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UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2026

1) Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct?
(a) The Eka Movement was throughout supported and organized by the Congress while Bardoli Satyagraha was initially independent of Congress influence and was only in the last stages supported by the Congress.
(b) The Eka Movement was provided leadership by the taluqdars of Awadh, whereas the Bardoli Satyagraha was a movement of the landless labourers.
(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.
(d) The Eka Movement was located in the Varanasi and Mirzapur districts of the present-day U.P., while the Bardoli Satyagraha took place in Saurashtra.

Correct Answer : (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.

A is incorrect. The Eka movement was initially supported by Congress while Bardoli Satyagraha was throughout supported and organised by Congress under the leadership of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.

B is incorrect. The Eka movement was provided leadership by Madari Pasa, a landless peasant while Bardoli Satyagraha was led to rich landlords and patidars.

D is incorrect. The Eka movement was held at Awadh, UP while Bardoli Satyagraha was organised in Surat, Gujarat and not in Saurashtra.
2) 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:
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 2 and 4

Correct Answer : (b) 1, 2 and 4

Statement 1 is correct. When Bose was re-elected as the INC-president at Tripuri against Pattabhi Sitarammayya who was supported by Gandhi ji in 1939, Gandhi declared this defeat as his personal defeat and led to the Tripuri crisis.

Statement 2 is correct. The Congress was divided into factions and failed to support Bose during the Tripuri crisis.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The communists did not directly support Bose by going against Gandhi but this was not the factor leading to the formation of the Forward Bloc.

Statement 4 is correct. Major socialist leaders preferred Congress unity over supporting Bose.
3) 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 during 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?
(a) 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 2 only

Correct Answer : (a) 2 and 3

Statement 1 is incorrect. Post the British takeover of Awadh in 1856 the taluqdars were dispossessed of their arms and forts along with their estates.

Statement 2 and 3 are correct. The revenue settlement made taluqdars as outsiders and not having the right to collect land revenue. They were not allowed to possess hereditary lands and the revenue was taken directly from the peasants.
4) 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:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer : (d) 1, 2 and 3

Statement 1 is correct. Separate electorates were introduced by Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909. The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919) retained the above provision and extended this to Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, enhancing communal politics.

Statement 2 is correct. The communalisation of Indian politics was a tactic used by British government called as Divide and Rule to weaken the national fervour.

Statement 3 is correct. The deprived sections who were earlier not included in decision making were now having legislative and administrative powers and thus supported the act.

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2025

1) Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

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?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I and II

Correct Answer : (c) Both I and II

Raja Rammohan Roy, often called as the Father of Indian Renaissance has played a great role in shaping the modern perspective of India.

Statement (1) is correct. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the east. He believed western culture could regenerate the Indian society and thus propagated intellectual and rational thinking.

Statement (2) is correct. He was a great proponent of rational and scientific approach. He is credited for his work on monotheism, uplifting women, advocating for minimum marriageable age for girls and providing rights to the people.

Some of his famous works include Precepts of Jesus and Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin.
2) Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme:

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 the Non-Cooperation Programme?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All the four

Correct Answer : (c) Only three

The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) was the first major mass movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi to attain Swaraj. Its major objective was to refuse cooperation with the British government.

Statement (1) is correct. Law courts were boycotted. Lawyers refused to enter the law courts. Foreign clothes were burnt to show resistance and adopted khadi as a symbol of national unity.

Statement (2) is correct. Strict non-violence was observed. The movement was called off by Gandhiji due to the Chauri-Chaura Incident, where the mob set a police station on fire. Lala Lajpat Rai was also beaten to death due to police atrocities.

Statement (3) is incorrect. All the titles and honours were disowned and were not retained.

Statement (4) is correct. As the law courts were abolished, panchayats were set up to resolve disputes.
3) Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

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?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II

Correct Answer : (c) Both I and II

Statement (1) is correct. NCM was adopted at the Nagpur Session of Congress in 1920. Gandhiji restricted the use of non-violence and advocated peaceful means to attain swaraj.

Statement (2) is correct. The NCM was to be adopted in stages. If swaraj could not be attained in a year, the next phase of the movement would have to be adopted, that is, civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes.
4) Consider the following pairs:
State Description
1. Arunachal Pradesh The capital is named after a fort, and the state has two National Parks
2. Nagaland The State came into Existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act.
3. Tripura Initially a Part ‘C’ State, it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganization of State in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged State
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None

Correct Answer : (c) All the three

Row (1) is correctly matched. The capital of Arunachal Pradesh, that is, Itanagar derives its name from the Ita Fort of 14th Century A.D. The state has 2 national parks- Namdapha and Mouling National Park.

Row (2) is correctly matched. Nagaland was formed as a separate entity by 13th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1963. Article 371A provides special provisions for the state.

Row (3) is correctly matched. Tripura was initially a Part C category state and later got uplifted to the status of a UT based on State Reorganisation Act, 1956. It was granted statehood in 1972.
5) “Sedition has become my religion” was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of
(a) the Champaran Satyagraha
(b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi
(c) attending the Second-Round Table Conference in London
(d) the launch of the Quit India Movement

Correct Answer : (b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi

The statement was given by Gandhiji during the violation of the salt law at Dandi and was the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement on 6th April, 1930.
6) Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the Chauri Chaura incident?
(a) C. R. Das
(b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant
(c) Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami
(d) M. A. Jinnah

Correct Answer : (b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant

Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the Chauri Chaura Incident.
7) 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?
(a) The Poona Pact
(b) The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
(c) Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
(d) Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935

Correct Answer : (a) The Poona Pact

Following the Poona Pact, the upliftment of Harijans occupied a central focus into the political and social programmes of Gandhi.
8) Who among the following was the founder of the ‘Self-Respect Movement’?
(a) Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
(b) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
(c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav
(d) Dinkarrao Javalkar

Correct Answer : (a) Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker

Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker was the founder of the Self Respect Movement in 1925 in the Madras Presidency.

It was to establish a dignified life for the people of the lower castes who were being oppressed by the Brahmins.

It was a direct attack on the Brahman dominated Hindu society and its four-fold varna system.

UPSC Prelims History - 2025

1) Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

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?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I and II

Correct Answer : (c) Both I and II

Raja Rammohan Roy, often called as the Father of Indian Renaissance has played a great role in shaping the modern perspective of India.

Statement (1) is correct. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the east. He believed western culture could regenerate the Indian society and thus propagated intellectual and rational thinking.

Statement (2) is correct. He was a great proponent of rational and scientific approach. He is credited for his work on monotheism, uplifting women, advocating for minimum marriageable age for girls and providing rights to the people.

Some of his famous works include Precepts of Jesus and Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin.
2) Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme:

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 the Non-Cooperation Programme?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All the four

Correct Answer : (c) Only three

The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) was the first major mass movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi to attain Swaraj. Its major objective was to refuse cooperation with the British government.

Statement (1) is correct. Law courts were boycotted. Lawyers refused to enter the law courts. Foreign clothes were burnt to show resistance and adopted khadi as a symbol of national unity.

Statement (2) is correct. Strict non-violence was observed. The movement was called off by Gandhiji due to the Chauri-Chaura Incident, where the mob set a police station on fire. Lala Lajpat Rai was also beaten to death due to police atrocities.

Statement (3) is incorrect. All the titles and honours were disowned and were not retained.

Statement (4) is correct. As the law courts were abolished, panchayats were set up to resolve disputes.
3) Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

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?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II

Correct Answer : (c) Both I and II

Statement (1) is correct. NCM was adopted at the Nagpur Session of Congress in 1920. Gandhiji restricted the use of non-violence and advocated peaceful means to attain swaraj.

Statement (2) is correct. The NCM was to be adopted in stages. If swaraj could not be attained in a year, the next phase of the movement would have to be adopted, that is, civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes.
4) Consider the following pairs:
State Description
1. Arunachal Pradesh The capital is named after a fort, and the state has two National Parks
2. Nagaland The State came into Existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act.
3. Tripura Initially a Part ‘C’ State, it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganization of State in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged State
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None

Correct Answer : (c) All the three

Row (1) is correctly matched. The capital of Arunachal Pradesh, that is, Itanagar derives its name from the Ita Fort of 14th Century A.D. The state has 2 national parks- Namdapha and Mouling National Park.

Row (2) is correctly matched. Nagaland was formed as a separate entity by 13th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1963. Article 371A provides special provisions for the state.

Row (3) is correctly matched. Tripura was initially a Part C category state and later got uplifted to the status of a UT based on State Reorganisation Act, 1956. It was granted statehood in 1972.
5) “Sedition has become my religion” was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of
(a) the Champaran Satyagraha
(b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi
(c) attending the Second-Round Table Conference in London
(d) the launch of the Quit India Movement

Correct Answer : (b) publicly violating Salt Law at Dandi

The statement was given by Gandhiji during the violation of the salt law at Dandi and was the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement on 6th April, 1930.
6) Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the Chauri Chaura incident?
(a) C. R. Das
(b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant
(c) Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khwaja Hasan Nizami
(d) M. A. Jinnah

Correct Answer : (b) Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant

Madan Mohan Malaviya and Krishna Kant provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of the Chauri Chaura Incident.
7) 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?
(a) The Poona Pact
(b) The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
(c) Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
(d) Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935

Correct Answer : (a) The Poona Pact

Following the Poona Pact, the upliftment of Harijans occupied a central focus into the political and social programmes of Gandhi.
8) Who among the following was the founder of the ‘Self-Respect Movement’?
(a) Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
(b) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
(c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav
(d) Dinkarrao Javalkar

Correct Answer : (a) Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker

Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker was the founder of the Self Respect Movement in 1925 in the Madras Presidency.

It was to establish a dignified life for the people of the lower castes who were being oppressed by the Brahmins.

It was a direct attack on the Brahman dominated Hindu society and its four-fold varna system.

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2024

1) With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:

1. It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces, and Princely States.
2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer :(a) 1 only
2) With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements:

1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
2. 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?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer :(b) 2 only

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2023

1) Who among the following rulers of medieval Gujarat surrendered Diu to Portuguese?
(a) Ahmad Shah
(b) Mahmud Begarha
(c) Bahadur Shah
(d) Muhammad Shah

Correct Answer :(c) Bahadur Shah
2) With reference to the Indian History, Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Walter Elliot were associated with
(a) archaeological excavations
(b) establishment of English Press in Colonial India
(c) establishment of Churches in Princely States
(d) construction of railways in Colonial India

Correct Answer :(a) archaeological excavations
3) By which one of the following Acts was the Governor General of Bengal designated as the Governor General of India?
(a) The Regulating Act
(b) The Pitt's India Act
(c) The Charter Act of 1793
(d) The Charter Act of 1833

Correct Answer :(d) The Charter Act of 1833
4) 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?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Correct Answer :(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2021

1) Consider the following statements :

1.The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all the women above the age 21.
2.The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer :(B) 2 only
2) With reference to 8th August 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) The Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC.
(b) The Viceroy’s Executive council was expanded to include more Indians.
(c) The Congress ministries resigned in seven provinces.
(d) Cripps proposed an Indian Union with full Dominion Status once the Second World War was over.

Correct Answer :(A) The Quit India Resolution was adopted by the AICC.
3) Who among the following is associated with ‘Songs from Prison’, a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?
(a)Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(d) Sarojini Naidu

Correct Answer :(C) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
4) Who among the following was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School?
(a) Annie Besant
(b) Debendranath Tagore
(c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(d) Sarojini Naidu

Correct Answer :(C) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
5) In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as
(a) Leaders of Swadeshi and Boycott Movement.
(b) Members of the Interim Government in 1946.
(c) Members of the Drafting Committee in the Constituent Assembly.
(d) Officers of the Indian National Army.

Correct Answer :(D) Officers of the Indian National Army
6) In the first quarter of the seventeenth century, in which of the following was/were the factory/factories of the English East India Company located?

1.Broach
2.Chicacole
3.Trichinopoly

Select the correct answer using the codes given below
(a)1 only
(b)1 and 2
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)2 and 3

Correct Answer :(A) 1 Only
7) With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a)Pingali Venkayya designed the tricolour Indian National Flag here.
(b)Pattabhi Sitaramaiah led the Quit India Movement of Andhra region from here.
(c)Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.
(d)Madame Blavastsky and Colonel Olcott set up headquarters of Theosophical Society first here.

Correct Answer :(C) Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2020

1) In the context of Indian history, the Rakhmabai case of (1884) revolved around?

1.women’s right to gain education
2.age of consent
3.restitution of conjugal rights

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a)1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(B) 2 and 3 only
2) Indigo cultivation in India declined by the beginning of the 20th century because of
(a)peasant resistance to the oppressive conduct of planters
(b) its unprofitability in the world market because of new inventions
(c) national leaders’ opposition to the cultivation of indigo
(d) Government control over the planters

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Correct Answer :(B) its unprofitability in the world market because of new inventions
3) Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because
(a) he was asked by the Board of Directors at London to do so
(b) he wanted to revive interest in oriental learning in India
(c) he wanted to provide William Carey and his associates with employment
(d) he wanted to British civilians for administrative purpose in India

Correct Answer :(D) he wanted to British civilians for administrative purpose in India
3) Consider the following statements:

1.The Constitution of India defines its ‘basic structure’ in terms of federalism, secularism, fundamental rights and democracy.
2.The Constitution of India provides for ‘judicial review’ to safeguard the citizens’ liberties and to preserve the ideals on which the Constitution is based.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer :(B) 2 Only
4) With reference to the history of India, Ulgulan or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following events?
(a) The Revolt of 1857
(b) The Mappila Rebellion of 1921
(c) The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60
(d) Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899-1900

Correct Answer :(D) Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899-1900
5) Which of the following statements correctly explains the impact of Industrial Revolution on India during the first half of the nineteenth century?
(a) Indian handicrafts were ruined
(b) Machines were introduced in the Indian textile industry in large numbers.
(c) Railway lines were laid in many parts of the country.
(d) Heavy duties were imposed on the imports of British manufactures.

Correct Answer :(A) Indian handicrafts were ruined
6) With reference to the book “Desher Katha” written by Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar during freedom struggle, consider the following statements

1.It warned against the Colonial State’s hypnotic conquest of the mind.
2.It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays and folk songs.
3.The use of ‘desh’ by Deuskar was in the specific context of the region of Bengal.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3

Correct Answer :(A) 1 and 2 only
7) The Gandhi-Irwin Pact included which of the following?

1.Withdrawal of Ordinances promulgated in connection with the Civil Disobedience Movement
2.Acceptance of Gandhiji’s suggestion for enquiry into police excesses
3.Releass of only those prisoners who were not charged with violence

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a)1 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only

Correct Answer :(B) 1, 2 and 4 only
8) The Vital-Vidhvansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target audience was published by
(a) Gopal Baba Walangkar
(b) Jyotiba Phule
(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(d) Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Correct Answer :(A) Gopal Baba Walangkar

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2019

1) Consider the following statements about ‘the Charter Act of 1813’:

1.It ended the trade monopoly of the East India Company in India except for trade in tea and trade with China.
2.It asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Indian territories held by the Company.
3.The revenues of India were now controlled by the British Parliament.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(A) 1 and 2 only
2) 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?
(a)1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer :(C) Both 1 and 2
3) Consider the following pairs:

Movement/Organization Leader
1. All India Anti-Untouchability League Mahatma Gandhi
2. All India Kisan Sabha Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
3. Self-Respect Movement Naicker E.V. Ramaswami

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a)1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(D) 1, 2 and 3
4) With reference to the British colonial rule in India, consider the following statements:

1.Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the abolition of the system of ‘indentured labour
2.In Lord Chelmsford’s ‘War Conference’, Mahatma Gandhi did not support the resolution on recruiting Indians for World War.
3.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?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(B) 1 and 3 only
5) With reference to Indian National Movement, consider the following pairs:

Person Position held
1.Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru President, All India Liberal Federation
2.K.C. Neogy Member, The Constituent Assembly
3.P.C. Joshi General Secretary, Communist Party of India

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(D) 1, 2 and 3

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2018

1) Consider the following events:

1.The first democratically elected communist party government formed in a State in India.
2.India's then largest bank, 'Imperial Bank of India', was renamed 'State Bank of India'.
3.Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier.
4.Goa became a part of independent India.

Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?
(a) 4 - 1 - 2 – 3
(b) 3 - 2 - 1 – 4
(c) 4 - 2 - 1 – 3
(d) 3 - 1 - 2 - 4
Correct Answer :(B) 3 - 2 - 1 – 4
2) In the Federation established by The Government of India Act of 1935, residuary powers were given to the
(a) Federal Legislature
(b) Governor General
(c) Provincial Legislature
(d) Provincial Governors

Correct Answer :(B) Governor General
3) Which of the following led to the introduction of English Education in India?

1.Charter Act of 1813
2.General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823
3.Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a)1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(D) 1, 2 and 3
4) In 1920, which of the following changed its name to "Swarajya Sabha"?
(a) All India Home Rule League
(b) Hindu Mahasabha
(c) South Indian Liberal Federation
(d) The Servants of India Society

Correct Answer :(A) All India Home Rule League
5) Which among the following events happened earliest?
(a) Swami Dayanand established Arya Samaj.
(b) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neel Darpan.
(c) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Anandmath.
(d) Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to succeed in the Indian Civil Services Examination.

Correct Answer :(B) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neel Darpan.
6) With reference to educational institutions during colonial rule in India, consider the following pairs:

Institution Founder
1.Sanskrit College at Benaras — William Jones
2.Calcutta Madarsa — Warren Hastings
3.Fort William College — Arthur Wellesley

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only

Correct Answer :(B) 2 only
7) The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were:
(a) Raw cotton, oil-seeds and opium
(b) Sugar, salt, zinc and lead
(c) Copper, silver, gold, spices and tea
(d) Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium

Correct Answer :(D) Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium
8) Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?
(a) Active all-India participation of lawyers, students and women in the National Movement
(b) Active involvement of Dalit and Tribal communities of India in the National Movement
(c) Joining of peasant unrest to India's National Movement
(d) Drastic decrease in the cultivation of plantation crops and commercial crops

Correct Answer :(C) Joining of peasant unrest to India's National Movement
9) Who among the following were the founders of the "Hind Mazdoor Sabha" established in 1948?
(a)B. Krishna Pillai, E.M.S. Namboodiripad and K.C. George
(b) Jayaprakash Narayan, Deen Dayal Upadhyay and M.N. Roy
(c) C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, K. Kamaraj and Veeresalingam Pantulu
(d) Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam and G.G. Mehta

Correct Answer :(D) Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam and G.G. Mehta
10) Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?
(a) To maintain a large standing army at others expense
(b) To keep India safe from Napoleonic danger
(c) To secure a fixed income for the Company
(d) To establish British paramountcy over the Indian States

Correct Answer :(C) To secure a fixed income for the Company
11) After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what was/were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government?

1.The territories called ‘Santhal Parganas’ were created.
2.It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer :(c) Both 1 and 2
12) Economically one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the
(a) increase in the export of Indian handicrafts
(b) growth in the number of Indian owned factories
(c) commercialization of Indian agriculture
(d) rapid increase in the urban population

Correct Answer :(C) commercialization of Indian agriculture
13) Regarding Wood's Dispatch, which of the following statements are true?

1.Grants-in-Aid system was introduced.
2.Establishment of universities was recommended.
3.English as a medium of instruction at all levels of education was recommended.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(A) 1 and 2 only

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2017

1) Who among the following was/were associated with the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in India during the British rule?

1.Lord Cornwallis
2.Alexander Read
3.Thomas Munro

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(c) 2 and 3 only
2) The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for
(a)the participation of workers in the management of industries.
(b) arbitrary powers to the management to quell industrial disputes.
(c) an intervention by the British Court in the event of a trade dispute.
(d) a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.

Correct Answer :(D) a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.
3) Consider the following statements:

1.The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions.
2.N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer :(B) 2 only
4) The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to?
(a) Define the jurisdiction of the Central and Provincial Governments.
(b) Define the powers of the Secretary of State for India.
(c) Impose censorship on national press.
(d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.

Correct Answer : (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.
5) Consider the following pairs:

1.Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association
2.Gazulu Lakshmi Narasu Chetty — Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha
3.Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer :(B) 1 and 3 only
6) In the context of Indian history, the principle of `Dyarchy (diarchy)’ refers to
(a) Division of the central legislature into two houses.
(b) Introduction of double government i.e., Central and State governments.
(c) Having two sets of rulers; one in London and another in Delhi.
(d) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories.

Correct Answer :(D) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories.
7) With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events:

1.Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy
2.Quit India Movement launched
3.Second Round Table Conference
What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?

(a) 1-2-3
(b) 2-1-3
(c) 3-2-1
(d) 3-1-2

Correct Answer :(c) 3-2-1

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2016

1) The 'Swadeshi' and 'Boycott' were adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the
(a) Agitation against the Partition of Bengal
(b) Home Rule Movement
(c) Non-Cooperation Movement
(d) Visit of the Simon Commission to India
Correct Answer :(a) Agitation against the Partition of Bengal
2) Satya Shodhak Samaj organized
(a) a movement for upliftment of tribals in Bihar.
(b) a temple-entry movement in Gujarat.
(c) an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra.
(d) a peasant movement in Punjab.

Correct Answer :(C) an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra.
3) The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to
(a) social reforms
(b) educational reforms
(c) reforms in police administration
(d) constitutional reforms

Correct Answer :(C) an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra.
4) Consider the following statements:

1.Calcutta Unitarian Committee
2.Tabernacle of New Dispensation
3.Indian Reform Association
Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above?
(a)1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(B) 2 and 3 only
5) What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907?
(a)Introduction of communalism into Indian politics by Lord Minto
(b) Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government
(c) Foundation of Muslim League
(d) Aurobindo Ghosh’s inability to be elected as the President of the Indian National Congress

Correct Answer :(B) Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government
6) The plan of Sir Stafford Cripps envisaged that after the Second World War
(a) India should be granted complete independence.
(b) India should be partitioned into two before granting independence.
(c) India should be made a republic with the condition that she will join the Commonwealth.
(d) India should be given Dominion status.

Correct Answer :(B) Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2015

1) With reference to Rowlatt Satyagraha, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1.The Rowlatt Act was based on the recommendations of the ‘Sedition Committee’.
2.In Rowlatt Satyagraha, Gandhiji tried to Utilize the Home Rule League.
3.Demonstrations against the arrival of Simon Commission coincided with Rowlatt Satyagraha.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(B) 1 and 2 only
2) Who of the following was/were economic critic/critics of colonialism in India?

1.Dadabhai Naoroji
2.G.Subramania Iyer
3.R.C. Dutt

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(D) 1, 2 and 3
3) 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?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) None

Correct Answer :(D) 1, 2 and 3
4) The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined
(a) the separation of power between the judiciary and the legislature
(b) the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments
(c) the powers of the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer :(b) the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments
5) Who of the following organized a march on the Tanjore coast to break the Salt Law in April 1930?
(a) V.O. Chidambaram Pillai
(b) C.Rajagopalachari
(c) K.Kamaraj
(d) Annie Besant

Correct Answer :(B) C.Rajagopalachari
6) 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?
(a)1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : (B) 2 only
7) With reference to the Cabinet Mission, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1.It recommended a federal government.
2.It enlarged the powers of the Indian courts.
3.It provided for more Indians in the ICS.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) None

Correct Answer : (A) 1 only
8) Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in the emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’?
(a) Swadeshi Movement
(b) Quit India Movement
(c) Non-Cooperation Movement
(d) Civil Disobedience Movement

Correct Answer :(A) Swadeshi Movement

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2014

1) The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until
(a) the First World War when Indian troops were needed by the British and the partition was ended.
(b) King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.
(c) Gandhiji launched his Civil Disobedience Movement.
(d) the Partition of India in 1947 when East Bengal became East Pakistan.

Correct Answer :(B) King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.
2) The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom Movement because the
(a) attainment of Self-Government was declared as the objective of the Congress
(b) attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress
(c) Non-Cooperation Movement was launched
(d) decision to participate in the Round Table Conference in London was taken

Correct Answer :(B) attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress
3) The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a
(a) revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco
(b) nationalist organization operating from Singapore
(c) militant organization with headquarters at Berlin
(d) communist movement for India’s freedom with headquarters at Tashkent

Correct Answer :revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco
4) What was/were the object/objects of Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858)?

1.To disclaim any intention to annex Indian States.
2.To place the Indian administration under the British Crown.
3.To regulate East India Company’s trade with India.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(A) 1 and 2 only

UPSC Prelims Modern History - 2013

1) The people of India agitated against the arrival of Simon Commission because
(a) Indians never wanted the review of the working of the Act of 1919
(b) Simon Commission recommended the abolition of Dyarchy (Diarchy) in the Provinces
(c) there was no indian member in the Simon Commission
(d) the Simon Commission suggested the partition of the country

Correct Answer :(C) there was no indian member in the Simon Commission
2) Quit India Movement was launched in response to
(a) Cabinet Mission Plan
(b) Cripps Proposals
(c) Simon Commission Report
(d) Wavell Plan

Correct Answer :(B) Cripps Proposals
3) The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for
(a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third
(b) the grant of ownership of land to peasants as they were the actual cultivators of the land
(c) the uprooting of Zamindari system and the end of serfdom
(d) writing off all peasant debts

Correct Answer :(a) the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third
4) 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.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer :(C) 1 and 3 only
5) The Ilbert Bill controversy was related to the
(a) imposition of certain restrictions to carry arms by the Indians
(b) imposition of restrictions en newspapers and magazines published in Indian languages
(c) removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans
(d) removal of a duty on imported cotton cloth

Correct Answer :(C) removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans
6) The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to
(a) solve the problem of minorities in India
(b) give effect to the Independence Bill
(c) delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan
(d) enquire into the riots in East Bengal

Correct Answer :(C) delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan