Q31. Find the odd one out among the following Islamic movements based on their primary ideological stance towards British education and culture:
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 31–40 of 56 questions
Q32. Match List-I (Movement/Institution) with
List-II (Characteristic/Founder) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
List I: (Movement/Institution)
A. Aligarh Movement
B. Deoband Movement
C. Brahmo Samaj
D. Arya Samaj
List II: (Characteristic/Founder)
i. Traditional Islamic scholarship and anti- British stance
ii. Revivalist Hindu movement rejecting western influence
iii. Western scientific education and loyalty to British
iv. Synthesis of Eastern spirituality and Western rationalism
Codes:
List-II (Characteristic/Founder) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
List I: (Movement/Institution)
A. Aligarh Movement
B. Deoband Movement
C. Brahmo Samaj
D. Arya Samaj
List II: (Characteristic/Founder)
i. Traditional Islamic scholarship and anti- British stance
ii. Revivalist Hindu movement rejecting western influence
iii. Western scientific education and loyalty to British
iv. Synthesis of Eastern spirituality and Western rationalism
Codes:
Explanation
The Aligarh Movement focused on Western scientific education and loyalty to the British. The Deoband Movement emphasized traditional scholarship with an anti-British outlook. The Brahmo Samaj sought a synthesis of Eastern spirituality and Western rationalism. Meanwhile, the Arya Samaj was a revivalist movement that rejected Western influence in favor of a return to the original Vedic teachings of ancient India.
Q33. Consider the following statements about the differences between the Aligarh and Deoband movements:
I. Aligarh movement was reformist, while Deoband was revivalist.
II. Deoband welcomed the formation of the Indian National Congress, while Aligarh opposed it.
III. Aligarh emphasized English education, whereas Deoband focused on traditional Islamic studies.
IV. Both movements were founded in the same year.
V. Both movements agreed on adopting Western culture.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. Aligarh movement was reformist, while Deoband was revivalist.
II. Deoband welcomed the formation of the Indian National Congress, while Aligarh opposed it.
III. Aligarh emphasized English education, whereas Deoband focused on traditional Islamic studies.
IV. Both movements were founded in the same year.
V. Both movements agreed on adopting Western culture.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The Aligarh movement was reformist and pro-British, while Deoband was revivalist and anti-British. Consequently, Deoband leaders supported the Indian National Congress, whereas Aligarh leaders opposed it. They also differed sharply on education, with Aligarh promoting English and Deoband emphasizing traditional Islamic studies. They were founded at different times and held opposing views regarding the adoption of Western cultural values.
Q34. Jyotirao Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 primarily to:
Explanation
Jyotirao Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to liberate the Shudra and Ati-Shudra communities from the social and religious dominance of the Brahmins. He aimed to expose the exploitative nature of orthodox scriptures and rituals. The organization promoted social equality and sought to build a society where individuals were valued for their character rather than their birth within a hierarchy.
Q35. Identify the incorrect statement regarding Jyotirao Phule’s social reform activities.
Explanation
Phule challenged Brahminical dominance, started a school for girls in Poona and campaigned against caste inequality. He did not support the early Indian National Congress, so A is incorrect.
Q36. Which iconic book was written by Jyotirao Phule in 1873 and dedicated to the people of the United States who fought to end slavery?
Explanation
Jyotirao Phule wrote Gulamgiri in 1873 to draw a parallel between the condition of the lower castes in India and the African American slaves in the United States. He dedicated the book to the American people who fought to end slavery, hoping to inspire a similar struggle for social justice and equality against the Brahminical caste system in India.
Q37. Identify the correct pair regarding reformers and their specific contribution to lower caste upliftment:
Explanation
E.V. Ramaswami Naicker founded the Self-Respect Movement in South India to empower the non- Brahmin communities. While Sri Narayana Guru was associated with the Aravippuram Movement, Phule founded Satyashodhak Samaj, and Ambedkar established the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha. Periyar’s movement specifically focused on rejecting religious dominance and promoting a sense of dignity among the oppressed castes through rationalist thought.
Q38. In the context of education and social reform in Maharashtra, consider the following statements, where one is labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Jyotirao Phule opened schools for girls and lower castes despite severe opposition from conservative society.
Reason (R): He strongly believed that education was the most potent weapon to emancipate the oppressed classes from ignorance and exploitation.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Assertion (A): Jyotirao Phule opened schools for girls and lower castes despite severe opposition from conservative society.
Reason (R): He strongly believed that education was the most potent weapon to emancipate the oppressed classes from ignorance and exploitation.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Explanation
Jyotirao Phule’s pioneering efforts in establishing schools for girls and lower castes were driven by his firm conviction that education is the key to liberation. Despite facing severe social boycotts and hostility from conservative elements, he and his wife persisted. He believed that knowledge would empower the oppressed to understand and eventually dismantle the systems of their exploitation.
Q39. The concept of ‘Dalit assertion’ in the 20th century under Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was distinct from earlier reform movements because it:
Explanation
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s approach to Dalit assertion shifted the focus from purely social reform to the acquisition of political power. Unlike earlier reformers who sought gradual change or cultural assimilation, he demanded constitutional safeguards, reserved seats, and separate electorates. He believed that legal rights and political representation were the only permanent solutions to end the age-old oppression of the untouchables.
Q40. Which of the following defines the main objective of the Mahad Satyagraha led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1927?
Explanation
The Mahad Satyagraha of 1927 was a landmark event in the struggle for civil rights in India. Led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, it focused on securing the right of the untouchables to use the water from the public Chavdar tank in Mahad. This act was a direct challenge to the practice of untouchability and the social exclusion of the Depressed Classes.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 31 | (c) Deoband Movement |
| 32 | (a) A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii |
| 33 | (a) I, II, and III only |
| 34 | (c) Liberate lower castes from Brahminical suppression and the influence of orthodox scriptures. |
| 35 | (a) He provided active support to the Indian National Congress during its early anti- British phase. |
| 36 | (d) Gulamgiri |
| 37 | (b) E.V. Ramaswami Naicker - Self-Respect Movement |
| 38 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 39 | (d) Demanded political empowerment, separate electorates, and comprehensive constitutional safeguards. |
| 40 | (a) To secure the right of untouchables to draw water from the public Chavdar tank. |
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.