Prelims GS I · 73 questions · 2016–2026
Modern India & the freedom struggle: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “History of India and Indian National Movement.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Modern India & the freedom struggle in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 73 questions on Modern India & the freedom struggle in GS Paper I from 2016 to 2026 — about 7 a year, the most in 2018 (14). The most-asked topic is The Gandhian era, 1917–1947 (18 questions).
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 16 Oct 2026.
- The Gandhian era, 1917–194718 questions · asked in 8 of 11 years
- British administration, land revenue & economy13 questions · asked in 5 of 11 years
- Constitutional development & the transfer of power11 questions · asked in 9 of 11 years
- Rise of nationalism, 1885–19179 questions · asked in 8 of 11 years
- Social & religious reform movements8 questions · asked in 5 of 11 years
- Europeans & the East India Company7 questions · asked in 5 of 11 years
- Post-independence India4 questions · asked in 3 of 11 years
- 1857 & early resistance movements3 questions · asked in 3 of 11 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q2 · British administration, land revenue & economyThe artificially fixed rupee-sterling exchange rate prescribed by the Hilton-Young Commission (1926) was adopted by the British Government for which one of the following …
- 2026 · Q9 · The Gandhian era, 1917–1947Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct?…
- 2026 · Q16 · The Gandhian era, 1917–1947Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939?…
- 2026 · Q17 · 1857 & early resistance movementsConsider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856:…
- 2026 · Q18 · Constitutional development & the transfer of powerConsider the following assertion: The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919. Which of the foll…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Modern India & the freedom struggle. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
Modern India & the freedom struggle PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Modern India & the freedom struggle question from 2016 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 57 pages. Free; sign up once.
Modern India & the freedom struggle PYQs: quick answers
How many Modern India & the freedom struggle questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2016 to 2026?
73 questions in GS Paper I — about 7 a year, the most in 2018 (14). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Modern India & the freedom struggle topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
The Gandhian era, 1917–1947: 18 questions between 2016 and 2026, asked in 8 of 11 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
Yes. Every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Modern India & the freedom struggle PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Modern India & the freedom struggle question with answers and explanations (57 pages, 1.3 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.