Q341. The Forward Bloc, formed by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939, is best defined politically as:
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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Q342. Consider the following statements about the INA trials (Red Fort Trials) of 1945-46:
I. The first trial involved three officers: Prem Kumar Sehgal, Shah Nawaz Khan, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon.
II. The Indian National Congress officially boycotted the trials and refused to provide any legal defense.
III. The trials generated a massive wave of nationalist sentiment and public protests across India.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. The first trial involved three officers: Prem Kumar Sehgal, Shah Nawaz Khan, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon.
II. The Indian National Congress officially boycotted the trials and refused to provide any legal defense.
III. The trials generated a massive wave of nationalist sentiment and public protests across India.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The 1945 Red Fort trials of INA officers Prem Kumar Sehgal, Shah Nawaz Khan, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon were a watershed moment in Indian history. The Indian National Congress provided a strong legal defense for the accused, contrary to any claims of a boycott. These trials ignited a massive wave of public sympathy and nationalist fervor across the entire Indian subcontinent.
Q343. The following question consists of two statements -- Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer the question by selecting the appropriate option.
Assertion (A): The British authorities were forced to remit the sentences of the convicted INA officers.
Reason (R): The trial triggered unprecedented nationalist upsurge and threatened the loyalty of the British Indian armed forces.
Assertion (A): The British authorities were forced to remit the sentences of the convicted INA officers.
Reason (R): The trial triggered unprecedented nationalist upsurge and threatened the loyalty of the British Indian armed forces.
Explanation
The British government’s decision to remit the sentences of the convicted INA officers was driven by the intense nationalist upsurge triggered by the trials. The public demonstrations across India showed that the loyalty of the British Indian armed forces was no longer guaranteed. Fearing a full-scale revolt within the military, the colonial administration was forced to concede and release the prisoners.
Q344. Who among the following did NOT serve on the INA Defence Committee during the historic Red Fort trials?
Explanation
The INA Defence Committee comprised prominent legal minds who represented the officers during the Red Fort trials. Notable members included Bhulabhai Desai, who led the defense, along with Tej Bahadur Sapru and even Jawaharlal Nehru, who donned his lawyer’s robes after many years. However, B.R. Ambedkar was not part of this specific legal team tasked with defending the INA personnel.
Q345. Arrange the following events in chronological order:
A. INA Trials begin at the Red Fort
B. Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Mutiny
C. Formation of the Provisional Government of Free India by SC Bose
D. Arrival of the Cabinet Mission
A. INA Trials begin at the Red Fort
B. Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Mutiny
C. Formation of the Provisional Government of Free India by SC Bose
D. Arrival of the Cabinet Mission
Explanation
The mid-1940s saw a rapid succession of events leading to Indian independence. Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Provisional Government of Free India in late 1943. After the war, the INA trials began in late 1945, followed by the Royal Indian Navy mutiny in February 1946. Finally, the Cabinet Mission arrived in India in March 1946 to negotiate the transfer of power.
Q346. Which of the following ships is NOT associated with the beginning or spread of the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Mutiny of 1946?
Explanation
The 1946 naval uprising began on HMIS Talwar in Bombay and spread to other vessels and shore establishments. Ships like HMIS Hindustan and HMIS Bahadur were involved as ratings protested against racial discrimination and poor conditions. However, HMIS Cornwallis is not historically recorded as one of the ships associated with the start or spread of this specific naval rebellion.
Q347. Consider the following statements regarding the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Mutiny of 1946:
I. It started in Bombay to protest against racial discrimination, unpalatable food, and abuse by British officers.
II. The mutineers hoisted the tricolor, the crescent, and the hammer and sickle flags on the ships.
III. Mahatma Gandhi enthusiastically supported the violent methods adopted by the naval ratings.
IV. Vallabhbhai Patel and M.A. Jinnah eventually persuaded the ratings to surrender.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. It started in Bombay to protest against racial discrimination, unpalatable food, and abuse by British officers.
II. The mutineers hoisted the tricolor, the crescent, and the hammer and sickle flags on the ships.
III. Mahatma Gandhi enthusiastically supported the violent methods adopted by the naval ratings.
IV. Vallabhbhai Patel and M.A. Jinnah eventually persuaded the ratings to surrender.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Royal Indian Navy mutiny was sparked by grievances regarding racial discrimination and poor food. The mutineers demonstrated communal unity by hoisting the flags of the Congress, Muslim League, and Communist Party together. Although Mahatma Gandhi disapproved of their violent methods, political leaders like Vallabhbhai Patel and M.A. Jinnah eventually intervened and successfully persuaded the naval ratings to surrender to the authorities.
Q348. The following question consists of two statements.
Statement I: The Justice Party in the Madras Presidency was founded primarily to assert the political and educational rights of the non- Brahmin communities.
Statement II: The Self-Respect Movement, launched by E.V. Ramasamy Naicker, aimed to restore the dignity of non-Brahmins by rejecting Brahmanical rituals and the caste system.
Which of the following is correct?
Statement I: The Justice Party in the Madras Presidency was founded primarily to assert the political and educational rights of the non- Brahmin communities.
Statement II: The Self-Respect Movement, launched by E.V. Ramasamy Naicker, aimed to restore the dignity of non-Brahmins by rejecting Brahmanical rituals and the caste system.
Which of the following is correct?
Explanation
The Justice Party was established in the Madras Presidency to advocate for the rights and political representation of non-Brahmin communities. Parallel to this, E.V.
Q349. The movement for a separate Telugu-speaking state of Andhra gained immense emotional momentum following the death of which leader after a 58-day fast?
Explanation
The demand for a separate Andhra state for Telugu speakers reached a critical peak in the early 1950s. Potti Sreeramulu, a dedicated activist, undertook a fast unto death to pressure the government into fulfilling this linguistic demand. His death after fifty-eight days of fasting triggered widespread unrest, ultimately forcing the Indian government to create the first linguistic state in independent India.
Q350. Match the regional leaders in List I with their respective movements or organizations in List II:
Which of the following is the correct matching?
| Leader | Movement/Organization |
|---|---|
| A. E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar) | i. Krishak Praja Party |
| B. Fazlul Huq | ii. Akali Dal |
| C. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati | iii. Self-Respect Movement |
| D. Tara Singh | iv. All India Kisan Sabha |
Explanation
Regional politics in India were shaped by various leaders and their organizations. E.V. Ramasamy, known as Periyar, led the Self-Respect Movement in the south. In Bengal, Fazlul Huq headed the Krishak Praja Party. Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was the driving force behind the All India Kisan Sabha, while Master Tara Singh was a prominent leader of the Akali Dal in Punjab.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 341 | (b) A socialist political organization operating as a radical faction within the Indian National Congress. |
| 342 | (c) I and III only |
| 343 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 344 | (c) B.R. Ambedkar |
| 345 | (a) C, A, B, D |
| 346 | (d) HMIS Cornwallis |
| 347 | (a) I, II and IV |
| 348 | (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are true |
| 349 | (d) Potti Sreeramulu |
| 350 | (a) A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii |
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.