UPSC Prelims 2002 · General Studies

Question 102: History and Culture

With reference to the period of extremist nationalist movement in India with its spirit of Swadeshi, which one of the following statements is correct?

aLaikat Hossain led the Muslim peasants of Barisal in their agitations

bIn 1989, the scheme of national education was formulated by Satish Chandra Mukherjee

cThe Bengal National College was founded in 1906 with Aurobindo as the Principal

dTagore preached the cult of Atmasakti, the main plank of which was social and economic regeneration of the villages

AnswerThe answer is (a).

The given answer accepts the statement that Laikat (Liaquat) Hossain led the Muslim peasants of Barisal; he is remembered as one of the few Muslim leaders who joined the Swadeshi agitation in Bengal, at a time when most Muslim leaders stayed away. Statement (b) cannot be right as printed, since a Swadeshi-era scheme of national education belongs to 1905-06, not 1989.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) The statement the given answer accepts: Liaquat Hossain and the Muslim peasants of Barisal.
(b) As printed, the year 1989 is impossible for the Swadeshi-era education scheme.
(c) Historically sound (Aurobindo was the first Principal of the Bengal National College in 1906), but not the pick in the given answer.
(d) Historically sound (Tagore urged Atmasakti and village regeneration), but not the pick in the given answer.

Worth knowing: As worded, (c) and (d) are also accurate Swadeshi-era facts, so the key fits only a stem asking which statement is not correct.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2002, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.