Q1. Mahatma Gandhi’s first major use of Satyagraha (civil disobedience) in South Africa was organized primarily to protest against which of the following?
Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events: RAS Prelims MCQs
65 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Gandhian era follow Gandhi from South Africa to Noakhali. Champaran, the Ahmedabad Mill Strike, Non-Cooperation, the Dandi March, the Round Table Conferences, Quit India and the constitutional proposals from the August Offer to the Wavell Plan are asked as facts, sequences and statements.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1–10 of 65 questions
Q2. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Codes:
| Journal/Newspaper | Primary Language/Format |
|---|---|
| A. Indian Opinion | i. English (Early phase in India) |
| B. Navajivan | ii. English (Focus on untouchability) |
| C. Harijan | iii. Gujarati (Focus on domestic issues) |
| D. Young India | iv. Multilingual including Gujarati, English, Tamil, and Hindi |
Explanation
Indian Opinion was published in South Africa in English, Gujarati, Tamil, and Hindi. Navajivan focused on domestic issues and was primarily published in Gujarati. Harijan addressed social evils like untouchability and was published in English and Gujarati. Young India was his early English journal in India, serving as a platform to spread ideas of non-cooperation and Swaraj during the national movement.
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding Mahatma Gandhi’s early settlements in South Africa:
I. The Phoenix Settlement was established in 1904 near Durban.
II. The Tolstoy Farm was established with the financial assistance of his friend Hermann Kallenbach.
III. Both settlements served as training grounds to prepare volunteers for peaceful Satyagraha.
Which of the above statements are correct?
I. The Phoenix Settlement was established in 1904 near Durban.
II. The Tolstoy Farm was established with the financial assistance of his friend Hermann Kallenbach.
III. Both settlements served as training grounds to prepare volunteers for peaceful Satyagraha.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
Phoenix Settlement and Tolstoy Farm were crucial foundations for Gandhi’s social experiments in South Africa. Phoenix was established near Durban in 1904, while Tolstoy Farm was created in 1910 with Hermann Kallenbach’s support. Both served as laboratories for communal living and rigorous training centers for Satyagrahis, preparing them for the physical and mental discipline required during the struggle against racial laws.
Q4. Upon his permanent return to India in January 1915, who among the following advised Mahatma Gandhi to spend a year touring the country to understand its political and social realities before actively joining politics?
Explanation
Gopal Krishna Gokhale, whom Gandhi regarded as his political mentor, advised him to observe Indian conditions for a year before taking any political stance. Gandhi followed this by touring the country to understand the diverse social and political landscape. This sabbatical allowed him to connect with the masses and refine his strategies for future national movements against British colonial rule.
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the early institutional foundations laid by Mahatma Gandhi in India:
Statement I: Upon his return to India, Gandhi established the Satyagraha Ashram at Kochrab in Ahmedabad in 1915.
Statement II: The ashram was later relocated to the banks of the Sabarmati river in 1917 to allow for activities like farming and animal husbandry.
Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement I: Upon his return to India, Gandhi established the Satyagraha Ashram at Kochrab in Ahmedabad in 1915.
Statement II: The ashram was later relocated to the banks of the Sabarmati river in 1917 to allow for activities like farming and animal husbandry.
Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Explanation
Gandhi founded the Satyagraha Ashram at Kochrab, Ahmedabad, in 1915 to practice disciplined communal living. Due to an outbreak of plague and the need for more space for agricultural activities and animal husbandry, the ashram was moved to the banks of the Sabarmati River in 1917. This location became the nerve center for Gandhi’s major national activities and future movements.
Q6. The primary cause of the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the exploitation of peasants under the Tinkathia system. Under this system, the European planters forced the Indian farmers to cultivate indigo on what fraction of their land?
Explanation
The Tinkathia system in Champaran required peasants to grow indigo on three-twentieths of their total land. This practice was enforced by European planters through coercive contracts and became highly exploitative. Gandhi’s intervention in 1917 led to a significant inquiry, which ultimately resulted in the abolition of this oppressive system and provided much-needed relief to the long-suffering indigo farmers in Bihar.
Q7. The following question consists of two statements, one labeled as Assertion (A) and the other labeled as Reason (R). Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Assertion (A): The Champaran Satyagraha marked the first successful application of civil disobedience by Mahatma Gandhi in India.
Reason (R): The government was forced to enact the Champaran Agrarian Act, abolishing the Tinkathia system and refunding a portion of the illegal exactions to the peasants.
Assertion (A): The Champaran Satyagraha marked the first successful application of civil disobedience by Mahatma Gandhi in India.
Reason (R): The government was forced to enact the Champaran Agrarian Act, abolishing the Tinkathia system and refunding a portion of the illegal exactions to the peasants.
Explanation
The Champaran Satyagraha is recognized as Gandhi’s first major success in implementing civil disobedience in India. By refusing to leave the district despite official orders, he demonstrated the power of non-violent resistance. The subsequent appointment of an inquiry committee and the enactment of the Champaran Agrarian Act validated his methods, forcing the authorities to return illegal collections to the local peasants.
Q8. In which of the following early movements did Mahatma Gandhi use the method of a ‘hunger strike’ (fast unto death) for the first time to resolve a dispute?
Explanation
During the Ahmedabad Mill Strike in 1918, Gandhi used a hunger strike for the first time as a political tool. He intervened in the dispute between workers and owners regarding the plague bonus. By fasting, he sought to boost the workers’ morale and resolve the deadlock. The strike concluded with a settlement granting workers a thirty-five percent wage increase and other bonuses.
Q9. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Codes:
| Movement/Event | Key Associate/Leader |
|---|---|
| A. Champaran Satyagraha | i. Anusuya Sarabhai |
| B. Kheda Satyagraha | ii. Rajendra Prasad |
| C. Ahmedabad Mill Strike | iii. Swami Shraddhanand |
| D. Rowlatt Satyagraha | iv. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
Explanation
Rajendra Prasad was a key associate during the Champaran campaign, helping document peasant grievances. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel emerged as a significant leader during the Kheda Satyagraha, organizing the peasants against unfair tax demands. Anusuya Sarabhai played a pivotal role in the Ahmedabad Mill Strike by supporting workers’ rights. Swami Shraddhanand was a prominent figure during the nationwide anti-Rowlatt Act protests.
Q10. Which of the following was NOT a draconian provision of the Rowlatt Act (Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919)?
Explanation
The Rowlatt Act empowered the British government to arrest and detain political activists for up to two years without a formal trial. It allowed for secret trials by special tribunals without the right to appeal. While the Act aimed to curb revolutionary activities, it did not include a specific provision regarding the establishment of new vernacular newspapers during that particular historical period.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) The Asiatic Registration Act (Black Act) |
| 2 | (a) A-iv, B-iii, C-ii, D-i |
| 3 | (d) I, II and III |
| 4 | (d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale |
| 5 | (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct |
| 6 | (b) 3/20th |
| 7 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 8 | (a) Ahmedabad Mill Strike |
| 9 | (a) A-ii, B-iv, C-i, D-iii |
| 10 | (a) Complete restriction on the establishment of any new Indian vernacular newspaper |
Key facts from Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
- Gandhi first used Satyagraha in South Africa against the Asiatic Registration Act; Gokhale advised him to spend a year travelling in India after his return in 1915.
- Champaran (1917) was against the Tinkathia system; Gandhi used a fast in the Ahmedabad Mill Strike.
- The Dandi March began from Sabarmati Ashram and covered about 240 miles.
- Ambedkar attended the Round Table Conferences that the Congress boycotted.
- The Quit India resolution was passed on 8 August 1942 at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay; Usha Mehta ran the underground radio.
- The order of plans is August Offer, Cripps Mission, C. R. Formula, Wavell Plan.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events?
This page has 65 practice MCQs on Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events (Modern Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Where did the Dandi March start?
At Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad, on 12 March 1930. Gandhi walked about 240 miles to Dandi on the Gujarat coast and broke the salt law, which began the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Where was the Quit India resolution passed?
At Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay on 8 August 1942, at a session of the All India Congress Committee. The senior leaders were arrested the next day, and the movement continued through underground work.
Who persuaded Gandhi to visit Champaran?
Rajkumar Shukla, a local indigo cultivator, who met Gandhi at the Lucknow session of the Congress in 1916. Gandhi’s investigation of the Tinkathia system led to the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917.