Modern History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

Sir William Wedderburn was President of INC in Bombay, 1889 and Allahabad, 1910 sessions. Together with Dadabhai Naoroji and other supporters of India, Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine established the "Indian Parliamentary Committee" in 1893. The Indian Parliamentary Committee’s mission is to lobby the House of Commons for political reforms in India. In 1895, Wedderburn represented India on the Welby Commission (i.e. Royal Commission) on Indian Expenditure.

Explanation

The Permanent Land Revenue Settlement of Bengal was extended to the provinces of Bihar and Orissa by Lord Cornwallis in 1793. The land where the zamindars had previously been responsible for collecting revenue was given to them as ownership. The demand for land revenue was predetermined and out of controlled revenue, 10/11th part was given to the company.

Option (d) is correct: The reforms increased the litigation after the introduction of the land settlement system and the main reason for this was the relief at the front of Court Fee and now everybody could drag anybody to the courts.

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji in "Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India" (1901), propounded the Drain of Wealth Theory. It refers to the constant one way flow of wealth from India to England for which India got no return. Home Charges played a significant role in the Drain of Wealth from India.

Statement 1 is correct: Funds used to support the India Office in London.

Statement 2 is correct: Funds used to pay salaries and pensions of British personnel engaged in India.

Statement 3 is incorrect: There are no clear references to using these funds for waging wars outside India by the British. Note: Here official answer given by UPSC is Option (b), However confusion with Statement 3 is understandable.

Explanation

Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India because the Marathas had expelled his son, Timur Shah, from Lahore in 1758. Timur Shah was Abdali’s viceroy in Punjab, and his removal by the Marathas was seen as a direct challenge to Abdali’s authority. This greatly angered him, and he decided to take revenge. In 1760, he marched towards India to reclaim Punjab and restore his influence. This was the main reason behind the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.

Option (b) is incorrect: Adina Beg Khan was a Mughal officer who played an important role in Punjab’s politics. However, he did not invite Abdali to invade India. In fact, he had earlier invited the Marathas to fight against Abdali’s influence in Punjab.

Option (c) is incorrect: Abdali had financial interests in India, and he did demand revenue from Mughal territories. However, this was not the main reason for his invasion. By 1760, the Mughal administration had already weakened, and the real power in North India was shifting towards the Marathas and other regional powers. Abdali’s main enemy at this time was not the Mughals but the Marathas, who had taken over Punjab. His invasion was more about reclaiming lost territory than collecting revenue.

Option (d) is incorrect: Punjab was strategically important, and Abdali did want to maintain control over it. However, his primary goal was not permanent annexation but restoring his authority after the Marathas had removed his son from Lahore.

Explanation

Pondicherry (now Puducherry), a key port town on the southeastern coast of India, witnessed the influence of multiple European powers due to its strategic importance in trade and colonial expansion.

Statement 1 is correct: The Portuguese were the first European power to occupy Pondicherry (Puducherry). They established their control in the early 16th century, setting the stage for later European involvement.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The second European power to occupy Pondicherry were the Dutch, not the French. The French later established control in 1674 and made Pondicherry their stronghold in India, but they were not the immediate successors to the Portuguese.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The English did occupy Pondicherry multiple times during their conflicts with the French. The British captured Pondicherry in 1761 and returned it to French control as part of treaty settlements.

Explanation

The 1793 regulation was introduced as part of Lord Cornwallis’s judicial and administrative reforms during his tenure as Governor-General of India. Statement (a) is incorrect: Cornwallis’s reforms aimed at revenue efficiency, but the primary goal of depriving the District Collector of judicial powers was to ensure systemic fairness and prevent the concentration of power. Statement (b) is incorrect: The policy was not based on a racial division of duties; instead, it focused on the principle of separating powers to prevent misuse. Statement (c) is correct: Lord Cornwallis was concerned about the concentration of power in the hands of the District Collector, who held both revenue and judicial authority. To prevent inefficiency and corruption, he restructured the system, separating executive and judicial functions. Statement (d) is incorrect: While judicial work required knowledge and training, Cornwallis’s decision was primarily driven by the need to separate powers rather than concerns about the qualifications of the District Collector.

Explanation

The Champaran Satyagraha was a significant event in India’s freedom struggle, marked by Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts to address the exploitation of indigo farmers.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Dr. Rajendra Prasad was not the one who persuaded Gandhi to visit Champaran. It was Raj Kumar Shukla, a local farmer and indigo cultivator, who approached Gandhi and urged him to look into the plight of the peasants suffering under the oppressive indigo cultivation system.

Statement 2 is correct: Acharya J.B. Kriplani was one of the leaders who supported Gandhi during the Champaran investigation. As a nationalist leader, Kriplani actively worked alongside Gandhi to address the grievances of the oppressed farmers and contribute to the success of the movement.

Explanation

The Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1906 was significant for its adoption of four key resolutions that defined the strategies of the Congress during the Swadeshi movement. These resolutions were: boycotting British goods, resolution on nationalist education system independent of British control, resolution on Swadeshi, adoption of the demand for Swaraj or self-rule. However, the "Annulment of partition of Bengal" was not among these resolutions.

Explanation

The Swadeshi Movement was initiated as a direct response to the partition of Bengal announced by Lord Curzon in 1905. The partition was perceived as a deliberate attempt to fragment the Bengali-speaking population along religious lines, thereby weakening the unity of the nationalist movement. The movement focused on boycotting British goods and promoting locally made products, advocating for self-reliance and economic independence. Leaders like Rabindranath Tagore, Aurobindo Ghosh, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak played key roles. Initially strong in Bengal, it spread nationwide, fostering national pride and unity.

Explanation

The Simon Commission, set up in 1927, was tasked with reviewing the functioning of the Government of India Act, 1919. The key focus of its recommendations revolved around the governance structure in India. It recommended the replacement of dyarchy with responsible government in the provinces. The dyarchy system had divided the responsibilities between the elected Indian ministers and the British-appointed executive, which many viewed as a flawed system.