Q91. Khan Bahadur Khan, who established a stronghold and strongly resisted the British forces during the 1857 Revolt, belonged to which region?
Modern Indian History: RAS Prelims MCQs
488 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on modern Indian history are on this page, in 12 chapters. They cover British expansion and early resistance, the Anglo-Sikh wars, the Revolt of 1857, colonial policies, reform movements, the rise of nationalism, the Gandhian era, revolutionary movements and Partition, and nation-building up to 2000. Each question has an answer and an explanation, in the formats the exam uses.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 91–100 of 488 questions
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Q92. Match the British suppressors in List I with the areas of operation in List II.
| British Suppressors | Areas of Operation |
|---|---|
| A. John Nicholson | i. Jhansi and Gwalior |
| B. Sir Hugh Rose | ii. Delhi |
| C. William Taylor | iii. Kanpur and Lucknow |
| D. Colin Campbell | iv. Arrah (Bihar) |
Explanation
Different British military officers were assigned to crush the rebellion in specific regions. John Nicholson led the assault on Delhi, while Sir Hugh Rose focused on the difficult campaigns in Jhansi and Gwalior. William Taylor operated in the Bihar region, specifically around Arrah, and Sir Colin Campbell was instrumental in reclaiming the major centers of Kanpur and Lucknow from rebels.
Q93. Which octogenarian Zamindar from Bihar orchestrated a brilliant guerrilla war against the British, remaining unvanquished until his natural death?
Explanation
Kunwar Singh, the octogenarian Zamindar of Jagdishpur in Bihar, was one of the most remarkable leaders of the revolt. Despite his advanced age, he employed sophisticated guerrilla tactics to defeat British detachments across Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh. He maintained his resistance and remained undefeated in the field until he succumbed to injuries and natural causes in April 1858.
Q94. Which of the following was the primary outcome of the Government of India Act 1858?
Explanation
The 1858 Act shifted power from the Company to the Crown. It created the Secretary of State and the India Council. This change occurred after the 1857 revolt to ensure direct British control. The Governor-General became the Viceroy, representing the Crown. This act essentially ended the dual system of control established by Pitt’s India Act.
Q95. Match List I with List II:
| Act | Key Feature |
|---|---|
| A. Government of India Act 1858 | i. Introduction of the Portfolio System |
| B. Indian Councils Act 1861 | ii. Creation of the office of Secretary of State for India |
| C. Morley-Minto Reforms 1909 | iii. Introduction of Dyarchy in provinces |
| D. Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms 1919 | iv. Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims |
Explanation
The 1858 Act created the Secretary of State. The 1861 Act introduced the portfolio system for executive members. The 1909 reforms established separate electorates for Muslims. The 1919 Act introduced dyarchy in provinces. These legislative milestones systematically altered India’s administrative and representative structures, reflecting changing British colonial policies and responding to growing Indian demands for self-governance.
Q96. How did the Indian Councils Act of 1861 fundamentally alter the legislative process in British India?
Explanation
This act initiated legislative decentralization by restoring law-making powers to the Madras and Bombay presidencies. It reversed the centralization trend started by the 1833 Charter Act. By allowing local governments to legislate on provincial matters, it laid the foundation for federalism. This shift was intended to improve administrative efficiency and manage regional diversities more effectively during colonial rule.
Q97. Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Councils Act of 1892:
I. It increased the number of additional members in the Central and Provincial Legislative Councils.
II. It gave the legislative councils the power to discuss the budget.
III. It explicitly introduced direct elections based on universal franchise for all non-official seats.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. It increased the number of additional members in the Central and Provincial Legislative Councils.
II. It gave the legislative councils the power to discuss the budget.
III. It explicitly introduced direct elections based on universal franchise for all non-official seats.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The 1892 Act increased the number of non-official members in councils and allowed members to discuss the annual budget. However, it did not introduce direct elections or universal franchise. Instead, it used an indirect nomination process through local bodies. This act represented a cautious expansion of legislative functions while maintaining firm British control over the executive and the legislature.
Q98. Which of the following was NOT a provision of the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909?
Explanation
The 1909 reforms introduced separate electorates specifically for Muslims, not for Sikhs or Indian Christians. Electorates for other communities like Sikhs and Christians were actually introduced later by the Government of India Act of 1919. The 1909 Act primarily aimed to appease certain segments of the population while simultaneously sowing seeds of communal division in the Indian political landscape.
Q99. Consider the following statements regarding the Vernacular Press Act, 1878:
I. It was enacted to curtail the freedom of the Indian-language press.
II. It required printers to enter into a bond not to publish anything likely to excite feelings of disaffection against the government.
III. The decision of the magistrate under this act was final and could not be appealed in a court of law.
IV. It applied equally to both English-language and vernacular newspapers.
V. It was eventually repealed by Lord Ripon.
Which of the following combinations of statements is correct?
I. It was enacted to curtail the freedom of the Indian-language press.
II. It required printers to enter into a bond not to publish anything likely to excite feelings of disaffection against the government.
III. The decision of the magistrate under this act was final and could not be appealed in a court of law.
IV. It applied equally to both English-language and vernacular newspapers.
V. It was eventually repealed by Lord Ripon.
Which of the following combinations of statements is correct?
Explanation
The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 targeted the Indian-language press, required a bond from printers, made the magistrate’s decision final and was repealed by Lord Ripon. It did not apply to English-language papers, so IV is wrong.
Q100. In the context of British political repression, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code specifically defines the offense of sedition as:
Explanation
Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code defines sedition as exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection toward the government established by law.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 91 | (c) Rohilkhand |
| 92 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 93 | (c) Kunwar Singh |
| 94 | (b) Transfer of power from the East India Company to the British Crown |
| 95 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 96 | (c) By restoring legislative powers to the Bombay and Madras Presidencies, initiating decentralization |
| 97 | (a) I and II only |
| 98 | (c) It introduced a system of communal representation specifically for Sikhs and Indian Christians. |
| 99 | (a) I, II, III and V only |
| 100 | (a) Exerting or attempting to exert hatred, contempt, or disaffection toward the government |
Key facts from Modern Indian History
- The RPSC syllabus covers the period from the early 19th century to 2000: British imperialism, the Revolt of 1857, colonial policies, reform movements, nationalism, the freedom struggle, Partition and nation-building.
- Questions on colonial rule often turn on a single Act or reform and its year, such as the Government of India Act 1858 or the Indian Councils Act 1861.
- Freedom-struggle questions pair a movement with its leader, place and date, for example Champaran in 1917 and the Dandi March in 1930.
- Statement and chronology questions are common in the freedom struggle chapters, so learn events in order.
- The post-independence chapters cover state reorganisation, planning, bank nationalisation and the growth of science and technology.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Modern Indian History?
This page has 488 practice MCQs on Modern Indian History. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters does the modern Indian history set cover?
Twelve chapters: British imperialism and early resistance, Anglo-Sikh wars and the Doctrine of Lapse, the Revolt of 1857, political and administrative policies, economic policies, socio-religious reform movements, early nationalism, the Gandhian era, revolutionary and regional movements and Partition, state reorganisation, planning and reforms, and science and technology.
Which period does RAS Prelims modern history cover?
RPSC lists the modern period from the early 19th century to 2000, including British imperialism and resistance, the Revolt of 1857, British policies, nationalism, the freedom struggle, Partition and post-independence nation-building.
How should I prepare modern history for RAS Prelims?
Build a timeline of Acts, movements and leaders first. Then attempt each chapter, read the explanation for every miss and note the leader, place and year. Chronology questions are common, so revise the order of events a few times.