Group-A
Choose The Correct Option:
Question 1. The Game of football was introduced in India by
1. English
2. Dutch
3. French
4. Portuguese
Answer: 1. English
Question 2. Bipin Chandra Pal wrote
1. Sattar Baths
2. Jeebon Smriti
3. A Nation in Making
4. Ananda Math
Answer: 1. Sattar Baths
Question 3. The Editor of Bamabodhini Patrika was
1. Umesh Chandra Dutta
2. Sisir Kumar Ghosh
3. Krishnachandra Mazumdar
4. Dwarkanath Vidyabhushan
Answer: 1. Umesh Chandra Dutta
Question 4. The General Committee of Public Instruction was formed in
1. 1713 A.D.
2. 1913 A.D.
3. 1813 A.D.
4. 1823 A.D.
Answer: 4. 1823 A.D.
history question paper 2023 madhyamik
Question 5. ‘Naba Bidhan’ was established by
1. Dayanand Saraswati
2. Keshab Chandra Sen
3. Swami Vivekananda
4. Maharshi Debendranath Tagore
Answer: 2. Keshab Chandra Sen
Question 6. Sui Munda was the leader of
1. Chuar Rebellion
2. Kol Rebellion
3. Santhal Hool
4. Munda Rebellion
Answer: 2. Kol Rebellion
Question 7. By the Forest Law of 1878 A.D., forests were divided into
1. Two categories
2. Three categories
3. Four categories
4. Five categories
Answer: 2. Three categories
Question 8. The Great Revolt of 1857 was described as India’s First War of independence by
1. Subhas Chandra Bose
2. Jawaharlal Nehru
3. V. D. Savarkar
4. Rashbehari Bose
Answer: 3. V. D. Savarkar
Question 9. The first political association of India was
1. Indian Association
2. Indian National Congress
3. Bangabhasha Prakashika Sabha
4. Landholder’s Society
Answer: 3. Bangabhasha Prakashika Sabha
Question 10. ‘Bharat Mata’ was painted by
1. Abanindranath Tagore
2. Rabindranath Tagore
3. Nandalal Bose
4. Gaganendranath Tagore
Answer: 1. Abanindranath Tagore
Question 11. The process of Half-tone printing was introduced in India by
1. Upendrakishore Roychowdhury
2. Sukumar Roy
3. Panchanan Karmarkar
4. Charles Wilkins
Answer: 1. Upendrakishore Roychowdhury
Question 12. Vishva-Bharati was founded by
1. Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar
2. Rabindranath Tagore
3. Swami Vivekananda
4. Deendranath Tagore
Answer: 2. Rabindranath Tagore
Question 13. The leader of the ‘Eka’ movement was
1. Madari Pasi
2. Dr Ambedkar
3. Mahatma Gandhi
4. Baba Ramchandra
Answer: 1. Madari Pasi
“madhyamik question paper 2022 “
Question 14. All India Trade Union Congress was founded in
1. 1917 A.D.
2. 1920 A.D.
3. 1927 A.D.
4. 1929 A.D.
Answer: 2. 1920 A.D.
Question 15. The Bardo Satyagraha was held in
1. Bombay
2. Punjab
3. Madras
4. Gujarat
Answer: 4. Gujarat
Question 16. The Anti-Partition movement in Bengal had taken place in
1. 1904 A.D.
2. 1905 A.D.
3. 1906 A.D.
4. 1911 A.D.
Answer: 2. 1905 A.D.
Question 17. Matangini Hazra was associated with the Quit India Movement in
1. Tamluk
2. Sutahta
3. Barisha!
4. Purulia
Answer: 1. Tamluk
Question 18. Dipali Sangha was founded by
1. Kalpana Datta
2. Lila Nag (Roy)
3. Basanti Devi
4. Bina Das
Answer: 2. Lila Nag (Roy)
Question 19. ‘Iron Man of India’ refers to
1. Mahatma Gandhi
2. Sadar Vallabhbhai Patel
3. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
4. Rajendra Prasad
Answer: 2. Sadar Vallabhbhai Patel
Question 20. ‘A Train to Pakistan’ was written by
1. Jawaharlal Nehru
2. V. P. Menon
3. Khushwant Singh
4. Salman Rushdie
Answer: 3. Khushwant Singh
Group-‘B’
Answer In One Sentence:
Question 1. Who was the editor of ‘Somprakash’?
Answer: The editor of ‘Somprakash’ was Dwarkanath Bidyabhusan.
Question 2. Where are government documents preserved?
Answer: The government documents are preserved in Mahafiz Khana.
Question 3. Which century is called the century of Renaissance in Bengal?
Answer: The 19th century is called the century of Renaissance in Bengal.
Question 4. What is meant by ‘Ulgulan’?
Answer: ‘Ulgulan’ means Great Tumult.
State Whether True Or False :
Question 1. The Ramakrishna Mission was set up by Sri Ramakrishna.
Answer: False
Question 2. Lord Dalhousie was the Governor-General of India during the Great Revolt.
Answer: False
Question 3. Rabindranath Tagore supported the cause of the European community through the novel ‘Gora’.
Answer: False
Question 4. Gandhiji and Dr. Ambedkar jointly fought for the rights of the Dalits.
Answer: False
“madhyamik exam 2023 bengali question paper “
Match Column ‘A’ With ‘B’:
Column ‘A’ Column ‘B’
Aurobindo Ghosh 1. Indian National Army
Taraknath Palit 2. Bengal National School and College
Nabagopal Mitra 3. Bengal Technical Institute
Rashid Ali 4. Hindu Mela
Answer:
Aurobindo Ghosh: 2. Bengal National School and College
Taraknath Palit: 3. Bengal Technical Institute
Nabagopal Mitra: 4. Hindu Mela
Rashid Ali: 1. Indian National Army
Match The Statements Below With Their Appropriate Explanation:
Statement 1: The ‘Eka’ Movement was organised in Uttar Pradesh.
Explanation 1. This was an individual movement.
Explanation 2. This was a peasant movement.
Explanation 3. This was a workers’ movement.
Explanation 4. This was a peasant movement.
Answer:
Explanation 2. This was a peasant movement.
Statement 2: The Government of India framed the Meerut Conspiracy Case in 1929.
Explanation 1. To suppress the revolutionaries.
Explanation 2. To suppress the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Explanation 3. To suppress country-wide communist activities.
Explanation 4. To suppress country-wide communist activities.
Answer:
Explanation 3. To suppress country-wide communist activities.
Statement 3: The leftists played an important role in the anti-colonial movements of 20th Century India.
Explanation 1. The leftists were the supporters of zamindars and industrialists.
Explanation 2. They were supporters of British imperialism.
Explanation 3. They were the supporters of the united struggle of peasants and workers against British rule.
Explanation 4. They were the supporters of the united struggle of peasants and workers against British rule.
Answer:
Explanation 3. They were the supporters of the united struggle of peasants and workers against British rule.
Statement 4: Indian Women participated in the national movement for the first time during the anti-partition movement.
Explanation 1. Because they were inspired by Gandhiji.
Explanation 2. Because they were inspired by the revolutionary theories of Aurobindo Ghose.
Explanation 3. Because they wanted to boycott foreign goods.
Answer:
Explanation 3. Because they wanted to boycott foreign goods.
Group – ‘C’
Answer The Following Questions In Two Or Three Sentences (Any Eleven):
Question 1. What is Social History?
Answer:
Social History: Social history is a branch of history that studies the experiences of the daily life of people and their social and economic relationships. It also includes religious and cultural affairs such as literature, education, music, etc.
Question 2. What is the importance of newspapers as a source of History?
Answer:
The importance of newspaper as a source of history are as follows:
1. We get an idea about the political history of a nation from the contemporary political news published in newspapers.
2. We also come to know about the contemporary culture and society of a state or a country from related news published in newspapers.
Question 3. Analyse the role of Raja Radhakanta Deb in promoting women’s education in Bengal.
Answer:
The role of Raja Radhakanta Deb in promoting women’s education in Bengal
Raja Radhakanta Deb, the zamindar of Sobhabazar, played a pivotal role in. promoting women’s education in Bengal during the 19th century. Although he was a follower of orthodox Hinduism, he strongly supported the cause of women’s education and set up many educational institutes for them. Being a member of the Calcutta School Book Society (established in 1817), he helped in setting up a number of co-ed institutions. Radhakanta Deb also published Pandit Gourmohan Vidyalankar’s ‘Strisikshabidhayak’, which influenced the development of women’s education.
” madhyamik 2023 english question paper solved”
Question 4. Why was there a rift in the Brahmo Samaj of India?
Answer:
Several factors were responsible for the rift in the Brahmo Samaj, among which the most prominent ones involved Keshab Chandra Sen himself, who was the then leader of the Brahmo Samaj. His affinity towards the British, belief in the reincarnation of God, his doubts in the concept of women’s liberation and getting his 14-year-old daughter (who was a minor) married to the Maharaja of Cooch Behar led to dissatisfaction among his followers. Thus, his followers gave up the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj (led by Keshab Chandra Sen) and founded the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. The latter was established in 1878 by Shibnath Shastri, Bijoy Krishna Goswami, Anandmohan Basu, Dwarkanath Gangopadhyay, and Durgamohan Das.
Question 5. Was the Farazi movement a movement of religious revival?
Answer:
The Muslims were the major participants in the Farazi movement, which was primarily initiated with the purpose of restoring the Muhameddan power in Bengai (Farazi meaning ‘obey the dictates of Allah’). Thus, this movement started as an Islamic revivalist movement. However, it turned into an anti-imperialist struggle with the aim of expelling the British and protesting against the merciless landlords and indigo planters. Thus, the Farazi movement was not entirely a movement of religious revival.
Question 6. Briefly describe how the planters tortured the indigo cultivators.
Answer:
The planters tortured the indigo cultivators in many ways. For instance:
1. The planters oppressed the cultivators and forced them to grow indigo instead of other crops.
2. If the peasants declined to cultivate indigo, they were subjected to inhuman torture.
3. The planters even evicted the peasants from their own villages in order to augment the plantation areas.
Question 7. Why is the second half of the nineteenth century called the ‘age of associations’?
Answer:
The whole of the nineteenth century has seen the formation and development of many associations. So, Cambridge historian Dr Anil Sil, in his book ‘The Emergence of Indian
Nationalism: Competition and Collaboration in the Late Nineteenth Century”, has called this period “an age of associations”.
Question 8. How did the novel ‘Ananda Math’ inspire the spirit of nationalism?
Answer:
‘Anandamath’, by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, published in 1882, is a fitting example of a literary work that aroused feelings of national consciousness among the Indian people. The message conveyed by this book to the Indians is to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of their motherland from British rule. It states patriotism as the highest possible virtue. The song Bandemataram, which features in this novel, became the national hymn. ‘Anandamath’ was translated in different Indian languages, due to which a number of people were inspired by its content.
Question 9. What was the role of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in the development of Scientific Education in Bengal?
Answer:
The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science played an important role in the development of scientific education in Bengal during the 19th century because of the following reasons:
1. Scientific research was regularly conducted in different fields of physics and chemistry.
2. Many renowned scientists and researchers from different countries came here to conduct their experiments and deliver lectures to popularising science.
3. ‘Indian Journal of Physics’ was started with a view to publishing different scientific research works carried out in this institute.
Question 10. What was the objective of founding Vishva Bharati?
Answer:
Objective of founding Vishva Bharati
The ideals of Visva Bharati were: the entire world’s combined knowledge to be studied there; it would be a home for students all over the world; it would be a congregation of academics from all over the world and the entire world would merge at Visva Bharati.
Question 11. With what objectives was the All India Trade Union Congress founded?
Answer:
The objectives for the establishment of the All India Trade Union Congress were:
1. Including India as a member in the International Labour Organization.
2. Launching a well-organised labour mevement besides the anti-imperialist movements against the British
3. Meeting the rightful demands of the labourers.
Question 12. Why was the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party formed?
Answer:
The Workers’ and Peasants’ Party was formed due to the following reasons:
1. Organising workers’ and peasants’ movements against the oppression of the British on the working class.
2. For protecting the interests of the workers, labourers and peasants.
3. For propagating the ideals of communism among people through periodicals and journals.
4. For unifying the leftist groups.
Question 13. Why was Rashid Ali Day observed?
Answer:
Rashid Ali Day: Various student movements started in Calcutta in protest against the judgement given to Abdul Rashid, the captain of the Azad Hind Fauj. Rashid Ali was given 7 years of rigorous imprisonment in the trial which was held in the Red Fort at Delhi. In protest against this, the Muslim Students’ League and the All India Students’ Federation called a student strike on 11 th Feb 1946 for the release of Captain Rashid Ali from prison. This day was later celebrated as Rashid Ali Day.
Question 14. Who is known as Dalits?
Answer:
Dalits:
From 1930, non-Brahmins, low caste Hindus and the untouchables came to be known as ‘Dalits’. Gandhiji termed them as HarijAnswer: They represented the most exploited and poorest section of society.
Question 15. What Is meant by the Instrument of Accession?
Answer:
Instrument of Accession:
After the independence of India, the incorporation of princely states posed a big problem. At the time of the transfer of power, the British government left these princely states free to join either India or Pakistan. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of free India, took the responsibility of integrating these princely states with India. The Instrument of Accession, which was consequently drafted, was a legal document to enable each of the rulers of the princely states under British paramountcy to join one of the new dominions of India or Pakistan, created by the Partition of British India. The princely states were to be given freedom in their internal affairs and the Union Government was to have control over the defence and foreign policy of these states.
Question 16. Why was the Nehru-Liaqat Pact (1905) signed?
Answer:
The Nehru-Liaqat Pact (1950) was signed mainly to guarantee the rights of the minorities of India and Pakistan. The pact ensured peaceful cooperation between the two countries, safe transport of the refugees to their respective motherlands and proper return of their ancestral property, safe return of abducted refugee women as well as other related issues.
Group – ‘D’
Answer Any Six Questions In Seven Or Eight Sentences, Taking At Least One From Each Segment:
Question 1. Write a brief note on Women’s History.
Answer:
Women’s History: The subject matter of History involves the whole of mankind, about half of which is comprised by women. However, it can be noted that even in the previous century, women were not given as much importance as men in the pages of history. The study of the role of women in history over time, which is known as women’s history, has begun only recently.
1. Role of women in history: Women have contributed much to the history of every era. Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Razia, Nurjahan, Durgabati and several other female figures have been known to have gained immense political power in the Ancient and Middle ages. Since then, till date, there have been a number of instances where women have occupied leading social, economic and political positions in different countries all over the world.
2. Neglect of women in history: Though the revolts, battles, and political and diplomatic activities of men have been recorded in history, the same has not been done in case of women. Female leaders, struggles by women for their rights, their demands, their movements, their progress in art and culture—all these have not been given enough importance in history.
3. Inception of women’s history: In recent times, researchers have started giving importance to the role of women in shaping history. It was only in the 1970s that women’s history began to come into the limelight. As a result, women’s history is gradually gaining prominence at present.
4. Women’s history in the West: In the past few years, women’s history has gained importance in the West as well. Thus, a number of books dealing with this topic have been written by scholars like Joan Kelly, Gerda Lerner, Betty Friday and Judith Butler.
Question 2. Explain Swami Vivekananda’s ideals of religious reform.
Answer:
Swami Vivekananda’s ideals of religious reform:
Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902 A.D.) was a representative of spiritualism, patriotism and nationalism in India in the 19th century. The ideal of religion that he propagated came to be known as ‘Neo-Vedanta’. Let us now look into his ideas of religious reform.
1. Aim: Vivekananda experienced poverty and grief in his personal life. He also witnessed the poor living conditions of the people of India. These, combined with the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, influenced him to think deeply about the concept of religion in India. He wanted to free people from the clutches of meaningless rituals that were closely related to religion in his times. His aim was to instil in people the idea that selfless service to man was the actual service to God.
2. New interpretation of religion: The propounder of the ancient philosophy of Advaita Vedanta in India was Sri Adi Shankaracharya (788- 820 A.D.). Swami Vivekananda gave a new interpretation to the Advaita philosophy, which came to be known as ‘Neo-Vedanta”. He explained that Lord Brahma was present everywhere and to serve other human beings was to serve Him.
3. Chicago Summit: Swami Vivekananda attended the Parliament of Religions at Chicago, USA in 1893 (September 11 – 27). There he talked about the ideals of universal tolerance, love and brotherhood as mentioned in Advaita Vedanta.
4. Samadhi or trance: Samadhi, a state of trance, was not given much importance in the Advaita philosophy. But, in his concept of New Vedanta, Swami Vivekananda emphasised ‘samadhi’ as a process for human beings to attain salvation.
Question 3. Why did the Santhals rebel in 1855?
Answer:
A Santhal boy Sidhu was one of the remarkable leaders of the Santhal Rebellion.
Causes :
(1) It was the rent question that created discontent among the Santhals. The rate of tax went on increasing continuously and the Santhal peasants found it difficult to pay the tax.
(2)Besides regular tax, certain illegal taxes were imposed by the Naibs or tax collectors which were collected from the Santhal peasants oppressively.
(3)The Santhals were also subjected to oppression by the moneylenders who charged high rates of interest ranging from 50% to 500%.
(4)The contractors, who were mostly Europeans, were no less oppressive. Examples are not rare to show how the tribal people were subjected to oppression like taking of kids, fowls, etc. without making any payment.
(5)The Santhals themselves took up arms against the oppressors only after they had become convinced that complaints made in the court or to higher officials would be of no avail.
Thus, the first mass gathering took place at Baghnadihi where Santhals were supported by non-Santhal peasants. Later on, the Santhal revolt (hul) took place under the leadership of Siddhu Santhal and Kanu Santhal.
Question 4. What was the attitude of the educated Bengali society towards the great Revolt (1857)?
Answer:
The attitude of the Educated Bengali Society Towards the Revolt of 1857: The Bengali intelligentsia was apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. This is such a ticklish problem that none has been able to offer any satisfactory explanation.
Promotion of Self-Interest: One thing that may be relevant to note is that the Bengali intellectuals, in the mid-eighteenth century, were very much conscious of their own interest. As such it will not be fair to say that they merely echoed the sentiments of the British rulers in taking a negative attitude towards the rebels of 1857. In any case, their hostile attitude towards the Revolt of 1857 cannot be overlooked.
Issue of Enfield Rifle: In Bengal, Barrackpore, near Calcutta was the centre of the initial spark of the Revolt of 1857. The revolt broke out over the religious question that there was a conspiracy to destroy the religions of the sepoys (over the Enfield Rifle issue). This was in tune with the cry of the orthodox Hindus of the city of Calcutta who had long suspected that the British wanted to destroy their religion and caste and convert them to Christianity. The intellectuals of Bengal, who were against orthodoxy and fanaticism, considered the rebel sepoys as the allies of social reaction. Under the circumstances, the Bengali intelligentsia had no option but to oppose the rebellion.
Socio-Economic Reasons: There were also socio-economic reasons for which the Bengali intelligentsia opposed the Revolt of 1857. The intellectuals belonged to middle-class well-to-do families that had been the product of the colonial structure. Their economic status was raised because of trade and commerce, and their intellectual status was due to their English education. In the success of the Revolt of 1857, the return of the old social order with all the reactionary principles and ideals was recognised by the Bengali intelligentsia. Hence, the Bengali intelligentsia did not sympathize with the rebels of 1857.
Conclusion: It has been pointed out by Sri Benoy Ghose that the growing political consciousness of the English-educated Bengali middle class also shaped their hostility towards the Revolt of 1857. The educated Bengali middle class saw no hope in the Revolt of 1857. Thus they condemned the rebels of 1857.
Question 5. Explain the relation between printed books and the spread of education.
Answer:
The relation between printed books and the spread of education
During the 18th-19th century the Indian common folk were largely illiterate and would have remained so for many centuries. But some educated enlightened Indians and a small number of professional people who lived and worked in towns, however, felt the need of books. In India in the past, like many Western countries, copyists multiplied books by hand. But with the introduction of printing, textbooks of all sorts, English and vernacular, grammar, and elementary books were published that catered to the needs of the people. In fact, printed books became a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. The elementary Bengali textbook that deserves mention for the learning of the Bengali language is Varna Parichay by Iswarchandra Vidyasagar. However, how printing helped the dissemination of knowledge may be explained with some examples.
Baptist Mission Press: In 1800 the Baptist Mission was founded in Serampore, and the Baptist Mission Press started printing books in Bengali and other vernacular languages. In the same year, Fort William College was founded by Lord Wellesley in Calcutta. In the college young civilians were taught various languages like Bengali, Parsee, and Hindusthani. Qualified persons were appointed as teachers who needed textbooks for instruction to the students. It was the Serampore Press that supplied books to the students (trainee civilians) of Fort William College.
Vernacular Literature: The Baptist Mission and its Press printed and published textbooks, religious books and other works in vernacular languages, and in English. Also, several books translated from English to Bengali were there in the list of publications. All this facilitated the assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in this country.
Bengali Press: How the publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers helped in the dissemination of knowledge may be understood from the comment made in the Oriental Star (16 May 1818) on the occasion of the appearance of the Bengali periodical Bengal Gazette. It was said that the diffusion of general knowledge and information amongst the natives must lead to beneficial effects.
Spread of Education: The printing press helped the spread of education. The middle-class people of the towns who were being educated needed the help of study materials. Printing presses fulfilled their demand. Previously, the copyist, after hard toil could at best produce two books in a year. When there was no printing press the scribes copied manuscripts by hand. The copies made by hand were sometimes illegible, and the reader was forced to guess what was written. But with the invention of printing constant proofreading and correction helped to produce the exact copy of the manuscripts. This made it possible to obtain a fuller knowledge.
Question 6. What was the role of Bengal Technical Institute in the development of technical education in Bengal?
Answer:
Bengal Technical Institute was established by Tarak Nath Palit in Calcutta in 1905 when the Swadeshi Movement started against the partition of Bengal. Its contributions towards the spread of technical education are as follows:
1. Initiative for national education: During the Swadeshi movement, an attempt was made to establish a national system of education as an alternative for the education system of the British Government. One of the objectives of national education was the spread of indigenous technical education. So, Tarak Nath Palit, an Indian lawyer, founded the Bengal Technical Institute in Calcutta on July 25, 1906.
2. Association with other institutes: In order to spread the indigenous system of education, Bengal Technical Institute merged with Bengal National College in 1910 and formed the Bengal National College and Technical School. This joint institution was renamed the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) in 1918.
3. Activities: After the merger of the institutions, arrangements were made for the cultivation of various subjects like Physics, Chemical Technology, Industrial Technology, etc. besides the disciplines of Humanities. As a result, several educated Bengalee youths could receive technical education and become self-dependent. . The students of the College of Engineering and Technology published a journal named ‘Tech’. They dedicated the first edition of this journal to those who had dreamt of national education during the age of the Swadeshi Movement.
Question 7. Write a note on the debate between Gandhi and Ambedkar on Dalit rights.
Answer:
The debate between Gandhi and Ambedkar regarding Dalit rights: There is little doubt that both Gandhi and Ambedkar were very much aware of the problem of the untouchability of the Dalits. Yet there were sharp differences between the two regarding the Dalit issue.
1. Difference: There was little in common in the perception between the two that came to the forefront in the early 30s of the nineteenth century.
2. Difference in opinion: Gandhiji refused to view the Dalits as a minority who should be given political safeguards. Rather he considered it essentially a social problem, and that was to be tackled by the Hindu community itself. Contrarily, Ambedkar, describing the Dalits as ‘slaves’, advocated for communal representation of the Dalits on the ground that ‘untouchability constitutes a definite set of interests which the untouchables alone can speak for.’
3. Real break: Throughout the 1920s, Ambedkar had a soft spot for Gandhi as he took him as one different from the elitist Brahmanic leaders he (Ambedkar) hated. The real break between the two surfaced during the events of the Round Table Conference of 1932.
4. Separate electorate: In the two Round Table Conferences Ambedkar ended up supporting a separate electorate for the untouchables (Dalits).
5. Poona Pact: But this proved to be too much for Gandhiji. For him, the untouchables were a part of Hinduism and a separate electorate for them would create a division in Hinduism. Subsequent Communal Award and Gandhi’s fast unto death led to the Poona Pact of 1932. It must, however, be remembered that Ambedkar’s agreement in signing the Poona Pact was by no means due to his ‘change of heart’. It was Gandhi’s ‘pressure tactics’ that compelled Ambedkar to soften his stand and accept the compromise formula of the Poona Pact. Later on, Ambedkar expressed his unhappiness over the issue and this in the long run increased his bitterness towards Gandhiji.
Question 8. How was India reorganised on the basis of language after independence?
Answer:
Organisation of States on a Linguistic Basis:
Introduction: The linguistic policies of the Nehru Government (1947-64) raised a lot of controversies. After the transfer of power, there was a demand for demarcating the state boundaries on the basis of the language spoken by the people of that area. Nehru was not agreeable to this demand.
Selection of Hindi as National Language: The Constituent Assembly decided to declare Hindi as the National language, winning the voting by one vote only. Nehru implemented the decision, but controversy kept haunting him. Big industrialists belonging to Hindu, Parsi and Jain communities felt that by declaring Hindi as the National language, the Government was aiming at developing a centralised power structure in India. The Constituent Assembly formed the ‘Linguistic Provincial Committee’ in 1948 under justice S. K. Dhar. It was known as the ‘Dhar Committee’.
In 1948, the J. V. P Committee, comprising Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramaiah was set up. It was the duty of the committee to re-organise the Indian states on a linguistic basis and without any controversy. On 1st April 1949, the committee submitted its report saying that ‘No state will be formed right now on the basis of language’. In the report of the Linguistic Provinces Commission, it was informed that ‘The narrow demand for linguistic provinces should be subdued till India becomes a Nation’.
Agitation of South Indians: The Telugu-speaking Gandhian leader Patti Sriramalu, without paying any heed to these recommendations, started fasting with a demand to form a separate state of Andhra Pradesh with the 11 Telugu-speaking districts of Madras. Nehru was not much perturbed, instead, he was quite displeased. When Sriramalu died while fasting, on 15th December 1952, his followers started rioting in the Telugu-speaking districts. So, the Centre was compelled to form a separate state of Andhra Pradesh on 18th December 1952.
Union of Smaller States: During the linguistic reorganisation of states, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel joined the smaller native states with their neighbouring states. PEPSU was formed with Patiala and East Punjab States. In the same way, the union of Saurashtra, Rajasthan and Central Province was done. However, since Manipur, Tripura and Nepal were not joined with any state, they continued to be the responsibility of the Central Government. Though some problems were solved through the reorganisation of states, all the issues with the multilingual character of the country could not be solved.
Operation Vijay: The government of India started ‘Operation Vijay’ on 17-18 December 1961, to free Goa, under the command of Major J. N. Chowdhury, which ended on 19th December. The Indian army freed Goa, Daman and Diu. In 1961 Goa was included within the territory of India and on 12th August 1987, it became the 25th State of India.
Group-‘E’
Answer Any One Question In Fifteen Or Sixteen Sentences:
Question 1. What was the Anglicist-Orientalist Controversy in the field of education? Discuss the role of Calcutta University in the spread of higher education.
Answer:
Anglicist-Orientalist Controversy: The difference in opinion that arose between the Anglicists and the Orientalists regarding the type of education to be introduced in India is known as the Anglicist-Orientalist controversy. The Anglicists, consisting of Lord Macaulay – the Law Member of the Governor General’s Legislative Council, Alexander Duff and Rammohan Roy, advocated the cause of English education. Lord Macaulay remarked that the knowledge derived from the books of English literature packed in a single shelf was more valuable than the knowledge that the whole range of Oriental literature would give. The other faction, known as the Orientalists, which includes Princep, Colebrook, etc. advocated the cause of oriental languages like Persian and Sanskrit instead of English. They pointed out that students would be good job hunters but they would fail to deliver to their countrymen if they studied only English.
Role of Calcutta University in the spread of higher education: The British wanted to promote higher education prevalent in India, modelled on the system of education in the West. With this view, the University of Calcutta was established at the time of Lord Canning in 1857 (January 24). The role of this university in spreading higher education in India is immense.
1. Western Systems of Education: The University of Calcutta is the oldest of the modern universities in India. It was also the first Western-style university in the whole of Asia. Initially, higher education in the region extending from Lahore to Rangoon as well as Sri Lanka was supervised by this university.
2. Excellence in education: The level of education in this university reached its peak of excellence during the Vice-Chancellorship of Sir Asutosh Mukhopadhyay (1906-14 and 1921 -23). It was during his time that research works in the fields of arts and science gained worldwide recognition. Many scholars from around the world came and taught here on his request. Rabindranath Tagore himself was a chief examiner in this university.
3. First graduates: Jadunath Bose and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee became the first graduates from the University of Calcutta in 1858. The first D.Litt. in Asia, Benimadhab Barua, was also a student of this university.
4. Noteworthy students: Some of the noteworthy students of this university were Jagadish Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chandra Ray, Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha, C.V.Raman, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, R.C.Majumder, Suniti Kumar Chatterjee, Niharanjan Roy and Subhas Chandra Bose. All of them are known for their exceptional contribution in different fields.
Question 2. Briefly discuss the nature of the Great Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Nature of the Great Revolt of 1857: Historians differ regarding the nature of the Great Revolt. Some infer that it is a Sepoy Mutiny while some say it is the First War of Independence. “Whatever might have been its original character, it soon became a symbol of challenge to the mighty British power in India”. (Dr. R.C. Majumdar).
Sepoy Mutiny: The most popular nature of the Great Revolt was Sepoy Mutiny. According to Sir John Silly, Charles Reikes, Charles Robert, John Key, etc. the revolt was nothing more than a Sepoy Mutiny. Even contemporary Indian scholars like Akshay Kumar Dutta, Ishwar Chandra Gupta, Dadabhai Naoroji, Syed Ahmed, H.C. Mukherjee, etc. also are satisfied with this comment of the British scholars. According to Sir John Silly, “The mutiny of 1857 was a wholly unpatriotic and selfish Sepoy Mutiny with no native leadership and no popular support”.
Feudal RevoltDr. R.C. Majumdar and Dr S.N. Sen think (Dr R.C. Majumdar’s view) that the revolt of 1857 was a feudal revolt. The feudal classes like Nana Saheb, Laxmi Bai, etc. joined the revolt to take revenge for the loss of their privileges.
First War of Independence – The nationalists in India, prominent amongst whom is Subhash Chandra Bose and V.D. Savarkar, have hailed it as “the First War of Independence”. But in the view of Dr R.C. Majumdar, “the so-called First National war of Independence was neither First nor National ora war of Independence”.
National Revolt: Disraeli, the leader of the Tory party, declared this rebellion as a ‘National Revolt’ in the British Parliament. Many British historians like J.B. Norton, Alexander Duff, Malleson, James Outram, Holmes and Karl Marx also regard it as a national revolt. According to Karl Marx, “What the British rulers consider a military revolt is basically a National Revolt”. The common people also revolted along with specials in northern and central India. In some places of U.P. and Bihar, the peasants and artisans rebelled against English rule. The rebels even did not hesitate to swarm into treason. The participation of the common people gave the revolt its popular character. We can conclude in the words of Dr R.C. Majumdar, “It (Revolt) remained a shining example before the nascent nationalism in India in its struggle for freedom from the British yoke”.
Question 3. Analyse the role of women in the armed revolutionary struggle.
Answer:
The role of women in the armed revolutionary struggle
Introduction: In the 20th century, a number of women got involved in the armed revolutionary struggle against the British in India. Some of the prominent members of the Deepali Sangha — Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Datta, Suhasini Ganguly, Shanti Ghosh, Suniti Chowdhury and Bina Das were actively involved in the armed revolt.
1. Dipali Sangha: Freedom fighter Lila Nag formed the Deepali Sangha in Dhaka in 1923. This was done with the objective of encouraging the women of Bengal to take part in anti-British movements. The members of this association were given physical training and were also taught to wield lathis and other weapons.
2. Chittagong Armoury Raid: Pritilata Waddedar played an important role in the Chittagong Armoury Raid, which was organised under the leadership of Surya Sen in 1930. She fought bravely against the British, along with other freedom fighters, in the bloody battle at Jalalabad Hills and narrowly escaped the British police.
3. Attack on the European Club: In 1932, Pritilata Waddedar, along with some of her associates, Shanti Chakraborty and Kalikinkar Dey, attacked the Pahartali European Club. This resulted in an encounter between the rebels and the police. To avoid being captured by the police, Pritilata Waddedar consumed potassium cyanide and committed suicide.
4. Activities of Kalpana Dutta: Kalpana Datta was a member of the Indian Republican Army, an armed resistance group led by Surya Sen. She was entrusted with the duty of carrying explosives from Calcutta, to help the freedom fighters escape from prison. She also took up the responsibility of attacking the European Club along with Pritilata Waddedar. However, she was arrested before she could carry out her plan of attack.
5. Attack on Stanley Jackson: Bina Das actively participated in the boycott of the Simon Commission in 1929. At her convocation ceremony at the University of Calcutta (1932), Bina fired several shots at the Governor, Sir Stanley Jackson. However, she missed her target and was consequently arrested and sentenced to 9 years of rigorous imprisonment.
6. Jhansi Regiment: The women’s regiment of Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army
was known as the Rani of the Jhansi Regiment. It was led by Dr Laxmi Sehgal in 1944. Laxmi was captured when the Indian National Army was defeated at the hands of the British and the Jhansi regiment was later disbanded.
Limitations: There are certain noticeable limitations on the participation of women in the anti-British movements in India –
1. Mainly the women of Bengal participated in these movements. Women in the rest of India did not participate much in the movements against the British.
2. It was mostly the educated women from the higher strata of society who took part in these movements. There was not much awareness of the freedom struggle among the women of the lower classes of society.