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Modern History

320 questions asked in UPSC Prelims.

2003 · Q90Modern HistoryBritish Economic Policiesmoderate

During the colonial period in India, what was the purpose of the Whitley Commission?

  1. (a)To review the fitness of India for further political reforms
  2. (b)To report on the existing conditions of labour and to make recommendations
  3. (c)To draw up a plan for financial reforms for India
  4. (d)To develop a comprehensive scheme for Civil Services in India
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Official answer(b) To report on the existing conditions of labour and to make recommendations

2003 · Q111Modern HistoryGandhian Mass Movements (1915-1942)moderate

Assertion (A): In 1916, Maulana Mohammad Ali and Abul Kalam Azad resigned from the Legislative Council. Reason (R): The Rowlatt Act was passed by the government in spite of being opposed by all Indian members of the Legislative Council.

  1. (a)Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. (b)Both A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  3. (c)A is true but R is false
  4. (d)A is false but R is true
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Official answer(d) A is false but R is true

2003 · Q112Modern HistoryAdvent Of Europeans & British Expansionmoderate

Assertion (A): Shah Alam II spent the initial years as an Emperor far away from his capital. Reason (R): There was always a lurking danger of foreign invasion from the north-west frontier.

  1. (a)Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. (b)Both A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  3. (c)A is true but R is false
  4. (d)A is false but R is true
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Official answer(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A

2003 · Q115Modern HistoryAdvent Of Europeans & British Expansionmoderate

Assertion (A): Marathas emerged as the strongest native power in India after the decline of Mughal empire. Reason (R): Marathas were the first to have clear concept of a united Indian nation.

  1. (a)Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. (b)Both A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  3. (c)A is true but R is false
  4. (d)A is false but R is true
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Official answer(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A

2003 · Q123Modern HistoryAdvent Of Europeans & British Expansionmoderate

Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

  1. (a)Ali Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in Bengal
  2. (b)Maharaja Ranjit Singh set up modern foundries to manufacture cannons at Lahore
  3. (c)Sawai Jai Singh of Amber had Euclid’s ‘Elements of Geometry’ translated into Sanskrit
  4. (d)Sultan Tipu of Mysore gave money for the construction of the idol of Goddess Sarda in the Sringeri temple
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Official answer(a) Ali Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in Bengal

2003 · Q128Modern HistoryConstitutional Developments & British Plans (1909-1947)moderate

Which one of the following provisions was NOT made in the Charter Act of 1833?

  1. (a)The trading activities of the East India Company were to be abolished
  2. (b)The designation of the supreme authority was to be changed as the Governor General of India in Council
  3. (c)All law-making powers to be conferred on Governor General in Council
  4. (d)An Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General’s Council
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Official answer(d) An Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General’s Council

2003 · Q135Modern HistoryBritish Administration & Economic Policieseasy

With reference to colonial rule in India, what was sought by the Ilbert Bill in 1883?

  1. (a)To bring Indians and Europeans on par as far as the criminal jurisdiction of courts was concerned
  2. (b)To impose severe restrictions on the freedom of the native press as it was perceived to be hostile to colonial rulers
  3. (c)To encourage the native Indians to appear for civil service examinations by conducting them in India
  4. (d)To allow native Indians to possess arms by amending the Arms Act
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Official answer(a) To bring Indians and Europeans on par as far as the criminal jurisdiction of courts was concerned

2003 · Q136Modern HistoryConstitutional Developments & British Plans (1909-1947)moderate

An important aspect of the Cripps Mission of 1942 was

  1. (a)that all Indian States should join the Indian Union as a condition to consider any degree of autonomy for India
  2. (b)the creation of an Indian Union with Dominion status very soon after the Second World War
  3. (c)the active participation and cooperation of the Indian people, communities and political parties in the British war effort as a condition for granting independence with full sovereign status to India after war
  4. (d)the framing of a constitution for the entire Indian Union, with no separate constitution for any province, and a Union Constitution to be accepted by all provinces
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Official answer(b) the creation of an Indian Union with Dominion status very soon after the Second World War

2002 · Q54Modern HistoryConstitutional Developments & British Plans (1909-1947)moderate

The real intention of the British to include the princely states in the Federal Union proposed by the India Act of 1935 was to

  1. (a)exercise more and direct political and administrative control over the princely states
  2. (b)involve the princes actively in the administration of the colony
  3. (c)finally effect the complete political and administrative take-over of all the princely states by the British
  4. (d)use the princes to counter-balance the anti-imperialist doctrines of the nationalist leaders
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Official answer(d) use the princes to counter-balance the anti-imperialist doctrines of the nationalist leaders

2002 · Q60Modern HistoryConstitutional Developments & British Plans (1909-1947)moderate

Match List I (Acts of Colonial Government of India) with List II (Provisions) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List I (Acts) A. Charter Act, 1813 B. Regulating Act C. Act of 1858 D. Pitt’s India Act List II (Provisions) 1. Set up a Board of Control in Britain to fully regulate the East India Company’s affairs in India 2. Company’s trade monopoly in India was ended 3. The power to govern was transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown 4. The Company’s directors were asked to present to the British government all correspondence and documents pertaining to the administration of the company Codes:

  1. (a)A-2 B-4 C-3 D-1
  2. (b)A-1 B-3 C-4 D-2
  3. (c)A-2 B-3 C-4 D-1
  4. (d)A-1 B-4 C-3 D-2
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Official answer(a) A-2 B-4 C-3 D-1

2002 · Q81Modern HistoryConstitutional Developments & British Plans (1909-1947)moderate

With reference to the colonial period of Indian history, match List I (Person) with List II (Event) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List I (Person) A. MacDonald B. Linlithgow C. Dalhousie D. Chelmsford List II (Event) 1. Doctrine of Lapse 2. Communal Award 3. August Offer 4. Dyarchy Codes:

  1. (a)A-3 B-2 C-1 D-4
  2. (b)A-3 B-2 C-4 D-1
  3. (c)A-2 B-3 C-1 D-4
  4. (d)A-2 B-3 C-4 D-1
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Official answer(c) A-2 B-3 C-1 D-4

2002 · Q102Modern HistoryEarly Nationalism & Indian National Congress (1885-1915)difficult

With reference to the period of extremist nationalist movement in India with its spirit of Swadeshi, which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. (a)Laikat Hossain led the Muslim peasants of Barisal in their agitations
  2. (b)In 1989, the scheme of national education was formulated by Satish Chandra Mukherjee
  3. (c)The Bengal National College was founded in 1906 with Aurobindo as the Principal
  4. (d)Tagore preached the cult of Atmasakti, the main plank of which was social and economic regeneration of the villages
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Official answer(a) Laikat Hossain led the Muslim peasants of Barisal in their agitations

2002 · Q111Modern HistoryKey Personalities & Ideologiesdifficult

With reference to the Indian freedom struggle, which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. (a)Hakim Ajmal Khan was one of the leaders to start a nations list and militant Ahrar movement
  2. (b)When the Indian National Congress was formed, Sayyid Ahmad Khan opposed it
  3. (c)The All-India Muslim League which was formed in 1906 vehemently opposed the partition of Bengal and separate electorates
  4. (d)Maulana Barkatullah and Maulana Obeidullah Sindhi were among those who formed a Provisional Government of India in Kabul
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Official answer(c) The All-India Muslim League which was formed in 1906 vehemently opposed the partition of Bengal and separate electorates

2002 · Q123Modern HistoryGandhian Mass Movements (1915-1942)easy

During the Indian freedom struggle, the Khudai Khidmatgars, also known as Red Shirts, called for

  1. (a)the Union of Pashtun tribal areas in north-west with the Afghanistan
  2. (b)the adoption of terrorist tactics and methods for terrorising and finally ousting the colonial rulers
  3. (c)the adoption of communist revolutionary ideology for political and social reform
  4. (d)the Pathan regional nationalist unity and a struggle against colonialism
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Official answer(d) the Pathan regional nationalist unity and a struggle against colonialism

2002 · Q144Modern HistoryPeasant, Tribal & Labour Movementsdifficult

Assertion (A): The effect of labour participation in the Indian nationalist upsurge of the early 1930s was weak. Reason (R): The labour leaders considered the ideology of Indian National Congress as bourgeois and reactionary.

  1. (a)Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. (b)Both A and R are individually true but R is not a correct explanation of A
  3. (c)A is true but R is false
  4. (d)A is false but R is true
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Official answer(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A