Q271. 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?
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.
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Q272. 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.
Q273. 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.
Q274. 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.
Q275. 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.
Q276. 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.
Q277. 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.
Q278. Consider the following statements regarding the Rowlatt Satyagraha:
I. Gandhi organized the Satyagraha Sabha in Bombay to coordinate the movement.
II. It marked Gandhi’s transition from localized campaigns to leading his first all-India mass strike.
III. The movement remained completely non-violent across all provinces without any incidents of rioting.
IV. Gandhi decided to suspend the Satyagraha following the widespread violence and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. Gandhi organized the Satyagraha Sabha in Bombay to coordinate the movement.
II. It marked Gandhi’s transition from localized campaigns to leading his first all-India mass strike.
III. The movement remained completely non-violent across all provinces without any incidents of rioting.
IV. Gandhi decided to suspend the Satyagraha following the widespread violence and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Gandhi founded the Satyagraha Sabha in Bombay to organize protests against the repressive Rowlatt Act. This movement represented his first attempt at a nationwide mass strike across India. Although intended to be non-violent, widespread riots occurred in various cities. These violent outbreaks, coupled with the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre, eventually forced Gandhi to suspend the movement after calling it a mistake.
Q279. Which of the following statements regarding the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is incorrect?
Explanation
In response to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood to express national grief and anger. Sir Shankaran Nair resigned from the Viceroy’s Executive Council in protest. While General Dyer was censured and removed from service by the British, he was never sentenced to life imprisonment. The Congress also established a parallel inquiry committee to investigate the British atrocity.
Q280. At the historic Nagpur session of the Indian National Congress in December 1920, a major constitutional change was adopted. What was the newly defined goal of the Congress?
Explanation
At the Nagpur session of December 1920, the Indian National Congress underwent a major constitutional transformation. It shifted its goal from achieving self-government within the British Empire to attaining Swaraj through peaceful and legitimate means. This change turned the Congress into a mass-based revolutionary organization, ready to launch a large-scale non-cooperation movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi across India.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 271 | (d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale |
| 272 | (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct |
| 273 | (b) 3/20th |
| 274 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 275 | (a) Ahmedabad Mill Strike |
| 276 | (a) A-ii, B-iv, C-i, D-iii |
| 277 | (a) Complete restriction on the establishment of any new Indian vernacular newspaper |
| 278 | (b) I, II and IV |
| 279 | (c) The British government immediately arrested General Dyer and sentenced him to life imprisonment. |
| 280 | (d) Attainment of Swaraj through peaceful and legitimate means |
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.