Indian National Movement III (1930-1947): UPSC Previous Year Questions (Modern History)
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 51–60 of 64 questions
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UPSC 1999Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q51. Which one of the following leaders of the Congress was totally in favour of the Cabinet Mission Plan?
Explanation
Sardar Patel was one of the prominent Congress leaders who supported the Cabinet Mission Plan. He saw it as a pragmatic approach to achieving independence while preserving India’s unity, even though it meant compromises like grouping provinces. Mahatma Gandhi was skeptical of the Cabinet Mission Plan as he felt it complicated India’s unity by endorsing groupings and did not adequately ensure safeguards for weaker sections. Jawaharlal Nehru initially supported the plan but later expressed reservations, particularly about the grouping of provinces, which he felt could weaken a strong central authority. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad supported the Cabinet Mission Plan but was more cautious about its implementation, especially due to the communal tensions it could exacerbate.
UPSC 1999Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q52. Assertion (A): Lord Linlithgow described the August Movement of 1942 as the most serious rebellion since Sepoy Mutiny. Reason (R): There was massive upsurge of the peasantry in certain areas.
Explanation
The Quit India Movement (1942), also called the August Movement, saw widespread participation from peasants, students, and workers, making it a mass struggle. A is true: The Quit India Movement (1942 saw unprecedented participation from all sections of society, and its intensity led Lord Linlithgow to compare it to the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. R is true: Peasantry participation was significant in regions like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Bengal, as the movement mobilized rural masses. R the correct explanation of A: The scale of peasantry uprising during August Movement made it clear that independence was imminent, and rebellion against British rule was very serious.
UPSC 1998Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q53. What is the correct sequence of the following events? 1. The August offer 2. The I.N.A trial 3. The Quit India Movement 4. The Royal Indian Naval Ratings’ Revolt. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: Codes:
Explanation
The August Offer (1940) was a constitutional framework proposed by the British government to gain Indian cooperation in WWII, offering Dominion status after the war. It was rejected by Indian leaders. The Quit India Movement (1942) was a mass civil disobedience movement launched by the Indian National Congress demanding an immediate end to British rule. The I.N.A Trial (1945-46) of Indian National Army officers at the Red Fort led to widespread public outrage and rise in nationalist sentiment. The Royal Indian Naval Ratings’ Revolt (1946) by Indian naval personnel in Bombay and other cities, demonstrated the growing discontent among the armed forces.
UPSC 1998Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q54. Lord Mountbatten came to India as a Viceroy with specific instruction to:
Explanation
Lord Mountbatten was appointed Viceroy of India in 1947 with the task of overseeing the transfer of power from British rule. His primary goal was to keep India united, but escalating communal tensions and Jinnah’s demand for Pakistan made this impossible. After failed negotiations for a united India, Mountbatten proposed the 3rd June Plan, which led to the partition of India into two nations--India and Pakistan. He expedited the process, ensuring the transfer of power was completed by August 15, 1947, despite the challenges posed by widespread violence and political divisions.
UPSC 1998Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q55. Assertion (A): The Congress rejected the Cripps proposals. Reason (R): The Cripps Mission consisted solely of whites.
Explanation
The Cripps Mission (1942) was a British initiative to secure Indian support for World War II by offering limited self-government, but it was rejected by Indian leaders due to its insufficient concessions on independence. A is true: The Congress rejected the Cripps proposals because they offered dominion status instead of full independence and allowed provinces to opt out of the Indian union, which could lead to fragmentation. R is true: The rejection of the proposals had nothing to do with the racial composition of the Cripps Mission. There was no protest from Congress or other parties about the all white composition of the Mission. Instead, it was due to the lack of substantive promises for Indian self-rule. R is not a correct explanation of A: The Cripps Mission was rejected by the Indian National Congress primarily because it did not offer full independence, lacked clear provisions for self-rule, and did not address the concerns of both the Congress and the Muslim League in a satisfactory manner.
UPSC 1998Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q56. When the Indian Muslims League was inducted into the interim government in 1946, Liyaqat Ali Khan was assigned the portfolio of:
Explanation
Liyaqat Ali Khan was given the Finance portfolio in the 1946 Interim Government, granting the Muslim League significant influence over India’s financial policy. Other portfolios in Interim Government 1946:
The Foreign Affairs portfolio was held by Jawaharlal Nehru. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was in charge of the Home Affairs, Information, and Broadcasting portfolio. The Defence portfolio was assigned to Baldev Singh.
UPSC 1998Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q57. The Indian National Congress agreed in 1947 to the partition of the country mainly because:
Explanation
The Indian National Congress reluctantly agreed to the partition in 1947 primarily to prevent large-scale communal riots and bloodshed. Communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims had escalated to violent proportions, particularly after the Direct Action Day in 1946 and the failure of attempts to find a united solution. Congress leaders, including Nehru and Patel realized that accepting partition was the only way to avoid a full-scale civil war and ensure a relatively peaceful transition to independence.
UPSC 1998Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q58. At the time of India’s Independence, Mahatma Gandhi was:
Explanation
At the time of India’s Independence in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Congress. He had distanced himself from formal political roles and the organizational activities of the Indian National Congress, instead, he focused on social reform, communal harmony, and grassroots movements. Gandhi was deeply involved in peace efforts during the communal riots that accompanied Partition, working tirelessly in Bengal and Delhi to curb violence and promote unity. Despite his lack of an official role, he remained a guiding moral force for Congress leaders.
UPSC 1997Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q59. The Poona Pact which was signed between the British Government and Mahatma Gandhi in 1934 provided for:
Explanation
The British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald had proposed separate electorates for the Depressed Classes in the Communal Award, which Gandhi opposed, fearing it would fragment Indian society permanently and weaken the national movement. The Poona Pact (1932, not 1934) was an agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, mediated by the British Government, to resolve the issue of separate electorates for the Depressed Classes (Harijans).
Option (d) is correct: The pact provided for joint electorates with reserved seats for the Depressed Classes in the general constituencies instead of separate electorates. This ensured representation for the Depressed Classes while maintaining social unity. The number of reserved seats in provincial legislatures was increased, and provisions were made for their upliftment.
UPSC 1996Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q60. Which one of the following first mooted the idea of a constituent assembly to frame a constitution for India?
Explanation
Swaraj Party was an Indian political party founded by members of the Indian National Congress, notably Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das, in late 1922-early 1923. They were termed Pro-changers, while their opponents were dubbed No-changers.
Option (a) is correct: The idea of a constituent assembly to draft a constitution for India was first mooted by the Swaraj Party in 1934. M.N. Roy, a pioneer of the idea of a constitution based on the will of the people, had also suggested this concept in 1934. The demand was later adopted by the Indian National Congress during its 1936 session and gained prominence in Indian politics.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
51
1999
(c) Sardar Patel
52
1999
(a) Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation ofA
53
1998
(a) 1, 3, 2, 4
54
1998
(b) keep India united if possible
55
1998
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
56
1998
(c) finance
57
1998
(c) they wanted to avoid large-scale communal riots
58
1998
(b) not a member of the Congress
59
1997
(d) joint electorate with reservation for Harijans
60
1996
(a) Swaraj Party in 1934
What UPSC has tested in Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
The Dandi March began the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930; “Do or Die” is the slogan of the Quit India Movement of 1942.
The Poona Pact (1932) was signed after Gandhi’s fast against Ramsay MacDonald’s Communal Award.
The Cripps Mission was sent by Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1942; the Quit India Movement followed its failure.
The Indian National Army came into existence in Singapore in 1943.
Jawaharlal Nehru headed the Interim Government of 1946; J. B. Kripalani was Congress President at the time of partition.
The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)?
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.
What was the Poona Pact?
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.
Who sent the Cripps Mission to India?
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.
Where and when was the Indian National Army formed?
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.
What was the Cabinet Mission Plan?
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.
