided Congress into moderates, who preferred negotiation and gradual reforms, and extremists, who advocated boycott and passive resistance, with moderates aiming for colonial self-rule and extremists pushing for full independence.
Q36. The ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Boycott’ were adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the (2016)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) Agitation against the partition of Bengal. The Swadeshi and Boycott movements, launched during the 1905– 08 anti-partition agitation in Bengal, marked a key nationalist phase led by extremists to promote Indian goods and reject British ones, culminating in Bengal’s reunification in 1911 and later embraced by Gandhi as a tool of economic resistance.
Q37. Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’? (2015)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) Quit India Movement. The Swadeshi Movement deepened the rift in Congress, leading to the 1907 Surat Split between extremists favoring boycott and passive resistance, and moderates advocating constitutional reforms.
Q38. The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Both 1 and 2. British rule commercialized Indian agriculture by pushing cash crop cultivation like indigo, which led to increased landlessness, exploitation by middlemen, and a significant drain of wealth to Britain through exports and administrative costs.
Q39. R. C. Dutt Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 2 and 3 only. Lala Lajpat Rai, famously known as the “Lion of Punjab,” was a nationalist leader who inspired patriotic zeal in Punjab through his writings, including biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji, Dayanand, and Shri Krishna in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
Q40. The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until (2014)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in 10 Rise of Indian National Movement: Moderate and Extremists Phase Delhi in 1911.. The British announced the partition of Bengal in 1903, creating two provinces—Bengal (with Calcutta) and Eastern Bengal and Assam (with Dacca).The partition was implemented in 1905 by Viceroy Curzon, but annulled in 1911 by King George V to curb revolutionary activities and shift the capital to Delhi.
Q41. The Ilbert Bill controversy was related to the (2013)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian Magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans.. The Ilbert Bill (1883) aimed to let Indian judges try Europeans but was diluted due to strong European opposition.
5. Phases of Revolutionary Nationalism
Q42. Rash Behari Bose Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?
Explanation: This item was not linked to a dependable official key during extraction, so the quiz does not force one marked answer for it.
Q43. The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a: (2014)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) Revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco. Choice (a) is the right one: Ghadar Party was an Indian revolutionary organization, which was formed in 1913 in San Francisco, the United States, by migrant Indians with the aim to liberate India from British rule. The party was set up as the Hindi Association of Pacific Coast under the leadership of Lala Har Dayal with Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna as its president.
6. The Beginning of Gandhian Era
Q44. Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of ‘Harijans’ in his political and social programme? (2025)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) The Poona Pact. This choice matches the concept tested under The Beginning of Gandhian Era; the other alternatives do not satisfy the wording of the item.
Q45. Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident? (2025)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant. Malaviya gave up legal practice in 1911 for education and social service, but notably defended 177 accused in the Chauri Chaura case, securing acquittal for 156.
Q46. “Sedition has become my religion” was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of (2025)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi. On 6th April, Gandhi reached Dandi, broke the salt law as a symbol of resistance to British rule, declaring it morally and spiritually ruinous and vowing to peacefully end it through non-violent struggle.
Q47. Consider the following statements in respect of the Non- Cooperation Movement: (2025) I. The Congress declared the attainment of ‘Swaraj’ by all legitimate and peaceful means to be its objective. II. It was to be implemented in stages with civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes for the next stage only if ‘Swaraj’ did not come within a year and the Government resorted to repression. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Both I and II. The 1920 Nagpur session marked a shift in INC strategy from constitutional methods to mass struggle for Swaraj, with open confrontation against the government and the Volunteer Corps supporting civil disobedience.
Q48. Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme: (2025) I. Boycott of law-courts and foreign cloth II. Observance of strict non-violence III. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public IV. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes How many of the above were parts of Non-Cooperation Programme?
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Only three. The Non-Cooperation Movement involved surrendering government titles, boycotting British institutions and goods, promoting national education, hand-spinning, panchayats, communal harmony, and non-violence while Statement III incorrectly omits the surrender of titles.
Q49. Police Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 1, 3 and 4. The 1920 Nagpur session marked a shift in INC strategy from constitutional methods to mass struggle for Swaraj, with open confrontation against the government and the Volunteer Corps supporting civil disobedience.
Q50. The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in the legislature. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 2 only. Malaviya gave up legal practice in 1911 for education and social service, but notably defended 177 accused in the Chauri Chaura case, securing acquittal for 156.
Q51. Who among the following is associated with ‘Songs from Prison’, a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English? (2021)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Choice (c) is the right one: During his imprisonment at Yerwada Prison in 1930, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi Ji translated hymns and lyrics from the Upanishads and other sacred texts. These texts were known as the ‘Songs from Prison’.
Q52. Release of only those prisoners who were not charged with violence Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (c) 3 only. The 1920 Nagpur session marked a shift in INC strategy from constitutional methods to mass struggle for Swaraj, with open confrontation against the government and the Volunteer Corps supporting civil disobedience.
Q53. 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?
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 1 and 3 only. On 6th April, Gandhi reached Dandi, broke the salt law as a symbol of resistance to British rule, declaring it morally and spiritually ruinous and vowing to peacefully end it through non-violent struggle.
Q54. The National Council of Education was established as a part of the Swadeshi Movement. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 2 only. Malaviya gave up legal practice in 1911 for education and social service, but notably defended 177 accused in the Chauri Chaura case, securing acquittal for 156.
Q55. Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha? (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Joining of peasant unrest to India’s National Movement. The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was Gandhi’s first Civil Disobedience Movement in India, linking peasant struggles with the national movement.
Q56. In 1920, which of the following changed its name to “Swarajya Sabha”? (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) All India Home Rule League. In 1919, the All India Home Rule League (Annie Besant, 1916) and Tilak’s Indian Home Rule League (1917) demanded self- government on the Irish model. By October 1920, the former was renamed “Swarajya Sabha” to work for complete Swaraj.
Q57. In the federation established by the Government of India Act of 1935, residuary powers given to the (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) Governor General. The Government of India Act 1935 divided powers into Federal, Provincial, and Concurrent Lists. It gave residuary powers to the Governor general.
Q58. The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for (2017)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) A system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.. The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 aimed to establish Courts of Inquiry and Conciliation Boards for settling industrial disputes, and prohibited strikes or lock-outs without notice in public utility services.
Q59. In the context of Indian history, the principle of `Dyarchy (diarchy)’ refers to (2017)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories.. Dyarchy, introduced by the 1919 Government of India Act, split provincial governance between British officials (“reserved” subjects) and Indian ministers (“transferred” subjects).
Q60. The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to? (2017)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.. The Harcourt Butler Committee (1927) was formed to review and improve relations between Indian princely states and British India; it visited 16 states and submitted its report in 1929.
Q61. The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to (2016)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Constitutional reforms. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 marked the first step toward responsible government by introducing provincial dyarchy. 18 The Beginning of Gandhian Era-Explanation
Q62. The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined (2015)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments. The government of India Act 1919 introduced provincial dyarchy, separated central and provincial subjects, established bicameral legislatures and direct elections.
Q63. Who of the following organised a march on the Tanjore coast to break the Salt Law in April 1930? (2015)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) C. Rajagopalachari. On March 12, 1930, Gandhi launched the historic Salt March from Sabarmati to Dandi to protest the British salt tax, culminating in the symbolic act of breaking the law on April 6. Similarly, C. Rajagopalachari led a parallel Salt March from Trichinopoly to Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast and was arrested in April 1930.
Q64. Demonstrations against the Simon Commission coincided with the Rowlatt Satyagraha. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 1 and 2 only. On 6th April, Gandhi reached Dandi, broke the salt law as a symbol of resistance to British rule, declaring it morally and spiritually ruinous and vowing to peacefully end it through non-violent struggle.
Q65. It advocated separate electorate for minorities and oppressed classes. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 3 only. On 6th April, Gandhi reached Dandi, broke the salt law as a symbol of resistance to British rule, declaring it morally and spiritually ruinous and vowing to peacefully end it through non-violent struggle.
Q66. The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because the (2014)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress. At the 1929 Lahore Session, the Congress declared Poorna Swaraj as its goal, hoisted the tricolour, called for civil disobedience.
Q67. The people of India agitated against the arrival of the Simon Commission because (2013)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) there was no Indian member in the Simon Commission. The 1919 Act provided for a commission after ten years to assess governance progress. The all-white Simon Commission, set up in 1927 under Sir John Simon, was tasked with recommending future reforms, but it was widely opposed in India due to the exclusion of Indians from its membership.
7. The National Movement in the 1940s
Q68. Swatantra Party Acharya Narendra Dev How many of the above are correctly matched?
Explanation: Correct option: (d) All four. After WWII, around 23,000 INA soldiers were captured and tried for treason in the famous Red Fort trials, beginning in November 1945 with Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, who were accused of siding with Japan against the British.
Q69. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (a) 1 only. The Government of India Act 1935 proposed an All-India Federation that was never implemented due to princely states’ refusal, and defence and foreign affairs remained reserved under British control, not with the federal legislature.
Q70. With reference to 8th August 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct? (2021)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) The Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC.. In July 1942, the Congress Working Committee passed the Quit India Resolution at Wardha, authorizing Gandhi to lead a non- violent mass movement, which was adopted on August 8 at Bombay’s Gowalia Tank, demanding an end to British rule and later known as the August Kranti.
Q71. In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as (2021)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) officers of the Indian National Army. After WWII, around 23,000 INA soldiers were captured and tried for treason in the famous Red Fort trials, beginning in November 1945 with Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, who were accused of siding with Japan against the British.
Q72. Who among the following were the founders of the “Hind Mazdoor Sabha” established in 1948? (2018)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam and G.G. Mehta. The Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) was founded in Howrah on 29 December 1948 by Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam, G.G. Mehta, and others comprising socialists, Forward Bloc followers, and independent unionists with R.S. Ruikar as President and Ashok Mehta as General Secretary.
Q73. Second Round Table Conference What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?
Explanation: Correct option: (a) 1-2-3. In July 1942, the Congress Working Committee passed the Quit India Resolution at Wardha, authorizing Gandhi to lead a non- violent mass movement, which was adopted on August 8 at Bombay’s Gowalia Tank, demanding an end to British rule and later known as the August Kranti.
Q74. The plan of Sir Stafford Cripps envisaged that after the Second World War: (2016)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) India should be given Dominion status. In March 1942, the Cripps Mission, led by senior British minister Sir Stafford Cripps, proposed granting Dominion status to India after World War II in exchange for support during the war.
Q75. It provided for more Indians in the ICS. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (a) 1 only. In July 1942, the Congress Working Committee passed the Quit India Resolution at Wardha, authorizing Gandhi to lead a non- violent mass movement, which was adopted on August 8 at Bombay’s Gowalia Tank, demanding an end to British rule and later known as the August Kranti.
Q76. The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for (2013)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third. In 1946, the Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha, led primarily by communists and supported by Rajbanshis and Muslims, launched the Tebhaga movement demanding two-thirds of the crop for sharecroppers instead of half.
Q77. Quit India Movement was launched in response to (2013)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) Cripps Proposals. On 8 August 1942, following the failure of the Cripps Mission, Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement with the slogan “Do or Die.”
8. Development of Press, Education and Civil Services
Q78. Who among the following was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School? (2021)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Choice (c) is the right one: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891) was one of the pillars of the Bengal renaissance who managed to continue the social reforms movement that was started by Raja Rammohan Roy in the early 1800s. Vidyasagar was a well-known writer, intellectual and above all, a staunch supporter of humanity. He supported John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune to establish the first permanent girls’ school in India, the Bethune School, in 1849.
Q79. English as a medium of instruction at all levels of education was recommended. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (d) 1, 2 and 3. Choice (d) is the right one: The introduction of English Education in India was first put forward by the Charter Act of 1813 and Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy. Then in 1823, the Governor- General-in Council appointed a “General Committee of Public Instruction”, which had the responsibility to grant one lakh of rupees for education. That Committee consisted of ten European members of which Lord Macaulay was the President.
Q80. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation: Correct option: (d) 1, 2 and 3. Choice (d) is the right one: The introduction of English Education in India was first put forward by the Charter Act of 1813 and Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy. Then in 1823, the Governor- General-in Council appointed a “General Committee of Public Instruction”, which had the responsibility to grant one lakh of rupees for education. That Committee consisted of ten European members of which Lord Macaulay was the President.
Q81. Fort William College Arthur Wellesley Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (d) 3 only 22. Choice (d) is the right one: The introduction of English Education in India was first put forward by the Charter Act of 1813 and Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy. Then in 1823, the Governor- General-in Council appointed a “General Committee of Public Instruction”, which had the responsibility to grant one lakh of rupees for education. That Committee consisted of ten European members of which Lord Macaulay was the President.
9. Independence to Partition
Q82. Who was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before Dr. Rajendra Prasad took over? (2024)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha. Choice (d) is the right one: Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Option (a) is not correct: C.
Q83. Any Province, which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with Britain regarding its future status. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 2 only. Statement 1 is incorrect: A Constituent Assembly was to be founded to frame a new Constitution. Members of this assembly were to be partly elected by the provincial assemblies and partly nominated by the Princely states. Statement 2 is correct: Any province not willing to join the Union could have a separate Constitution and would be eligible to sign an agreement with the British regarding its future status.
Q84. P.C. Joshi General Secretary, Communist Party of India Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Explanation: Correct option: (d) 1, 2 and 3. Pair 1 is correctly matched: When the Montague report of 1918 was made public, there was a divide in the Congress. The moderates welcomed it while the extremists opposed it. This led to a rift in the Congress with moderate leaders forming the “Indian National Liberal Federation (INLF)’’ in 1919. INLF was founded by Surendra Nath Banerjee and Tej Bahadur Sapru was chosen as the President of the federation.
Q85. Goa became a part of independent India. Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 3 - 2 - 1 - 4. Choice (b) is the right one: In 1953, all Indian airlines were nationalized, creating Indian Airlines for domestic and Air India International for international services.The Reserve Bank acquired the Imperial Bank in 1955, which became the State Bank of India.In 1957, Kerala elected the first communist government through democratic elections in India.Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961 and became a state in 1987, with Daman and Diu as a.
Q86. The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to (2014)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan. Choice (c) is the right one: The British government appointed the Boundary Commission under the chairmanship of Sir Cyril Radcliffe to delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan. The Radcliffe Committee consisted of two Muslims and two non- Muslim judges in each case and worked under serious constraints.
Q87. With reference to Indian History, the Member of the Constituent Assembly from the provinces were (2013)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) Elected by Provincial Legislative Assemblies. The Cabinet Mission Plan rejected full adult franchise for the Constituent Assembly and instead provided for indirect elections by Provincial Legislative Assemblies. Choice (c) is the right one: The Assembly had 389 members, elected by proportional representation in three groups—General (including Hindus), Muslims, and Sikhs—based on their population.
UPSC Prelims 2026 Additions
Q88. Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939? 1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi. 2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose. 3. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours. 4. The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose. Select the answer using the code given below: (2026)
Explanation: Correct option: (b) 1, 2 and 4. Source: UPSC GS Paper I 2026, Q6. Statement 1 is correct: Subhas Chandra Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi. After Bose's re-election as INC President in 1939, Gandhi declared the defeat of his candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, as his own defeat, indicating a lack of confidence in Bose. Statement 2 is orrect: The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose.
Q89. Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856: 1. The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts. 2. A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856 assuming that the taluqdars were outsiders. 3. The British believed in taking revenue directly from the peasants by removing the taluqdars. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2026)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) 2 and 3 only. Source: UPSC GS Paper I 2026, Q7. Statement 1 is not correct: In 1856, the Awadh Kingdom was formally annexed to the British Empire during the Governor-Generalship of Lord Dalhousie. The annexation of Awadh created a chain of grievances in Awadh linked prince, talukdar, peasant and sepoy. The British were unwilling to tolerate the power of the taluqdars.
Q90. Consider the following assertion: The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919. Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion? 1. Reforms retained and extended the principle of separate electorates. 2. Separate electorates were supposed to counter Indian nationalism, which was growing stronger. 3. Deprived classes rallied around the favours inherent in separate electorates. Select the answer using the code given below: (2026)
Explanation: Correct option: (d) 1, 2 and 3. Source: UPSC GS Paper I 2026, Q8. The Government of India Act 1919 introduced limited constitutional reforms in British India but also deepened communal representation in politics. By expanding the system of separate electorates and encouraging representation on religious and social lines, the reforms strengthened community-based political mobilisation.
Q91. The artificially fixed rupee-sterling exchange rate prescribed by the Hilton-Young Commission (1926) was adopted by the British Government for which one of the following reasons? (2026)
Explanation: Correct option: (a) Aiding the flow of remittances from India and maintaining India's creditworthiness. Source: UPSC GS Paper I 2026, Q12. The Hilton-Young Commission recommended fixing the rupee- sterling exchange rate at 1 shilling and 6 pence, a policy subsequently adopted by the British government to serve imperial financial interests.
Q92. Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct? (2026)
Explanation: Correct option: (c) The Bardoli Satyagraha was a campaign against the enhancement of land revenue, while the Eka Movement was a protest against excessive extraction of rents.. Source: UPSC GS Paper I 2026, Q19. The Bardoli Satyagraha was launched in the Bardoli taluq of Surat district in response to the British government’s decision to increase land revenue by 30 per cent. Led by Vallabhbhai Patel, the peasants collectively refused to pay the enhanced revenue demand and insisted on an impartial reassessment through an independent inquiry.