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Civil Services Prelims Examination Indian History (Modern India & National Movement) - GS Paper I

Civil Services Examination 2019


1. 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?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. With reference to Indian National Move-ment, consider the following pairs:

Person Position Held
1. Sir Tej Bahadur President, All India Sapru 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?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. 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?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. With reference to Swadeshi Movements, 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?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


5. Consider the following pairs:

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

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2018


1. 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 Arthur College Arthur Wellesley

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 3 only


2. In 1920, which of the following changed its name to “Swarajya Sabha”?

  1. All India Home Rule League
  2. Hindu Mahasabha
  3. South Indian Liberal Federation
  4. The Servants of India Society


3. Which among the following events happened earliest?

  1. Swami Dayanand established Arya Samaj
  2. Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neeldarpan
  3. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Anandmath
  4. Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to succeed in the Indian Civil Services Examination


4. Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?

  1. To maintain a large standing army at other’s expense
  2. To keep India safe from Napoleonic danger
  3. To secure a fixed income for the Company
  4. To establish British paramountcy over the Indian States


5. Which of the following led to the introduc-tion 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:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


6. The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were

  1. Raw cotton, oil-seeds and opium
  2. Sugar, salt, zinc and lead
  3. Copper, silver, gold, spices and tea
  4. Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium


7. Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?

  1. Active all-India participation of lawyers, students and women in the National Movement
  2. Active involvement of Dalit and Tribal communities of India in the National Movement
  3. Joining of peasant unrest to India’s National Movement
  4. Drastic decrease in the cultivation of plantation crops and commercial crops


8. Who among the following were the founders of the “Hind Mazdoor Sabha” established in 1948?

  1. The territories called Santhal Paraganas’ 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:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


10. Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the

  1. increase in the export of Indian handi-crafts
  2. growth in the number of Indian owned factories
  3. commercialization of Indian agriculture
  4. rapid increase in the urban population


11. In the Federation established by The Government of India Act of 1935, residuary powers were given to the

  1. Federal Legislature
  2. Governor General
  3. Provincial Legislature
  4. Provincial Governors


12. Regarding Wood’s Dispatch, which of the following statements are true?

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

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


13. He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Gari-baldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was

  1. Aurobindo Ghosh
  2. Bipin Chandra Pal
  3. Lala Lajpat Rai
  4. Motilal Nehru


Civil Services Examination 2017


1. 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?

  1. 1, 2, 3
  2. 2, 1, 3
  3. 3, 2, 1
  4. 3, 1, 2


2. In the context of Indian history, the principle of `Dyarchy (diarchy)’ refers to

  1. Division of the central legislature into two houses.
  2. Introduction of double government i.e., Central and State governments.
  3. Having two sets of rulers; one in London and another in Delhi.
  4. Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories.


3. Consider the following pairs:

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

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to?

  1. Define the jurisdiction of the Central and Provincial Governments.
  2. Define the powers of the Secretary of State for India.
  3. Impose censorship on national press.
  4. Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.


5. 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?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


6. 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:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2016


1. What was the main reason for the split in the Indian National Congress at Surat in 1907?

  1. Introduction of communalism into Indian politics by Lord Minto.
  2. Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the moderates to negotiate with the British Government.
  3. Foundation of Muslim League.
  4. Aurobindo Ghosh’s inability to be elected as the President of the Indian National Congress


2. The plan of Sir Stafford Cripps envisaged that after the Second World War

  1. India should be granted complete independence
  2. India should be partitioned into two before granting independence
  3. India should be made a republic with the condition that she will join the Commonwealth
  4. India should be given Dominion status


3. Consider the following:

  1. Calcutta Unitarian Committee
  2. Tabernacle of New Dispensation
  3. Indian Reforms Association

Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above?

  1. 1 and 3 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to:

  1. Social reforms
  2. educational reforms
  3. reforms in police administration
  4. constitutional reforms


5. Satya Shodhak Samaj organized

  1. a movement for upliftment of tribals in Bihar
  2. a temple-entry movement in Gujarat
  3. an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra
  4. A peasant movement in Punjab


6. The ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Boycott’ adopted as methods of struggle for the first time during the

  1. Agitation against the Partition of Bengal
  2. Home Rule Movement
  3. Non-Cooperation Movement
  4. Visit of the Simon Commission to India


Civil Services Examination 2015


1. 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?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


2. Who of the following organized a march on the Tanjore coast to break the Salt Law in April 1930?

  1. V.O. Chidambaram Pillai
  2. C. Rajagopalachari
  3. K. Kamaraj
  4. Annie Besant


3. 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:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. 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:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


5. 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. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None


6. The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined:

  1. the separation of power between the judiciary and the legislature
  2. the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments
  3. the powers of the Secretary of State for India and Viceroy
  4. None of the above


7. Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in the emergence of ‘moderates’ and ‘extremists’?

  1. Swadeshi Movement
  2. Quit India Movement
  3. Non-Cooperation Movement
  4. Civil Disobedience Movement


Civil Services Examination 2014


1. 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:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. The Ghadar (Ghadar) was a

  1. revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco
  2. nationalist organization operating from Singapore
  3. militant organization with headquarters at Berlin
  4. Communist movement for India’s freedom with headquarters at Tashkent


3. The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until

  1. the First World War when Indian troops were needed by the British and the partition was ended
  2. King George V abrogated Curzon's Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911
  3. Gandhiji launched his civil Disobedience Movement
  4. the partition of India in 1947 When East Bengal became East Pakistan


4. The 1929 Session of Indian National Congress is of significance in the history of the Freedom movement because the

  1. Attainment of self-Government was declared as the objective of the Congress
  2. Attainment of Poorna Swaraj was adopted as the goal of the Congress
  3. Non-Cooperation Movement was launched
  4. Decision to participate in the Round Table Conference in London was taken


5. The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to

  1. Solve the problem of minorities in India.
  2. Give effect to the Independence Bill.
  3. Delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan.
  4. Enquire into the riots in East Bengal.


Civil Services Examination 2013


1. 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.

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. The Ilbert Bill controversy was related to the

  1. imposition of certain restrictions to carry arms by Indians
  2. imposition of restrictions on newspapers and magazines published in Indian languages
  3. removal of disqualifications imposed on the Indian magistrates with regard to the trial of the Europeans
  4. removal of a duty on imported cotton cloth


3. The people of India agitated against the arrival of Simon Commission because

  1. Indians never wanted the review of the working of the Act of 1919
  2. Simon Commission recommended the abolition of Dyarchy (Diarchy) in the Provinces
  3. there was no Indian member in the Simon Commission
  4. the Simon Commission suggested the partition of the country


4. Quit India Movement was launched in response to

  1. Cabinet Mission Plan
  2. Cripps Proposals
  3. Simon Commission Report
  4. Wavell Plan


5. The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for

  1. the reduction of the share of the landlords from one-half of the crop to one-third
  2. the grant of ownership of land to peasants as they were the actual cultivators of the land
  3. the uprooting of Zamindari system and the end of serfdom
  4. writing off all peasant debts


6. With reference to Indian History, the Members of the Constituent Assembly from the Provinces were

  1. directly elected by the people of those Provinces
  2. nominated by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League
  3. elected by the Provincial Legislative Assemblies
  4. selected by the Government for their expertise in constitutional matters


Civil Services Examination 2012


1. The Congress ministries resigned in the seven provinces in 1939, because:

  1. the Congress could not from ministries in the other four provinces
  2. emergence of a ‘left wing’ in the Congress made the working of the ministries impossible
  3. there were widespread communal disturbances in their provinces
  4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct


2. Which of the following is/are the principal feature(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919?

  1. Introduction of dyarchy in the executive government of the provinces
  2. Introduction of separate communal electorates for Muslims
  3. Devolution of legislative authority by the centre to the provinces

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. During Indian freedom struggle, the National Social Conference was formed. What was the reason for its formation?

  1. Different social reform groups or organizations of Bengal region united to form a single body to discuss the issues of larger interest and to prepare appropriate petitions/representations to the government
  2. Indian National Congress did not want to include social reforms in its deliberations and decided to form a separate body for such a purpose
  3. Behramji Malabari and M.G. Ranade decided to bring together all the social reform groups of the country under one organization
  4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct in this context


4. Which of the following parties were established by Dr. B.R Ambedkar?

  1. The Peasants and Workers Party of India
  2. All India Scheduled Castes Federation
  3. The Independent Labour Party

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


5. Mahatma Gandhi undertook fast unto death in 1932, mainly because

  1. Round Table Conference failed to satisfy Indian political aspirations
  2. Congress and Muslim League had differences of opinion
  3. Ramsay Macdonald announced the Communal Award
  4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct in this context


6. With reference to Ryotwari Settlement, consider the following statements:

  1. The rent was paid directly by the peasants to the Government.
  2. The Government gave Pattas to the Ryots.
  3. The lands were surveyed and assessed before being taxed.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None of the Above


7. The most effective contribution made by Dadabhai Naoroji to the cause of Indian National Movement was that he:

  1. exposed the economic exploitation of India by the British
  2. interpreted the ancient Indian texts and restored the self-confidence of Indians
  3. stressed the need for eradication of all the social evils before anything else

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


8. The Rowlatt Act aimed at:

  1. compulsory economic support to war efforts
  2. imprisonment without trial and summary procedure for trail
  3. supperssion of the Khilafat Movement
  4. imposition of restrictions on freedom of the press


9. The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (1929) is very important in history, because

  1. the Congress passed a resolution deman-ding complete independence
  2. the rift between the extremists and moderates was resolved in that session
  3. a resolution was passed rejecting the two-nation theory in that Session

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. None of the above


10. Which of the following statements is/arc correct regarding Brahmo Samaj?

  1. It opposed idolatry.
  2. It denied the need for a priestly class for interpreting the religious texts.
  3. It popularized the doctrine that the Vedas are infallible.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


11. The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme provided in the

  1. Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909
  2. Montagu-Chelmsford Act, 1919
  3. Government of India Act, 1935
  4. Indian Independence Act, 1947


Civil Services Examination 2011


1. The tendency for increased litigation was visible after the introduction of the land settlement system of Lord Cornwallis in 1793. The reason for this is normally traced to which of the following provisions?

  1. Making Zamindars’ position stronger vis-a-vis the Ryot
  2. Making East India Company an overlord of Zamindars
  3. Making judicial system more efficient
  4. None of the (a), (b) and (c) above


2. Which one of the following observations is not true about the Quit India Movement of 1942?

  1. It was a non-violent movement
  2. It was led by Mahatma Gandhi
  3. It was a spontaneous movement
  4. It did not attract the labour class in general


3. Which amongst the following provided a common factor for tribal insurrection in India in the 19th century?

  1. Introduction of a new system of land revenue and taxation of tribal products
  2. Influence of foreign religious missio-naries in tribal areas
  3. Rise of a large number of money lenders, traders and revenue farmers as middlemen in tribal areas
  4. The complete disruption of the old agrarian order of the' tribal communities


4. India maintained its early cultural contacts and trade links with Southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal. For this pre-eminence of early maritime history of Bay of Bengal, which of the following could be the most convincing explanation/explanations?

  1. As compared to other countries, India had a better ship-building technology in ancient and medieval times
  2. The rulers of southern India always patronized traders, brahmin priests and buddhist monks in this context
  3. Monsoon winds across the Bay of Bengal facilitated sea voyages
  4. Both (a) and (b) are convincing explanations in this context


5. With reference to the period of colonial rule in India, “Home-Charges” formed an important part of drain of wealth from India. Which of the following funds constituted “Home-Charges”?

  1. Funds used to support the India Office in London.
  2. Funds used to pay salaries and pensions of British personnel engaged in India.
  3. Funds used for waging wars outside India by the British.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


6. What was the reason for Mahatma Gandhi to organize a Satyagraha on behalf of the peasants of Kheda?

  1. The Administration did not suspend the land revenue collection in spite of a drought.
  2. The Administration proposed to introduce Permanent Settlement in Gujarat.

Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


7. What was the purpose with which Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine had set up the Indian Parliamentary Committee in 1893?

  1. To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons
  2. To campaign for the entry of Indians into the Imperial Judiciary
  3. To facilitate a discussion on India's Independence in the British Parliament
  4. To agitate for the entry of eminent Indians into the British Parliament


8. Mahatma Gandhi said that some of his deepest convictions were reflected in a book titled, “Unto this Last" and the book transformed his life. What was the message from the book that transformed Mahatma Gandhi?

  1. Uplifting the oppressed and poor is the moral responsibility of an educated man
  2. The good of individual is contained in the good of all
  3. The life of celibacy and spiritual pursuit are essential for a noble life
  4. All the statements (a), (b) and (c) are correct in this context


9. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, Usha Mehta is well-known for

  1. Running the secret Congress Radio in the wake of Quit India Movement
  2. Participating in the Second Round Table Conference
  3. Leading a contingent of Indian National Army
  4. Assisting in the formation of Interim Government under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru


10. With reference to the period of Indian freedom struggle, which of the following was / were recommended by the Nehru report?

  1. Complete Independence for India.
  2. Joint electorates for reservation of seats for minorities.
  3. Provision of fundamental rights for the people of India in the Constitution.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3