Q411. Which of the following best explains the rationale behind the dominance of the public sector in India’s early economic planning?
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 411–420 of 488 questions
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Q412. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the criticism of public sector enterprises in India prior to the 1991 reforms.
Explanation
Before the 1991 reforms, many public sector enterprises faced criticism for operational inefficiencies rather than high profits. Common issues included bureaucratic interference, massive overstaffing, and low productivity. Furthermore, administered pricing policies often forced these units to operate at a loss. It is inaccurate to claim they generated high returns on investment, as many actually required significant continuous state subsidies.
Q413. Which of the following policy documents officially classified industries into three categories, reserving the commanding heights of the economy exclusively for the state?
Explanation
The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 served as the economic constitution for India’s planning. It categorized industries into three schedules to ensure state control over the "commanding heights" of the economy. Schedule A industries were reserved exclusively for the public sector. This policy reinforced the socialistic pattern of society by limiting private expansion in strategic sectors like defense and heavy engineering.
Q414. Who among the following is widely recognized as the "Father of the White Revolution" in India?
Explanation
Verghese Kurien is known as the Father of the White Revolution, which was carried out through Operation Flood.
Q415. Identify the correct pair regarding the White Revolution:
Explanation
NDDB stands for National Dairy Development Board. AMUL stands for Anand Milk Union Limited and Operation Flood was not financed entirely by the World Bank.
Q416. In July 1969, how many major commercial banks were nationalised by the Government of India through an ordinance?
Explanation
In July 1969, 14 major commercial banks were nationalised by an ordinance.
Q417. Match the financial milestones in List I with their corresponding years in List II.
| Financial Milestones | Years |
|---|---|
| A. Establishment of Reserve Bank of India | i. 1955 |
| B. Nationalisation of Imperial Bank of India (to form SBI) | ii. 1969 |
| C. First major wave of Bank Nationalisation | iii. 1980 |
| D. Second wave of Bank Nationalisation (6 banks) | iv. 1935 |
Explanation
The Reserve Bank of India was set up in 1935, the Imperial Bank became the State Bank of India in 1955, the first bank nationalisation was in 1969 and the second in 1980. This gives A-iv, B-i, C-ii, D-iii.
Q418. Consider the following statements regarding the rationale for bank nationalisation in 1969:
I. To direct credit flow to priority sectors such as agriculture and small scale industries.
II. To prevent the concentration of economic power in the hands of a few industrial houses.
III. To strictly comply with the conditionalities imposed by the International Monetary Fund.
Which of the above statements are correct?
I. To direct credit flow to priority sectors such as agriculture and small scale industries.
II. To prevent the concentration of economic power in the hands of a few industrial houses.
III. To strictly comply with the conditionalities imposed by the International Monetary Fund.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Explanation
Nationalisation in 1969 aimed to direct credit to priority sectors and prevent economic power from concentrating in a few industrial houses. It was not done to meet IMF conditions, so III is wrong.
Q419. Which of the following was NOT a consequence of bank nationalisation in India up to 2000?
Explanation
Nationalisation expanded rural branches, raised household savings and led to the Lead Bank Scheme. It did not eliminate non-performing assets, so A is not a consequence.
Q420. The abolition of the Privy Purses and privileges of the rulers of former Indian states was enacted through which Constitutional Amendment Act?
Explanation
The 26th Constitutional Amendment Act, passed in 1971, officially abolished the Privy Purses and the special privileges previously granted to the former rulers of princely states. This move was part of the government’s broader efforts to promote social equality and eliminate feudal remnants in the Indian democratic system. It reflected the commitment to a more egalitarian and socialist-oriented national policy.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 411 | (d) Private sector lack of capital for long- gestation heavy industries |
| 412 | (b) They generated high rates of return on investment, which crowded out private capital. |
| 413 | (c) Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 |
| 414 | (c) V. Kurien |
| 415 | (b) NDDB - National Dairy Development Board |
| 416 | (d) 14 |
| 417 | (a) A-iv, B-i, C-ii, D-iii |
| 418 | (a) I and II only |
| 419 | (a) Complete elimination of non-performing assets (NPAs) in the banking sector |
| 420 | (d) 26th Amendment Act, 1971 |
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.