Prominent Personalities in Modern History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Modern History)
5 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Prominent Personalities in Modern History (Modern History). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–5 of 5 questions
UPSC 2008Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q1. Who among the following rejected the title of Knighthood and refused to accept a position in the Council of the Secretary of State for India?
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.
UPSC 2008Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q2. During the Indian Freedom Struggle, who of the following raised an army called ‘Free Indian Legion’?
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.
UPSC 2008Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q3. Who gave a systematic critique of the moderate politics of the Indian National Congress in a series of articles entitled New Lamps for Old?
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.
UPSC 2008Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q4. Who among the following used the phrase ‘Un-British’ to criticize the English colonial control of India?
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.
UPSC 2008Modern History · Prominent Personalities in Modern History
Q5. Who among the following Gandhian followers was a teacher by profession?
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.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2008
(c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
2
2008
(c) Subhas Chandra Bose
3
2008
(a) Aurobindo Ghosh
4
2008
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji
5
2008
(c) J B Kriplani
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Prominent Personalities in Modern History?
This page covers 5 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Prominent Personalities in Modern History (Modern History), asked from 1996 to 2021. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Prominent Personalities in Modern History?
Questions on Prominent Personalities in Modern History (Modern History) are available for 17 years, from 1996 to 2021. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
