1998 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies
Question 73: History and Culture
Simon Commission of 1927 was boycotted because
aThere was no Indian member in the Commission
bIt supported the Muslim League
cCongress felt that the people of India are entitled to Swaraj
dThere were differences among the members
AnswerThe answer is (a).
The Simon Commission, appointed in November 1927 under Sir John Simon to review the working of the 1919 Act, consisted of seven British members of Parliament and had no Indian member. Indians saw this as a denial of their right to decide their own constitution, and the Congress (at Madras in December 1927) decided to boycott it, with black-flag demonstrations and 'Simon go back' slogans when it arrived in 1928.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Right: the Commission had no Indian member.
- (b) It was not a pro-League commission; the objection was to exclusion of Indians.
- (c) Swaraj was the Congress's demand, but not the stated ground for the boycott.
- (d) Differences among members were not the reason for the boycott.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1998, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.