Modern India (Pre-Congress Phase) MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Modern India (Pre-Congress Phase) - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is 6

Key Points 

Right to Information Act, 2005:

• The RTI Act, of 2005 empowers the citizen to question the secrecy and abuse of power practised in governance.
• RTI information can be regarded as a public good, for it is relevant to the interests of citizens and is a crucial pillar for the functioning of a transparent and vibrant democracy.
• Section 6 of the Act: Request for obtaining information
  • A person, who desires to obtain any information under this Act shall make a request in writing or through electronic means in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area in which the application is being made, accompanying such fee as may be
    prescribed. Hence, statement (a) is correct.
  • An applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him. 
• ​Section 7 of the Act: Disposal of the request.
  • ​Provided that the fee prescribed under sub-section (1) of section 6 and sub-sections (1) and (5) of section 7 shall be reasonable and no such fee shall be charged from the persons who are below the poverty line as may be determined by the appropriate Government. 

The correct answer is 20 years.

Key Points

• The Charter Act of 1793 was enacted for 20 years.
• It renewed the charter of the East India Company, allowing them to maintain a monopoly on trade in India for another two decades.
• The Act continued the East India Company's rights to govern and administer territories in India.
• It also introduced provisions for the appointment of a Governor-General to oversee the administration of British India.
• The Charter Act of 1793 laid the groundwork for further legal and administrative reforms in British India.

Additional Information

• East India Company
  • The East India Company was a British company formed to trade with India and Southeast Asia.
  • It played a significant role in the colonization and economic exploitation of India during the British rule.
  • The company controlled vast territories in India, administering them through its officers and administrators.
• Governor-General of India
  • The Governor-General was the top British official in India, responsible for overseeing the administration of British territories.
  • Under the Charter Act of 1793, the Governor-General’s powers were expanded, granting more control over colonial policies.
• Impact on Indian Governance
  • The Charter Act of 1793 was crucial in strengthening the British East India Company's control over Indian territories and its monopoly on trade.
  • It marked the beginning of a series of Charter Acts that progressively enhanced British colonial authority in India.
• Subsequent Charter Acts
  • The Charter Act of 1793 was followed by several other Acts, such as the Charter Act of 1813, the Charter Act of 1833, and others, which further extended the East India Company's powers until the company was dissolved in 1874.

The correct answer is Birsa Munda Revolt.

Key Points

• The Birsa Munda Revolt did not take place during the Revolution of 1857.
• Birsa Munda led a tribal revolt against British rule in 1899-1900, which is referred to as the Ulgulan.
• The Revolt of Awadh was a key event of 1857, led by Rani Lakshmibai and others.
• The Santhal Revolt (1855-1856) also took place before 1857, but it was separate from the broader 1857 uprising.

Additional Information

• The Santhal Revolt took place in 1855, led by the Santhal tribe against the British exploitation.
• The Revolt of Awadh was part of the 1857 uprising, with leaders like Begum Hazrat Mahal and Nawab Wajid Ali Shah resisting British rule.
• The Birsa Munda Revolt (1899-1900) focused on resistance against both British rule and the exploitation of tribals by landlords.
• The Revolution of 1857, also known as the First War of Independence, was a widespread rebellion across India, but not all tribal revolts were part of it.

The correct answer is Hridayanath Kunzru.

• Hridayanath Kunzru founded the 'Seva Samiti' at Allahabad in 1914.

Key Points

• Hridayanath kunzru founded the 'Seva Samiti' at Allahabad in 1914.
• He was a member of the Servants of India Society.
• Hriday Nath Kunzru was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

Additional Information ​

• G.K. Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society.
• Shri Ram Bajpai founded the Sava Samiti Boy Scouts Association.
• Tej Bahadur Sapru attended all three Round-table conferences.

The correct answer is Mac Mason.

• Battle of Bithora –
  • 8 September 1857 (Pali) was fought between the army commander of the revolutionaries, Thakur Kushal Singh and Captain Heathkot from the British side and the revolutionaries win.
• Battle of Chelawas –
  • 18 September 1857 (Pali) In this, there is a war between Kushal Singh and AG George Patrick Lawrence and Kushal Singh wins.
  • Nickname - Kala-Gora War
  • Jodhpur's political agent Mac Mason was killed in the "Kala-Gora War".
  • The rebels had hanged his severed head at the gate of Auwa fort. On 20 January 1858, the British army under the leadership of Brigadier Holmes attacked Auwa.

Important Points

• Sandler and Kantam were assassinated by rebels in Kota State during the Revolt of 1857.
• Alexander (son of George Patrick Lawrence) was killed by the Jodhpur Legion Corps in the Erinpura Cantonment during the Revolt of 1857.

The correct answer is Arya Samaj.

Key Points

• Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj.
• Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875.
• He translated the Vedas and wrote three books named Satyartha Prakash, Veda Bhasya Bhumika, and Veda Bhasya.
• He gave the slogan “Go back to Vedas”.
• Dayananda Anglo Vedic (D.A.V) schools were established based on his philosophy and teachings.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Mir Jafar.

Key Points 

• Robert Clive a British officer bribed Mir Jafar who was the commander in chief of Nawab’s army.
  • The bribe was to make Mir Jafar the Nawab of Bengal.
  • Clive’s goal was to conquer Bengal in order to get the money and resources required for imperialism.
  • In this process, Clive betrayed Mir Jafar during the Battle of Plassey and did not make him the Nawab but in turn, conquered Bengal and made Mir Jafar a traitor who betrayed their country in the eyes of the Indians.
  • After the Battle of Plassey,  Mir Jafar was made Nawab of the Bengal.
  • In 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, Nawab Mir Jafar conferred the 24 Paraganas of Bengal to the British and also the Jangli mahals (small administrative units), as a result, he was propped up as the Puppet Nawab.

Additional Information

• Alamgir II was the Mughal Emperor at the time of the Battle of Plassey.
  • Alamgir II was the Mughal Emperor of India from 3 June 1754 to 29 November 1759.
  • He was the son of Jahandar Shah. 
  • The Battle of Plassey was fought between Siraj-Ud-Daulah who was then the Bengal Nawab and East India Company forces headed by Robert Clive.
  • The Battle of Plassey took place when Nawab of Bengal Siraj-Ud-Daulah did not like the uncontrolled use of privileges by the East India Company’s officials.
  • Also, the workers of the company stopped paying taxes which became one of the reasons for the Battle of Plassey.​

• Siraj-ud-Daulah:
  • Siraj-ud-Daulah was the last independent Nawab of Bengal who succeeded Alivadi Khan to the throne.
  •  The end of his reign marks the beginning of the company's rule that continued unabated over the next two hundred years.
  • The end of his reign marked the start of British East India Company rule over Bengal and later almost all of the Indian subcontinent. 
• Mir Qasim:
  • Mir Qasim was the Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1763.
  • He was installed as Nawab with the support of the British East India Company, replacing Mir Jafar, his father-in-law, who had himself been supported earlier by the East India Company after his role in winning the Battle of Plassey for the British.

The correct answer is C.

• The leader in Mathura during the 1857 Revolt is Devi Singh.
• Kadam Singh was the leader of Meerut during the 1857 Revolt. Hence option C is not correctly matched.

Additional Information

•  Other Places of Revolt of 1857 and Leaders

The correct answer is Fourth, 1799.

• The Governor-General, Lord Wellesley asked Tipu Sultan to break his ties with the French and enter into the Subsidiary Alliance but he refused to accept it. Thus, the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War started.
• The war ended with the death of Tipu Sultan, who was killed while fighting to save his capital Srirangapatnam.

Important Points 

• First Anglo Mysore war (1766-69):
  • The Treaty of Madras (1769) ended the First Anglo Mysore war.
  • It was signed between British and Hyder Ali of Mysore.
  • Haider Ali defeated the British.
• Second Anglo Mysore war (1780-84):
  • Warren Hastings attacked French port Mahe, which was in Haider Ali's territory.
  • Haider Ali died during the second Anglo Mysore war.
  • The war ended with a treaty of Mangalore.
  • In 1781, Haider Ali was defeated at Porto Novo by Eyrecoot.
  • Haider Ali made an alliance with Marathas and Nizams and attacked British
• Third Anglo Mysore war (1790-92):
  • Marathas and Nizams were with the British and Cornwallis started the war which ended with the defeat of Tippu Sultan.
  • By the treaty of Srirangapatnam, Tippu ceded half of his territory.
• Fourth Anglo Mysore war (1798-99):
  • Lord Wellesley arrived and trying to sign a subsidiary alliance with Indian Kingdoms and was forcing the same on Tippu but he rejected.
  • Tippu had sent ambassadors to Turkey and France which was made as an excuse by Wellesley to attack Tippu.
  • Later he fought bravely and got defeated and killed in 1799.

The correct answer is Lord Canning.

• Lord Canning (1856-62) was the Governor-General of India during the 1857 revolt. 
• Lord Canning served as the Governor-General of India from 1856 to 1862.

Key Points

Lord Canning:

• During his tenure, the Government of India Act, 1858 was passed which created the office of the Viceroy to be held by the same person who was the Governor-General of India.
• Lord Canning also served as the first Viceroy of India.
• The important events during his tenure include:
  • Mutiny of 1857, which he was able to suppress successfully,
  • The passing of the Indian Councils Act, 1861 introduced a portfolio system in India.

Additional Information

• Other important events during Lord Canning:
  • Withdrawal of the “Doctrine of Lapse” was one of the main reasons for the mutiny of 1857. 
  • The introduction of the Code of Criminal Procedure, enactment of the Indian High Courts Act, Indian Penal Code (1858), Bengal Rent Act (1859), the introduction of Income-tax on an experimental basis, etc.
  • Canning passed the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856 which was drafted by his predecessor Lord Dalhousie before the rebellion.
  • He also passed the General Service Enlistment Act of 1856.
  • He established the first three modern Universities in India, the University of Calcutta, the University of Madras, and the University of Bombay.

The correct answer is salvation.

Key Points

• Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) is a Hindu religious and spiritual organization that forms the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Movement or the Vedant
  • The mission is named after and inspired by the Indian saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on 1st May 1897.
  • The mission bases its work on the principles of karma yoga, the principle of selfless work done with a dedication to God.
  • The Ramakrishna Mission has centered around the world and publishes many important Hindu texts.
  • It is affiliated with the monastic organization. Vivekananda was greatly influenced by his guru (teacher) Ramakrishna.
  • The motto of the mission is - Atmano mokshartham Jagat hitaya cha (For one’s own salvation and for the welfare of the world).

Additional Information

• Swami Vivekananda
  • His original name was Narendranath Dutt.
  • He attended the Parliament of Religions held at Chicago in 1893 AD and published two papers, Prabhudhha Bharat in English and Udbodhana in Bengali.
  • He urged people to inculcate the spirit of liberty, equality and free-thinking.
  • He worked for the emancipation of women.
  • He emerged as a preacher of Neo-Hinduism.
  • He advocated the Doctrine of Service–the service of all human beings.
  • He was considered the spiritual father of the modern nationalist movement.

The correct answer is Lord Dalhousie.

Key Points

• The chief instrument through which Lord Dalhousie implemented his policy of annexation was the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’.
  • Under the Doctrine of Lapse, when the ruler of a protected state died without a natural heir, his/her state was not to pass to an adopted heir as sanctioned by the age-old tradition of the country.
• Lord Dalhousie came to India as the Governor-General in 1848.
• Lord Dalhousie was keen on annexing the kingdom of Avadh.

Important Points

The correct answer is Raja Rammohan Roy.

• Raja Rammohan Roy was the founder of Atmiya Sabha.

Key Points

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy:
  • ​He is known as the ‘Father of Modern India’ or ‘Father of the Bengal Renaissance.
  • He was born on 22 May 1772 in a Brahman family at Radhanagar in Bengal.
  • He was a religious and social reformer.
  • He was widely known for his role in the abolition of the practice of Sati.
  • He was given the title of ‘Raja’ by the titular Mughal Emperor of Delhi, Akbar II.
  • He was a scholar and knew Sanskrit, Persian, Hindi, Bengali, English, and Arabic.
  • In 1814, he founded Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta to campaign against idolatry, caste rigidities, meaningless rituals, and other social ills.
    • It was an association for the dissemination of the religious truth and the promotion of free discussions of theological subjects.
  • He Formed the Brahmo Sabha in 1828 which later became the Brahmo Samaj.
  • Here, recital and expounding of Hindu scriptures were done. 

Additional Information

• Keshab Chandra Sen was the founder of Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj.
• Debendranath Tagore founded the Tattvabodhini Sabha.
• Raja Radhakant Deb was the founder of British Indian Association.

Dr. Atmaram Pandurang was the founder of Prathana Samaj.

• Dr. Atmaram Pandurang has founded Prathana Samaj in the year 1867 in western India for religious and social reforms.
• The main aim of the Prathana Samaj was to make people believe in one God and worship only one God.
• The emphasis was on monotheism but on the whole, the samaj was more concerned with social reform than religion.
• The Prathana Samaj was very attached to the Bhakti cult of Maharashtra.

Other reformers:-

The correct answer is 1856.

Key Points

• The Hindu widow remarriage act was passed in the year 1856.
  • The act made the remarriage of Hindu widows in all jurisdictions of India under East India Company rule legal.
  • The Hindu widow remarriage act was drafted during the tenure of Lord Dalhousie.
  • The act was passed by Lord Canning in 1856.
  • The remarriage of Hindu widows was first legalized by Lord Canning.
  • Hindu widow remarriage act was considered as the first major social reform legislation after the abolition of Sati in 1829.
  • Indian social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was the most prominent campaigner of the Hindu widow remarriage act