Home Rule Movement, Annie Besant & Lucknow Pact

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Q20. At which Congress session did the two groups of moderates and extremists come together again?

[MPSC Group C Prelims (5 November 2022)]

1. Surat Session
2. Lucknow Session
3. Faizpur Session
4. Allahabad Session

Answer: (B) Lucknow Session

Explanation: The Congress split at Surat in 1907 but its moderate and extremist wings reunited at Lucknow in 1916. The session was presided over by Ambica Charan Mazumdar and coincided with the historic Congress–Muslim League political agreement.

Q19. The Home Rule League was established by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and which leader in September 1916 at Madras?

[RRB Group D (27 September 2022, Shift 2)]

1. Bipin Chandra Pal
2. Swami Vivekananda
3. Lala Lajpat Rai
4. Annie Besant

Answer: (D) Annie Besant

Explanation: Besant launched her Home Rule League in Madras in September 1916. Tilak had created a separate organisation in April. The two leagues pursued self-government, helping revive nationalist activity through local campaigning, journals and public discussion during World War I.

Q18. Which agreement between Congress and the Muslim League paved the way for a joint political campaign?

[SSC Selection Post Matric Level (2 August 2022, Shift 1)]

1. Cabinet Mission Plan
2. Lucknow Pact
3. Poona Pact
4. Wavell Plan

Answer: (B) Lucknow Pact

Explanation: The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was the joint constitutional understanding of Congress and Muslim League leaders. It sought greater legislative representation and self-government. The other options belong to later and quite different negotiations over India’s political arrangements.

Q17. Annie Besant was ______.

[DSSSB Junior Secretariat Assistant (3 April 2022, Shift 3)]

1. A theosophist and Irish socialist
2. A famous world traveller
3. Initially a society lady
4. A follower of Sri Aurobindo

Answer: (A) A theosophist and Irish socialist

Explanation: The exam characterises Besant as a theosophist and socialist connected with Irish political causes. She was British-born and supported self-rule for both Ireland and India. In 1917 she became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress.

Q16. Central Hindu School at Banaras was established by whom?

[UPPSC Polytechnic Lecturer Electronics Paper II (22 March 2022)]

1. Vivekananda
2. Annie Besant
3. Madan Mohan Malaviya
4. Dayanand Saraswati

Answer: (B) Annie Besant

Explanation: Annie Besant established the Central Hindu College in 1898, which later formed an important institutional foundation for Banaras Hindu University. Her educational programme reflected an interest in modern learning combined with Indian traditions, alongside her political activity.

Q15. Which statements are correct? I. Rash Behari Ghosh presided over Congress in 1907. II. Congress split in that session. III. The united Congress session of 1916 was presided over by S. P. Sinha.

[CGPSC 2021 Prelims Paper I (13 February 2022)]

1. All three true
2. All three false
3. I and II true, III false
4. I and II false, III true

Answer: (C) I and II true, III false

Explanation: Rash Behari Ghosh presided over the disputed Surat Congress of 1907, when moderates and extremists split. Their reunion came at the Lucknow Congress of 1916, presided over by Ambica Charan Mazumdar, not S. P. Sinha.

Q14. The Lucknow Pact dealt with (i) the structure of the Government of India and (ii) relations between Hindu and Muslim communities.

[Allahabad High Court Review Officer (10 December 2021, Shift 2)]

1. (i) only
2. (ii) only
3. Both (i) and (ii)
4. Neither (i) nor (ii)

Answer: (C) Both (i) and (ii)

Explanation: The Lucknow Pact included plans for legislative and executive reform as well as provisions addressing communal representation. It thus concerned both the constitutional design of future government and the distribution of political representation between religious communities.

Q13. Match Congress sessions and years:
A. Meerut;
B. Kanpur;
C. Lucknow;
D. Banaras

with
1. 1916;
2. 1905;
3. 1946;
4. 1925.

[UPPSC RO/ARO General Studies (5 December 2021)]

1. A-1, B-4, C-3, D-2
2. A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
3. A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
4. A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1

Answer: (C) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2

Explanation: Banaras hosted the 1905 session; Lucknow hosted the important 1916 gathering associated with the pact; Kanpur hosted the 1925 session presided over by Sarojini Naidu; and the 1946 session met at Meerut. Therefore the matching is 3–4–1–2.

Q12. The Lucknow Pact was signed in ______.

[SSC MTS, 2020 Cycle (26 October 2021, Shift 3)]

1. 1930
2. 1916
3. 1920
4. 1922

Answer: (B) 1916

Explanation: The agreement dates to December 1916, at the simultaneous Lucknow meetings of Congress and Muslim League. Its aim was joint advocacy of constitutional reform, although the provision recognising separate electorates has been heavily debated by historians.

Q11. The Lucknow Pact of 1916 united Congress moderates, radicals and the ______ on a common platform.

[RRB NTPC CBT-I (16 January 2021, Shift 1)]

1. Muslim League
2. British
3. Communist Party
4. Swaraj Party

Answer: (A) Muslim League

Explanation: The All-India Muslim League joined Congress politicians in pressing for constitutional changes at Lucknow. Moderate and extremist Congress leaders also reunited that year. Their temporary agreement strengthened the call for self-government but did not eliminate underlying communal political tensions.