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Modern India & the freedom struggle

Prelims · Modern India & the freedom struggle · 12 questions

Social & religious reform movements

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Social & religious reform movements questions per year: 2016: 2, 2017: 0, 2018: 1, 2019: 0, 2020: 2, 2021: 1, 2022: 0, 2023: 0, 2024: 0, 2025: 2, 2026: 0 Asked in 5 of 11 years · most in 2025 (2)

UPSC syllabus: “History of India and Indian National Movement.” See the full syllabus →

Prelims 2025 · Q11

Easy

Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

  1. I.He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East.
  2. II.He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both I and II

Rammohun Roy combined respect for India's philosophical heritage with Western rationalism. He grounded the Brahmo Samaj in the Upanishads and argued against sati from the ancient texts, while pressing for Western education, reason and equality for women.

  • ✓ I He valued the Vedantic tradition: the Brahmo Samaj believed in the Upanishads, and he argued that sati had no sanction in ancient texts rather than rejecting those texts.
  • ✓ II He wanted Western education spread in India and sought greater freedom and equality for women, appealing to reason and humanitarian ideas.

Remember · Rammohun Roy (1772–1833): Brahmo Sabha 1828; anti-sati campaign (sati banned 1829); blended Western rationality with respect for Indian (Vedantic) tradition.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Indian Society, Ch 5 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2025 · Q78

Easy

Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 'Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker

The Self-Respect Movement was started in 1925 by E. V. Ramasami Naicker, known as Periyar, a former Congress worker who fought caste hierarchy and Brahmin dominance in Tamil Nadu and later founded the Dravidar Kazhagam.

  • ✓ (a) NCERT records that Periyar started the self-respect movement in 1925 after leaving the Congress, and later founded the Dravidar Kazhagam.
  • ✗ (b) Dr B. R. Ambedkar is linked with the struggle of the Depressed Classes for political safeguards such as separate electorates (NCERT), not with founding the Self-Respect Movement.
  • ✗ (c) Bhaskarrao Jadhav is not credited with founding the Self-Respect Movement.
  • ✗ (d) Dinkarrao Javalkar is not credited with founding the Self-Respect Movement.

Remember · Periyar (E. V. Ramasami Naicker) started the Self-Respect Movement in 1925; his later organisation was the Dravidar Kazhagam.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Politics in India since Independence, Ch 7 (practise this chapter)

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The same topic in Mains

Read it in NCERT

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