2015 GS Paper I, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I
Question 68: History and Culture
Which one of the following movements has contributed to a split in the Indian National Congress resulting in the emergence of 'moderates' and 'extremists'?
aSwadeshi Movement
bQuit India Movement
cNon-Cooperation Movement
dCivil Disobedience Movement
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).
The Swadeshi Movement that followed the 1905 partition of Bengal sharpened the divide inside the Congress. Moderates wanted to limit boycott to Bengal and rely on petitions, while Extremists such as Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai wanted to extend boycott and passive resistance nationwide. This led to the Surat split of 1907.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Correct: disagreement over Swadeshi and boycott led to the 1907 Surat split.
- (b) The Quit India Movement came in 1942, long after the Moderate-Extremist split.
- (c) The Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920 was a Gandhian movement, not the cause of the split.
- (d) The Civil Disobedience Movement began in 1930 and did not cause the moderates-extremists split.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.