Q1. Who among the following is widely regarded as the ‘Father of the Armed Struggle’ for India’s independence, having organized the Ramosi Peasant Force in Maharashtra?
Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition: RAS Prelims MCQs
47 RAS Prelims MCQs on the revolutionary and regional movements and Partition cover early armed struggle, the Bengal revolutionaries, Subhas Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind movement, the Lahore Resolution and the Mountbatten Plan. The questions ask who led what, where it happened and in which order the final events of 1947 occurred.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1–10 of 47 questions
Q2. Match the revolutionary figures in List I with their associated actions or organizations in List II:
Which of the following is the correct matching?
| Revolutionary Figure | Action/Organization |
|---|---|
| A. Vasudev Balwant Phadke | i. Abhinav Bharat Society |
| B. Chaphekar Brothers | ii. Assassination of W.C. Rand |
| C. Barindra Kumar Ghosh | iii. Ramosi Peasant Force |
| D. V.D. Savarkar | iv. Anushilan Samiti |
Explanation
Revolutionary history involves key figures linked to specific militant organizations and actions. Vasudev Balwant Phadke established the Ramosi Peasant Force in Maharashtra to resist British oppression. The Chaphekar brothers were responsible for assassinating the plague commissioner W.C. Rand. Barindra Kumar Ghosh was instrumental in the Anushilan Samiti, while V.D. Savarkar founded the influential Abhinav Bharat Society.
Q3. Which of the following statements about the Chaphekar brothers is incorrect?
Explanation
The Chaphekar brothers, Damodar and Balkrishna, were deeply moved by the British administration’s harsh handling of the plague in Pune. They formed a secret society and eventually assassinated W.C. Rand in 1897. Far from escaping to Europe, they were caught, tried, and subsequently executed by the colonial authorities for their involvement in the revolutionary conspiracy against the British.
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA):
I. It was founded in 1928 at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi.
II. The manifesto of the HSRA, titled ‘The Philosophy of the Bomb’, was written by Bhagat Singh.
III. It aimed to establish a Federal Republic of the United States of India based on socialist principles.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. It was founded in 1928 at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi.
II. The manifesto of the HSRA, titled ‘The Philosophy of the Bomb’, was written by Bhagat Singh.
III. It aimed to establish a Federal Republic of the United States of India based on socialist principles.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association was established in 1928 at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, marking a significant shift toward socialist ideologies. While the organization aimed to create a Federal Republic based on socialist principles, its famous manifesto, The Philosophy of the Bomb, was authored by Bhagwati Charan Vohra rather than Bhagat Singh, making certain claims about authorship historically inaccurate.
Q5. The revolutionary journal ‘Yugantar’, which played a critical role in inspiring the youth of Bengal, was founded in 1906 by:
Explanation
The revolutionary journal Yugantar was a vital publication that galvanized the youth of Bengal against British colonial rule. Founded in 1906, it was the mouthpiece of the radical Yugantar group within the broader Anushilan Samiti. Leaders like Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath Datta utilized this platform to preach the message of open revolt and the necessity of armed struggle.
Q6. What was the major catalyst for Aurobindo Ghosh’s transition from active revolutionary politics to spiritualism?
Explanation
Aurobindo Ghosh’s departure from active revolutionary politics was primarily driven by his intense spiritual experiences during his imprisonment in Alipore Jail. He claimed to have received divine messages and visions of Swami Vivekananda, which redirected his life’s purpose toward spiritualism. This profound internal shift led him to renounce his previous political activities and move to Pondicherry to establish an ashram.
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding Subhas Chandra Bose and the Forward Bloc:
I. Bose resigned from the presidency of the Indian National Congress at the Tripuri session in 1939.
II. The Forward Bloc was established as a left-wing faction within the Congress party.
III. Bose aimed to rally all radical and anti-imperialist elements under the Forward Bloc.
IV. The Forward Bloc strictly adhered to Gandhian principles of non-violence.
V. Bose escaped from house arrest in Calcutta in 1941 to seek international support for India’s freedom.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. Bose resigned from the presidency of the Indian National Congress at the Tripuri session in 1939.
II. The Forward Bloc was established as a left-wing faction within the Congress party.
III. Bose aimed to rally all radical and anti-imperialist elements under the Forward Bloc.
IV. The Forward Bloc strictly adhered to Gandhian principles of non-violence.
V. Bose escaped from house arrest in Calcutta in 1941 to seek international support for India’s freedom.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
After resigning from the Congress presidency in 1939 due to ideological rifts, Subhas Chandra Bose founded the Forward Bloc. This faction was designed as a radical, left-wing group within the Congress to mobilize anti-imperialist forces. Bose eventually fled India in 1941 to seek foreign military aid, as the Forward Bloc did not strictly limit its strategies to Gandhian principles of non-violence.
Q8. In which country did Subhas Chandra Bose form the ‘Free India Centre’ and first earn the title ‘Netaji’?
Explanation
During his time in Germany, Subhas Chandra Bose established the Free India Centre to organize the Indian community and prisoners of war for the liberation struggle. It was in this European setting that he was first greeted with the prestigious title of Netaji by his followers. This period marked a significant phase in his efforts to secure international support against British rule.
Q9. Match the units of the Indian National Army (INA) in List I with their key commanders or significance in List II:
Which of the following is the correct matching?
| INA Unit | Commander/Significance |
|---|---|
| A. Subhas Brigade | i. Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan |
| B. Rani of Jhansi Regiment | ii. Shah Nawaz Khan |
| C. Azad Brigade | iii. Mohan Singh |
| D. First INA (1942) | iv. Inayat Kiani |
Explanation
The Indian National Army consisted of several distinct units, each led by dedicated commanders. The Subhas Brigade was commanded by Shah Nawaz Khan, while the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, a pioneering women’s unit, was led by Captain Lakshmi Swaminathan. The Azad Brigade was under Inayat Kiani, and the first iteration of the INA was originally organized by Captain Mohan Singh in 1942.
Q10. The Forward Bloc, formed by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939, is best defined politically as:
Explanation
The Forward Bloc was established by Subhas Chandra Bose as a socialist political entity. It functioned as a radical, left-wing faction within the Indian National Congress, aiming to unite all progressive and anti-imperialist elements.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) Vasudev Balwant Phadke |
| 2 | (a) A-iii, B-ii, C-iv, D-i |
| 3 | (c) They successfully escaped to Europe and continued their revolutionary activities from London. |
| 4 | (d) I and III only |
| 5 | (c) Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath Datta |
| 6 | (c) His profound spiritual experiences and visions of Swami Vivekananda while incarcerated in Alipore Jail. |
| 7 | (d) I, II, III and V |
| 8 | (a) Germany |
| 9 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 10 | (b) A socialist political organization operating as a radical faction within the Indian National Congress. |
Key facts from Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition
- Vasudev Balwant Phadke is called the Father of the Armed Struggle; the journal Yugantar was founded by Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath Datta.
- Subhas Chandra Bose won the Congress presidency over Pattabhi Sitaramayya in 1939 and earned the title Netaji in Germany.
- The Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) had its headquarters in Singapore and Rangoon.
- The Lahore Resolution of 1940 was moved by A. K. Fazlul Huq.
- Under the Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947, the NWFP decision was left to a referendum; Sir Cyril Radcliffe headed the boundary commissions.
- On 15 August 1947 Gandhi was in Calcutta trying to stop communal violence; Potti Sreeramulu’s death spurred the Andhra movement.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition?
This page has 47 practice MCQs on Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition (Modern Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who presented the Lahore Resolution?
A. K. Fazlul Huq, the Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the resolution at the Muslim League session in Lahore in March 1940. It is also called the Pakistan Resolution, as it demanded autonomous Muslim-majority areas.
Who headed the boundary commissions in 1947?
Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who chaired the commissions that drew the borders between India and Pakistan in Punjab and Bengal. The award was announced just after independence, and the boundaries it fixed caused great disorder.
Where were Azad Hind’s headquarters?
The Provisional Government of Free India, set up by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943, had its headquarters in Singapore and Rangoon. It was supported by the Indian National Army, which fought alongside the Japanese.