UPSC Mains 2021 · GS I · Q2 · 10 marks · 150 words

Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young Bengal and Brahmo Samaj.

हिन्दी में

यंग बंगाल एवं ब्रह्मो समाज के विशेष संदर्भ में सामाजिक-धार्मिक सुधार आन्दोलनों के उत्थान तथा विकास को रेखांकित कीजिए ।

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “The socio-religious reform movements of the 19th century played a pivotal role in shaping modern Indian social consciousness. Trace their rise and assess their legacy in contemporary India.”

AakritiAIR 93 · CSE 2025 · 165 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a restatement

The socio-religious reform movements of 19th century sowed the seeds of social consciousness, whose fruits we consume even today.

Body · points

Diagram

- Map of India - Pan India: Arya Samaj - Aligarh movement - Wahabi - Widow Remarriage - Satyashodhak Samaj - Brahmo Samaj - Tattvabodhini - Widow Remarriage Association - Theosophical - Text box: shaping the social conscious-ness - Caption: social religious movements 19th century

Rise of the movement

1.) Profound discrimination against vulnerable eg. women → widow remarriage (Ishwarchandra) 2.) Religious orthodoxy &

superstitions → eg. Brahma samaj - Raja Rammohun Roy (3.) Violation of human rights eg. Behramji Malabari - Age of consent or Karve - education empowerment (4.) Prevelant & accepted social evils (+) post enlightenment rationalism → prarthna samaj took up the cause (5.) orientalist support eg. Dalhousie

Legacy → shaping social consciousness yesterday & today (1.) people standing up for the voiceless eg. NGOs in India (≈4 Lakh - Darpan). (2.) Sense of charity eg. TATA cancer trust (3.) sense of "giving back to society" eg. CSR policy of India. (4.) People mindedness eg. ≈ 113000 PILs in 2021.

Problems → social evils still continue eg - child marriage

Close · a summary

The reform movements left a strong legacy, which must be preserved & further honed in new India.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021, General Studies Paper I, Q2. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.