Q149. What was Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s greatest social achievement?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Promoting English education
(B) Founding the Indian National Congress
(C) Abolition of child marriage
(D) Abolition of Sati in 1829
Answer: (D) Abolition of Sati in 1829
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned vigorously against sati and argued against its supposed scriptural legitimacy. Governor-General William Bentinck prohibited the practice in Bengal Presidency under Regulation XVII of 1829. Roy also advocated education, freedom of the press, and reform.
Q148. What was the primary objective of Pandita Ramabai’s work?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Establishing a national army
(B) Promoting traditional religious practices
(C) Political independence for India
(D) Women’s education and empowerment
Answer: (D) Women’s education and empowerment
Explanation: Pandita Ramabai championed the education and rights of women, especially widows. She formed Arya Mahila Samaj in 1882 and later established Sharada Sadan. Her initiatives challenged child marriage, social exclusion and the severe restrictions imposed upon vulnerable women.
Q147. Which feature distinguished Arya Samaj meetings during Dayanand Saraswati’s lifetime?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) They involved animal sacrifices
(B) Only Brahmins could attend
(C) Women participated equally
(D) They were held only in temples
Answer: (C) Women participated equally
Explanation: Arya Samaj encouraged women’s participation in religious and social activities while emphasizing Vedic teachings. Founded by Dayanand Saraswati in 1875, the movement opposed idol worship and hereditary caste privileges and worked to advance education and social reforms.
Q146. Who started the Arya Samaj movement in 1875?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Mahatma Gandhi
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Ramakrishna Paramahansa
(D) Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (D) Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation: Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj at Bombay in 1875. He called for a return to the Vedas and criticized idolatry, superstition and caste discrimination. Its educational activities subsequently expanded prominently across northern India.
Q145. Which feature best reflects the Brahmo Samaj’s reformist understanding of Hindu worship?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Reviving Vedic polytheism and ritual offerings
(B) Promoting one God and rejecting ritual sacrifices
(C) Upholding hereditary priests and caste divisions
(D) Defending elaborate temple ceremonies
Answer: (B) Promoting one God and rejecting ritual sacrifices
Explanation: Brahmo Samaj stressed belief in one formless God and rejected idolatry, ritual sacrifice and priestly monopoly. Established as Brahmo Sabha by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828, it became an important vehicle for nineteenth-century religious and social reform.
Q144. Which Indian region became the principal centre of the Wahabi Movement?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Bihar
(B) Delhi
(C) Punjab
(D) Bengal
Answer: (A) Bihar
Explanation: The movement associated with Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi had an important organizational centre at Patna in Bihar. It promoted Islamic religious renewal, drawing inspiration from earlier revivalist thought. Under colonial rule, sections of its networks also drew British official suspicion.
Q143. Who founded Brahmo Sabha in Calcutta, later called Brahmo Samaj?
[DSSSB Court Attendant, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
(B) Raja Ram Mohun Roy
(C) Mahatma Gandhi
(D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (B) Raja Ram Mohun Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Brahmo Sabha in 1828 at Calcutta. It emphasized monotheism and rational religious inquiry, opposing idol worship and ritualism. Its associated reform culture supported improvements in women’s status and modern intellectual life.
Q142. Who founded the Self-Respect Movement?
[SSC GD Constable, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
(B) Ghasidas
(C) Sree Narayana Guru
(D) Jyotirao Phule
Answer: (A) E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
Explanation: E. V. Ramasamy, widely known as Periyar, launched the Self-Respect Movement in 1925 in the Madras Presidency. It attacked caste hierarchy, social inequality, patriarchy and religious superstition, advocating rational thinking and dignity for historically marginalized communities.
Q141. Which leader is associated with both the Aligarh Movement and Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
(B) Nawab Salimullah Khan
(C) Badruddin Tyabji
(D) Syed Ameer Ali
Answer: (A) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Explanation: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan promoted modern scientific and English education among Indian Muslims. His educational initiative at Aligarh developed into Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College and later Aligarh Muslim University. The Aligarh Movement placed education at the centre of community advancement.
Q140. Which institution did Swami Vivekananda found in 1897 to spread Vedanta and promote social service?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Ramakrishna Mission
(B) Brahmo Samaj
(C) Arya Samaj
(D) Prarthana Samaj
Answer: (A) Ramakrishna Mission
Explanation: Swami Vivekananda founded Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, inspired by his spiritual teacher Sri Ramakrishna. Its work unites Vedantic spirituality with organized service, notably education, health care and relief activities. Belur Math became the headquarters of the Ramakrishna movement.
Q139. Who founded the Satyashodhak Samaj?
[UP PGT Sociology — 2026]
(A) B. R. Ambedkar
(B) Jyotirao Phule
(C) Vinoba Bhave
(D) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: (B) Jyotirao Phule
Explanation: Jyotirao Phule established Satyashodhak Samaj in Pune in 1873. The organization challenged Brahmanical dominance and birth-based discrimination, working for education, social equality and the dignity of oppressed castes. Phule’s reform efforts also emphasized women’s emancipation.
Q138. In which year did Swami Dayanand Saraswati found Arya Samaj?
[UP PGT History — 2026]
(A) 1861
(B) 1893
(C) 1885
(D) 1875
Answer: (D) 1875
Explanation: Arya Samaj was founded in Bombay in 1875 by Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Its programme sought reform through Vedic authority, monotheism and opposition to idolatry. It later supported educational institutions and reform efforts particularly in Punjab and northern India.
Q137. For the Brahmo Samaj, evaluate: Assertion—It promoted monotheism and opposed idol worship; Reason—its main aim was colonial administrative efficiency.
[UP PGT History — 2026]
(A) Both true; reason incorrect
(B) Assertion false, reason true
(C) Assertion true, reason false
(D) Both true; reason correct
Answer: (C) Assertion true, reason false
Explanation: The Brahmo Samaj promoted worship of one God and criticized idolatry. Its religious reform sprang from spiritual, ethical and rational debate in nineteenth-century India, not primarily from the administrative needs of colonial government. Thus the assertion is true but the reason is false.
Q136. Who held that each individual and nation must develop according to its own swadharma?
[UP PGT Education — 2026]
(A) Swami Vivekananda
(B) Rabindranath Tagore
(C) Mahatma Gandhi
(D) Sri Aurobindo
Answer: (A) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation: Vivekananda emphasized the distinct spiritual and cultural character of individuals and nations. He used the principle of swadharma to stress authentic development rather than mechanical imitation. His teaching combined self-confidence, disciplined action, service and universal spiritual ideals.
Q135. In Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s discussion of religion, what does polytheism mean?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Following multiple religions
(B) Having more than one wife
(C) Obeying multiple gurus
(D) Belief in more than one God
Answer: (D) Belief in more than one God
Explanation: Polytheism denotes belief in multiple gods, whereas monotheism affirms one God. Raja Ram Mohan Roy interpreted ancient Hindu philosophical texts as supporting monotheism. This belief became central to Brahmo Samaj’s critique of idolatry and elaborate religious ceremonies.
Q134. Which satyagraha was launched by B. R. Ambedkar in 1927?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Salt Satyagraha
(B) Champaran Satyagraha
(C) Mahad Satyagraha
(D) Rajkot Satyagraha
Answer: (C) Mahad Satyagraha
Explanation: Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 to assert Dalits’ right to draw water from the public Chavdar tank. The campaign confronted untouchability in everyday civic facilities, becoming a landmark in struggles for equal public access and human dignity.
Q133. Where was the Theosophical Society’s headquarters established in India in 1882?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Allahabad
(B) Bombay
(C) Varanasi
(D) Adyar
Answer: (D) Adyar
Explanation: The Theosophical Society was founded in New York in 1875 by figures including H. P. Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott. It moved its international headquarters to Adyar near Madras in 1882. Annie Besant later became an influential leader in India.
Q132. Which organization founded by Dayanand Saraswati in 1875 worked to reform Hindu religion in North India?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Ramakrishna Mission
(B) Veda Samaj
(C) Arya Samaj
(D) Servants of India Society
Answer: (C) Arya Samaj
Explanation: Arya Samaj began in 1875 under Dayanand Saraswati. It promoted Vedic scripture and monotheism while challenging idol worship, priestly monopoly and hereditary social barriers. Its influence spread through education, debate and campaigns for social and religious reform.
Q131. Who considered the Vedas infallible and the foundation of knowledge?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Shiv Narain Agnihotri
(B) Dwarkanath Tagore
(C) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(D) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (D) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation: Dayanand Saraswati taught that the Vedas contained authoritative spiritual knowledge. He founded Arya Samaj in 1875 and wrote Satyarth Prakash to explain his reformist ideas. His slogan “Back to the Vedas” summarized this commitment to Vedic religious renewal.
Q130. Who founded the Brahmo Samaj, a major nineteenth-century socio-religious movement?
[NCL Assistant Foreman (Electrical Trainee), Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Dayanand Saraswati
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Swami Vivekananda
(D) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Answer: (B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, the predecessor of Brahmo Samaj. The reform association emphasized monotheism, religious reason and opposition to idolatry. It emerged amid broader campaigns for social change and modern education in Bengal.
Q129. Which social reformer authored Satyarth Prakash in 1875?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Jyotirao Phule
(B) Baba Amte
(C) Dayanand Saraswati
(D) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
Answer: (C) Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation: Satyarth Prakash, meaning The Light of Truth, is Dayanand Saraswati’s influential work. It explained his understanding of Vedic religion and criticized prevalent social and religious practices. The book helped articulate the principles later popularized through Arya Samaj.
Q128. Who founded Arya Samaj, and in what year?
[OSSSC Forester, Forest Guard and Excise Constable, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Swami Vivekananda, 1893
(B) Dayanand Saraswati, 1875
(C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale, 1885
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy, 1828
Answer: (B) Dayanand Saraswati, 1875
Explanation: Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj in 1875 at Bombay. It advocated Vedic teachings, monotheism and social reform. The other pairs refer to different personalities or events and do not describe the establishment of this organization.
Q127. Who led Satyashodhak Samaj, established in 1873 to uplift oppressed communities?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) M. G. Ranade
(B) Dayananda Saraswati
(C) Jyotiba Phule
(D) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Answer: (C) Jyotiba Phule
Explanation: Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to oppose discrimination and priestly domination. The society placed special emphasis on education and the rights of Shudras, Ati-Shudras and women. Its name translates approximately as Society of Truth Seekers.
Q126. Which statement about Raja Ram Mohan Roy is incorrect?
[OSSSC Forester, Forest Guard and Excise Constable, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) He formed Brahmo Samaj
(B) He supported Western learning
(C) He campaigned against sati
(D) He regarded idol worship as essential
Answer: (D) He regarded idol worship as essential
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy rejected idolatry and promoted monotheistic worship. He supported modern education and fought against sati, helping create an intellectual foundation for religious and social reform. Therefore the claim that he endorsed idol worship is incorrect.
Q125. Who established the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Dayananda Saraswati
(B) Atmaram Pandurang
(C) Jyotirao Phule
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (B) Atmaram Pandurang
Explanation: Dr. Atmaram Pandurang founded Prarthana Samaj in Bombay in 1867. Inspired partly by the Brahmo Samaj, it advocated monotheism and reform within Hindu society. M. G. Ranade and R. G. Bhandarkar became associated with its reform initiatives.
Q124. Which reform movement was established by Dayanand Saraswati in 1875 to advance Vedic ideals and oppose idolatry?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Ramakrishna Mission
(B) Brahmo Samaj
(C) Prarthana Samaj
(D) Arya Samaj
Answer: (D) Arya Samaj
Explanation: Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj in Bombay in 1875. Its religious programme emphasized Vedic authority, one God and rejection of idol worship. It also supported women’s education, social reform and debate over religious practices.
Q123. Concerning Young Bengal, which is correct: A—Derozio started it in 1820; B—he taught at Hindu College, Calcutta?
[Rajasthan Police SI GK and GS, Paper II — 2026]
(A) Only A
(B) Only B
(C) Both A and B
(D) Neither A nor B
Answer: (B) Only B
Explanation: Henry Louis Vivian Derozio taught at Hindu College in Calcutta and inspired the Young Bengal circle in the late 1820s. He was born in 1809, so a claim that he started the movement in 1820 is chronologically untenable.
Q122. Where did Jyotiba Phule establish Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Satara
(B) Nashik
(C) Nagpur
(D) Pune
Answer: (D) Pune
Explanation: Satyashodhak Samaj was established at Pune by Jyotirao Phule in September 1873. Its purpose was to challenge caste oppression and expand access to education, dignity and public life for marginalized communities, particularly oppressed castes and women.
Q121. Which best describes the Mahar Movement in Maharashtra?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) A movement for Dalit rights and equality
(B) A tribal revolt over forests
(C) A campaign for orthodox rituals
(D) A peasant uprising against zamindars
Answer: (A) A movement for Dalit rights and equality
Explanation: The Mahar Movement is associated with campaigns for caste equality and civil rights, particularly through B. R. Ambedkar’s leadership. It challenged restrictions on education, public facilities and representation, shifting the struggle toward organized social and political assertion.
Q120. Who led the Mahad Satyagraha of 1927?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Jyotirao Phule
(B) E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
(C) K. Kelappan
(D) B. R. Ambedkar
Answer: (D) B. R. Ambedkar
Explanation: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar led the Mahad water-rights action on 20 March 1927 in Maharashtra. Protesters asserted equal use of a public tank, confronting untouchability. The agitation was an early milestone in the modern Dalit civil-rights movement.
Q119. Which reformer founded Brahmo Samaj and championed monotheism?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Debendranath Tagore
(D) Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Brahmo Sabha in 1828, which became Brahmo Samaj. It affirmed belief in one God and promoted religious reason. Later leaders such as Debendranath Tagore and Keshab Chandra Sen expanded and reshaped the movement.
Q118. Which statement about Indian movements and leaders is incorrect?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Self-Respect Movement—E. V. Ramasamy
(B) Home Rule League—Aurobindo Ghosh
(C) Poona Sarvajanik Sabha—M. G. Ranade
(D) Abhinav Bharat—V. D. Savarkar
Answer: (B) Home Rule League—Aurobindo Ghosh
Explanation: The Home Rule Leagues were associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, not Aurobindo Ghosh. E. V. Ramasamy launched the Self-Respect Movement, while Ranade was associated with the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha and Savarkar with Abhinav Bharat.
Q117. In which year did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan establish the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental educational institution at Aligarh?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) 1883
(B) 1871
(C) 1875
(D) 1867
Answer: (C) 1875
Explanation: The Aligarh educational initiative began in 1875 and developed into Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, formally inaugurated in 1877. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan supported English and scientific learning to improve educational opportunities for Indian Muslims under colonial rule.
Q116. Who organized the Self-Respect Movement in 1925 for Dravidian social uplift?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) V. O. Chidambaram
(B) Tirupur Kumaran
(C) Perumal Varadarajulu Naidu
(D) E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
Answer: (D) E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
Explanation: Periyar E. V. Ramasamy initiated the Self-Respect Movement in 1925. It challenged caste privilege, gender inequality and social customs maintained through religious authority. The movement supported rationalism, self-respect marriages and dignity for marginalized communities in southern India.
Q115. Where did B. R. Ambedkar lead a major protest for Dalit civil rights in 1927?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Mahad
(B) Birwadi
(C) Pali
(D) Karjat
Answer: (A) Mahad
Explanation: Ambedkar organized a public-water-access campaign in Mahad, Maharashtra, in 1927. Dalit participants asserted their right to use the Chavdar tank, challenging caste-based exclusion. The event highlighted equality in public civic resources rather than simply a religious dispute.
Q114. Which reformer campaigned for the abolition of sati?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 3 — 2026]
(A) Swami Vivekananda
(B) B. R. Ambedkar
(C) Swami Dayanand
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy publicly opposed sati through writing and advocacy. His efforts preceded the 1829 prohibition enacted under Governor-General William Bentinck. Roy also founded Brahmo Sabha and supported religious rationalism, women’s dignity and modern forms of education.
Q113. Who led the Theosophical Society when its headquarters moved to Adyar?
[DSSSB MTS, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Annie Besant and George Arundale
(B) W. Q. Judge and Charles Leadbeater
(C) H. S. Olcott and J. I. Wedgwood
(D) H. P. Blavatsky and H. S. Olcott
Answer: (D) H. P. Blavatsky and H. S. Olcott
Explanation: Helena P. Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott were leading founders of the Theosophical Society. Founded in New York in 1875, it shifted its headquarters to Adyar near Madras in 1882, becoming influential in India’s religious and educational debates.
Q112. Which statement about the Poona Pact of 1932 is NOT true?
[RRB JE CBT-I (2025 cycle), Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Ambedkar refused to sign the pact
(B) The government accepted the settlement
(C) Reserved seats for Depressed Classes increased
(D) Separate electorates for Depressed Classes were dropped
Answer: (A) Ambedkar refused to sign the pact
Explanation: Ambedkar participated in negotiating and signing the Poona Pact, so the refusal claim is false. The pact replaced separate electorates with reserved seats in joint electorates for the Depressed Classes after Gandhi’s opposition to the Communal Award.
Q111. At which place was Prarthana Samaj established in 1867?
[SSC MTS (2025 cycle), Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Patna
(B) Bombay
(C) Calcutta
(D) Lucknow
Answer: (B) Bombay
Explanation: The Prarthana Samaj was founded in Bombay in 1867 by Atmaram Pandurang. It emphasized belief in one God and supported reform of social customs, including improving women’s status and challenging caste restrictions. Its leadership later included M. G. Ranade.
Q110. Which reform society inspired the Veda Samaj of Madras?
[SSC MTS (2025 cycle), Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Ramakrishna Mission
(B) Prarthana Samaj
(C) Arya Samaj
(D) Brahmo Samaj
Answer: (D) Brahmo Samaj
Explanation: Veda Samaj was established in Madras in 1864 under the influence of the Brahmo Samaj, especially Keshab Chandra Sen’s visit. Reformers associated with it supported monotheism, criticism of ritualism and caste barriers, and women’s education.
Q109. Which movement established in Madras in 1864 opposed caste distinctions and encouraged widow remarriage and women’s education?
[CTET Social Studies Paper II, Shift 1 — 2026]
(A) Veda Samaj
(B) Vedanta Samaj
(C) Theosophical Society
(D) Self-Respect Movement
Answer: (A) Veda Samaj
Explanation: Veda Samaj emerged in Madras in 1864 and was influenced by the Brahmo Samaj’s reform ideas. It advocated belief in one God, opposition to unnecessary religious rituals and reforms supporting women’s education and the removal of caste distinctions.
Q108. Regarding Vidyasagar’s Barnaparichay: Assertion—It served as a primer; Reason—It was a text about the varna system.
[UGC NET History Paper II, Shift 2 — 2026]
(A) Both true, correct explanation
(B) Both true, incorrect explanation
(C) Assertion true, reason false
(D) Assertion false, reason true
Answer: (C) Assertion true, reason false
Explanation: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Barnaparichay is a foundational Bengali alphabet and reading primer, not a treatise on the varna system. He was also an important educational reformer and campaigner for widow remarriage and wider access to learning.
Q107. On which date was Jyotiba Phule’s birth anniversary observed in 2025?
[RRB Group D, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) 14 April
(B) 5 September
(C) 11 April
(D) 15 August
Answer: (C) 11 April
Explanation: Jyotirao Phule was born on 11 April 1827. His anniversary commemorates his campaign against caste injustice, promotion of girls’ education and the establishment of Satyashodhak Samaj in Pune in 1873, alongside Savitribai Phule’s educational work.
Q106. Who led the Young Bengal Movement that helped foster early critical and nationalist thought?
[OSSSC CRE Prelims, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) Surendranath Banerjee
(B) Rajnarayan Bose
(C) Bipin Chandra Pal
(D) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
Answer: (D) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
Explanation: Henry Louis Vivian Derozio inspired the radical Young Bengal group through teaching at Hindu College, Calcutta. His pupils promoted free inquiry, rational debate and criticism of established customs. The intellectual movement emerged principally in the late 1820s and early 1830s.
Q105. Who created the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu to oppose caste discrimination?
[OSSSC CRE Prelims, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) E. V. Ramasamy Periyar
(B) C. Rajagopalachari
(C) K. Kamaraj
(D) Subramania Bharati
Answer: (A) E. V. Ramasamy Periyar
Explanation: E. V. Ramasamy, known as Periyar, started the Self-Respect Movement in 1925. It asserted equal dignity regardless of caste, attacked entrenched social privilege and advanced rationalism and women’s rights within the evolving Dravidian reform tradition.
Q104. Who popularized the slogan “Go back to the Vedas”?
[OSSSC CRE Prelims, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
(B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(C) Swami Vivekananda
(D) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (D) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation: Dayanand Saraswati called for returning to the authority of the Vedas and established Arya Samaj in 1875. His message opposed idolatry and several later religious customs, while emphasizing education and the possibility of reforming Hindu society.
Q103. The Poona Pact of 1932 was negotiated between which two leaders?
[OSSSC CRE Prelims, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar
(B) Motilal Nehru and M. A. Jinnah
(C) Subhas Bose and E. V. Ramasamy
(D) Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Azad
Answer: (A) Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar
Explanation: Gandhi and Ambedkar negotiated the Poona Pact in September 1932 over political representation of Depressed Classes. The settlement abandoned separate electorates but enlarged reserved representation through joint electorates. Ambedkar signed for the Depressed Classes; Madan Mohan Malaviya signed for caste Hindus.
Q102. Which was NOT a principle of Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s Brahmo Samaj?
[OSSSC CRE Prelims, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) Individual liberty
(B) Democratization of institutions
(C) Establishing Hinduism
(D) National unity
Answer: (C) Establishing Hinduism
Explanation: Brahmo Samaj aimed to reform religious and social practices through monotheism and rational inquiry; it was not created simply to establish Hinduism. Its teachings challenged idol worship, caste divisions and oppressive customs in nineteenth-century society.
Q101. Arrange Roy’s organizations in order: Unitarian Committee, Vedanta College, Atmiya Sabha, Brahmo Samaj.
[OPSC OAS Prelims, General Studies I — 2025]
(A) Brahmo, Unitarian, Vedanta, Atmiya
(B) Atmiya, Unitarian, Vedanta, Brahmo
(C) Vedanta, Brahmo, Atmiya, Unitarian
(D) Unitarian, Atmiya, Vedanta, Brahmo
Answer: (B) Atmiya, Unitarian, Vedanta, Brahmo
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Atmiya Sabha in 1815, helped form the Calcutta Unitarian Association in 1821, established Vedanta College in 1825, and founded Brahmo Sabha in 1828. This sequence traces his developing educational and religious reform programme.
Q100. Which were caste-related movements: Young Bengal, Self-Respect, Theosophical, Vaikom Satyagraha?
[IB Security Assistant Executive, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) Vaikom only
(B) Self-Respect and Vaikom only
(C) Young Bengal, Self-Respect and Theosophical
(D) Theosophical and Vaikom only
Answer: (B) Self-Respect and Vaikom only
Explanation: The Self-Respect Movement explicitly challenged caste hierarchy in Tamil Nadu, while Vaikom Satyagraha protested caste restrictions on public roads in Travancore. Young Bengal chiefly promoted rational intellectual inquiry, and the Theosophical movement centred on spiritual and philosophical themes.
Q99. Who founded the Tattvabodhini Sabha?
[UPPSC Assistant Engineer (2024 cycle), Paper II — 2025]
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Keshab Chandra Sen
(D) Debendranath Tagore
Answer: (D) Debendranath Tagore
Explanation: Debendranath Tagore founded Tattvabodhini Sabha in 1839 at Calcutta. It supported study of the Upanishads and a rational spiritual outlook. Its journal Tattvabodhini Patrika, launched in 1843, influenced the Brahmo reform movement.
Q98. Which statement about Arya Samaj is correct: It upheld caste hierarchy, supported idols, restored Puranic ritualism, or launched Shuddhi?
[IB ACIO Grade II Executive, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) Only the Shuddhi statement
(B) Idol worship and Shuddhi
(C) Only caste hierarchy
(D) Only idol worship
Answer: (A) Only the Shuddhi statement
Explanation: Arya Samaj promoted the Shuddhi movement and rejected idolatry and many ritual practices. Dayanand Saraswati’s movement emphasized Vedic religious authority and challenged some hereditary social restrictions, making only the Shuddhi-related statement correct in the exam.
Q97. Which statement about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is incorrect?
[UPSC NDA-II, General Ability Test — 2025]
(A) He was Principal of Sanskrit College
(B) He served as a government Inspector of Schools
(C) He was Secretary of Bethune School
(D) He founded the Widow Remarriage Association
Answer: (D) He founded the Widow Remarriage Association
Explanation: Vidyasagar was a major advocate of widow remarriage and participated in educational administration, including Sanskrit College and school inspection. However, he did not found the Widow Remarriage Association. His advocacy contributed to the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856.
Q96. Who founded the Self-Respect Movement?
[UPSC NDA-II, General Ability Test — 2025]
(A) Jyotiba Phule
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) E. V. Ramaswami Naicker
(D) B. R. Ambedkar
Answer: (C) E. V. Ramaswami Naicker
Explanation: Periyar E. V. Ramasamy founded the Self-Respect Movement in 1925. Its radical social programme addressed caste-based exclusion, religious orthodoxy, patriarchy and inequality, advocating dignity, rationalism and reforms to marriage and social customs.
Q95. Who is known for supporting widow remarriage and girls’ education in Bengal?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) Keshab Chandra Sen
(B) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(C) Debendranath Tagore
(D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (B) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Explanation: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed girls’ schooling and widow remarriage in nineteenth-century Bengal. His advocacy helped bring about the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856, while his educational reforms expanded opportunities for women and disadvantaged groups.
Q94. Which reform organization was established by anti-sati campaigner Raja Ram Mohan Roy?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) Arya Samaj
(B) Prarthana Samaj
(C) Brahmo Samaj
(D) Ramakrishna Mission
Answer: (C) Brahmo Samaj
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy established Brahmo Sabha in 1828, later known as Brahmo Samaj. Its monotheistic theology and rejection of idolatry supported a wider reform environment. Roy was also a prominent critic of sati and a supporter of modern learning.
Q93. In which city did Paramhansa Mandali begin its anti-caste reform work?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) Kanpur
(B) Surat
(C) Patna
(D) Bombay
Answer: (D) Bombay
Explanation: Paramhansa Mandali formed in Bombay in 1849 and campaigned against caste restrictions. Associated with figures such as Dadoba Pandurang, it emphasized equality and personal conscience. Its relatively private meetings challenged established practices of commensality and exclusion.
Q92. In which year was Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda?
[DSSSB TGT English, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) 1897
(B) 1899
(C) 1879
(D) 1888
Answer: (A) 1897
Explanation: Swami Vivekananda established Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 to combine spiritual practice with social service. Inspired by the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the organization has developed institutions for education, health care and humanitarian assistance.
Q91. Which statement about socio-religious reform is incorrect?
[AP High Court Common Recruitment, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Dharma Sabha was established in Calcutta in 1889
(B) Brahmo Sabha was founded by Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Sati was prohibited in 1829
(D) Ambedkar led Mahad Satyagraha in 1927
Answer: (A) Dharma Sabha was established in Calcutta in 1889
Explanation: Dharma Sabha was organized around 1830 in Calcutta under Radhakanta Deb, not in 1889. It defended orthodox Hindu positions and opposed anti-sati regulation. The other statements reflect Brahmo Sabha’s foundation, the 1829 sati regulation, and Ambedkar’s 1927 movement.
Q90. Who founded Arya Samaj?
[AP High Court Common Recruitment, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(B) Badruddin Tyabji
(C) Radhakanta Deb
(D) Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (D) Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation: Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj in Bombay in 1875. It sought the renewal of Hindu religious life through Vedic teachings, opposition to idolatry and reforms in education, women’s rights and social relations.
Q89. What was the movement inspired by Derozio’s critical teachings at Hindu College called?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Social Service League
(B) Justice Movement
(C) Young Bengal Movement
(D) Servants of India Society
Answer: (C) Young Bengal Movement
Explanation: Derozio encouraged his students to question inherited authority and engage in rational discussion. These students became associated with the Young Bengal Movement in Calcutta. The group is remembered for intellectual radicalism and its challenge to prevailing social conventions.
Q88. Who campaigned for widow remarriage and against child marriage in colonial Bengal?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) Jyotiba Phule
(D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Answer: (A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Explanation: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar led campaigns for Hindu widow remarriage and women’s education in Bengal. His writings and petitions helped secure the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856. He also sought to modernize Bengali education and access to schooling.
Q87. Who launched the Self-Respect Movement to promote dignity among disadvantaged castes?
[DSSSB PGT Political Science, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) Ramaswamy Naicker
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) Sarojini Naidu
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (A) Ramaswamy Naicker
Explanation: E. V. Ramasamy Naicker founded the Self-Respect Movement in 1925. His followers challenged caste oppression, gender inequality and social conventions sustained by priestly authority. The movement became an influential part of Tamil Nadu’s social justice politics.
Q86. Who founded Ramakrishna Mission?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Ramakrishna Paramahansa
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
(D) Keshub Chandra Sen
Answer: (B) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation: Swami Vivekananda founded Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 in the tradition of his teacher Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Its work combines spiritual development with service to humanity through education, health care, welfare activities and disaster relief.
Q85. What was the central objective of the Aligarh Movement?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 3 — 2025]
(A) Women’s political suffrage
(B) Modern education among Muslims
(C) Hindu revivalism
(D) Abolition of sati
Answer: (B) Modern education among Muslims
Explanation: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s Aligarh Movement emphasized modern education, English and scientific study for Indian Muslims. The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental educational initiative at Aligarh became its best-known institution and subsequently contributed to the establishment of Aligarh Muslim University.
Q84. National Youth Day in January 2025 commemorated whose birth anniversary?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Rabindranath Tagore
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Subhas Chandra Bose
(D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (D) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation: India observes National Youth Day on 12 January to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, born in 1863. His message emphasized spiritual courage, education, self-development and service. He is also remembered for his speech in Chicago in 1893.
Q83. The Arya Samaj split into which two educational factions in the late nineteenth century?
[Punjab Police Constable, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Radical and Liberal
(B) Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College and Gurukul
(C) School and Arya Mahasabha
(D) Educational and Social Reform
Answer: (B) Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College and Gurukul
Explanation: An ideological divide produced the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic educational faction and the Gurukul faction within Arya Samaj. Their disagreement concerned the balance between modern Western-style education and traditional Vedic residential learning, although both invoked Dayanand’s teachings.
Q82. What was the principal aim of the Akali Movement?
[Punjab Police Constable, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) Reform gurdwaras and remove corrupt mahants
(B) Oppose land revenue laws
(C) Promote Western schooling
(D) Demand immediate independence alone
Answer: (A) Reform gurdwaras and remove corrupt mahants
Explanation: The Akali or Gurdwara Reform Movement emerged in the early 1920s to place Sikh shrines under accountable community management. It opposed corrupt hereditary mahants and led toward institutional control through organizations such as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Q81. At which place was the Namdhari or Kuka Movement organized in April 1857?
[Punjab Police Constable, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) Anandpur Sahib
(B) Chandigarh
(C) Bhaini Sahib
(D) Amritsar
Answer: (C) Bhaini Sahib
Explanation: Baba Ram Singh organized the Namdhari or Kuka movement at Bhaini Sahib in Punjab in 1857. It stressed religious discipline, moral reform and rejection of several social abuses. Namdhari activity later became linked with resistance to colonial rule.
Q80. Ramakrishna Paramahansa was born in which district of present-day West Bengal?
[RPF Constable (2024 cycle), Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Howrah
(B) Birbhum
(C) Hooghly
(D) Alipurduar
Answer: (C) Hooghly
Explanation: Ramakrishna was born in Kamarpukur in Hooghly district in 1836. The spiritual teacher emphasized direct religious experience and harmony among faiths. His disciple Swami Vivekananda later founded Ramakrishna Mission and carried Vedantic ideas worldwide.
Q79. The Poona Pact of 1932 involved which two leaders?
[SSC GD Constable, Shift 2 — 2025]
(A) Nehru and Jinnah
(B) Nehru and Ambedkar
(C) Gandhi and Ambedkar
(D) Gandhi and Jinnah
Answer: (C) Gandhi and Ambedkar
Explanation: Gandhi and Ambedkar arrived at the Poona Pact during the controversy over separate electorates for the Depressed Classes. Signed on 24 September 1932, it retained reserved seats within joint electorates and significantly changed the proposed system of representation.
Q78. In which year did B. R. Ambedkar lead the Mahad Satyagraha?
[SSC GD Constable, Shift 1 — 2025]
(A) 1925
(B) 1918
(C) 1923
(D) 1927
Answer: (D) 1927
Explanation: Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 to claim equal access to the public Chavdar water tank. The event was an important anti-untouchability demonstration and advanced the demand for Dalit citizenship, dignity and civil rights.
Q77. Regarding caste reform, which statements are correct: A—Roy translated a Buddhist critique of caste; B—Prarthana Samaj followed egalitarian Bhakti; C—Paramhansa Mandali was founded in 1860?
[CTET Social Studies Paper II, Shift 1 — 2024]
(A) Only B
(B) Only A
(C) A and B
(D) B and C
Answer: (C) A and B
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy translated a Buddhist text critical of caste, while Prarthana Samaj drew inspiration from egalitarian Bhakti traditions. Paramhansa Mandali began in Bombay in 1849, not 1860, making the third proposition inaccurate.
Q76. Which book was NOT written by Jyotiba Phule?
[SSC Stenographer, Shift 3 — 2024]
(A) The Untouchables
(B) Gulamgiri
(C) Shetkaryacha Asud
(D) Brahmananche Kasab
Answer: (A) The Untouchables
Explanation: The Untouchables was written by B. R. Ambedkar, not Jyotirao Phule. Phule’s important writings include Gulamgiri and Shetkaryacha Asud, which analyzed caste hierarchy and agrarian exploitation and articulated his social reform commitments.
Q75. Who participated in the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago?
[SSC CHSL Tier II — 2024]
(A) Swami Sahajananda
(B) Swami Dayanand
(C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (D) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation: Swami Vivekananda addressed the World’s Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893. His message stressed religious tolerance and universal spiritual values. The event contributed significantly to the international recognition of his teaching and Indian Vedantic thought.
Q74. Who is most closely associated with the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 3 — 2024]
(A) Dayanand Saraswati
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(D) Ramakrishna Paramahansa
Answer: (B) Swami Vivekananda
Explanation: Swami Vivekananda addressed the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in September 1893. He promoted religious harmony, Vedanta and universal acceptance. His appearances made him an internationally recognized interpreter of Indian spiritual philosophy.
Q73. Concerning widows in eighteenth-century India, which statements are correct: 1—Sawai Jai Singh promoted widow remarriage; 2—Parshuram Bhau promoted widow remarriage; 3—Ram Mohan Roy opposed sati?
[UPSC CDS-II General Knowledge — 2024]
(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 1 and 3 only
(C) 2 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (C) 2 and 3 only
Explanation: The examination identifies the second and third statements as correct. Maratha General Parshuram Bhau supported widow remarriage, and Raja Ram Mohan Roy opposed sati. The first attribution to Sawai Jai Singh is not accepted in this question.
Q72. In which year was Hindu College established in Calcutta?
[WBCS Mains History Paper III (2023 cycle) — 2024]
(A) 1817
(B) 1812
(C) 1858
(D) 1885
Answer: (A) 1817
Explanation: Hindu College opened in Calcutta in 1817 and became an important site of Western-style education in Bengal. Henry Vivian Derozio later taught there, influencing students associated with the Young Bengal Movement and debates over social reform.
Q71. What was the principal objective of the Aligarh Movement?
[UKPSC Upper PCS Prelims, Paper I — 2024]
(A) Revive only traditional Islamic schooling
(B) Create a theocratic state
(C) Promote Western scientific education among Muslims
(D) Unite religions in an anti-British uprising
Answer: (C) Promote Western scientific education among Muslims
Explanation: The Aligarh Movement under Sir Syed Ahmad Khan promoted Western science, English learning and educational advancement among Indian Muslims. The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College became its institutional centre. The movement should not be conflated with religious revivalism or armed revolt.
Q70. Which British social reformer founded an Indian Home Rule League in 1916?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 3 — 2024]
(A) Anne Knight
(B) Annie Besant
(C) Catherine Osler
(D) Maria Rye
Answer: (B) Annie Besant
Explanation: Annie Besant was active in the Theosophical Society and founded a Home Rule League in 1916, urging greater Indian self-government. She also supported education and later became president of the Indian National Congress in 1917.
Q69. In which year did Swami Vivekananda deliver his Chicago Parliament of Religions address?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 1 — 2024]
(A) 1893
(B) 1891
(C) 1890
(D) 1892
Answer: (A) 1893
Explanation: Vivekananda spoke in Chicago at the Parliament of the World’s Religions on 11 September 1893. He stressed acceptance of different religious paths and the values of Vedanta, gaining international prominence for Indian spiritual philosophy.
Q68. Who founded Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 2 — 2024]
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(B) Vinoba Bhave
(C) Jyotiba Phule
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha in Calcutta in 1828. Later known as Brahmo Samaj, it promoted one God and opposed idolatry and social practices such as sati. Roy also supported modern education and press freedom.
Q67. On which date was Savitribai Phule born?
[Maharashtra Police Constable, Ahmednagar — 2024]
(A) 6 July 1837
(B) 3 January 1831
(C) 6 January 1812
(D) 9 February 1823
Answer: (B) 3 January 1831
Explanation: Savitribai Phule was born on 3 January 1831 in present-day Maharashtra. Together with Jyotirao Phule, she pioneered girls’ education and challenged caste and gender inequalities. Her educational work in Pune became an enduring symbol of Indian women’s emancipation.
Q66. In which city was Prarthana Samaj founded by Atmaram Pandurang?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 3 — 2024]
(A) Delhi
(B) Adyar
(C) Calcutta
(D) Bombay
Answer: (D) Bombay
Explanation: Atmaram Pandurang established Prarthana Samaj in Bombay in 1867. The organization emphasized prayer to one God and sought reform of harmful social customs. Ranade and other Maharashtra reformers became prominent supporters of its activities.
Q65. Who wrote Gulamgiri?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 4 — 2024]
(A) Swami Shraddhanand
(B) Dwarkanath Tagore
(C) Jyotiba Phule
(D) B. R. Ambedkar
Answer: (C) Jyotiba Phule
Explanation: Jyotirao Phule published Gulamgiri in 1873. It critiqued caste oppression and compared subjugation in India with slavery elsewhere. Phule also founded Satyashodhak Samaj and worked with Savitribai Phule to expand education for women and oppressed communities.
Q64. Who was Swami Vivekananda’s spiritual guru?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 2 — 2024]
(A) Swami Dayanand
(B) Swami Ram Singh
(C) Ramakrishna Paramahansa
(D) Adi Shankaracharya
Answer: (C) Ramakrishna Paramahansa
Explanation: Ramakrishna Paramahansa was the spiritual teacher of Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta. Vivekananda interpreted his guru’s teachings through practical Vedanta and founded Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, combining spirituality with organized public service.
Q63. Who founded Arya Samaj?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 1 — 2024]
(A) Rabindranath Tagore
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) Keshab Chandra Sen
(D) Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (D) Dayanand Saraswati
Explanation: Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj at Bombay in 1875. It emphasized the authority of the Vedas and rejected idol worship. The movement promoted reforms concerning education, caste and the position of women.
Q62. Which reformer is credited in the paper with establishing an early school for girls?
[SSC GD Constable, Shift 4 — 2024]
(A) Vijayalakshmi Pandit
(B) Savitribai Phule
(C) Usha Mehta
(D) Sarojini Naidu
Answer: (B) Savitribai Phule
Explanation: Savitribai Phule was a pioneering female teacher and educationist. She and Jyotirao Phule established a girls’ school in Pune in 1848. Her efforts confronted both gender exclusion and caste oppression and advanced opportunities for previously excluded students.
Q61. Who said “India for the Indians”?
[CGPSC Prelims, General Studies I — 2024]
(A) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(B) Swami Vivekananda
(C) Dayananda Saraswati
(D) None of the above
Answer: (C) Dayananda Saraswati
Explanation: The phrase “India for the Indians” is associated with Dayanand Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj. His ideas emphasized social reform and cultural self-confidence through Vedic teachings. They later influenced debates about national regeneration and self-reliance.
Q60. Which nineteenth-century reformer was known as Lokhitwadi?
[Delhi Police Constable, Shift 3 — 2023]
(A) Veeresalingam Pantulu
(B) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
(C) Sree Narayana Guru
(D) Jyotiba Phule
Answer: (B) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
Explanation: Gopal Hari Deshmukh used the pen name Lokhitwadi in essays calling for social reform in Maharashtra. His Shatpatre writings criticized caste hierarchy, child marriage and injustice while advocating rational thinking and wider opportunities for women.
Q59. Sree Narayana Guru was associated with which organization?
[SSC Stenographer, Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Veda Samaj
(B) Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
(C) Brahmo Samaj
(D) Arya Samaj
Answer: (B) Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
Explanation: Sree Narayana Guru inspired Kerala’s movement for caste equality and human dignity. The SNDP Yogam, established in 1903, drew on his teachings. His well-known ideal of one caste, one religion and one God expressed a universalist social message.
Q58. What was the reform organization founded by Dayanand Saraswati in 1875 called?
[SSC MTS, Shift 2 — 2023]
(A) Arya Samaj
(B) Prarthana Samaj
(C) Satyashodhak Samaj
(D) Brahmo Samaj
Answer: (A) Arya Samaj
Explanation: Dayanand Saraswati founded Arya Samaj in Bombay in 1875. He advocated returning to Vedic authority, rejecting idol worship and combating social abuses. The movement later became important in North Indian educational and religious reform networks.
Q57. Who initially established a school for girls in Calcutta?
[SSC MTS, Shift 2 — 2023]
(A) Narayana Guru
(B) Mahatma Phule
(C) Dayanand Saraswati
(D) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Answer: (D) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Explanation: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was deeply involved in spreading girls’ schooling in nineteenth-century Bengal and strengthening educational institutions. His social campaigns also supported widow remarriage and questioned practices that restricted the rights and opportunities of women.
Q56. Who began a temple-entry campaign according to this 1927-based exam question?
[SSC MTS, Shift 2 — 2023]
(A) M. G. Ranade
(B) Bhimrao Ambedkar
(C) Mahatma Gandhi
(D) Annie Besant
Answer: (B) Bhimrao Ambedkar
Explanation: Ambedkar led movements challenging caste-based restrictions on public spaces and religious access. Importantly, the major Kalaram Temple entry agitation at Nashik began in 1930, while the Mahad water-access protest was in 1927; exam wording should not blur these distinct events.
Q55. What was an initial objective of the Kuka Movement in Punjab?
[Bihar Secondary Teacher, Hindi, Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Purification of the Sikh religion
(B) Obtaining political power in Punjab
(C) Organizing a peasant campaign
(D) More than one of the above
Answer: (A) Purification of the Sikh religion
Explanation: The Kuka or Namdhari movement first emphasized Sikh religious and ethical reform, questioning social abuses and rituals. It later developed anti-colonial dimensions under Baba Ram Singh. Its followers became especially prominent in Punjab during the nineteenth century.
Q54. What was the Poona Pact intended to secure?
[Bihar Primary Teacher, Shift 2 — 2023]
(A) Federation with princely states
(B) Women’s representation in Congress
(C) Political representation for Depressed Classes
(D) More than one of these
Answer: (C) Political representation for Depressed Classes
Explanation: The Poona Pact of 1932 concerned political representation for Depressed Classes. Negotiated by Ambedkar and Gandhi, it replaced separate electorates proposed by the Communal Award with joint electorates and reserved seats, influencing later debates over equality and safeguards.
Q53. Which society in Maharashtra was organized to secure social justice for weaker sections?
[SSC CHSL Tier I, Shift 4 — 2023]
(A) Theosophical Society
(B) Arya Samaj
(C) Satyashodhak Samaj
(D) Dharma Paripalana Yogam
Answer: (C) Satyashodhak Samaj
Explanation: Jyotirao Phule established Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 to oppose caste oppression and expand dignity and education. It emphasized the rights of oppressed castes and women in Maharashtra, and questioned birth-based social privileges.
Q52. Who founded the Aligarh Movement?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 2 — 2023]
(A) Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
(B) Muhammad Iqbal
(C) Abdul Ghaffar Khan
(D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Answer: (D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Explanation: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan advocated modern education among Indian Muslims and was central to the Aligarh Movement. He established an educational institution at Aligarh in 1875 which developed into Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College and ultimately Aligarh Muslim University.
Q51. Which organization is associated with writings campaigning against sati?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Harijan Sevak Sangh
(B) Brahmo Samaj
(C) Satyashodhak Samaj
(D) Bahujan Samaj
Answer: (B) Brahmo Samaj
Explanation: Brahmo Samaj, founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, was linked to reformist arguments against sati and other oppressive customs. Roy’s anti-sati campaign helped establish an intellectual climate that supported the British regulation prohibiting sati in 1829.
Q50. Who first championed modern education as a means of spreading new ideas among Indian social reformers?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(B) D. K. Karve
(C) Savitribai Phule
(D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy argued that science, modern education and rational inquiry could facilitate social progress. He supported newer educational institutions and challenged practices he considered unjust. His efforts helped shape the early nineteenth-century intellectual reform environment.
Q49. Which organization was established in Bombay in 1875?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 2 — 2023]
(A) Satyashodhak Samaj
(B) Aligarh Movement
(C) Brahmo Samaj
(D) Arya Samaj
Answer: (D) Arya Samaj
Explanation: Arya Samaj was founded in Bombay in 1875 by Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Satyashodhak Samaj had begun in Pune in 1873, Brahmo Sabha in Calcutta in 1828, and the Aligarh educational movement developed separately.
Q48. Which Indian region was most associated with the Kuka Movement?
[SSC Selection Post Graduate Level, Shift 3 — 2023]
(A) Bihar
(B) Jharkhand
(C) Punjab
(D) Bengal
Answer: (C) Punjab
Explanation: The Kuka or Namdhari Movement was primarily associated with Punjab. Under Baba Ram Singh it pursued religious purification, discipline and social reform, while developing resistance to British colonial authority. The movement is especially remembered for nineteenth-century Punjab.
Q47. Which organization was founded by Jyotiba Phule?
[SSC MTS, Shift 3 — 2023]
(A) Satyashodhak Samaj
(B) Arya Samaj
(C) Satnami Samaj
(D) Brahmo Samaj
Answer: (A) Satyashodhak Samaj
Explanation: Jyotiba Phule founded Satyashodhak Samaj in Pune in 1873. It challenged caste hierarchy and priestly domination while supporting education for disadvantaged communities and women. The other societies emerged under different reformers and traditions.
Q46. What was Arya Samaj’s primary objective under Dayanand Saraswati?
[SSC MTS, Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Establishing autocracy
(B) Launching an armed anti-British revolt
(C) Encouraging barter trade
(D) Reforming Hinduism
Answer: (D) Reforming Hinduism
Explanation: Arya Samaj was founded to reform Hindu religious practice by appealing to the authority of the Vedas. It challenged idolatry, superstition and social inequalities and developed educational institutions and religious debates. It was not established as an autocratic government.
Q45. In which region was Prarthana Samaj founded?
[MPPSC State Services Prelims (2022 cycle), Paper I — 2023]
(A) Bengal
(B) Gujarat
(C) Bihar
(D) Maharashtra
Answer: (D) Maharashtra
Explanation: Prarthana Samaj was organized in Bombay, now Mumbai, in Maharashtra in 1867. Atmaram Pandurang founded it; Ranade and Bhandarkar were among later supporters. It blended monotheistic religious ideas with reform of caste and gender restrictions.
Q44. Who founded Dharma Sabha?
[SSC MTS (2022 cycle), Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(B) Dadoba Pandurang
(C) R. G. Bhandarkar
(D) Radhakanta Deb
Answer: (D) Radhakanta Deb
Explanation: Radhakanta Deb was a leading figure behind Dharma Sabha, established around 1830 in Calcutta. The association defended orthodox Hindu customs and opposed the prohibition of sati, contrasting with the reformist campaign associated with Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Q43. Who founded the Ahmadiyya movement in 1889?
[SSC MTS (2022 cycle), Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Mir Nisar Ali
(B) Haji Shariatullah
(C) Shah Waliullah
(D) Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Answer: (D) Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Explanation: Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founded the Ahmadiyya movement at Qadian in Punjab in 1889. Its religious claims and interpretations generated disputes with other Muslim schools. It is distinct from the Faraizi, Wahabi and Aligarh reform movements.
Q42. Brahmo Samaj emerged as a successor to which earlier association of Ram Mohan Roy?
[UGC NET History Paper II, Shift 1 — 2023]
(A) Sanatan Sabha
(B) Atmiya Sabha
(C) Dharma Sabha
(D) Tattvabodhini Sabha
Answer: (B) Atmiya Sabha
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Atmiya Sabha in 1815 as a forum for religious and intellectual discussion. Brahmo Sabha followed in 1828 and later became Brahmo Samaj. The Tattvabodhini Sabha belonged to Debendranath Tagore’s later reform efforts.
Q41. Who authored the book Gift to Monotheists?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 3 — 2022]
(A) Swami Vivekananda
(B) Dayanand Saraswati
(C) Keshab Chandra Sen
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy wrote Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin, commonly rendered as Gift to Monotheists. The work reflects his early interest in rational criticism of religious dogma and monotheism. Such ideas later shaped his role in the Brahmo reform movement.
Q40. Where was Paramhansa Mandali established in 1849 to campaign against caste?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 4 — 2022]
(A) Delhi
(B) Calcutta
(C) Bombay
(D) Madras
Answer: (C) Bombay
Explanation: Paramhansa Mandali was founded in Bombay in 1849 and opposed caste-based distinctions. Linked with Dadoba Pandurang, its members sought to challenge restrictive customs and uphold monotheistic ideas, widow remarriage and education. The association operated with considerable discretion.
Q39. Which organization–person pair is correct?
[RRB Group D, Shift 3 — 2022]
(A) Poona Public Meeting—Subhas Chandra Bose
(B) HSRA—Annie Besant
(C) Theosophical Society—Sarojini Naidu
(D) Satyashodhak Samaj—Jyotiba Phule
Answer: (D) Satyashodhak Samaj—Jyotiba Phule
Explanation: Satyashodhak Samaj was founded by Jyotirao Phule in Pune in 1873. It worked against caste oppression and advocated education and equality. Annie Besant was associated with the Theosophical Society, not the revolutionary HSRA.
Q38. Who founded Brahmo Samaj in 1828 and advocated social and educational reform?
[RRB Group D, Shift 1 — 2022]
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Swami Vivekananda
(D) Dayanand Saraswati
Answer: (B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy formed Brahmo Sabha in 1828, later known as Brahmo Samaj. He criticized sati, idolatry and social inequalities while supporting modern education. The movement promoted worship of a single God and religious rationalism.
Q37. Who founded Atmiya Sabha?
[RRB Group D, Shift 2 — 2022]
(A) Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya
(B) Narendranath Datta
(C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(D) Mool Shankar
Answer: (C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Atmiya Sabha was founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in Calcutta in 1815. It served as a forum for philosophical exchange and criticism of social and religious customs. His later Brahmo Sabha developed in 1828.
Q36. What was the name of Atmaram Pandurang’s Bombay reform society founded in 1867?
[RRB Group D, Shift 1 — 2022]
(A) Satyashodhak Samaj
(B) Prarthana Samaj
(C) Brahmo Samaj
(D) Arya Samaj
Answer: (B) Prarthana Samaj
Explanation: Atmaram Pandurang founded Prarthana Samaj in 1867 at Bombay. It drew inspiration from Bengal’s Brahmo Samaj but operated within a Maharashtra reform context, emphasizing monotheism, social equality, education and improvements in the status of women.
Q35. Who assumed an important leadership role in Brahmo Samaj after Raja Ram Mohan Roy?
[RRB Group D, Shift 1 — 2022]
(A) Dwarkanath Tagore
(B) Rabindranath Tagore
(C) Atmaram Pandurang
(D) Debendranath Tagore
Answer: (D) Debendranath Tagore
Explanation: Debendranath Tagore became a leading figure in Brahmo Samaj following Roy’s death. He had founded Tattvabodhini Sabha in 1839 and helped deepen the Samaj’s Upanishadic and monotheistic orientation in the following decades.
Q34. Which reformer founded Brahmo Samaj and opposed sati, child marriage and social division?
[RRB Group D, Shift 1 — 2022]
(A) Swami Vivekananda
(B) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(C) Dayanand Saraswati
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy established Brahmo Sabha in 1828. His influence extended to reformist debates about sati, women’s education and the caste system. He promoted monotheism and rational inquiry as important elements of India’s nineteenth-century awakening.
Q33. Which social movement is Jyotiba Phule especially associated with?
[UPPSC Combined State Exam, General Studies I — 2022]
(A) Civil Disobedience Movement
(B) Trade Union Movement
(C) Anti-caste Movement
(D) Peasant Movement
Answer: (C) Anti-caste Movement
Explanation: Jyotiba Phule was a leading anti-caste reformer in nineteenth-century Maharashtra. Through Satyashodhak Samaj, founded in 1873, he opposed caste-based oppression and advocated education, dignity and social rights for historically disadvantaged people, including women.
Q32. Which reformer–institution pairs are correctly matched: Roy–Brahmo Samaj; Dayanand–Arya Samaj; Tagore–Santiniketan; Gandhi–Gujarat Vidyapith; Harkunwar Shethani–Chhodioni Nishal; Durgaram Mehtaji–Manavdharma Sabha?
[Gujarat Police Constable Lokrakshak — 2022]
(A) First 3 only
(B) First 4 only
(C) First 5 only
(D) All 6
Answer: (D) All 6
Explanation: All six associations are accepted as correct in the paper. Together, they reflect the diversity of reform and educational initiatives across India, from Bengal and Maharashtra to Gujarat, including movements for religion, education and social participation.
Q31. Match reformers with writings: Vitthal R. Shinde, Dadoba Pandurang, Gopal Hari Deshmukh and Jyotirao Phule.
[MPSC Rajyaseva Prelims, General Studies I — 2022]
(A) Shinde–Dharma Vivechan; Dadoba–Ishara; Deshmukh–Bhartiya Asprushatecha Prashna; Phule–Jatibhed
(B) Shinde–Ishara; Dadoba–Jatibhed; Deshmukh–Dharma Vivechan; Phule–Bhartiya Asprushatecha Prashna
(C) Shinde–Jatibhed; Dadoba–Bhartiya Asprushatecha Prashna; Deshmukh–Ishara; Phule–Dharma Vivechan
(D) Shinde–Bhartiya Asprushatecha Prashna; Dadoba–Dharma Vivechan; Deshmukh–Jatibhed; Phule–Ishara
Answer: (D) Shinde–Bhartiya Asprushatecha Prashna; Dadoba–Dharma Vivechan; Deshmukh–Jatibhed; Phule–Ishara
Explanation: The matching reflects the writings associated with Maharashtra’s reform traditions. Dadoba Pandurang wrote Dharma Vivechan; Gopal Hari Deshmukh discussed caste distinctions; Vitthal Ramji Shinde addressed untouchability; and Phule criticized exploitation in works including Ishara.
Q30. With whom was Gandhi associated in the Poona Pact of 1932?
[SSC GD Constable, Shift 3 — 2021]
(A) Motilal Nehru
(B) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
(C) B. R. Ambedkar
(D) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: (C) B. R. Ambedkar
Explanation: The Poona Pact followed a disagreement over the Communal Award’s proposal for separate electorates. Gandhi and Ambedkar negotiated a compromise providing reserved seats within joint electorates for Depressed Classes, signed on 24 September 1932.
Q29. In which state was social reformer Sree Narayana Guru born?
[SSC GD Constable, Shift 2 — 2021]
(A) Karnataka
(B) West Bengal
(C) Assam
(D) Kerala
Answer: (D) Kerala
Explanation: Sree Narayana Guru was born in Kerala and became an influential teacher of spiritual equality. His reform efforts addressed caste exclusion among communities including Ezhavas. His ideas inspired the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana movement and broader social reform in Kerala.
Q28. Which city served as a major centre of the Wahabi Movement in North India?
[MPSC Subordinate Services Prelims (2020 cycle) — 2021]
(A) Patna
(B) Delhi
(C) Firozpur
(D) Aligarh
Answer: (A) Patna
Explanation: Patna became an important centre in the Indian Wahabi network associated with Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi. The movement sought religious purification and attracted attention from colonial authorities, particularly as some activists became involved in opposition to British power.
Q27. In which year did Swami Vivekananda speak at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago?
[SSC CGL Tier I (2020 cycle), Shift 2 — 2021]
(A) 1898
(B) 1893
(C) 1878
(D) 1884
Answer: (B) 1893
Explanation: Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893. His speeches communicated Vedantic ideas and religious tolerance to international audiences. His appearance enhanced his influence and preceded the founding of Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.
Q26. Which provisions formed part of the Poona Pact: state legislature reservations, central legislature reservations, and an unchangeable arrangement?
[MPSC State Service Main GS I (2021 paper) — 2021]
(A) All three
(B) State and central reservations only
(C) Central reservations and unchangeability
(D) State reservations and unchangeability
Answer: (B) State and central reservations only
Explanation: The Poona Pact provided reserved representation for Depressed Classes in provincial and central legislatures. The claim that provisions could never be changed was not correct. The agreement emerged in 1932 from the controversy over separate electorates.
Q25. Who established Adi Brahmo Samaj?
[MPPSC General Studies (2020 paper) — 2020]
(A) Debendranath Tagore
(B) Keshab Chandra Sen
(C) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(D) Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: (A) Debendranath Tagore
Explanation: Debendranath Tagore led the Adi Brahmo Samaj after the 1866 split within the broader Brahmo movement. Keshab Chandra Sen headed the Brahmo Samaj of India. The division reflected differences over leadership, religious ideas and the direction of reform.
Q24. Who said that there was no time to think of God because much work remained to be done on Earth?
[UPPSC RO/ARO General Studies, Paper I — 2020]
(A) Swami Vivekananda
(B) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
(C) Ramakrishna Paramahansa
(D) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Answer: (D) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Explanation: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is associated with this statement highlighting practical humanitarian service. The Bengal reformer championed girls’ education, widow remarriage and compassion for the disadvantaged, reflecting an active commitment to alleviating social suffering.
Q23. Who started the Aligarh Movement?
[SSC CGL Tier I, Shift 1 — 2019]
(A) Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi
(B) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
(C) Maulana Manzoor Ahsan
(D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Answer: (D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Explanation: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan initiated the Aligarh Movement to extend modern learning among Muslims in British India. Its educational initiative in Aligarh helped foster scientific instruction and new institutions, culminating in the development of Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College.
Q22. With which state is the Kuka Movement associated?
[WBCS Prelims (2019 paper) — 2019]
(A) Assam
(B) Bengal
(C) Punjab
(D) Maharashtra
Answer: (C) Punjab
Explanation: The Kuka or Namdhari Movement arose in nineteenth-century Punjab. It emphasized Sikh religious discipline, social reform and opposition to certain customs. Under Baba Ram Singh, it also developed resistance to the British colonial government.
Q21. Who initiated the Faraizi Movement?
[BPSC 64th CCE Prelims — 2018]
(A) Haji Shariatullah
(B) Syed Ahmad Barelvi
(C) Salimullah
(D) M. A. Jinnah
Answer: (A) Haji Shariatullah
Explanation: Haji Shariatullah founded the Faraizi Movement in nineteenth-century Bengal, urging observance of obligatory Islamic duties. After him, his son Dudu Miyan expanded the movement’s influence among peasants and challenged social and economic oppression in rural areas.
Q20. What was the central objective of the Akali Movement?
[AP Police SI Prelims, GS Paper II — 2018]
(A) Promote secularism
(B) Campaign only for national liberation
(C) Remove corrupt mahants from gurdwaras
(D) Propagate Sikhism abroad
Answer: (C) Remove corrupt mahants from gurdwaras
Explanation: The Akali Movement sought reform of Sikh gurdwara administration by removing corrupt mahants. It became a major nonviolent mobilization in the 1920s and helped establish arrangements for management of shrines through community institutions including the SGPC.
Q19. Who founded Satyashodhak Samaj?
[CGPSC Civil Services (2018 paper) — 2018]
(A) B. R. Ambedkar
(B) Keshab Chandra Sen
(C) Pandita Ramabai
(D) Jyotiba Phule
Answer: (D) Jyotiba Phule
Explanation: Jyotirao Phule founded Satyashodhak Samaj at Pune in 1873. Its activities confronted caste oppression and emphasized education and rights for Shudras, Ati-Shudras and women. The society was part of Maharashtra’s wider social reform landscape.
Q18. Who began Tattvabodhini Patrika?
[MPPSC Assistant Professor, History (2017 paper) — 2017]
(A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(B) Rajnarayan Bose
(C) Debendranath Tagore
(D) Keshab Chandra Sen
Answer: (C) Debendranath Tagore
Explanation: Debendranath Tagore was associated with the establishment of Tattvabodhini Patrika in 1843. The Bengali periodical disseminated ideas connected with Tattvabodhini Sabha and Brahmo reform, especially Upanishadic monotheism, ethical inquiry and religious discussion.
Q17. With whom did Raja Ram Mohan Roy collaborate on educational projects?
[MPPSC Assistant Professor, History (2017 paper) — 2017]
(A) Henry Vivian Derozio
(B) Dwarkanath Tagore
(C) William Carey
(D) David Hare
Answer: (D) David Hare
Explanation: Scottish educationist David Hare worked with Indian reformers to promote modern education in Bengal. He and Raja Ram Mohan Roy are associated with the intellectual environment around early Calcutta educational initiatives, including Hindu College and scientific learning.
Q16. Which book was written by Pandita Ramabai?
[Maharashtra Agriculture Services Prelims (2017 paper) — 2017]
(A) Stree Dharma Neeti
(B) Sanmarga
(C) Bharatiya Streejeevan
(D) Laxmignyan
Answer: (A) Stree Dharma Neeti
Explanation: Pandita Ramabai authored Stree Dharma Neeti and The High-Caste Hindu Woman. Her writings addressed the social position of women and the importance of their education and independence. She also established institutions offering practical support and learning opportunities.
Q15. Who strongly opposed the Jury Act of 1826?
[UPPSC Civil Service Prelims, Paper I — 2017]
(A) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(C) Mahadev Govind Ranade
(D) Rajnarayan Basu
Answer: (B) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy objected to the discriminatory provisions of the 1826 Jury Act and petitioned against them. He advocated legal and civic equality alongside his better-known struggles for religious reform, press freedom and opposition to sati.
Q14. Which newspaper did NOT promote Arya Samaj ideology in Rajasthan?
[RPSC RAS Prelims (2016 paper) — 2016]
(A) Desh Hiteshi
(B) Janhitkarak
(C) Paropkarak
(D) Rajputana Gazette
Answer: (D) Rajputana Gazette
Explanation: The examination identifies Rajputana Gazette as the publication outside the Arya Samaj-supporting group. Religious reform and print culture were closely connected in Rajasthan, where publications helped circulate debate on Vedic teachings, social customs and modernization.
Q13. In which year did the Deoband Movement begin?
[UPPSC Civil Services Prelims (2016 paper) — 2016]
(A) 1900
(B) 1888
(C) 1885
(D) 1866
Answer: (D) 1866
Explanation: Darul Uloom Deoband was founded in 1866 in present-day Uttar Pradesh. Associated with scholars such as Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi and Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, it focused on Islamic religious learning, moral reform and the preservation of scholarly traditions.
Q12. Who is identified in this paper as a figure behind the establishment of Hindu College in Calcutta?
[WBCS Prelims (2016 paper) — 2016]
(A) Henry Vivian Derozio
(B) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(C) Keshab Chandra Sen
(D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Answer: (D) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy supported modern education and was connected with early educational reform in Calcutta. Hindu College opened in 1817, with David Hare and Indian patrons playing important roles. The institution later became a centre of reformist debate.
Q11. Satyashodhak Samaj organized which kind of movement?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims (2016 paper) — 2016]
(A) Tribal upliftment in Bihar
(B) Temple-entry movement in Gujarat
(C) Anti-caste movement in Maharashtra
(D) Peasant agitation in Punjab
Answer: (C) Anti-caste movement in Maharashtra
Explanation: Jyotirao Phule founded Satyashodhak Samaj at Pune in 1873. It was an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra, campaigning against birth-based hierarchy and social exclusion. Its agenda included education, equal dignity and opportunities for marginalized groups.
Q10. Who was a founding figure of the Theosophical Society?
[WBCS Prelims (2016 paper) — 2016]
(A) Henry Derozio
(B) Annie Besant
(C) Sister Nivedita
(D) H. P. Blavatsky
Answer: (D) H. P. Blavatsky
Explanation: Helena Petrovna Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society with Henry Steel Olcott in New York in 1875. Its headquarters moved to Adyar in 1882. Annie Besant joined later and served as president, becoming influential in Indian education and politics.
Q9. What later name was adopted by the Justice Party?
[AP Police SI Prelims, GS Paper II — 2016]
(A) Revolutionary Party
(B) Congress Socialist Party
(C) Radical Democratic Party
(D) Dravida Kazhagam
Answer: (D) Dravida Kazhagam
Explanation: The Justice Party grew out of the non-Brahmin movement in the Madras Presidency. Under Periyar’s leadership it was transformed into Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944, reflecting the development of Dravidian self-respect and social justice politics.
Q8. Which pairing is incorrect?
[Telangana Police Constable Prelims (2015 paper) — 2015]
(A) Satyashodhak Samaj—Jyotiba Phule
(B) SNDP Yogam—Periyar Ramasamy
(C) Bahishkrit Bharat—B. R. Ambedkar
(D) Sadharana Brahmo Samaj—Sivanath Sastri
Answer: (B) SNDP Yogam—Periyar Ramasamy
Explanation: SNDP Yogam was associated with Kerala’s Sree Narayana Guru and his followers, not Periyar E. V. Ramasamy. Periyar pioneered the Self-Respect Movement. The other pairs connect reform organizations or writings with their appropriate personalities.
Q7. Who was called Lokhitwadi?
[UPPSC Civil Services Prelims, GS I — 2015]
(A) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
(B) Mahadev Govind Ranade
(C) Jyotiba Phule
(D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: (A) Gopal Hari Deshmukh
Explanation: Gopal Hari Deshmukh, also known as Lokhitwadi, was a reformer and social critic from Maharashtra. His letters in Prabhakar challenged caste inequalities, child marriage and other customary restrictions. He emphasized rational inquiry and education.
Q6. Who inspired the Young Bengal Movement?
[WBCS Prelims (2015 paper) — 2015]
(A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(B) Henry Vivian Derozio
(C) Debendranath Tagore
(D) David Hare
Answer: (B) Henry Vivian Derozio
Explanation: Henry Vivian Derozio, a teacher at Hindu College in Calcutta, encouraged students to think independently and challenge inherited customs. His students formed the intellectual circle known as Young Bengal, associated with rationalism and social criticism.
Q5. The Vaikom Satyagraha in Kerala is primarily associated with which reform issue?
[TSPSC AEE General Studies (2015 paper) — 2015]
(A) Access around temples
(B) Women’s liberation alone
(C) Abolition of child labour
(D) Vaishnava theology
Answer: (A) Access around temples
Explanation: Vaikom Satyagraha began in 1924 in Travancore, challenging caste restrictions on roads near the Vaikom temple. It became a landmark in movements for public access and equality, attracting reformers and national leaders from multiple communities.
Q4. Which statements about Annie Besant are correct: 1—Started Home Rule; 2—Founded Theosophical Society; 3—Presided over INC?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims (2013 paper) — 2013]
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Annie Besant launched a Home Rule League in 1916 and served as president of the Indian National Congress in 1917. The Theosophical Society had been founded earlier, in 1875, by H. P. Blavatsky and H. S. Olcott.
Q3. Which statements about Brahmo Samaj are correct: 1—It opposed idolatry; 2—It rejected priestly monopoly; 3—It considered the Vedas infallible?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims (2012 paper) — 2012]
(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 2 only
(C) 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (B) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Brahmo Samaj opposed idol worship and the necessity of a priestly class to interpret scripture. It did not proclaim Vedas infallible; that was more characteristic of Arya Samaj. Therefore only statements one and two are correct.
Q2. What did the Poona Pact primarily aim to secure?
[BPSC 46th Prelims (2004 paper) — 2004]
(A) Hindu–Muslim unity
(B) Representation of lower castes
(C) Privileges for princes
(D) Review of dyarchy
Answer: (B) Representation of lower castes
Explanation: The 1932 Poona Pact concerned electoral representation of the Depressed Classes. Negotiated by Gandhi and Ambedkar, it maintained reserved legislative seats through joint electorates in place of separate electorates. It was an important moment in social justice politics.
Q1. Who organized the Kuka Movement?
[BPSC 45th Prelims (2002 paper) — 2002]
(A) Guru Ram Das
(B) Guru Nanak
(C) Guru Ram Singh
(D) Guru Gobind Singh
Answer: (C) Guru Ram Singh
Explanation: Baba Ram Singh organized the Namdhari or Kuka Movement in Punjab. It urged reform of religious practices and social customs and later challenged aspects of colonial rule. The Kukas became known for discipline and distinctive devotional practices.