Q51. The historic Poona Pact (1932), which modified the Communal Award, was fundamentally an agreement between 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 51–60 of 65 questions
Q52. Which of the following pairs of Mass Movement and the serving British Viceroy at its commencement is correctly matched?
Explanation
The Quit India Movement was launched in 1942 during the viceroyalty of Lord Linlithgow. The Non-Cooperation Movement began in 1920 under Lord Chelmsford, while the Civil Disobedience Movement started in 1930 under Lord Irwin. Lord Reading was the Viceroy when the Non-Cooperation Movement ended and the Swaraj Party was formed. Matching movements with their respective Viceroys is essential for history.
Q53. Which of the following was NOT an achievement or characteristic of the Congress Ministries during their tenure from 1937 to 1939?
Explanation
The Congress Ministries focused on agrarian reform, civil liberties, and educational improvements. They released political prisoners and promoted the Wardha Scheme of basic education. While they supported the growth of Indian industries through various committees, they did not pursue the complete nationalization of large-scale sectors like the cotton textile industry, as their primary focus remained on immediate relief for local peasants.
Q54. The historic resolution launching the Quit India Movement was passed on August 8, 1942. This session of the All India Congress Committee was held at which iconic location?
Explanation
The Quit India resolution was passed on August 8, 1942, at a historic session of the All India Congress Committee held at Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay. At this meeting, Gandhi gave his famous "Do or Die" speech, urging every Indian to act as a free citizen. The location has since been renamed August Kranti Maidan to commemorate the beginning.
Q55. Following the arrest of senior Congress leaders on August 9, 1942, the Quit India Movement was sustained by underground networks. Who among the following secretly established and operated the Congress Radio to broadcast messages to the masses?
Explanation
Usha Mehta played a courageous role during the Quit India Movement by setting up and operating a clandestine radio station. This "Congress Radio" broadcasted nationalist news and messages across India, bypassing British censorship. Although the secret operation lasted only a few months before being discovered by the police, it significantly boosted the morale of the masses after the top leadership.
Q56. Compared to the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience movements, which of the following best describes the unique nature of the Quit India Movement of 1942?
Explanation
The Quit India Movement was unique because it became a spontaneous and largely leaderless uprising. Unlike previous campaigns, the entire top leadership was arrested on the very first day. This forced local activists and the common people to take the initiative, leading to widespread strikes and the establishment of parallel governments. It demonstrated the depth of anti-British sentiment across the country.
Q57. The Indian National Congress rejected the proposals brought by the Cripps Mission in 1942 primarily because the mission:
Explanation
The Congress rejected the Cripps Mission primarily because it offered only Dominion Status after the war, with no immediate transfer of substantial power. Furthermore, the mission proposed that the defense of India would remain under British control for the duration of the conflict. Indian leaders felt that a post-dated offer was insufficient given the urgent political and security challenges faced.
Q58. The Muslim League initially accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 despite the plan explicitly rejecting a sovereign Pakistan. What was the primary reason for their acceptance?
Explanation
The Muslim League initially accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan because the compulsory grouping of provinces into three sections offered a potential path to Pakistan. Sections B and C were Muslim-majority areas that could later opt to form their own federation. Jinnah saw this as the "seeds of Pakistan" within a united framework, though the League later withdrew its formal acceptance.
Q59. The Cabinet Mission of 1946 consisted of three senior British cabinet ministers. Who among the following was NOT a member of the Cabinet Mission?
Explanation
The Cabinet Mission sent to India in 1946 was composed of three high-ranking British officials: Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander. They were tasked with finding a solution for the transfer of power to Indian hands. Lord Mountbatten was not a member of this mission; he was later appointed as the Viceroy of India in 1947.
Q60. Which of the following statements regarding the elections to the Constituent Assembly under the Cabinet Mission Plan is incorrect?
Explanation
The members of the Constituent Assembly were not directly elected by the people. Instead, they were elected by the members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies using the method of proportional representation. This indirect election reflected the existing political composition of the provinces. While the process was not based on universal adult franchise, it ensured representation for different religious groups and political interests.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 51 | (b) Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar (representing the Depressed Classes) |
| 52 | (d) Quit India Movement - Lord Linlithgow |
| 53 | (a) Complete nationalization of the cotton textile industry in Bombay and Madras |
| 54 | (b) Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay |
| 55 | (b) Usha Mehta |
| 56 | (a) It was largely spontaneous and leaderless at the grassroots due to the immediate arrest of the entire Congress leadership. |
| 57 | (c) Offered only Dominion Status after the war instead of immediate real transfer of power. |
| 58 | (c) The compulsory grouping of provinces in Sections B and C implicitly offered the foundation for a future Pakistan. |
| 59 | (b) Lord Mountbatten |
| 60 | (d) The members of the Constituent Assembly were elected directly by the people via universal adult franchise. |
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.