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 21–30 of 65 questions
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q21. Consider the following statements regarding the Communal Award of 1932: I. It was announced by the British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. II. It provided separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs, and Europeans, but explicitly denied them to the Depressed Classes. III. Mahatma Gandhi started a fast unto death in the Yerwada Central Jail in protest against its provisions. IV. It was entirely supported by the Indian National Congress without demanding any modifications. Which of the above statements are incorrect?
Explanation
The Communal Award of 1932, announced by Ramsay MacDonald, granted separate electorates to several groups, including the Depressed Classes. Gandhi strongly opposed this, viewing it as a move to divide Hindu society. He began a fast unto death in Yerwada Jail to protest these provisions. The Congress also did not accept the award, leading to the eventual negotiation of the Pact.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q22. In the context of the provincial elections of 1937, what was the primary reason for the resignation of the Congress Ministries in October-November 1939?
Explanation
The Congress Ministries resigned in 1939 as a protest against the unilateral decision of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow to involve India in World War II. The British government failed to consult the provincial legislatures or the national leadership before making this declaration. This total disregard for Indian opinion led the Congress to conclude that it could not continue cooperating with the administration.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q23. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Province in 1937 Elections
Congress Premier/Prime Minister
A. United Provinces
i. C. Rajagopalachari
B. Bihar
ii. Govind Ballabh Pant
C. Bombay
iii. B.G. Kher
D. Madras
iv. Sri Krishna Sinha
Codes:
Explanation
Following the 1937 elections, Govind Ballabh Pant became the Premier of the United Provinces. Sri Krishna Sinha led the Congress ministry in Bihar, while B.G. Kher headed the administration in the Bombay Presidency. In the Madras Presidency, C. Rajagopalachari took office as the Premier. These ministries implemented various social and agrarian reforms before their collective resignation at the start of WWII.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q24. The failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 served as a direct catalyst for which of the following major mass movements?
Explanation
The failure of the Cripps Mission in early 1942 left the Indian political leadership disillusioned with British promises. Gandhi described the mission’s proposal as a post-dated check on a crashing bank. This diplomatic deadlock and the looming threat of a Japanese invasion directly prompted the Congress to launch the Quit India Movement, demanding an immediate end to British rule in India.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q25. Consider the following legislative and administrative actions undertaken by the Congress Ministries between 1937 and 1939: I. Passing of tenancy legislation to protect the rights of peasants and reduce debt burdens. II. Restoration of lands that had been confiscated by the government during the Civil Disobedience Movement. III. Complete abolition of the Zamindari system across all British Indian provinces. IV. Lifting of arbitrary bans on several political organizations and nationalist publications. V. Introduction of prohibition of alcohol in selected areas. Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
During their tenure, the Congress Ministries passed tenancy acts to protect peasants and restored lands confiscated during previous movements. They also lifted bans on political organizations and introduced prohibition in some areas. However, the complete abolition of the Zamindari system was not achieved during this short period, as such radical reforms faced significant administrative and legal hurdles under the existing constitutional framework.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q26. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Underground Leader during Quit India Movement
Associated Activity/Role
A. Usha Mehta
i. Hoisting the national flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan
B. Aruna Asaf Ali
ii. Running the secret Congress Radio
C. Jayaprakash Narayan
iii. Establishing a parallel government in Ballia
D. Chittu Pandey
iv. Organizing the Azad Dasta for guerrilla warfare
Codes:
Explanation
Usha Mehta is famous for operating a secret radio station during the Quit India Movement. Aruna Asaf Ali gained prominence for hoisting the national flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan after the leadership’s arrest. Jayaprakash Narayan organized the Azad Dasta for guerrilla activities from Nepal. Chittu Pandey led one of the first parallel governments in Ballia, temporarily ending British authority there.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q27. Which of the following pairs concerning the proposals of the Cripps Mission (1942) is incorrectly matched?
Explanation
The Cripps Mission proposed that India would be granted Dominion Status after the end of the Second World War. It did not offer immediate or even post-war complete independence as demanded by the Congress. The proposal also included a controversial clause allowing provinces to opt out of the new Indian Union, which was seen as a threat to national territorial integrity.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q28. Which of the following represents the correct chronological sequence of constitutional proposals and plans during the 1940s?
Explanation
The political timeline of the 1940s began with the August Offer of 1940, followed by the Cripps Mission in 1942. As the war progressed and political deadlocks continued, the C.R. Formula was proposed in 1944 to bridge the gap between the Congress and the Muslim League. Finally, the Wavell Plan was discussed during the Simla Conference in mid-1945 by leaders.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q29. Consider the following statements regarding the parallel governments established during the Quit India Movement: I. The parallel government in Ballia, led by Chittu Pandey, was one of the earliest to be established. II. The Jatiya Sarkar in Tamluk (Midnapore) actively undertook cyclone relief work and gave grants to schools. III. The Prati Sarkar in Satara, Maharashtra, emerged as the longest-lasting parallel government of the movement. Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
During the Quit India Movement, several parallel governments were established. The one in Ballia, led by Chittu Pandey, was short-lived but symbolic. The Jatiya Sarkar in Tamluk organized relief work during a major cyclone. The Prati Sarkar in Satara lasted the longest, functioning until 1946 by setting up people’s courts and libraries while effectively challenging British administrative control in Maharashtra.
RAS PrelimsModern Indian History · Gandhian Era: Mass Movements and Major Events
Q30. In late 1946, Mahatma Gandhi undertook a perilous walking tour (padayatra) through riot-affected villages to preach communal harmony and peace. Which region was the primary focus of this specific mission?
Explanation
In late 1946, the Noakhali district in Bengal was engulfed by severe communal riots. Gandhi traveled to the region to restore peace and harmony through a walking tour. He stayed in the villages, meeting local residents and preaching non-violence and mutual respect. This mission highlighted his commitment to communal unity even as the country moved toward a traumatic and violent partition.
Answer key for these questions
Q
Correct answer
21
(b) II and IV only
22
(a) Viceroy Linlithgow declared India a belligerent state in the Second World War without consulting the Indian political leadership.
23
(a) A-ii, B-iv, C-iii, D-i
24
(b) The Quit India Movement
25
(a) I, II, IV and V
26
(a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii
27
(b) Post-war status for India - Immediate Complete Independence (Purna Swaraj)
28
(a) August Offer Cripps Mission C.R. Formula Wavell Plan
29
(d) I, II and III
30
(c) The Noakhali district in Bengal
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.
