UPSC Static Quiz – History : 16 May 2026

Solution: C

• Row 1: The Explosive Substances Act was a direct response to the Muzaffarpur bombing (by Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki) and the discovery of a bomb factory in Maniktala; it prescribed harsh penalties for the possession or use of explosives.
• Row 2: The Indian Newspapers (Incitement to Offences) Act empowered magistrates to seize printing presses that published content encouraging murder or acts of violence, essentially trying to kill revolutionary journalism at its source.
• Row 3: The Criminal Law Amendment Act allowed for a summary trial by a special bench of the High Court for certain political offenses and empowered the government to ban “unlawful associations” such as the Anushilan Samiti. This trio of 1908 laws shows the British desperation to restore “order” after the radicalization sparked by Curzon’s partition.

Solution: B

• Lord Minto II is known as the “Father of Communal Electorate” because of his pivotal role in introducing the system of separate electorates for Muslims under the Indian Councils Act of 1909. This system allowed Muslim members of the legislative councils to be elected exclusively by Muslim voters, a move that fundamentally altered the political landscape of India. The British argued that this was necessary to protect the interests of a minority community that feared being overwhelmed by a Hindu majority.
• However, nationalist leaders and many modern historians view this as a classic example of the “Divide and Rule” policy, intended to drive a wedge between the two largest communities in India and prevent a unified national front against colonial rule.
• By institutionalizing religious identity as the basis for political representation, the reforms sowed the seeds of the communalism that would eventually lead to the partition of the subcontinent in 1947.

Solution: B

• Row 1 is incorrectly matched; while the violation of Forest Laws was the primary form of protest in the Central Provinces, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, Bonga Majhi (along with Somra Majhi) was a leader associated with the movement in the Chhotanagpur region (Bihar/Jharkhand), where they combined socio-religious reform with political agitation.
• Row 2 is correctly matched; after Mahatma Gandhi’s arrest, the raid on the Dharasana Salt Works was led by Sarojini Naidu, along with Imam Saheb and Manilal Gandhi. This raid is famous for the disciplined non-violence of the volunteers in the face of brutal police action.
• Row 3 is correctly matched; in the North-East, the 13-year-old Rani Gaidinliu led the Naga people in a spiritual and political revolt against colonial rule, responding to Gandhi’s call for civil disobedience.

Solution: A

• Statement-I is correct; in March 1930, Gandhi chose the salt tax as the focal point of his defiance, launching the Dandi March to symbolically break the law.
• Statement-II is correct; Gandhi’s tactical genius lay in choosing a theme that resonated with every Indian regardless of religion or class. He argued that because salt was a biological necessity, the Salt Act of 1882, which criminalized its natural production and imposed a high tax, was the “epitome of British oppression”.
• Statement-II provides the correct logical explanation for Statement-I because the universal and moral nature of the salt issue made it the perfect vehicle to mobilize the masses and attract global attention to the injustice of colonial rule. The choice of salt was intended to strike a chord with the “starving millions” and demonstrate the government’s lack of moral authority over the basic needs of life.

Solution: D

• The composition of the original 78 satyagrahis was deliberately symbolic and representative, making option (d) the most appropriate. Gandhi consciously selected participants from different regions of India and from diverse social and religious backgrounds—Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Parsis—to underline the all-India and inclusive character of the Civil Disobedience Movement. This diversity was meant to project national unity and counter the British claim that the Congress represented only a narrow regional or communal elite.
• Option (a) is incorrect because the group was not confined to Gujarat, even though the march began at Sabarmati Ashram.
• Option (c) is wrong since the participants were not predominantly students, but included peasants, artisans, and social workers committed to Gandhian ideals.