64 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on the national movement from 1930 to 1947 make this the largest Modern History chapter, from 1996 to 2025. UPSC asks about the Dandi March and Round Table Conferences, the Government of India Act 1935, the Cripps and Cabinet Missions, Quit India, the INA and the road to partition. The explanations give year, person and outcome for each.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 41–50 of 64 questions
The Chittagong Armoury Raid, took place on April 18, 1930 was organized by Surya Sen, also known as Masterda Surya Sen. He was the leader of the Indian Republican Army, a revolutionary group that aimed to seize arms and ammunition from the British armoury in Chittagong. Other participants of Chittagong Armoury Raid were Ananta Singh and Subodh Roy.
The Government of India Act of 1935 was a landmark legislation that introduced significant constitutional reforms in British India. It aimed to establish a federal structure, provide provincial autonomy, and extend self-government. The Act also created a bicameral central legislature and granted limited political participation, though it fell short of full independence.
Option (a) is correct: As per the Government of India Act of 1935, dyarchy which was provided for the Federal Executive. Dyarchy in the provinces was abolished. Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect: As the act did provide for:
The Act provided for a bicameral legislature at the centre, consisting of the Council of States (Upper House) and the Legislative Assembly (Lower House). Provincial Autonomy i.e., the distinction between Reserved and Transferred Subjects was abolished and full responsible government was established Establishment of an All-India Federation (proposed, but not implemented)
The Indian National Army (INA) was formed during World War II with the objective of fighting against British rule in India. The idea of INA was first conceived in Malaya by Captain Mohan Singh in 1942. The Indian National Army was officially formed in Singapore in 1943. It was led by Subhas Chandra Bose, who sought support from the Axis powers (primarily Japan) to organize an army that could help achieve Indian independence. Bose gave the INA the slogan "Chalo Delhi" to inspire the troops to march towards Delhi to overthrow British rule.
As the partition of India became imminent in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi opposed the idea of dividing the country along communal lines. Gandhi proposed that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League, be invited to form the central government of India as a last-ditch effort to avoid partition. Gandhi believed this move would address Jinnah’s demand for Muslim representation and avert the division of the country. However, this suggestion was not accepted by either the Congress or the Muslim League.
The native state of Tripura, a princely state during British rule, became involved in the freedom movement due to its geographical proximity to Bengal and the political dynamics of the early 20th century. The native state of Tripura became part of the freedom movement early in the 20th century because some groups in the state were against the king’s rule and his support from the British. They wanted to challenge the king’s power and reduce British influence in the region. These efforts were linked to the larger fight for India’s independence, inspired by the freedom movement in nearby Bengal and other areas.
The Quit India Movement (August Movement) of 1942 was a significant phase in India’s struggle for independence. The movement saw widespread participation from various sections of society, including students, workers, and peasants. Assertion (A) is true: Lord Linlithgow considered the Quit India Movement a significant challenge, as it led to widespread uprisings, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of administration. Reason (R) is true: In regions like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and Maharashtra, peasants actively participated, leading to violent clashes with British authorities, giving the movement a mass character. Reason (R) correctly explains the Assertion (A).
During the time of India’s partition in 1947, as the Indian subcontinent was divided into India and Pakistan, there were various political movements and regional aspirations for different parts of British India. Some groups in Punjab, including the Akali Dal, proposed that the province should remain united and independent instead of being split between India and Pakistan. They were worried about the division of the region. However, this idea was not accepted, and Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan.
The Balkan Plan refers to a proposal that aimed at dividing India which was one of the strategies considered to address the political situation leading to the partition of India in 1947. The idea was inspired by the division of Balkan States in Europe. Balkan Plan (1947) was the brainchild of Lord Mountbatten. He proposed dividing India into smaller regions along religious lines and transferring power to separate provinces with Punjab and Bengal given the option to vote for partition of their provinces.
The quotation refers to the Cabinet Mission of 1946. It proposed a Federal Union for India, which included both British provinces and the princely states. The mission, which visited India in 1946, aimed at resolving the political deadlock between the British government and Indian leaders and laid out plans for a united India with a federal structure while also suggesting a provision for autonomy for Muslim-majority areas. It did not propose partition, which was later carried out in 1947. The Simon Commission (1927) was tasked with reviewing constitutional reforms in India but faced widespread protests as it lacked Indian representation. It had no proposals for a federal union. Gandhi-Irwin Pact was an agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin in 1931 to end the Civil Disobedience Movement. It focused on specific concessions rather than constitutional proposals. The Cripps Mission (1942) proposed dominion status for India with the option for provinces to secede. However, it did not advocate a federal union like the Cabinet Mission.
Subhash Chandra Bose saw World War II as an opportunity for India to leverage Britain’s vulnerability. He believed the war could be exploited to push for India’s independence, leading to his efforts to collaborate with Axis powers like Germany and Japan to form the Indian National Army (INA).
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | 2001 | (b) Surya Sen |
| 42 | 2000 | (a) Diarchy at the Centre as well as in the provinces |
| 43 | 2000 | (c) Singapore |
| 44 | 2000 | (b) invited Jinnah to form the government |
| 45 | 2000 | (d) there were already some groups fighting against the kingship and its protector, the British |
| 46 | 2000 | (a) Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A |
| 47 | 2000 | (a) Punjab |
| 48 | 2000 | (c) Lord Mountbatten |
| 49 | 1999 | (d) Cabinet Mission |
| 50 | 1999 | (c) Subhash Chandra Bose |
This page covers 64 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Indian National Movement III (1930-1947) (Modern History), asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
An agreement of September 1932 between Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar that gave the depressed classes reserved seats in the provincial legislatures instead of separate electorates, after Gandhi’s fast unto death against the Communal Award.
Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, in March 1942. The mission offered dominion status after the war and a constituent assembly, but the Congress rejected it, and the Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942.
The INA was revived in Singapore in 1943 under Subhas Chandra Bose, who took over from Rash Behari Bose. It fought alongside Japanese forces, and the later INA trials stirred nationalist feeling across India.
A 1946 British proposal for a loose Indian Union with a weak Centre, three groups of provinces and a constituent assembly. It rejected the demand for Pakistan, and its eventual failure was seen as the last chance to avoid partition.
