This installment of our history objective questions series, “Part 17,” continues to cover a diverse range of topics in Indian history, from early European settlements to significant events of the freedom struggle. Designed for students and history enthusiasts, each question is accompanied by multiple-choice options, the correct answer, and a concise explanation to deepen your understanding and assist in exam preparation.
Modern India
801. The first factory established by the British in India was at:
A) Surat
B) Bombay
C) Madras
D) Calcutta
Answer: A
Explanation: The British East India Company established its first trading factory in India at Surat, Gujarat, in 1613.
802. The Battle of Plassey was fought in:
A) 1757
B) 1764
C) 1773
D) 1782
Answer: A
Explanation: The Battle of Plassey was fought on June 23, 1757, between the British East India Company forces led by Robert Clive and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah.
803. Who was the Nawab of Bengal at the time of the Battle of Plassey?
A) Siraj-ud-Daulah
B) Mir Jafar
C) Mir Qasim
D) Alivardi Khan
Answer: A
Explanation: Siraj-ud-Daulah was the Nawab of Bengal when the Battle of Plassey took place. His defeat led to the establishment of British supremacy in Bengal.
804. The Battle of Buxar was fought in the year:
A) 1757
B) 1764
C) 1765
D) 1772
Answer: B
Explanation: The Battle of Buxar was fought on October 22, 1764, between the British East India Company and the combined armies of Mir Qasim (Nawab of Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Awadh), and Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor).
805. Who succeeded Lord Mountbatten as the Governor-General of India?
A) C. Rajagopalachari
B) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) B. R. Ambedkar
Answer: A
Explanation: Chakravarti Rajagopalachari succeeded Lord Mountbatten as the Governor-General of independent India in June 1948, becoming the only Indian to hold the post.
806. The Cripps Mission came to India in:
A) 1940
B) 1941
C) 1942
D) 1943
Answer: C
Explanation: The Cripps Mission, led by Stafford Cripps, was sent to India in March 1942 to secure Indian cooperation and support for British efforts in World War II.
807. Who formed the Forward Bloc?
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) B. R. Ambedkar
D) Lala Lajpat Rai
Answer: B
Explanation: Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Forward Bloc in 1939 after resigning from the presidency of the Indian National Congress.
808. The slogan “Jai Hind” was given by:
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Sardar Patel
Answer: B
Explanation: The slogan “Jai Hind” (Victory to India) was popularized by Subhas Chandra Bose and adopted as the motto of the Indian National Army.
809. The partition of Bengal was annulled in:
A) 1907
B) 1909
C) 1911
D) 1912
Answer: C
Explanation: The Partition of Bengal was annulled by King George V in 1911 at the Delhi Durbar, largely due to widespread protests and growing nationalism.
810. Who founded the Indian Association in 1876?
A) Surendranath Banerjee
B) Dadabhai Naoroji
C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: A
Explanation: The Indian Association was founded in 1876 by Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose, becoming one of the most important pre-Congress nationalist organizations.
811. The All India Harijan Sangh was founded by:
A) B. R. Ambedkar
B) Mahatma Gandhi
C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: B
Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi founded the All India Harijan Sangh in 1932, aiming to eradicate untouchability and improve the lives of Dalits (Harijans).
812. The Indigo Rebellion occurred in:
A) Bengal
B) Bihar
C) Maharashtra
D) Gujarat
Answer: A
Explanation: The Indigo Rebellion (also known as Nil Bidroha) was a peasant movement that took place in Bengal in 1859-60, protesting against the oppressive practices of indigo planters.
813. The main aim of the Swaraj Party was to:
A) Start a revolution
B) Enter legislative councils
C) Spread education
D) Launch a movement
Answer: B
Explanation: The Swaraj Party, formed by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru in 1923, aimed to enter the legislative councils created by the Government of India Act 1919 and use them as platforms for political agitation and obstruction.
814. Who wrote the book Discovery of India?
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: C
Explanation: The Discovery of India is a monumental work on Indian history, philosophy, and culture, written by Jawaharlal Nehru during his imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort.
815. The Champaran Satyagraha was related to:
A) Salt Tax
B) Indigo farmers
C) Factory workers
D) Peasant loans
Answer: B
Explanation: The Champaran Satyagraha (1917) was Mahatma Gandhi’s first Satyagraha in India, launched to protest against the oppressive tinkathia system of indigo cultivation imposed on peasants.
816. The Indian Independence Act was passed in:
A) June 1946
B) July 1947
C) August 1947
D) January 1948
Answer: B
Explanation: The Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament on July 18, 1947, leading to the creation of India and Pakistan as independent dominions on August 15, 1947.
817. The first Indian to receive Nobel Prize was:
A) C. V. Raman
B) Rabindranath Tagore
C) Amartya Sen
D) Mother Teresa
Answer: B
Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian and the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems, Gitanjali.
818. Who said, “Give me blood and I will give you freedom”?
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Jawaharlal Nehru
C) Subhas Chandra Bose
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: C
Explanation: This powerful slogan was given by Subhas Chandra Bose, exhorting Indians to join the Indian National Army and fight for independence.
819. The Bardoli Satyagraha was led by:
A) Mahatma Gandhi
B) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
C) Subhas Chandra Bose
D) Rajendra Prasad
Answer: B
Explanation: The Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, a peasant movement against increased land revenue, was successfully led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It was after this struggle that the women of Bardoli bestowed upon him the title of ‘Sardar’.
820. The Quit India Movement was launched in:
A) 1940
B) 1941
C) 1942
D) 1943
Answer: C
Explanation: The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi at the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee on August 8, 1942, demanding an end to British rule in India.
821. The title “Sardar” was given to Vallabhbhai Patel for his leadership in:
A) Salt March
B) Bardoli Satyagraha
C) Quit India Movement
D) Dandi March
Answer: B
Explanation: The title “Sardar” (leader/chief) was conferred upon Vallabhbhai Patel by the peasant women of Bardoli for his effective leadership during the Bardoli Satyagraha.
822. The capital of British India was transferred to Delhi in:
A) 1910
B) 1911
C) 1912
D) 1913
Answer: B
Explanation: The decision to transfer the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi was announced by King George V at the Delhi Durbar in December 1911. The shift was formally completed in 1912.
823. Who founded the East India Association?
A) Dadabhai Naoroji
B) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
C) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
D) Surendranath Banerjee
Answer: A
Explanation: The East India Association was founded by Dadabhai Naoroji in 1866 in London, aiming to put forth the Indian viewpoint to the British public.
824. The Ghadar Party was founded in:
A) USA
B) India
C) England
D) Canada
Answer: A
Explanation: The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 in San Francisco, USA, by Punjabi Indians, with the aim of overthrowing British rule in India through armed revolution.
825. The Treaty of Seringapatam was signed after:
A) First Anglo-Mysore War
B) Second Anglo-Mysore War
C) Third Anglo-Mysore War
D) Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Answer: C
Explanation: The Treaty of Seringapatam was signed in 1792, marking the end of the Third Anglo-Mysore War between Tipu Sultan and the British East India Company.
826. The ‘Arya Samaj’ was founded in:
A) 1873
B) 1875
C) 1881
D) 1885
Answer: B
Explanation: The Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati in Bombay in 1875.
827. The INA was formed in:
A) Japan
B) India
C) Singapore
D) Burma
Answer: C
Explanation: The Indian National Army (INA) was formally established and revitalized by Subhas Chandra Bose in Singapore in 1943.
828. The dual system of government in Bengal was abolished by:
A) Warren Hastings
B) Lord Clive
C) Lord Cornwallis
D) Lord Curzon
Answer: A
Explanation: The dual system of government, introduced by Lord Clive, was abolished by Warren Hastings in 1772, who brought Bengal directly under Company rule.
829. The Moplah Rebellion occurred in the year:
A) 1919
B) 1920
C) 1921
D) 1922
Answer: C
Explanation: The Moplah Rebellion, a significant peasant uprising against the landlords and British authorities, occurred in 1921 in the Malabar region of Kerala.
830. Who founded the Theosophical Society?
A) Annie Besant
B) Madame Blavatsky and Henry Olcott
C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
D) Swami Dayanand
Answer: B
Explanation: The Theosophical Society was founded in New York City in 1875 by Helena Blavatsky and Colonel Henry Steel Olcott. Annie Besant later became a prominent leader and helped establish its headquarters in Adyar, India.
831. The Indian National Congress celebrated the “Poorna Swaraj” declaration in:
A) Lahore Session, 1929
B) Calcutta Session, 1928
C) Bombay Session, 1930
D) Karachi Session, 1931
Answer: A
Explanation: The Indian National Congress, under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, passed the “Poorna Swaraj” (Complete Independence) resolution at its Lahore Session in December 1929. The Independence Day pledge was then taken on January 26, 1930.
832. Who among the following was not a member of the Nehru Report Committee?
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Motilal Nehru
C) M. R. Jayakar
D) Tej Bahadur Sapru
Answer: A
Explanation: The Nehru Report Committee was chaired by Motilal Nehru. While Jawaharlal Nehru served as the Secretary of the committee, he was not listed as one of the members who drafted the report alongside prominent figures like M. R. Jayakar and Tej Bahadur Sapru.
833. The All India Muslim League was formed in which city?
A) Delhi
B) Lucknow
C) Dacca (Dhaka)
D) Aligarh
Answer: C
Explanation: The All India Muslim League was formed on December 30, 1906, in Dhaka (then Dacca), British India (now Bangladesh).
834. The ‘August Offer’ was made in:
A) 1939
B) 1940
C) 1942
D) 1943
Answer: B
Explanation: The August Offer was a proposal made by the British government in August 1940, offering certain concessions to India in return for its support in World War II.
835. The leader of the Wahabi Movement in India was:
A) Shah Waliullah
B) Syed Ahmad Barelvi
C) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
D) Maulana Azad
Answer: B
Explanation: Syed Ahmad Barelvi (or Sayyid Ahmad Shahid) was a prominent leader who initiated the Wahabi Movement in India, aiming to purify Islam and reform Muslim society.
836. The Lucknow Pact was signed in:
A) 1914
B) 1915
C) 1916
D) 1917
Answer: C
Explanation: The Lucknow Pact was an agreement signed in 1916 between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League, aiming to present a united front for constitutional reforms.
837. Who launched the journal ‘Young India’?
A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
B) Mahatma Gandhi
C) Annie Besant
D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Answer: B
Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi launched and edited the weekly journal ‘Young India’ from 1919 to 1931, using it to spread his views on non-violence and various social and political issues.
838. The British Government declared its intention to withdraw from India in:
A) August 1946
B) February 1947
C) June 1947
D) August 1947
Answer: B
Explanation: British Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced on February 20, 1947, that the British government intended to transfer power to responsible Indian hands by June 1948.
839. The first Round Table Conference was held in:
A) 1928
B) 1929
C) 1930
D) 1931
Answer: C
Explanation: The First Round Table Conference was held in London from November 1930 to January 1931.
840. Who gave the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”?
A) Bhagat Singh
B) Chandrashekhar Azad
C) Sukhdev
D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Answer: A
Explanation: The slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live the Revolution) was coined by Hasrat Mohani, but it was popularized by Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary comrades.