2026 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2026 · GS Paper I

Question 9: History and Culture

Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct ?

aThe Eka Movement was throughout supported and organized by the Congress while Bardoli Satyagraha was initially independent of Congress influence and was only in the last stages supported by the Congress.
bThe Eka Movement was provided leadership by the taluqdars of Awadh, whereas the Bardoli Satyagraha was a movement of the landless labourers.
cThe Bardoli Satyagraha was a campaign against the enhancement of land revenue, while the Eka Movement was a protest against excessive extraction of rents.
dThe Eka Movement was located in the Varanasi and Mirzapur districts of the present-day U.P., while the Bardoli Satyagraha took place in Saurashtra.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

The Eka Movement (1921-22) arose in the Hardoi, Bahraich and Sitapur districts of Awadh against high rents and illegal exactions. It was led by lower-caste peasants like Madari Pasi, and moved away from Congress control. The Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) in Surat district, led by Vallabhbhai Patel, was a no-tax campaign against a 22 per cent enhancement of land revenue. So Eka was about rents and Bardoli about revenue.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Wrong: Eka drifted away from Congress, and Bardoli was organised by Congress leaders like Patel.
  • (b) Wrong: Eka was led by peasants rather than taluqdars, and Bardoli involved landholding peasants.
  • (c) Right: Bardoli opposed enhanced land revenue; Eka opposed excessive rents.
  • (d) Wrong: Eka was in Awadh, and Bardoli is in Gujarat's Surat district, not Saurashtra.

Only the provisional key (27 May 2026) was found; the final key replaces it when found.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.