HISTORY OF MODERN INDIA
REVOLT OF 1857
1. ‘What began as a fight for religion ended as a war of independence, for there is not the
slightest doubt that the rebels wanted to get rid of the alien government and restore the old
order of which the king of Delhi was the rightful representative.’ Do you support this
viewpoint ? (99/15)
2. What administrative changes were introduced in India after 1858? What were the
objectives of these changes? (01/30)
SOCIO-RELIGIOUS REFORMATION MOVEMENT
1. Discuss the various aspects of social legislation introduced by the East India Company in
the first half of the nineteenth century. (95/15)
2. ‘Swami Vivekananda might well be called the father of Indian nationalism.’ Elucidate.
(95/10)
3. The name of Raja Ram Mohan Roy stands foremost in the field of religious and social
reforms. Elucidate. (97/10)
8. Assess the contributions of Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar to the making of modern India.
(99/10)
5. In what way did Ramakrishna infuse a new vigour and dynamism into Hinduism?
(99/10)
6. Characterise the main features of Indian Renaissance. (06/15)
7. What was the character of socio-religious reforms in the 19th Century and how did they
contribute to the national awakening in India? (07/30)
CONGRESS - MODERATES & EXTREMISTS
Split (Surat) - Reunion (Lucknow)
1. Trace the emergence of Indian nationalism till the foundation of the Indian National
Congress. (95/15)
2. What was Tilak’s contribution towards shaping the course of the Nationalist movement in
India? (96/10)
3. Examine the causes and nature of extremism in Indian politics in the early part of the
present century. (97/35)
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GENERAL STUDIES (MAINS) – Questions Pattern & Trends Analysis 2
4. How did economic nationalism mirror the work of the early nationalist leadership in India?
(98/35)
5. Why did the moderates lose appeal with the Indians and failed to elicit desired response
from the British? (98/15)
6. Discuss the main objectives of the Indian national movement up to 1905. What were its
basic weaknesses during this period? (0130)
7. Bring out the Ideological basis of the Moderate-Extremist divide in the Indian National
Congress. (03/15)
PARTITION OF BENGAL
Swadeshi Movement & Rise of Revolutionary Terrorism
1. Bengal was partitioned in 1905 not for administrative reasons but for political purposes.
Elucidate. (96/15)
2. How did the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal influence the nationalist politics? (98/10)
3. Trace the origin of the Swadeshi Movement. How did it involve the masses? (00/30)
4. How did the terrorist movement gather strength in countries other than India? (00/15)
5. Write short notes: Divide et impera. (02/2)
6. What led to the partition of Bengal in 1905? (04/15)
NATIONALISM DURING WORLD WAR- I
Gadar Party & Home Rule League
1. Write short notes: Ghadar Party (01/2)
2. Trace the growth of the Indian Home Rule Movement in Britain. (02/15)
M. K. GANDHI
South African experiment, Rowlatt Satyagraha & Jalianwala Bagh Massacre
1. Discuss Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of ’Basic Education’. How far was it a departure from
conventional system of education? (97/15)
2. What do you know about Rowlatt Act? (97/2)
3. The mainstay of Mahatma Gandhi’s movements was the rural India.’ Elucidate. (03/15)
4. Do you think Mahatma Gandhi’s support to Khilafat Movement had diluted his secular
credentials? Give your argument based on the assessment of events. (07, 15 )
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
1. Did Jawaharlal Nehru really ‘speak’ the ‘language’ of Gandhi? Locate the points of their
agreements and departures. (98/35)
2. How did Nehru’s plan for modernization make rapid stride during the decade 1951-61?
(99/10) 3
3. Was Jawaharlal Nehru justified in adopting the principle of non-alignment as the cornerstone of India’s foreign policy? (00/10)
4. Regardless of distance in time, there were lots of similarities between Lord Curzon and
Jawahar Lal Nehru. Discuss. (06/30)
NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT
Khilafat, Swarajists and no-changers and growth of revolutionary terrorism
1. What were the reasons that changed Gandhiji’s attitude of responsive cooperation to noncooperation in 1920? What were its consequences? (96/35)
2. Trace the formation of the Swaraj Party. What were its demands? (99/15)
3. Discuss the aims and objects of the Khilafat Movement. To what extent was it successful?
(01/15)
4. Form a critical assessment of the Non-Cooperation Movement. (04/30)
5. The crisis of the colonial order during 1919 and 1939 was directly linked to the
constitutional reforms, disillusionment and militant anti-colonial struggles. Elucidate.
(07/30)
6. Evaluate the contribution of revolutionary terrorism represented by Bhagat Singh to the
cause of India’s struggle for independence. (07/15)
7. “Non-Cooperation Movement gave new direction and energy to the National Movement.”
Explain. (08/15)
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT
Round Table Conference, Gandhi- Irwin Pact, Karachi Congress, MacDonald Award & Poona Pact
1. In what way did the Civil Disobedience Movement affect the different provinces of India ?
How did it foster peasant movement in India? (95/30)
2. What was the Macdonald Award? How was it modified? (96/15)
3. What were the salient features of Gandhi-Irwin Pact? (97/15)
4. Write short notes: Communal Award (98/2)
5. Why did Gandhi launch the Salt Satyagraha in 1930 and with what results? (01/15)
6. Write short notes: Dandi March (02/2)
THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT, 1935 - The Congress Ministers - IInd World War
1. How did the Government of India Act, 1935 mark a point of no return in the history of
constitutional development in India? (06/30) 4
PROPOSALS TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE
The August Offer / Cripps Mission / Raja Ji Formula / Desai Liaqat formula / Wavell Plan /
Cabinet Mission Plan / Dickie Bird Plan / Mountbatten Plan
1. Short Notes on: August Offer, 1940 (96/2)
2. What do you know about August Declaration, 1917. (97/2)
3. Assess the role of C. Rajagopalachari during the pre-partition years of Indian public life.
(98/10)
4. What were the proposals of the Cabinet Mission? Analyze the reactions of the Congress
and the League to the proposals. (99/35)
5. What was Mountbatten Plan? Discuss the reactions of Gandhi and Azad to the Plan.
(00/30)
6. Why did Jinnah reject the C. R. Formula? (02/30)
7. Review the ‘Dickie Bird Plan. (02/15)
QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT - INA & RIN MUTINY
1. Trace the origins of the R.I.N. Mutiny and evaluate its impact on the political situation in
India. (98/15)
2. Evaluate the attitudes of different political parties /towards Quit India Movement.(02/15)
3. Evaluate Subhas Chandra Bose’s contribution to India’s freedom. (05/15)
4. Critically assess Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru’s views on Indian Nationalism. (06/15)
COMMUNALISM/PARTITION OF INDIA
1. Do you think that the Partition of India was inevitable? Discuss the attitudes of Mahatma
Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad towards the crucial question of Partition.
(95/35)
2. What were the circumstances that led to the partition of India in 1947? (97/30)
3. How did Communalism manifest in Indian political scene? Explain the background of the
passing of the momentous Pakistan Resolution. (99/35)
4. Why and how did the Congress come to accept the partition of the country?(05/15)
ACTS DURING BRITISH RAJ / COMMISSION
1. Write short notes: Ilbert Bill, Sarda Act, Education Despatch of 1854. (99/2)
2. “The reforms of 1909 introduced a cardinal problem and ground of controversy at every
revision of the Indian electoral system.” Comment. (03/30)
3. Write about W. W. Hunter, (93/2)
4. “In the Montagu-Chelmsford Report communal representation and reservations were not
only retained but considerably extended.” Comment. (93/15)
5. What are the salient features of the Government of India Acts of 1858 and 1909? 5
(07/15)
6. Write about Ilbert Bill in 20 words. (08/2)
PRINCELY STATES AND INTEGRATION
1. Write short notes: Butler Committee Report (96/2)
2. How did Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel succeed in avoiding the evil consequences of the
doctrine of lapse of paramountcy and in integrating Indian States? (97/35)
3. What was the Butler Committee Report? Discuss the reactions on the Report in India.
(02/30)
4. Write short notes: Chamber of Princes (02/2)
5. Discuss the problems that impeded the integration of the princely states into the Indian
Union. How were these problems tackled ? (03/30)
6. Examine the policy of Subordinate Union towards Princely States. Account for the shift from
the policy of Subordinate Isolation. (05/30)
IMPACT OF BRITISH RULE ON INDIAN ECONOMY
1. What do you understand about ‘Drain of wealth during British rule? Examine its effects on
Indian economy. (97/10)
2. How did the policy of free trade hurt Indian textile industry and crafts in the latter half of the
19th century ? (98/15)
3. “The emergence of new social classes in British India was the direct consequence of the
establishment of new social economy, new state system, administrative machinery and
Western education.” Discuss (08/15)
4. “British vision of India had no single coherent set of ideas. On the contrary, the ideas were
shot through with contradictions and inconsistencies.” Discuss. (08/15)
MOVEMENTS
State people’s movement, Trade Union Movement, Peasant movement, Tribal movement,
Movement against untouchability and caste system, Movement for the upliftment of women
1. What was the role of the states’ people’s movement in the integration of Indian states?
(96/10)
2. What was the significance of the Prajamandal movements in the Indian States in the
decade preceding India’s independence ? (98/10)
3. How did the movement for the liberation of women receive a great stimulus from the rise
and growth of the nationalist movement in India ? (01/15)
4. Discuss the character of major tribal uprisings in British India in the nineteenth Century.
(03/15)
5. What was the attitude of Indian Industrialists towards the Indian National Congress in the
pre-independent era? (06/15)
6. Write about Vaikam Satyagraha, (08/2) 6
GROWTH / DEVELOPMENT
Civil Services, Judicial System, Local Self Government, Modern Education, Indian Press,
Nationalistic foreign policy & Taxes
1. Discuss the British policy towards Tibet from the end of the nineteenth century to the
Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon. (94/15)
2. When was the system of open competitive examination in the Indian Civil Service
introduced? Analyze the growth of the Indian Civil Service till the passing of the
Government of India Act, 1919. (95/15)
3. Assess the growth and development of Technical Education during the British rule.
(95/10)
4. Discuss the major regulations enacted by the British rulers to curb the freedom of Press in
India. (04/30)
5. Discuss the main findings of the Hartog Committee (1929). (04/15)
6. What in your opinion were the positive steps taken by the British to modernise India?
(05/30)
7. Write about Chouth and Sardeshmukhi. (08/2)
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