Modern History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

In the 1936-37 elections, the Indian National Congress formed a ministry in 8 out of 11 provinces under the Government of India Act, 1935. Congress ministries were formed, focusing on education, economic reform, and civil liberties. Assertion (A) is true: In 1939, all Congress ministries resigned from their positions in the provinces. The resignations marked the end of Congress-led governance under the Government of India Act, 1935, intensifying the freedom struggle. Reason (R) is true: Congress ministries resigned in 1939 because the Viceroy declared India a belligerent in WWII without consulting Indian leaders. While Congress believed India should decide independently, they also opposed supporting Britain’s war against Germany under colonial rule. This lack of consultation was the direct cause of their resignation. Therefore Reason (R) correctly explains the Assertion (A).

Explanation

Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866-1915) was a moderate nationalist, social reformer, and one of the founding leaders of the Indian National Movement. He was a mentor to Mahatma Gandhi and played a key role in influencing early nationalist politics. The British government offered Gokhale the title of Knighthood and a position in the Council of the Secretary of State for India but he chose to decline both honors. His refusal was based on his commitment to India’s self-governance, as he believed accepting such honors would mean complicity with colonial rule. He was a strong advocate of constitutional reforms and gradual political progress, promoting Swaraj (self-rule) within the British Empire.

Explanation

During World War II, Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945) raised an army called the Free Indian Legion (Azad Hind Legion) with the help of Nazi Germany. This was part of his efforts to liberate India from British rule by seeking foreign assistance. In 1941 he escaped from British house arrest in India and reached Germany via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. In 1942, he formed the Free Indian Legion (also called the "Legion Freies Indien" in German) composed of Indian prisoners of war (POWs) captured by German forces in North Africa. This legion was trained by the Nazis and was intended to be deployed in British India through Afghanistan. However, as the war situation changed he shifted his base to Japan in 1943, where he took charge of the Indian National Army (INA), which had been established earlier by Rashbehari Bose.

Explanation

Aurobindo Ghosh, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement, provided a scathing critique of the moderate politics of the Indian National Congress in his series of articles titled New Lamps for Old. In these articles, he argued that the moderate approach of relying on petitions, prayers, and constitutional reforms was ineffective in achieving India’s independence. He advocated for a more aggressive and militant approach, including boycotts, strikes, and civil disobedience.

Explanation

Naoroji, the ‘Grand Old Man of India,’ pioneered the analysis of British rule’s economic impact in his work Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901). His theory of economic drain exposed the exploitation of India’s resources by the British, fueling nationalist sentiment. By calling British rule "Un-British," Naoroji critiqued the hypocrisy of colonial claims, challenging the narrative of British benevolence. His critique laid the foundation for future debates on colonial exploitation and inspired future leaders advocating for India’s self-rule.

Explanation

J B Kripalani started his career as a teacher and later became the principal of the Gujarat Vidyapith, a university established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. He was deeply influenced by Gandhi’s ideas and played a significant role in the freedom movement. He was the president of the Indian National Congress during the crucial phase of Indian independence in 1947.

Explanation

A is correctly matched with 2: Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay is known for writing the novel Debi Chaudhurani, which depicts the story of a woman’s empowerment and resistance. B is correctly matched with 3: Nil-Darpan is a famous play written by Dinabandhu Mitra, which highlights the plight of indigo farmers in Bengal under British rule. C is correctly matched with 1: Shatranj ke Khilari (The Chess Players) is a story written by Premchand that critiques the indifference of Indian rulers during the British colonial period.

Explanation

Abul Kalam Azad, a prominent freedom fighter and scholar, brought out the journal Al-Hilal in 1912. It was a weekly published in Urdu, aimed at promoting political consciousness among Muslims and opposing British colonial rule. Other works of Abul Kalam Azad were Al-Balagh, Gubhar-e-Khatir, and India wins Freedom.

Option (b),(c) and (d) are incorrect:

Muhammad Ali Jauhar published and edited the weekly English-language newspaper "The Comrade." The newspaper was banned in 1914 under the Press Act. Shyamji Krishna Verma served as the editor of "The Indian Sociologist" journal. The Zamindar newspaper was edited by Zafar Ali Khan but started by his father, Maulvi Sirajuddin Ahmad, in Sialkot as a farmer’s paper.

Explanation

Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was one of the most celebrated Urdu poets of the 20th century. He was a prominent figure in progressive literature and a vocal advocate for social justice, human rights, and anti-imperialism. The poem "Subh-e-Azadi" (Dawn of Freedom) was written by Faiz in 1947 which reflects on the partition of India and the bittersweet nature of independence. The poem captures the disillusionment and pain of partition, juxtaposing the joy of freedom with the tragedy of communal violence and displacement. The opening lines of the poem, "Ye daagh daagh ujala, ye shab-gazida sahar" (This stained light, this night-bitten dawn), are iconic and encapsulate the mixed emotions of the time.

Explanation

Lord Dalhousie is considered "the creator of the map of India". Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Dalhousie. This policy allowed the British to annex any Indian princely state if the ruler died without a natural heir or was deemed incompetent. The doctrine was based on the idea that the British, as the paramount power, had the right to decide the succession of Indian states. States annexed under this policy:

Satara (1848): The first state to be annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse. Jhansi (1853): Annexed after the death of Raja Gangadhar Rao without a male heir. Nagpur (1854): Annexed after the death of Raghoji III without a natural heir. Annexation of Awadh (1856):

Awadh (or Oudh) was a wealthy and strategically important state in northern India, ruled by the Nawabs of Awadh. Unlike the states annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse, Awadh had a legitimate ruler, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, who had a natural heir. Therefore, the Doctrine of Lapse could not be applied here. To justify the annexation, the British accused Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of misgovernance and claimed that the people of Awadh were suffering under his rule. This was largely a pretext to annex the state, as Awadh was a fertile and revenue-rich region.