Welcome to “Set 20” of our “Indian History – UPSC MCQ Series”! This milestone set brings you a diverse range of questions, focusing on the tumultuous early 20th century revolutionary movements, pivotal legislative acts from the British era, and the foundational aspects of independent India’s political and economic framework. From the Rampa Rebellion and the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy to the framing of the Constitution and early five-year plans, these MCQs cover critical moments in India’s journey. Furthermore, the set extends to include important recent developments in Indian governance and policy, ensuring a comprehensive review for UPSC aspirants. Test your knowledge across the spectrum of modern Indian history and contemporary affairs.
Set 20
951. The Rampa Rebellion (1922–24) was led by:
A. Veerapandya Kattabomman
B. Alluri Sitarama Raju
C. Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy
D. Kittur Rani Chennamma
Answer: B
Explanation: The Rampa Rebellion, also known as the Manyam Rebellion, was a tribal uprising against the British in the Madras Presidency. It was led by the legendary tribal leader Alluri Sitarama Raju from 1922 to 1924.
952. The Rowlatt Act (1919) was passed to:
A. Introduce separate electorates
B. Curb press freedom
C. Arrest without trial
D. Divide Bengal
Answer: C
Explanation: The Rowlatt Act of 1919 (also known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act) was passed by the Imperial Legislative Council to give the British government extraordinary powers to arrest and detain individuals without trial, allowing for political cases to be tried without juries. Its aim was to curb the growing nationalist ferment.
953. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred in:
A. 1918
B. 1919
C. 1920
D. 1921
Answer: B
Explanation: The tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab, when British troops under the command of General Dyer opened fire on a large, unarmed crowd of peaceful protestors.
954. General Dyer was removed from service due to:
A. Salt Satyagraha
B. Non-Cooperation protests
C. Jallianwala Bagh incident
D. Chauri Chaura incident
Answer: C
Explanation: Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer was held responsible for the atrocities committed during the Jallianwala Bagh incident. Although he faced no prosecution in Britain, he was relieved of his command and forced to retire from the army due to public outrage and the findings of the Hunter Committee.
955. The Hunter Committee was set up to investigate:
A. Champaran Satyagraha
B. Jallianwala Bagh massacre
C. Dandi March
D. INA trials
Answer: B
Explanation: The Hunter Committee (Disorders Inquiry Committee) was appointed by the British government in October 1919, under the chairmanship of Lord William Hunter, to inquire into the causes and events of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and other disturbances in Punjab.
956. The Khilafat Movement merged with:
A. Civil Disobedience
B. Non-Cooperation
C. Home Rule
D. Quit India
Answer: B
Explanation: The Khilafat Movement, launched by Muslim leaders to protest the treatment of the Ottoman Caliph, found common ground with the Indian National Congress’s Non-Cooperation Movement. Mahatma Gandhi saw this as an opportunity for Hindu-Muslim unity, and thus, the two movements largely merged in 1920.
957. The Anushilan Samiti was founded in:
A. Bombay
B. Bengal
C. Madras
D. Punjab
Answer: B
Explanation: The Anushilan Samiti was a prominent revolutionary organization established in Bengal in the early 20th century. It had two main branches, one in Calcutta (led by Barindra Kumar Ghosh) and the other in Dacca (led by Pulin Behari Das).
958. Barindra Ghosh and Aurobindo Ghosh were associated with:
A. Revolutionary press
B. Home Rule League
C. Anushilan Samiti
D. Congress Socialist Party
Answer: C
Explanation: Barindra Kumar Ghosh was one of the founders of the Anushilan Samiti in Calcutta. His elder brother, Aurobindo Ghosh, was also deeply involved with the revolutionary activities of the Samiti in its early phase, although he later moved towards spiritualism.
959. The Delhi Conspiracy Case (1912) targeted:
A. Lord Curzon
B. Lord Minto
C. Lord Hardinge
D. Lord Ripon
Answer: C
Explanation: The Delhi Conspiracy Case (1912) involved an attempt to assassinate the Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge, by throwing a bomb at his procession during the shifting of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. Though Hardinge was injured, he survived.
960. The Ghadar Movement started among Indians in:
A. Africa
B. USA & Canada
C. Middle East
D. Fiji
Answer: B
Explanation: The Ghadar Movement was a revolutionary organization formed by Indian immigrants, primarily Sikhs, in the early 20th century, mainly in USA & Canada, with its headquarters in San Francisco. Its aim was to overthrow British rule in India.
961. The Alipore Bomb Case (1908) involved:
A. Bhagat Singh
B. Aurobindo Ghosh
C. Chittaranjan Das
D. S.C. Bose
Answer: B
Explanation: The Alipore Bomb Case (1908), also known as the Muraripukur Conspiracy or Manicktola Bomb Conspiracy, involved a bomb attack on Chief Presidency Magistrate Douglas Kingsford. Aurobindo Ghosh was a prominent accused in this case, but he was acquitted due to a brilliant defense by Chittaranjan Das. Barindra Ghosh was convicted.
962. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were hanged in:
A. 1929
B. 1930
C. 1931
D. 1932
Answer: C
Explanation: Revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar were hanged by the British on March 23, 1931, in Lahore Jail, on charges related to the murder of British police officer J.P. Saunders.
963. The Kakori Conspiracy (1925) was led by:
A. Bhagat Singh
B. Chandrashekhar Azad
C. Surya Sen
D. Ram Prasad Bismil
Answer: D
Explanation: The Kakori Conspiracy (1925) was a train robbery orchestrated by the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) to collect funds for their revolutionary activities. It was primarily led by Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh, and Rajendra Lahiri.
964. The Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930) was led by:
A. Chandrashekhar Azad
B. Jatin Das
C. Surya Sen
D. Subhas Bose
Answer: C
Explanation: The audacious Chittagong Armoury Raid, an attempt to raid the armouries of the police and auxiliary forces, was planned and executed on April 18, 1930, by a group of revolutionaries under the leadership of Surya Sen, popularly known as ‘Masterda’.
965. The Young India and Navjivan were newspapers published by:
A. Nehru
B. Gandhi
C. Tagore
D. Tilak
Answer: B
Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi was closely associated with and published/edited several newspapers to propagate his views and the nationalist movement’s agenda. These included Young India (English weekly, 1919-1931) and Navjivan (Gujarati weekly).
966. The editor of Bande Mataram (journal) was:
A. Aurobindo Ghosh
B. Tilak
C. Nehru
D. Subhas Bose
Answer: A
Explanation: Bande Mataram was an influential English nationalist daily newspaper/journal founded in 1906. Aurobindo Ghosh served as its editor and played a significant role in popularizing its extremist nationalist views.
967. The “Doctrine of Lapse” was introduced by:
A. Lord Curzon
B. Lord Ripon
C. Lord Dalhousie
D. Warren Hastings
Answer: C
Explanation: The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy extensively applied by Lord Dalhousie, who served as Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. Under this doctrine, if a princely state ruler died without a natural male heir, the state’s territory would “lapse” or be annexed by the British.
968. The Queen’s Proclamation of 1858 guaranteed:
A. Racial equality
B. Religious freedom
C. Civil services to Indians
D. End of company rule
Answer: D
Explanation: The Queen’s Proclamation of 1858, issued after the Revolt of 1857, announced the transfer of the governance of India from the East India Company to the British Crown, thus marking the end of Company rule and the beginning of direct British Raj.
969. The first Viceroy of British India was:
A. Lord Ripon
B. Lord Canning
C. Lord Dalhousie
D. Lord Wellesley
Answer: B
Explanation: Following the Government of India Act of 1858, which abolished the East India Company’s rule, Lord Canning, who was the last Governor-General of India, became the first Viceroy of British India.
970. The Indian National Congress (INC) was formed in:
A. 1884
B. 1885
C. 1886
D. 1890
Answer: B
Explanation: The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885, by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, with the objective of creating a platform for civic and political dialogue.
971. The first session of INC was held in:
A. Delhi
B. Calcutta
C. Bombay
D. Madras
Answer: C
Explanation: The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay (now Mumbai) at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, from December 28 to 31, 1885.
972. The first Muslim President of INC was:
A. Syed Ahmed Khan
B. Badruddin Tyabji
C. Maulana Azad
D. Rahmatullah Sayani
Answer: B
Explanation: Badruddin Tyabji was the first Muslim to preside over a session of the Indian National Congress. He served as the President of the third INC session held in Madras in 1887.
973. The Surat Split (1907) divided:
A. Congress and Muslim League
B. Moderates and Extremists
C. Congress and Revolutionaries
D. Swarajists and Liberals
Answer: B
Explanation: The Surat Split of 1907 refers to the schism within the Indian National Congress, where the party divided into two factions: the Moderates (led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale) and the Extremists (led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal).
974. The first Home Rule League was founded by:
A. Annie Besant
B. Tilak
C. Motilal Nehru
D. Dadabhai Naoroji
Answer: B
Explanation: Bal Gangadhar Tilak launched the first Home Rule League in April 1916 at Belgaum (Maharashtra). Annie Besant launched her own league later the same year.
975. Annie Besant’s Home Rule League was established in:
A. Bombay
B. Madras
C. Calcutta
D. Delhi
Answer: B
Explanation: Annie Besant established her Home Rule League in September 1916 at Adyar, Madras (now Chennai). Her league had a wider, all-India reach compared to Tilak’s more concentrated base.
976. The Lucknow Pact (1916) was signed between:
A. Congress and British
B. Congress and Muslim League
C. Congress and Socialists
D. League and Khilafat
Answer: B
Explanation: The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was a historic agreement reached between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League. It aimed at presenting a united front to the British for greater self-government.
977. The Montagu Declaration (1917) promised:
A. Partition
B. Responsible government
C. New constitution
D. Separate electorates
Answer: B
Explanation: The Montagu Declaration (also known as the August Declaration) was made by Edwin Montagu, the Secretary of State for India, on August 20, 1917. It explicitly stated the British government’s policy was to gradually develop self-governing institutions in India, with a view to achieving responsible government as an integral part of the British Empire.
978. The Government of India Act (1919) introduced:
A. Dyarchy
B. Provincial autonomy
C. Separate electorate
D. Communal award
Answer: A
Explanation: The Government of India Act of 1919, also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, introduced Dyarchy (dual rule) in the provinces. This divided provincial subjects into ‘reserved’ and ‘transferred’ categories.
979. The Government of India Act (1935) introduced:
A. Federal structure
B. Provincial autonomy
C. Bicameralism
D. All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: The Government of India Act of 1935 was a comprehensive piece of legislation that introduced several significant features: it proposed an All-India Federation (A), abolished dyarchy at the provincial level and introduced provincial autonomy (B), and provided for bicameralism (C) in six out of eleven provinces. Therefore, all of the above are correct.
980. The Indian Constitution borrowed Directive Principles from:
A. USA
B. USSR
C. Ireland
D. Germany
Answer: C
Explanation: The concept of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) in Part IV of the Indian Constitution was adopted from the Constitution of Ireland.
981. The Constitution was enacted and adopted in:
A. 1950
B. 1949
C. 1947
D. 1951
Answer: B
Explanation: The Constitution of India was enacted and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. It came into full effect on January 26, 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day.
982. The Chairman of the Drafting Committee was:
A. Rajendra Prasad
B. Ambedkar
C. Nehru
D. Sardar Patel
Answer: B
Explanation: The Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, responsible for preparing the draft of the Indian Constitution, was chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who is often referred to as the “Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution.”
983. The word “Secular” was added to the Preamble by:
A. 42nd Amendment
B. 44th Amendment
C. 52nd Amendment
D. 61st Amendment
Answer: A
Explanation: The word “Secular,” along with ‘Socialist’ and ‘Integrity,’ was added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976, during the Emergency.
984. The President is elected by:
A. People directly
B. Rajya Sabha only
C. Electoral college
D. Lok Sabha only
Answer: C
Explanation: The President of India is elected indirectly by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States and the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
985. The first President of India was:
A. Rajendra Prasad
B. Nehru
C. Sardar Patel
D. Radhakrishnan
Answer: A
Explanation: Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as the first President of independent India from 1950 to 1962.
986. The first Vice President of India was:
A. Ambedkar
B. Radhakrishnan
C. Zakir Hussain
D. G.B. Pant
Answer: B
Explanation: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the first Vice President of India, serving from 1952 to 1962, before becoming the second President of India.
987. Indian Planning Commission was set up in:
A. 1948
B. 1949
C. 1950
D. 1951
Answer: C
Explanation: The Planning Commission of India was established by a resolution of the Government of India on March 15, 1950, to formulate Five-Year Plans for the country’s economic development.
988. The Father of Indian Planning is:
A. Nehru
B. B.N. Gadgil
C. M. Visvesvaraya
D. K.N. Raj
Answer: C
Explanation: While Jawaharlal Nehru significantly influenced India’s planned economy, Sir M. Visvesvaraya is widely considered the “Father of Indian Planning” for his pioneering work and book “Planned Economy for India” (1934), which laid the intellectual groundwork for national economic planning.
989. The Second Five-Year Plan emphasized:
A. Agriculture
B. Heavy industries
C. Green Revolution
D. Transport
Answer: B
Explanation: The Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961), based on the P.C. Mahalanobis model, laid a strong emphasis on the development of heavy industries and the public sector, aiming for rapid industrialization.
990. The first general election in India used:
A. Paper ballot
B. EVMs
C. Voice vote
D. Online polling
Answer: A
Explanation: India’s first general elections, held in 1951–52, were conducted using the traditional paper ballot system. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were introduced much later.
991. The anti-corruption movement of 2011 was led by:
A. Arvind Kejriwal
B. Anna Hazare
C. Baba Ramdev
D. Prashant Bhushan
Answer: B
Explanation: The prominent anti-corruption movement in 2011, demanding the Jan Lokpal Bill, was largely led by social activist Anna Hazare.
992. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was passed in:
A. 2011
B. 2012
C. 2013
D. 2014
Answer: C
Explanation: The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act was passed by the Parliament of India in 2013 (receiving presidential assent in January 2014), establishing the institution of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states to inquire into allegations of corruption against public functionaries.
993. GST came into effect on:
A. 1 Jan 2017
B. 1 July 2017
C. 1 April 2016
D. 1 Jan 2016
Answer: B
Explanation: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) was rolled out and came into effect in India on July 1, 2017.
994. Article 370 was abrogated in:
A. 2017
B. 2018
C. 2019
D. 2020
Answer: C
Explanation: Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was effectively abrogated by a presidential order on August 5, 2019, following which the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, was passed.
995. The Census 2011 recorded India’s population at:
A. 1.15 billion
B. 1.21 billion
C. 1.28 billion
D. 1.35 billion
Answer: B
Explanation: The Census of India 2011 recorded the country’s total population as approximately 1.21 billion (1,210,854,977).
996. The NFSA (National Food Security Act) was passed in:
A. 2011
B. 2012
C. 2013
D. 2015
Answer: C
Explanation: The National Food Security Act (NFSA), which aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-thirds of India’s population, was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2013.
997. The Smart Cities Mission was launched in:
A. 2014
B. 2015
C. 2016
D. 2017
Answer: B
Explanation: The Smart Cities Mission was launched by the Government of India on June 25, 2015, with the objective of promoting sustainable and inclusive cities by driving economic growth and improving the quality of life.
998. The BharatNet Project relates to:
A. Roadways
B. Rural internet
C. Medical connectivity
D. Digital payment
Answer: B
Explanation: The BharatNet Project (formerly National Optical Fibre Network) is a flagship initiative of the Government of India aimed at providing high-speed broadband internet connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (village councils) in the country, thereby focusing on rural internet penetration.
999. The Startup India Mission was launched in:
A. 2015
B. 2016
C. 2017
D. 2018
Answer: B
Explanation: The Startup India initiative, aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, was launched by the Government of India on January 16, 2016.
1000. The Digital India Programme aims to:
A. Boost tourism
B. Provide internet access
C. Curb black money
D. Build housing
Answer: B
Explanation: The overarching goal of the Digital India Programme is to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Key pillars include digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen (which includes providing internet access), governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens.