History & Indian National Movements
Q1. Who is credited for starting Ganpati Utsav in Maharashtra ?
Options: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (b) Lokmanya Tilak (c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale (d) Bipin Chandra Pal
Ans: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Tilak popularized Ganpati Utsav in late 19th century to unite people against British rule and promote Indian culture through religious festivals.
Q2. Which revolt was described in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Anandmath ?
Options: (a) The Monk Revolt (1776–77) (b) Sepoy Revolt (c) Indigo Revolt (d) Santhal Rebellion
Ans: (a) The Monk Revolt (1776–77)
Explanation: Anandmath portrayed the Sannyasi/Revolt movement against British, inspiring nationalism and patriotic sentiment in 19th-century Bengal.
Q3. In which year were the first three universities (Kolkata, Madras, Mumbai) established in India ?
Options: (a) 1857 (b) 1860 (c) 1875 (d) 1880
Ans: (a) 1857
Explanation: The first modern universities in India—Kolkata, Madras, and Bombay—were established in 1857 during British rule to promote Western-style higher education.
Q4. What was the immediate reason for the start of the Indigenous Movement (1905–08) ?
Options: (a) Bengal Division (b) Partition of Bengal (c) Rowlatt Act (d) Salt Tax
Ans: (a) Bengal Division
Explanation: The 1905 Bengal Partition by the British triggered protests and the Swadeshi movement to boycott foreign goods and promote Indian industries.
Q5. Which Governor-General announced shifting India’s capital from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911?
Options: (a) Lord Hardinge (b) Lord Curzon (c) Lord Dufferin (d) Lord Hastings
Ans: (a) Lord Hardinge
Explanation: In 1911, Hardinge announced the capital shift to Delhi, making it the administrative center, symbolizing a political strategy and central governance.
Q6. “Godan” and “Gaban” are creations of which author ?
Options: (a) Munshi Premchand (b) Rabindranath Tagore (c) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (d) Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Ans: (a) Munshi Premchand
Explanation: Munshi Premchand, a Hindi-Urdu writer, wrote Godan and Gaban, highlighting social issues like poverty, exploitation, and moral dilemmas in rural India.
Q7. Who led the revolt against the Bengal division?
Options: (a) Surendranath Banerjee (b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (c) Lala Lajpat Rai (d) Annie Besant
Ans: (a) Surendranath Banerjee
Explanation: Surendranath Banerjee actively opposed the 1905 Bengal Partition, organizing protests and promoting Swadeshi activities to oppose British policies.
Q8. Who was the first female president of the Indian National Congress ?
Options: (a) Annie Besant (b) Sarojini Naidu (c) Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (d) Kasturba Gandhi
Ans: (a) Annie Besant
Explanation: Annie Besant became the first female Congress president at the 1917 Kolkata session, supporting Home Rule and Indian political reforms.
Q9. Who was the Viceroy during the Bengal division of 1905 ?
Options: (a) Lord Curzon (b) Lord Hardinge (c) Lord Dufferin (d) Lord Hastings
Ans: (a) Lord Curzon
Explanation: Lord Curzon, Viceroy from 1899–1905, initiated Bengal Partition for administrative reasons, triggering widespread nationalist protests.
Q10. Who was the first president of the Muslim League (established 1906) ?
Options: (a) Aga Khan (b) Mohammad Ali Jinnah (c) Allama Iqbal (d) Syed Ahmad Khan
Ans: (a) Aga Khan
Explanation: Aga Khan became the first president of the All India Muslim League in 1906, aiming to protect Muslim interests under British India.
Q11. What is the name of the Indian Council Act 1909 ?
Options: (a) Morley-Minto Reforms (b) Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (c) Government of India Act (d) Rowlatt Act
Ans: (a) Morley-Minto Reforms
Explanation: The Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 allowed limited Indian participation in legislative councils and introduced separate electorates for Muslims.
Q12. Who is called the father of the Home Rule Movement in India ?
Options: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (b) Annie Besant (c) Lala Lajpat Rai (d) Bipin Chandra Pal
Ans: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Tilak initiated the Home Rule Movement, advocating self-government through political awareness, popular support, and organized public movements.
Q13. Which weekly magazine was started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak ?
Options: (a) Kesari (b) The Hindu (c) Amrita Bazar Patrika (d) Indian Opinion
Ans: (a) Kesari
Explanation: Tilak’s Kesari became a platform to promote nationalist ideas and mobilize public opinion against British colonial policies.
Q14. Whose nickname is ‘Sher-e-Punjab’?
Options: (a) Lala Lajpat Rai (b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (c) Bipin Chandra Pal (d) Surendranath Banerjee
Ans: (a) Lala Lajpat Rai
Explanation: Lala Lajpat Rai earned the title “Sher-e-Punjab” for his fearless fight against British rule and leadership in Punjab.
Q15. Who wrote the book ‘A Nation in the Making’?
Options: (a) Surendranath Banerjee (b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (c) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (d) Lala Lajpat Rai
Ans: (a) Surendranath Banerjee
Explanation: Surendranath Banerjee’s book highlighted India’s social, political, and economic conditions and inspired nationalist thought.
Q16. When was the first division of the Indian National Congress ?
Options: (a) 1907 (b) 1905 (c) 1917 (d) 1885
Ans: (a) 1907
Explanation: In 1907, the Congress split into Extremist (Tilak) and Moderate (Gokhale) factions at the Surat Session due to ideological differences.
Q17. Indian University Act, 1904, was passed during which Viceroy’s tenure ?
Options: (a) Lord Curzon (b) Lord Hardinge (c) Lord Dufferin (d) Lord Hastings
Ans: (a) Lord Curzon
Explanation: Lord Curzon passed the Indian Universities Act to regulate universities, increasing government control over higher education.
Q18. When was the Gadar Party established ?
Options: (a) 1913 (b) 1905 (c) 1920 (d) 1919
Ans: (a) 1913
Explanation: The Gadar Party was formed in 1913 in the USA by Indian immigrants to fight British colonial rule in India.
Q19. Who is known as the father of Indian unrest ?
Options: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (b) Lala Lajpat Rai (c) Bipin Chandra Pal (d) Surendranath Banerjee
Ans: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Tilak’s aggressive approach to nationalism earned him the title “father of Indian unrest” among British authorities.
Q20. Who established the English protest organization “Abhinav Bharat” ?
Options: (a) V D Savarkar (b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (c) Lala Lajpat Rai (d) Annie Besant
Ans: (a) V D Savarkar
Explanation: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar founded Abhinav Bharat, a secret society promoting armed revolution against British rule.
Q21. Who called Mohammad Ali Jinnah the messenger of Hindu-Muslim unity ?
Options: (a) Sarojini Naidu (b) Annie Besant (c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (d) Lala Lajpat Rai
Ans: (a) Sarojini Naidu
Explanation: Sarojini Naidu praised Jinnah as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity during early Indian nationalist efforts.
Q22. Who made an agreement between the Muslim League and Congress in 1916 ?
Options: (a) Annie Besant (b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (c) Mohammad Ali Jinnah (d) Lala Lajpat Rai
Ans: (a) Annie Besant
Explanation: Annie Besant helped facilitate the Lucknow Pact (1916) between Congress and Muslim League, promoting Hindu-Muslim cooperation in legislative councils.
Q23. Who wrote the book named Geeta Rahasya ?
Options: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (b) Annie Besant (c) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (d) Surendranath Banerjee
Ans: (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Geeta Rahasya interprets the Bhagavad Gita philosophically, emphasizing karma yoga and selfless action, inspiring nationalist thought.
Q24. During whose tenure was the Indian National Congress active ?
Options: (a) Lord Dufferin (b) Lord Curzon (c) Lord Hardinge (d) Lord Hastings
Ans: (a) Lord Dufferin
Explanation: Lord Dufferin’s tenure saw the formation of Congress (1885) to promote political awareness and dialogue with British rulers.
Q25. Which Congress leader is called the “Grand Old Man of India”?
Options: (a) Dadabhai Naoroji (b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale (d) Lala Lajpat Rai
Ans: (a) Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji earned this title for his lifelong dedication to India’s economic and political reforms and early nationalist leadership.