Q41. Which of the following was NOT an integral component of Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Constructive Programme’ launched alongside mass movements?
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 41–50 of 65 questions
Q42. Consider the following statements regarding the participation of various social groups in the Non-Cooperation Movement:
I. Women actively participated in large numbers, often picketing liquor shops and foreign cloth stores.
II. Students left government-controlled educational institutions to join newly established national schools and colleges.
III. The Indian business class completely opposed the movement from the beginning due to the fear of financial loss.
IV. Peasants in various regions linked their local agrarian grievances with the national struggle for Swaraj.
Which of the above statements are correct?
I. Women actively participated in large numbers, often picketing liquor shops and foreign cloth stores.
II. Students left government-controlled educational institutions to join newly established national schools and colleges.
III. The Indian business class completely opposed the movement from the beginning due to the fear of financial loss.
IV. Peasants in various regions linked their local agrarian grievances with the national struggle for Swaraj.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
In the Non-Cooperation Movement women picketed liquor and cloth shops, students left government institutions and peasants linked local grievances to Swaraj. The business class did not oppose it fully, so III is wrong.
Q43. 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 Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) explicitly rejected the Muslim League’s demand for a separate, sovereign state of Pakistan.
Reason (R): The Mission concluded that a separate Pakistan would not solve the communal minority problem and would be administratively and economically unviable.
Assertion (A): The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) explicitly rejected the Muslim League’s demand for a separate, sovereign state of Pakistan.
Reason (R): The Mission concluded that a separate Pakistan would not solve the communal minority problem and would be administratively and economically unviable.
Explanation
The Cabinet Mission of 1946 rejected the demand for a sovereign Pakistan, as it concluded that Pakistan would not solve the minority problem and would be unworkable. R explains A.
Q44. Among the various reasons debated by historians, what was the primary reason stated by Mahatma Gandhi for his sudden withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922?
Explanation
Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 because of the violence at Chauri Chaura, which broke the principle of non-violence.
Q45. The historic Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha), which marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930, covered a distance of approximately 240 miles. From where did the march commence?
Explanation
The Dandi March began from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930 and covered about 240 miles.
Q46. During the Civil Disobedience Movement, the brutal police lathi-charge on peaceful satyagrahis at the Dharasana Salt Works was witnessed and globally reported by which famous American journalist?
Explanation
Webb Miller, an American journalist for United Press, provided a vivid and harrowing account of the events at Dharasana Salt Works. He described the disciplined non-violence of the satyagrahis as they were repeatedly struck down by police lathis. His reporting was published worldwide, bringing significant international pressure on the British government and highlighting the moral strength of the Indian struggle.
Q47. Consider the following demands included in the ‘Eleven Demands’ presented by Mahatma Gandhi to Lord Irwin in 1930:
I. Abolish the salt tax and the government salt monopoly.
II. Reduce military expenditure by 50 percent.
III. Reduce land revenue by 50 percent.
IV. Grant Dominion Status to India immediately.
V. Release all political prisoners, except those convicted of violence.
Which of the above statements are correct?
I. Abolish the salt tax and the government salt monopoly.
II. Reduce military expenditure by 50 percent.
III. Reduce land revenue by 50 percent.
IV. Grant Dominion Status to India immediately.
V. Release all political prisoners, except those convicted of violence.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
Gandhi’s eleven demands included reducing military and administrative spending, abolishing the salt tax, and cutting land revenue by half. He also sought the release of political prisoners not convicted of violence. These demands did not explicitly ask for immediate Dominion Status or independence, as they were intended to address various sectoral grievances and test the British government’s willingness to negotiate.
Q48. At the Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress in 1931, two highly significant resolutions were passed alongside the endorsement of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. What were these resolutions primarily concerning?
Explanation
The 1931 Karachi Session of the Congress is notable for adopting resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme. These documents outlined the vision for a free India, including civil liberties, workers’ rights, and the protection of minorities. By passing these resolutions, the Congress demonstrated that its struggle was not just for political independence but also for social justice.
Q49. Which of the following statements regarding the First Round Table Conference (1930-31) is incorrect?
Explanation
The First Round Table Conference was a significant attempt by the British to discuss constitutional reforms with Indian leaders. While representatives from the Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, and Depressed Classes attended, the Indian National Congress boycotted the event. The absence of the largest political party made the discussions incomplete and led to the realization that no settlement was possible.
Q50. What was the direct cause that prompted Mahatma Gandhi to undertake a ‘fast unto death’ in the Yerwada Central Jail in September 1932?
Explanation
Gandhi began a fast unto death in 1932 specifically to protest the Communal Award’s provision for separate electorates for the Depressed Classes. He argued that this would permanently divide the Hindu community and hinder the eradication of untouchability. His fast created immense pressure on both the British government and Indian leaders to find an alternative solution preserving joint electorates nationwide.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 41 | (b) Promotion of rapid heavy industrialization |
| 42 | (b) I, II and IV |
| 43 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 44 | (d) The violent incident at Chauri Chaura, which compromised the core principle of non-violence |
| 45 | (c) Sabarmati Ashram |
| 46 | (d) Webb Miller |
| 47 | (a) I, II, III and V |
| 48 | (c) Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme |
| 49 | (a) The Indian National Congress participated actively in this conference, represented by Jawaharlal Nehru. |
| 50 | (d) The announcement of the Communal Award providing separate electorates for the Depressed Classes |
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.