Q1. Which of the following best describes the primary impact of Western education on the Indian elite during the 19th century?
Socio-Religious Reform Movements: RAS Prelims MCQs
56 RAS Prelims MCQs on the socio-religious reform movements cover the Brahmo Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, the lower caste movements and the reform of women’s status. Reformers, founders, years, books and Acts are asked as facts, match tables and sequences, so learn each movement with its founder, its place and its main demand.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1–10 of 56 questions
Q2. In the context of the history of modern India, consider the following statements regarding the background of socio-religious reform movements:
Statement I: The introduction of the printing press facilitated the spread of reformist ideas and public debates in regional languages.
Statement II: The early reform movements were completely isolated from global intellectual currents such as the Enlightenment.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
Statement I: The introduction of the printing press facilitated the spread of reformist ideas and public debates in regional languages.
Statement II: The early reform movements were completely isolated from global intellectual currents such as the Enlightenment.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The introduction of the printing press was a pivotal factor in the 19th-century Indian renaissance. It enabled the mass production of books and journals in regional languages, facilitating public debate. Early reform movements were not isolated but were deeply influenced by global intellectual currents like the Enlightenment, rationalism, and universalism, which shaped their ideological framework and strategies.
Q3. Raja Ram Mohan Roy established which of the following organizations in 1814 to propagate the monotheistic ideals of the Vedanta?
Explanation
Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the Atmiya Sabha in 1814 to initiate discussions on monotheism and the philosophy of the Vedanta. This organization served as a precursor to his later institutional efforts. Its primary goal was to propagate the worship of one God and to challenge prevalent polytheistic practices and religious rituals within the contemporary Hindu society.
Q4. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the ideology of the Brahmo Samaj under Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Explanation
The Brahmo Samaj was characterized by a rationalist and monotheistic approach to religion. While it advocated for the worship of one formless God and opposed idol worship and priestcraft, it did not uphold the doctrines of karma and soul transmigration as fundamental tenets. It maintained a flexible stance on religious scriptures, refusing to accept any religious text as infallible.
Q5. In the context of socio-religious reform movements in India, consider the following statements, where one is labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Raja Ram Mohan Roy extensively quoted from ancient Hindu scriptures in his campaign against the practice of Sati.
Reason (R): He wanted to prove to the orthodox elements that Sati was not mandated by the authentic core of the Hindu religion.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Assertion (A): Raja Ram Mohan Roy extensively quoted from ancient Hindu scriptures in his campaign against the practice of Sati.
Reason (R): He wanted to prove to the orthodox elements that Sati was not mandated by the authentic core of the Hindu religion.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Explanation
Raja Ram Mohan Roy strategically used ancient Hindu scriptures to demonstrate that the practice of Sati lacked genuine religious sanction. By citing authoritative texts, he aimed to convince the orthodox segments of society that this inhuman custom was a later distortion. This intellectual strategy provided a theological basis for the legal abolition of Sati in British India.
Q6. Which of the following was an exception to the reformist agenda of Debendranath Tagore’s Tattvabodhini Sabha?
Explanation
The Tattvabodhini Sabha, founded by Debendranath Tagore, focused on systematically studying India’s past and propagating the rational monotheism of the Upanishads. While it adopted modern analytical methods, it did not encourage the complete westernization of Bengali literature. Instead, it sought to preserve and refine indigenous culture while integrating valuable modern ideas to promote a distinct national identity and self-respect.
Q7. Which of the following statements correctly highlights the ideological difference that led to the first split in the Brahmo Samaj in 1866?
Explanation
The split in the Brahmo Samaj in 1866 resulted from ideological differences regarding the pace and nature of social reform. Keshab Chandra Sen advocated for radical changes, including the total rejection of caste distinctions and support for inter-caste marriages. Debendranath Tagore, however, preferred a more cautious approach that remained closer to Hindu traditions, leading to the institutional division.
Q8. Consider the following statements regarding the split of the Brahmo Samaj:
I. The Brahmo Samaj of India was formed by Debendranath Tagore.
II. The Adi Brahmo Samaj remained under the leadership of Keshab Chandra Sen.
III. The Sadharan Brahmo Samaj was founded by the followers of Keshab Chandra Sen who opposed the marriage of his minor daughter.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. The Brahmo Samaj of India was formed by Debendranath Tagore.
II. The Adi Brahmo Samaj remained under the leadership of Keshab Chandra Sen.
III. The Sadharan Brahmo Samaj was founded by the followers of Keshab Chandra Sen who opposed the marriage of his minor daughter.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Brahmo Samaj underwent multiple divisions due to internal disagreements. After the first split, Keshab Chandra Sen founded the Brahmo Samaj of India, while Debendranath Tagore’s group became the Adi Brahmo Samaj. Later, in 1878, the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj was formed by Sen’s followers who were disillusioned by his decision to marry his minor daughter in a traditional ceremony.
Q9. Find the odd one out among the following socio-religious organizations based on their geographic region of origin:
Explanation
The Brahmo Samaj, Tattvabodhini Sabha, and Sadharan Brahmo Samaj all originated in the Bengal region, specifically Calcutta, and were central to the Bengal Renaissance. In contrast, the Prarthana Samaj was established in Bombay, Maharashtra. While it shared similar monotheistic and reformist goals with the Brahmo movements, its geographic origin and local social focus set it apart from them.
Q10. Which of the following represents the correct chronological sequence of the establishment of these socio-religious organizations?
Explanation
The Atmiya Sabha was founded in 1814, followed by the establishment of the Brahmo Samaj in 1828. Debendranath Tagore started the Tattvabodhini Sabha in 1839 to propagate systematic studies of Indian heritage. Finally, the Prarthana Samaj was established in 1867 in Bombay. This sequence reflects the gradual expansion and institutionalization of socio-religious reform across different regions of India.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) It fostered a rationalist critique prompting reform of socio-religious institutions. |
| 2 | (c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect. |
| 3 | (c) Atmiya Sabha |
| 4 | (d) It upheld doctrines of karma and soul transmigration as fundamental religious tenets. |
| 5 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 6 | (d) Encouraging the complete westernization of Bengali literature |
| 7 | (c) Sen’s advocacy for radical social reforms like inter-caste marriage was rejected by the conservative Tagore. |
| 8 | (c) III only |
| 9 | (d) Prarthana Samaj |
| 10 | (a) Atmiya Sabha, Brahmo Samaj, Tattvabodhini Sabha, Prarthana Samaj |
Key facts from Socio-Religious Reform Movements
- Dayananda Saraswati gave the call Back to the Vedas and founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 at Bombay; its Shuddhi movement reconverted people to Hinduism.
- The sequence of founding is Atmiya Sabha, Brahmo Samaj, Tattvabodhini Sabha and Prarthana Samaj.
- Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of Religions in 1893 and founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.
- Jyotirao Phule wrote Gulamgiri in 1873; Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha in 1927 for the right to draw water from the Chavdar tank.
- E. V. Ramaswami Naicker led the Self-Respect Movement.
- The Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act was passed in 1856 through Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Socio-Religious Reform Movements?
This page has 56 practice MCQs on Socio-Religious Reform Movements (Modern Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
When and where was the Arya Samaj founded?
In 1875 at Bombay, by Dayananda Saraswati. It stressed the authority of the Vedas, opposed idol worship and caste by birth, and ran the Shuddhi movement and the DAV schools.
What was the Mahad Satyagraha?
A satyagraha led by B. R. Ambedkar in 1927 to assert the right of untouchables to draw water from the public Chavdar tank at Mahad. It is regarded as a landmark of the Dalit assertion movement.
Which Act legalised widow remarriage?
The Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856, passed largely through the efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. It removed the legal bar on the remarriage of Hindu widows, though social acceptance came slowly.