Modern History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)
289 previous year UPSC Prelims Modern History questions are on this page, from 1996 to 2025, in 16 chapters. The Indian National Movement is split into three phases and holds the most questions, with Indian National Movement III (1930-1947) the largest. Prominent Personalities, Administrative Changes, Economic Policies and Associations and Journals follow. Filter by chapter to revise one phase at a time.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 81–90 of 289 questions
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UPSC 2012Modern History · Economic Policies of the British
Q81. 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?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Ryotwari System was started by Thomas Munro and Alexander Reed. It was started in the Baramahal district of Tamil Nadu and later spread to Madras, parts of Bombay, East Bengal, Assam and Coorg. Ryots were required to pay the revenue directly to the government
Statement 2 is correct: Ryots (farmers) were given the ownership and other rights (Pattas) over the land.
Statement 3 is correct: The Ryotwari System involved high taxes (50% in dryland and 60% in wetland) and the taxes had to be paid regardless of the harvest, leading to peasant distress. The land was surveyed and an assessment for its productivity before imposing taxes. This assessment was based on the quality and size of the land, and the tax was usually a fixed portion of the estimated crop yield. Mahalwari System Permanent Settlement Ryotwari Settlement Punjab and UP Bombay and Madras Bengal Bihar and Orissa
UPSC 2012Modern History · Economic Policies of the British
Q82. Consider the following statements: 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?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Dadabhai Naoroji (Grand Old man of India) wrote the "Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India" in which he propounded The Drain of Wealth Theory and exposed the economic exploitation of Indians by the British.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Vivekananda, etc. interpreted the ancient texts and restored the self confidence of Indians, not Dadabhai Naoroji. Swami Dayananda Saraswati even gave the call to "go back to vedas".
Statement 3 is incorrect: Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshav Chandra Sen, Atmaram Pandurang, etc. emphasized the need for eradication of all social evils before anything else.
UPSC 2012Modern History · Economic Policies of the British
Q83. Consider the following: 1. Assessment of land revenue on the basis of nature of the soil and the quality of crops. 2. Use of mobile cannons in warfare. 3. Cultivation of tobacco and red chillies. Which of the above was/were introduced into India by the English?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: After getting the Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa in 1765 the major aim of the British East India Company was to increase their land revenue collection without caring of its consequences on cultivators and peasants.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The first recorded use of Artillery in India is at the Battle of Adoni in 1368 by the Bahamani kings against the Raja of Vijayanagar.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Tobacco and Red Chillies were introduced by Portuguese not British.
UPSC 2012Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q84. 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:
Explanation
Dr. Bhimrao Ramaji Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891. He started the Bahiskrit Bharat newspaper to address the cause of the depressed classes. In 1942, he was appointed to the Executive Council of the Viceroy as a Labour member, in 1946. At the same time he published his book, Who were Shudras? After Independence, in 1947, he was appointed as a Minister of Law and Justice in Nehru’s first cabinet.
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Peasants and Workers Party of India was not founded by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It was established in 1947 by leaders like Keshavrao Jedhe and Shankarrao More in Maharashtra. The party primarily focused on the issues of peasants and workers but was not directly associated with Ambedkar or his political movements.
Statement 2 is correct: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar founded the All India Scheduled Castes Federation (AISCF) in 1942 to advocate for the rights and representation of Scheduled Castes (Dalits) in India. This party was established to address the social and political marginalization of Dalits and to ensure their participation in the democratic process.
Statement 3 is correct: Dr. Ambedkar founded the Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1936. The party was established to address the issues of the working class, including laborers and peasants, with a focus on social justice and economic equality. The ILP was not limited to Dalits but sought to unite all oppressed sections of society, including workers and farmers against exploitation and inequality.
Exam tip:
For S1, "Peasants and Workers Party" sounds like it was formed by agrarian socialists, not Ambedkarites. Ambedkar’s core vocabulary was "Scheduled Castes", "Depressed Classes", "Labour", etc., not class struggle terms like "peasant" or "worker". Hence likely false.
UPSC 2012Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q85. Mahatma Gandhi undertook fast unto death in 1932, mainly because:
Explanation
Mahatma Gandhi undertook a fast unto death in 1932 primarily to oppose the Communal Award announced by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. On August 16, 1932, Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award which provided separate electorates for different communities, including Dalits (then termed Depressed Classes). This meant Dalits would vote separately from Hindus in elections, a move opposed by Gandhi as he believed it would divide Hindu society permanently. Mahatama Gandhi saw it as a British tactic of "divide and rule" to weaken the unity of Indians. In protest, he began a fast unto death on September 20, 1932, while in Yerwada Jail, Pune. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar eventually negotiated with Gandhi and agreed to the Poona Pact on September 24, 1932. The Poona Pact replaced separate electorates with reserved seats, ensuring fair representation of Dalits in the legislature while keeping the Hindu community intact.
UPSC 2011Modern History · Peasant and Tribal Movements
Q86. Which amongst the following provided a common factor for tribal insurrection in India in the 19th century?
Explanation
Tribal revolts in 19th-century India were driven by the disruption of traditional tribal life, which centered on shifting cultivation, hunting, and forest produce during colonial rule.
Option (d) is correct:
The influx of non-tribals and the imposition of settled agriculture led to land loss for tribals. Restrictions on forest resources and shifting agriculture, along with the introduction of moneylenders, reduced tribals to landless laborers and bonded peasants. The establishment of government monopolies on forests (1865-1878) further exploited tribes. Tribal egalitarianism was replaced by caste-based inequalities, and the influence of Christian missionaries also fueled resentment leading to uprisings like the Kol Rebellion (1832), Santhal Rebellion (1855-56), and Munda Rebellion (1899-1900).
UPSC 2011Modern History · Indian National Movement I (1905-1918)
Q87. What was the reason for Mahatma Gandhi to organise 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?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Kheda Satyagraha (1918) was a protest against the British government’s tax demands on Gujarat farmers whose crops had failed due to drought. Despite the revenue code allowing remission, the government insisted on full payment, threatening to seize property. Led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and others, Gandhi encouraged farmers to resist paying taxes peacefully. The government eventually agreed to return confiscated property and suspend tax collection for the year.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Permanent Settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 and it was confined in the areas of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Varanasi (United Provinces), Northern Karnataka. It was never introduced in Gujarat.
UPSC 2011Modern History · Indian National Movement II (1918-1929)
Q88. 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 right for the people of India in the constitution. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Explanation
The Nehru Report, drafted in response to Lord Birkenhead’s challenge, was prepared by a committee led by Motilal Nehru. Key members included Tej Bahadur Sapru, M.S. Aney, Subhash Chandra Bose, and G.R. Pradhan.
Option (b) is correct: Recommendations were:
Dominion status on lines of self-governing dominions but not full independence. Rejection of separate electorates. Joint electorates with reservation of seats for Muslims at the Centre and in areas where they were in minority. Nineteen fundamental rights, including the rights to form unions, the right to equal treatment for women, and universal adult suffrage. Responsible government at the Centre and in provinces. Provisions to protect the cultural and religious rights of minorities.
UPSC 2011Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q89. Which one of the following observations is not true about the Quit India Movement of 1942?
Explanation
The Quit India Resolution was ratified in a Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank on 8th August 1942. Apart from the Quit India Movement, other resolutions involved the Civil Disobedience Movement against British Rule. Mantra of "Do or Die" was adopted in this Session by Gandhiji. The British Govt responded to the call of Gandhi by arresting all major Congress leaders the very next day. Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, etc. were all behind the bars. This left the movement in the hands of the younger leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia, besides many regional leaders also rose up to lead this movement in their respective regions.
UPSC 2011Modern History · Indian National Movement III (1930-1947)
Q90. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, Usha Mehta is well-known for:
Explanation
The Quit India Movement was one of the largest anti-colonial movements. It started on August 8, 1942, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. The immediate causes were the failure of Cripps mission, hardships caused during World War II and the Japanese knocking at the doors of Indian borders. Even before the movement could formally be launched all major leaders of congress were put behind the bars by the British. In this situation various secret and underground activities under the leadership to younger congress leaders kept the movement going. In this environment, Usha Mehta, a young congress leader started an underground Radio to give fuel to the movement.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
81
2012
(c) 1, 2 and 3
82
2012
(a) 1 only
83
2012
(d) None
84
2012
(b) 2 and 3 only
85
2012
(c) Ramsay Macdonald announced the Communal Award.
86
2011
(d) The complete disruption of the old agrarian order of the tribal communities
87
2011
(a) 1 only
88
2011
(b) 2 and 3 only
89
2011
(b) It was led by Mahatma Gandhi
90
2011
(a) Running the secret Congress Radio in the wake of Quit India Movement
What UPSC has tested in Modern History
Acts and reforms are tested by their features: the 1858 Proclamation, Charter Acts, Acts of 1909, 1919 and 1935.
Movements are tested through causes, leaders, sessions and sequence, such as the Champaran, Rowlatt, Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements.
Social reform and economic critique questions focus on named reformers, societies and the drain theory.
Recent 2025 questions covered Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Non-Cooperation, the Poona Pact, Periyar and Portuguese introductions.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Modern History?
This page covers 289 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Modern History, asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which Modern History chapter has the most questions?
Indian National Movement III (1930-1947) has the most, with 64 questions. The other two phases, 1905-1918 and 1918-1929, add 23 and 35, so the freedom struggle accounts for well over a third of this subject.
How can I revise Modern History by phase?
Use the chapter filter to open each phase, such as Indian National Movement II (1918-1929), then read the key facts and answer key on its page. The chapters follow the order of events, from the Revolt of 1857 to Independence.
Are the 2025 Modern History questions included?
Yes. The 2025 paper’s eight Modern History questions are filed under their chapters: Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Periyar, Non-Cooperation, Gandhi’s sedition statement, Chauri Chaura, the Poona Pact and Portuguese introductions.
