Question 1

In which year did Mahatma Gandhi launch the Quit India Movement, and what was its immediate trigger?

Accepted Answer

The Quit India Movement was launched on 8 August 1942 at the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay. It was triggered by Gandhi's frustration over the failure of the Cripps Mission (1942) to secure meaningful British commitment to Indian independence, combined with the deteriorating situation during World War II.

Question 2

Who was the President of the Indian National Congress during the partition of India in 1947?

Accepted Answer

Acharya Kripalani (Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani) was the President of the Indian National Congress in 1947 when India was partitioned and independence was achieved on 15 August 1947.

Question 3

Which of the following was the primary objective of the Quit India Movement launched in 1942?

Accepted Answer

The Quit India Movement, launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8 August 1942, demanded immediate British withdrawal from India. It was a mass civil disobedience campaign with the slogan 'Do or Die,' aiming to force the British to leave India during World War II.

Question 4

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred in which year, and how many unarmed civilians were killed according to official British records?

Accepted Answer

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on 13 April 1919 in Amritsar. According to official British records, 379 people were killed, though Indian sources often cite higher numbers (around 1,000). This event became a turning point in the freedom struggle.

Question 5

In which year was the Indian National Congress founded, and who was its first President?

Accepted Answer

The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, and Womesh Chandra Banerjee was its first President. This is a foundational fact of the Indian freedom struggle.

Question 6

The Revolt of 1857 began in which city, and which sepoy is credited with firing the first shot?

Accepted Answer

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began in Meerut on 10 May 1857. Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the 34th Bengal Infantry, is historically credited with being the first to openly rebel and fire on British officers, though the revolt spread rapidly across northern India.

Question 7

Which of the following statements about the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919) is correct?

Accepted Answer

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occurred on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab. General Reginald Dyer ordered troops to fire on an unarmed gathering of approximately 10,000–20,000 people (estimates vary). The massacre killed around 379–1,000 people (official British count was 379; Indian estimates were higher). It was a turning point that intensified anti-British sentiment and led to the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Question 8

The Rowlatt Act (1919) was passed by the British government in India. Which of the following correctly describes its provisions and the Indian response?

Accepted Answer

The Rowlatt Act, officially the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919, was passed by the British government to extend wartime emergency powers into peacetime. It allowed the government to imprison political suspects without trial. The Act provoked massive Indian opposition, leading to Satyagraha (civil disobedience) campaigns and hartals (strikes) organized by Gandhi, culminating in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on April 13, 1919.

Question 9

The Partition of India in 1947 resulted in the creation of two independent nations. Which of the following statements about the Partition is factually correct?

Accepted Answer

India was partitioned on August 15, 1947 (India's independence day), and Pakistan was created on August 14, 1947 (one day earlier). The partition was based on the Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947), which proposed the division of British India into two independent dominions: India (Hindu-majority) and Pakistan (Muslim-majority). Pakistan initially consisted of West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The partition led to massive communal violence, displacement of approximately 10–20 million people, and an estimated 200,000–2 million deaths (estimates vary).

Question 10

The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. Who was its first President, and which British official is credited with encouraging its formation?

Accepted Answer

The Indian National Congress was founded on December 28, 1885, in Bombay. Womesh Chandra Banerjee was its first President. Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy of India at that time, is often credited with encouraging the formation of the Congress as a 'safety valve' for educated Indian grievances, though this interpretation is debated by historians.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about the Quit India Movement is CORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, at the All-India Congress Committee session held in Mumbai (then Bombay). The movement demanded immediate British withdrawal from India and was characterized by mass civil disobedience. Gandhi's famous slogan was 'Do or Die.' The movement lasted until 1944 and resulted in widespread arrests, including Gandhi's own imprisonment.

Question 12

The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 proposed a three-tier federal structure for India. Which of the following was NOT part of its constitutional framework proposal?

Accepted Answer

The Cabinet Mission Plan (May 1946) proposed a three-tier structure: (1) Union of India with limited powers (defense, foreign affairs, communications), (2) Groups of provinces (Group A, B, C), and (3) Individual provinces. It did NOT propose immediate partition or separate dominion status for Muslim-majority areas — it aimed at a united federal India with provincial autonomy.

Question 13

Which of the following statements about the Chauri Chaura incident of 1922 is CORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The Chauri Chaura incident occurred on 5 February 1922 in Uttar Pradesh when protesters set fire to a police station, killing 22 policemen. This event deeply shocked Gandhi and led him to suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement and undertake a 5-day fast as penance. He was subsequently arrested and tried for sedition.

Question 14

The Lucknow Pact (1916) was signed between the Indian National Congress and which political organization?

Accepted Answer

The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was a historic agreement signed between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League. It was negotiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Congress) and Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Muslim League), representing a rare moment of Hindu-Muslim political unity during the freedom struggle.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a correct pairing of a freedom fighter with their primary contribution to the independence movement?

Accepted Answer

Subhas Chandra Bose is correctly known for organizing the Indian National Army (INA) and his militant approach to independence, not for founding the Swaraj Party. The Swaraj Party was founded by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru in 1922. This is the incorrect pairing.

SSC MTS Modern India & Freedom Struggle

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