Question 1

With reference to the 'Delhi Manifesto' of November 1929, consider the following conditions put forward for attending the Round Table Conference:
1. The conference's purpose should be to formulate a constitution for implementing dominion status, effectively acting as a constituent assembly.
2. The Indian National Congress should be granted majority representation at the conference.
3. The basic principle of dominion status should be accepted immediately, not as a distant goal.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

All three. All three statements correctly represent the conditions laid out in the Delhi Manifesto of November 1929. Statement 1 is correct; the leaders demanded that the Round Table Conference (RTC) should not debate *if* dominion status should be granted, but rather formulate a constitution for its implementation. Statement 2 is correct; a key demand was for the Congress to have majority representation. Statement 3 is correct; the manifesto insisted that the basic principle of dominion status be accepted immediately, not deferred to a future date.

Question 2

Consider the following two statements:
Statement-I: At the Calcutta Congress session in December 1928, it was decided that if the government did not accept a constitution based on dominion status within one year, the Congress would launch a civil disobedience movement for complete independence.
Statement-II: This one-year ultimatum was a direct consequence of Lord Irwin's Declaration of October 1929, which was perceived as vague and non-committal.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.. Statement-I is correct. At the Calcutta session of December 1928, under pressure from younger members, the Congress leadership agreed to reduce the grace period for the government to accept the dominion status demand from two years to one year, after which a civil disobedience movement would be launched. Statement-II is incorrect because it presents a chronological impossibility. The Calcutta session and its one-year ultimatum occurred in December 1928, whereas Lord Irwin's Declaration was made almost a year later, in October 1929. Therefore, the 1928 decision could not have been a consequence of a 1929 event.

Question 3

With reference to Gandhi's eleven demands presented prior to the Civil Disobedience Movement, consider the following statements:
1. The demand to reduce the rupee-sterling exchange ratio was classified under 'Issues of General Interest'.
2. The ultimatum included a demand for reforms in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
3. The abolition of the government's salt monopoly was presented as a 'Specific Peasant Demand'.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only two. Statement 1 is incorrect. The demand to reduce the rupee-sterling exchange ratio to 1s 4d was categorized as a 'Specific Bourgeois Demand', not an issue of general interest. Statement 2 is correct. Carrying out reforms in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was listed among the 'Issues of General Interest'. Statement 3 is correct. The demand to abolish the salt tax and the government's salt monopoly was explicitly listed under 'Specific Peasant Demands'.

Question 4

Consider the following statements regarding the programmatic evolution of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930:
1. The Congress Working Committee sanctioned the non-payment of revenue in ryotwari areas only after Gandhi's arrest in May 1930.
2. Gandhi's initial directions for the movement, issued before the Dandi March began, included the refusal to pay taxes if participants possessed the requisite strength.
3. The violation of forest laws in the Central Provinces was a programme sanctioned by the Congress Working Committee prior to Gandhi's arrest.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only two. Statement 1 is correct. The sanction for non-payment of revenue in ryotwari areas was given by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) following Gandhi's arrest on May 4, 1930. Statement 2 is correct. Before commencing the Dandi March, Gandhi issued directions for future action which included the option to refuse tax payments, conditional on having the necessary strength. Statement 3 is incorrect. The violation of forest laws in the Central Provinces was part of the programme sanctioned by the CWC *after* Gandhi's arrest, not before.

Question 5

Consider the following statements regarding the provisions of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of March 1931:
1. The Viceroy agreed to a public enquiry into police excesses during the Civil Disobedience Movement.
2. The agreement included the formation of a complete national government with control over defence and finance.
3. The government conceded the right to make salt in coastal villages for personal consumption, but not for commercial sale.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The demand for a public enquiry into police excesses was one of the two demands that the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, turned down. Statement 2 is incorrect. The demand for a complete national government with control over defence and finance was part of the earlier, failed talks in August 1930 involving the Nehrus and Gandhi; it was not a provision of the final Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Statement 3 is correct. The pact explicitly allowed for the right to make salt in coastal villages for personal consumption, but not for sale.

Question 6

Given below are two statements:
Statement-I: As part of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Gandhi agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Statement-II: This decision was based on the strategic assessment that mass movements have a limited capacity for sacrifice and that signs of exhaustion were appearing among key participant groups like merchants.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.. Statement-I is a factual account of the terms Gandhi agreed to in the pact. Statement-II provides the core rationale for why the suspension of the movement was considered a strategic necessity rather than a retreat. The text highlights that mass movements are inherently short-lived, the capacity of the masses for sacrifice is limited, and there were clear signs of exhaustion among merchants and shopkeepers after September 1930. Therefore, Statement-II correctly explains the underlying strategic thinking behind the decision mentioned in Statement-I.

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding the government's response to the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930:
1. The Congress Working Committee was declared illegal before the government began issuing ordinances that banned civil liberties and gagged the press.
2. Lord Irwin's proposal for a Round Table Conference in July 1930 was a direct consequence of the breakdown of talks with Gandhi and the Nehrus in Yerawada Jail.
3. The publication of the Simon Commission Report, which omitted any mention of dominion status, further alienated even moderate political opinion.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The government first began using ordinances to ban civil liberties and gag the press; the Congress Working Committee was declared illegal later, in June 1930. Statement 2 is incorrect. Lord Irwin suggested the Round Table Conference in July 1930. The talks with Gandhi and the Nehrus in Yerawada Jail took place in August 1930, as an exploratory measure for peace *after* Irwin's suggestion, not before. Statement 3 is correct. The Simon Commission Report was seen as a regressive document because it contained no mention of dominion status, which upset even moderate political opinion.

Question 8

Consider the following pairs regarding representation at the First Round Table Conference:

1. M.R. Jayakar : Hindu Mahasabha
2. K.T. Paul : Anglo-Indians
3. Homi Mody : Parsis
4. Rettamalai Srinivasan : Depressed Classes

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Only three pairs. Pair 1 is correctly matched; M.R. Jayakar was a representative of the Hindu Mahasabha. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched; K.T. Paul represented Indian Christians, while Anglo-Indians were represented by Henry Gidney. Pair 3 is correctly matched; Homi Mody was one of the representatives for the Parsis. Pair 4 is correctly matched; Rettamalai Srinivasan, along with B.R. Ambedkar, represented the Depressed Classes. Therefore, only three pairs are correctly matched.

Question 9

Consider the following statements regarding the First Round Table Conference (1930-31):

1. The Indian National Congress and some prominent business leaders refused to attend the conference.
2. A general agreement was reached that India would develop into a federation with safeguards for defence and finance.
3. The conference concluded with Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald's announcement of the creation of two Muslim majority provinces, NWFP and Sindh.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

All three. Statement 1 is correct. The Indian National Congress boycotted the First Round Table Conference, and some prominent business leaders also did not participate. Statement 2 is correct. While no substantial results were achieved, it was generally agreed that India's future constitutional framework would be a federation, with crucial areas like defence and finance remaining under safeguards. Statement 3 is correct. The session ended with MacDonald's announcement which included the formation of NWFP and Sindh as two Muslim majority provinces. Thus, all three statements are correct.

Question 10

Consider the following two statements:

Statement-I: The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was concluded before the Second Round Table Conference.
Statement-II: The British government concluded that the participation of the Indian National Congress was indispensable for future constitutional discussions after the First Round Table Conference yielded no substantial results.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.. Statement-II is correct. The failure of the First Round Table Conference, largely due to the absence of the Indian National Congress, made the British government realize that Congress participation was necessary for any meaningful constitutional dialogue. This realization created the political imperative for the British to negotiate with the Congress. Statement-I is also correct. As a direct consequence of the need to bring Congress to the negotiating table, Viceroy Irwin engaged in talks with Gandhi, which resulted in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. This pact paved the way for Congress's participation in the Second Round Table Conference. Therefore, Statement-II provides the direct context and reason for the events described in Statement-I.

Question 11

Consider the following statements regarding the British policy considerations after the Second Round Table Conference (RTC): 
1. The government concluded that the goodwill of the Congress was essential for future constitutional progress.
2. A key objective was to prevent Gandhi from building up the tempo for another mass movement.
3. The policy aimed to prevent the national movement from consolidating its influence in rural areas.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only two. Statement 1 is incorrect. The British policy after the Second RTC was based on the consideration that the goodwill of the Congress was not required. Instead, it was deemed essential to secure the confidence of those who supported the British against the Congress, such as government functionaries and loyalists. Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The British were determined not to permit Gandhi to build up the tempo for a mass movement again and to prevent the national movement from consolidating itself in rural areas.

Question 12

Consider the following two statements:
Statement-I: The resumed phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement, which began in early 1932, could not be sustained for a long period.
Statement-II: The masses, disillusioned by the failure of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, had lost their political faith in the Congress, leading to a weak popular response.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect. Statement-I is correct. The second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement could not be sustained for long and was formally withdrawn in April 1934. The primary reasons were that Gandhi and other leaders were arrested before they could build up the tempo, and the masses were not prepared for the sudden resumption of the movement. Statement-II is incorrect. Despite the movement being suppressed by superior force, the people had not lost political faith in the Congress. The popular response was initially massive, with about 80,000 arrests in the first four months, but it was the lack of preparation and leadership tempo, not a loss of faith, that led to its decline.

Question 13

Consider the following forms of protest associated with the Civil Disobedience Movement after its resumption in 1932:
1. Non-payment of chowkidara tax.
2. Installation of a secret radio transmitter.
3. Widespread non-payment of land revenue in the United Provinces.
4. Violation of forest laws.

How many of the above were part of the popular response?

Accepted Answer

Only three. Statement 1 is correct. Non-payment of chowkidara tax was a listed form of protest during this phase. Statement 2 is correct. The installation of a secret radio transmitter near Bombay was a notable activity. Statement 3 is incorrect. While the Congress had been leading a movement for rent reduction in the United Provinces during the truce period, the text lists non-payment of 'chowkidara tax' as a specific form of protest during the resumed phase, not widespread non-payment of land revenue. Statement 4 is correct. Forest law violations were a part of the popular response. Therefore, only three of the listed forms of protest are correct.

Question 14

With reference to the main provisions of the Communal Award of 1932, consider the following statements:

1. The arrangement for separate electorates for the depressed classes was intended to be a permanent feature of the Indian political system.
2. The Award provided for a 'double vote' system for the depressed classes, allowing them to vote in both separate and general electorates.
3. The Award mandated the doubling of seats in the central legislature and reserved 3 per cent of seats for women in all provinces without exception.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The provision for separate electorates for the depressed classes was to be for a specified period of 20 years, not permanently. Statement 2 is correct. The Award granted the depressed classes a 'double vote', one to be used in their special separate electorates and another in the general electorates. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Award proposed the doubling of seats for the provincial legislatures, not the central legislature. Furthermore, the 3 per cent reservation for women was applicable in all provinces *except* the North West Frontier Province.

Question 15

Consider the following two statements:

Statement-I: Mahatma Gandhi vehemently opposed the Communal Award, viewing it as a grave threat to Indian nationalism.

Statement-II: Gandhi believed that treating the depressed classes as a separate political entity would permanently segregate them and obstruct the social reform movement aimed at eradicating untouchability.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.. Statement-I is correct. Gandhi saw the Communal Award as an attack on Indian unity and nationalism. Statement-II is also correct. He argued that if the depressed classes were treated as a separate political entity, the fundamental issue of abolishing untouchability would be undermined, ensuring that they remained 'untouchables in perpetuity'. Statement-II provides the core ideological and social reasoning behind Gandhi's political opposition described in Statement-I, thus it is the correct explanation.

Question 16

Consider the following statements regarding the context and responses to the Communal Award:

1. The Indian National Congress, in its official resolution, immediately rejected the Communal Award and launched a nationwide protest.
2. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, during the Second Round Table Conference, consistently demanded reserved seats for the depressed classes within a common electorate, a proposal Gandhi rejected.
3. The Bengal Depressed Classes Association had lobbied for separate electorates and adult franchise.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. The Congress, while strongly disagreeing with the Award, decided neither to accept it nor to reject it without the consent of the minorities. Statement 2 is incorrect. At the Second Round Table Conference, Ambedkar raised the issue of a separate electorate for the depressed classes. While he had attempted a compromise with Gandhi on reserved seats earlier, his primary demand at the conference was for separate electorates, which was a point of contention. Statement 3 is correct. The Bengal Depressed Classes Association advocated for separate electorates with seats reserved in proportion to their population, along with adult franchise.

Question 17

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: Mahatma Gandhi's Harijan campaign was fundamentally aimed at the complete annihilation of the caste system itself.

Statement-II: He believed that the varnashram system was inherently sinful and its abolition was a necessary precondition for the removal of untouchability.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are incorrect. Statement-I is incorrect. Gandhi explicitly distinguished between the abolition of untouchability and the abolition of the caste system as such. He differed from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on this point, as it was Ambedkar who advocated for the annihilation of the caste system. Statement-II is incorrect. Gandhi did not consider the varnashram system to be inherently sinful. He felt that whatever its limitations, there was nothing sinful about it, unlike untouchability, which he considered a grave sin against Hinduism.

Question 18

Consider the following statements regarding Mahatma Gandhi's Harijan campaign:

1. The All India Anti-Untouchability League was established and the weekly 'Harijan' was started by Gandhi after his final release from jail in August 1933.
2. The campaign actively promoted inter-caste marriages and inter-dining as central pillars for the removal of untouchability.
3. Gandhi argued that if the Shastras were found to sanction untouchability, they should be disregarded as they contradicted human dignity.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

Only one. Statement 1 is incorrect. Gandhi set up the All India Anti-Untouchability League in September 1932 and started the weekly 'Harijan' in January 1933, both while he was still in jail, not after his release. Statement 2 is incorrect. Gandhi was not in favour of mixing the issue of removal of untouchability with that of inter-caste marriages and inter-dining during his all-India campaign, as he felt these were separate issues. Statement 3 is correct. Gandhi's campaign was based on humanism and reason, and he clearly stated that the Shastras do not sanction untouchability, and if they did, they should be ignored. Therefore, only one statement is correct.

Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences

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