Q30. Which Congress session was the first to have a woman president?
[SSC MTS 2022 paper, 2 May 2023, Shift 2]
(A) Calcutta, 1917
(B) Kanpur, 1925
(C) Lahore, 1929
(D) Surat, 1907
Answer: (A) Calcutta, 1917
Explanation: Annie Besant became the first woman president of Congress at its Calcutta session in 1917. Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman to preside over Congress, doing so at Kanpur in 1925. These were different historical milestones.
Q29. Which political organisation among these was founded in 1884?
[DDA Junior Engineer, 29 March 2023, Shift 3]
(A) Indian National Congress
(B) Bombay Presidency Association
(C) Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
(D) Madras Mahajan Sabha
Answer: (D) Madras Mahajan Sabha
Explanation: The Madras Mahajan Sabha was founded in 1884 by leaders including M. Viraraghavachariar, G. Subramania Iyer and P. Anandacharlu. Congress and the Bombay Presidency Association both emerged in 1885, while the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha dates to 1870.
Q28. How many delegates met in Bombay when Congress was established in December 1885?
[SSC CHSL Tier-I, 13 March 2023, Shift 1]
(A) 34
(B) 72
(C) 108
(D) 156
Answer: (B) 72
Explanation: Seventy-two delegates participated in the first Congress session in December 1885. W. C. Bonnerjee chaired the event at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College. Although initially small and largely composed of educated Indians, the organisation later expanded nationwide.
Q27. Which association was established by Surendranath Banerjee in 1876?
[Rajasthan 3rd Grade Teacher Social Science, 26 February 2023]
(A) Indian Association
(B) British Indian Association
(C) Calcutta Native Association
(D) Bombay Association
Answer: (A) Indian Association
Explanation: Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose established the Indian Association of Calcutta in 1876. It differed from the British Indian Association of 1851, which chiefly represented landed interests and was associated with Radhakanta Deb and Debendranath Tagore.
Q26. Who founded the East India Association in London in 1866?
[SSC GD Constable, 1 February 2023, Shift 2]
(A) Raja Rammohan Roy
(B) Dadabhai Naoroji
(C) Satyendranath Tagore
(D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Answer: (B) Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji founded the East India Association in London in 1866. It publicised Indian concerns to British politicians and the public. The association was one of several organisations that helped develop a broader Indian nationalist movement before 1885.
Q25. In which year was the Indian Association established in Bengal?
[SSC Stenographer, 18 November 2022, Shift 2]
(A) 1867
(B) 1872
(C) 1879
(D) 1876
Answer: (D) 1876
Explanation: The Indian Association originated in Calcutta in 1876 under Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose. It mobilised educated opinion across provincial boundaries and spoke against discriminatory administrative practices. It became an important predecessor to national Congress politics.
Q24. Where was the first session of the Indian National Congress held?
[RRB Group D, 26 August 2022, Shift 3]
(A) Patna
(B) Madras
(C) Lucknow
(D) Bombay
Answer: (D) Bombay
Explanation: The first session of the INC assembled at Bombay in 1885. W. C. Bonnerjee presided, with seventy-two delegates participating. It was an important landmark in developing an all-India organisation advocating political and administrative reforms through constitutional means.
Q23. What earlier name was connected with the Sarvajanik Sabha before its reorganisation in 1870?
[MPSC Subordinate Services Mains (ASO), 31 July 2022]
(A) Deccan Sabha
(B) Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
(C) Maharashtra Association
(D) Poona Association
Answer: (D) Poona Association
Explanation: The earlier Poona Association preceded the reorganisation that produced the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha in 1870. The later body became an important public organisation involving Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi, Mahadev Govind Ranade and other western Indian reform-minded leaders.
Q22. Which statement correctly identifies the Indian Association?
[DSSSB Junior Secretariat Assistant, 5 April 2022, Shift 3]
(A) It was founded in Poona in 1870
(B) It was founded in London in 1871
(C) It was established in Calcutta in 1876
(D) It was formed in Amritsar in 1872
Answer: (C) It was established in Calcutta in 1876
Explanation: The Indian Association was founded in Calcutta in 1876. It brought together Surendranath Banerjee, Ananda Mohan Bose and other nationalist organisers seeking political education and reforms. It should not be confused with the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, formed in 1870.
Q21. Consider: I. Rash Behari Ghosh presided over the 1907 Congress; II. Moderates and Extremists split there; III. S. P. Sinha presided over their 1916 reunion. Which is true?
[CGPSC 2021 Prelims, held 13 February 2022]
(A) I, II and III
(B) None
(C) I and II only
(D) III only
Answer: (C) I and II only
Explanation: The 1907 Surat Congress was chaired by Rash Behari Ghosh and suffered the Moderate–Extremist split. The factions reunited at Lucknow in 1916, presided over by Ambica Charan Mazumdar, not S. P. Sinha. Thus, statement three is false.
