Ch2 - Nationalism In India - Class 10 History | PYQs | GPN

PYQs: Nationalism in India

Previous Year Questions (PYQs) from CBSE board exams. Each question includes the authentic year and set as it appeared in actual board papers. All questions are verified from real CBSE exams.

📌 PART A: 1‑MARK QUESTIONS (12 Questions)

Q1. [CBSE 2020] In which year did Mahatma Gandhi return to India from South Africa?
Ans1. ✅ Answer: 1915
Q2. [CBSE 2020] Why was the Rowlatt Act imposed?
Ans2. ✅ Answer: To repress political activities and allow detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.
Q3. [CBSE 2021 Term-1] Who among the following led the peasants in the Gandhi's Champaran Satyagraha?
(a) Rajendra Prasad
(b) Sardar Patel
(c) Mahatma Gandhi himself
(d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans3. ✅ Answer: (c) Mahatma Gandhi himself
Q4. [CBSE 2021 Term-1] Which one of the following options is correct regarding the Rowlatt Act?
(a) Detention of political prisoners without trial for two years
(b) Forced recruitment in the army
(c) Forced to buy foreign goods
(d) Imposed heavy taxes on peasants
Ans4. ✅ Answer: (a) Detention of political prisoners without trial for two years
Q5. [CBSE 2022] Who composed the famous song 'Vande Mataram'?
Ans5. ✅ Answer: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Q6. [CBSE 2022 Term-2] What was the main objective of the Khilafat Movement?
Ans6. ✅ Answer: To defend the Khalifa's temporal powers and protest against the harsh treaty imposed on Ottoman Turkey after the First World War.
Q7. [CBSE 2023] Why did Gandhiji decide to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Ans7. ✅ Answer: Due to the Chauri Chaura incident (1922) where a peaceful demonstration turned violent and policemen were killed.
Q8. [CBSE 2023] Who led the famous 'Dandi March'?
Ans8. ✅ Answer: Mahatma Gandhi
Q9. [CBSE 2023 OD] When was the Poona Pact signed?
Ans9. ✅ Answer: September 1932
Q10. [CBSE 2024] Who founded the 'Depressed Classes Association' in 1930?
Ans10. ✅ Answer: Dr B.R. Ambedkar
Q11. [CBSE 2024] The Jallianwalla Bagh massacre took place in which city?
Ans11. ✅ Answer: Amritsar
Q12. [CBSE 2020 OD] What does the term 'Purna Swaraj' mean?
Ans12. ✅ Answer: Complete Independence

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📌 PART B: 3‑MARK QUESTIONS (6 Questions)

Q1. [CBSE 2020] Explain the idea of Satyagraha as conceived by Mahatma Gandhi.
Ans1.
Intro: The idea of satyagraha emphasised the power of truth and the need to search for truth.

1. It suggested that if the cause was true and struggle against injustice, physical force was not necessary – a satyagrahi could win through non‑violence.

2. This could be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor – people had to be persuaded to see the truth, not forced through violence.

3. Mahatma Gandhi believed this dharma of non‑violence could unite all Indians because India could never match Britain in force of arms.

Conclusion: Satyagraha was not passive resistance but active, soul‑force based on truth and non‑violence.
Q2. [CBSE 2021 OD] Describe the significance of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans2.
Intro: The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) marked a new phase in India's freedom struggle by directly challenging colonial laws.

1. It began with the Salt March (12 March – 6 April 1930) where Gandhi broke the salt law, making it a mass movement.

2. People were asked to break colonial laws – manufacturing salt, boycotting foreign cloth, picketing liquor shops, refusing revenue.

3. It saw massive participation of women, peasants, and businessmen, making it a truly national movement.

Conclusion: The movement shook the British government, leading to the Gandhi‑Irwin Pact (1931).
Q3. [CBSE 2022] Why did the peasants in Awadh join the Non-Cooperation Movement? Explain.
Ans3.
Intro: Peasants in Awadh joined the Non-Cooperation Movement due to economic exploitation and oppressive landlord policies.

1. They were led by Baba Ramchandra against talukdars and landlords who demanded exorbitantly high rents and various other cesses.

2. Peasants were forced to do begar (free labour) and had no security of tenure – they were regularly evicted.

3. They demanded reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords.

Conclusion: For them, swaraj meant freedom from economic exploitation and landlord oppression.
Q4. [CBSE 2023] How did the First World War create a new economic situation in India? Explain.
Ans4.
Intro: The First World War created a new economic and political situation in India.

1. It led to a huge increase in defence expenditure, financed by war loans and increased taxes – customs duties were raised and income tax introduced.

2. Prices doubled between 1913 and 1918, leading to extreme hardship for common people.

3. Forced recruitment in rural areas caused widespread anger, and crop failures (1918‑21) led to acute food shortages and an influenza epidemic killing 12‑13 million people.

Conclusion: People hoped hardships would end after war – but that did not happen, leading to nationalist upsurge.
Q5. [CBSE 2023 OD] Explain the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans5.
Intro: Women participated in large numbers in the Civil Disobedience Movement, marking their first major public political role.

1. Thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to Gandhi during the Salt March.

2. They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops.

3. Many women went to jail. In urban areas they came from high-caste families; in rural areas from rich peasant households.

Conclusion: They saw service to the nation as a sacred duty, though the Congress was reluctant to give them positions of authority.
Q6. [CBSE 2024] Why did the business classes participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement? Explain.
Ans6.
Intro: Indian merchants and industrialists supported the Civil Disobedience Movement due to economic reasons.

1. During the First World War, they had made huge profits and wanted to expand business, but colonial policies restricted their activities.

2. They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods and a rupee‑sterling ratio that would discourage imports.

3. They formed FICCI (1927) and gave financial assistance to the movement, refusing to buy or sell imported goods.

Conclusion: They saw swaraj as a time when colonial restrictions would end and trade would flourish.

📖 Continue Your Journey: Explore Chapter 3 – The Making of a Global World – to understand how global connections shaped modern history.

📌 PART C: 5‑MARK QUESTIONS (5 Questions)

Q1. [CBSE 2022] Describe the major events of the Non-Cooperation Movement. How did different social groups participate in it?
Ans1.
Opening: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) was launched by Gandhi to protest against British injustices like the Rowlatt Act and Jallianwalla Bagh massacre.

1. Major events: The movement began in January 1921 with boycott of foreign goods, surrender of titles, and boycott of government institutions. Students left schools, lawyers gave up practice, and council elections were boycotted.

2. Peasants in Awadh: Led by Baba Ramchandra, they protested against high rents, begar, and evictions. They demanded reduction of revenue and abolition of begar.

3. Tribal participation: Alluri Sitarama Raju led an armed tribal struggle in Andhra Pradesh, interpreting the movement in their own way.

4. Plantation workers: In Assam, thousands of workers left tea gardens under the belief that Gandhi Raj was coming, defying the Inland Emigration Act.

5. Withdrawal: The movement was withdrawn in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident where violence led to police killings.

Conclusion: Despite its withdrawal, the movement demonstrated the power of mass participation and united diverse social groups against colonial rule.
Q2. [CBSE 2023] Examine the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian freedom struggle from 1915 to 1932.
Ans2.
Opening: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915 and transformed the nature of the freedom struggle by introducing mass movements based on satyagraha and non‑violence.

1. Early satyagrahas (1917-18): Gandhi organised movements in Champaran (against plantation system), Kheda (for revenue relaxation), and Ahmedabad (for mill workers) – establishing his method.

2. Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919): He launched a nationwide protest against the repressive Rowlatt Act, leading to the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre.

3. Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22): Gandhi united Hindus and Muslims through the Khilafat issue and launched a mass movement with boycott of foreign goods and institutions. He withdrew it after Chauri Chaura.

4. Salt March and Civil Disobedience (1930): Gandhi chose salt as a symbol of British oppression, marched 240 miles to Dandi, and broke the salt law, inspiring thousands.

5. Poona Pact (1932): Gandhi fasted against separate electorates for dalits, leading to the Poona Pact with Ambedkar which reserved seats but maintained a common electorate.

Conclusion: Gandhi's leadership brought millions into the freedom struggle and made it a truly national movement.
Q3. [CBSE 2023 OD] Analyse the factors that led to the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Ans3.
Opening: The Non-Cooperation Movement was the result of multiple political and economic factors that created widespread discontent against British rule.

1. Rowlatt Act (1919): The Act allowed detention without trial, suppressing civil liberties and uniting Indians against British injustice.

2. Jallianwalla Bagh massacre (1919): The brutal killing of hundreds shocked the nation and convinced people that British rule must be opposed.

3. Khilafat issue: The defeat of Ottoman Turkey and threat to the Khalifa's position angered Muslims. Gandhi saw it as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims.

4. Economic hardships: Post-war economic crisis, high prices, and forced recruitment created widespread suffering.

5. Gandhi's leadership: Gandhi's ability to connect with masses and his philosophy of satyagraha provided a new direction to the freedom struggle.

Conclusion: These factors combined to create the first mass-based nationalist movement in India.
Q4. [CBSE 2024] Explain the different forms in which the Civil Disobedience Movement manifested itself in various parts of India.
Ans4.
Opening: The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) took various forms across India as different social groups interpreted swaraj in their own ways.

1. Breaking salt laws: Inspired by Gandhi's Dandi March, thousands manufactured salt and demonstrated before government salt factories across coastal India.

2. Boycott of foreign goods: Foreign cloth was burnt, liquor shops picketed, and merchants refused to trade in imported goods, hitting British economic interests.

3. No-revenue campaigns: In rural areas, peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes, especially in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

4. Forest satyagraha: In forest areas, people violated forest laws by grazing cattle and collecting wood from Reserved Forests.

5. Women's participation: Thousands of women participated in marches, picketing, and went to jail – marking their first major political role.

Conclusion: The movement demonstrated that nationalism had spread beyond cities to villages, forests, and even into the lives of women.
Q5. [CBSE 2020] "The sense of collective belonging came partly through the experience of united struggles." Explain this statement with examples.
Ans5.
Opening: Nationalism spreads when people discover unity that binds them together – this came through united struggles as well as cultural processes.

1. United struggles: The Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements brought together people from different regions, castes, and classes in a common cause against colonial rule.

2. Image of Bharat Mata: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's Vande Mataram and Abanindranath Tagore's painting of Bharat Mata gave a concrete form to the nation, helping people identify with it.

3. Folklore revival: Nationalists like Rabindranath Tagore and Natesa Sastri collected folk songs and tales to restore pride in India's traditional culture.

4. National flags: The Swadeshi movement flag (with lotuses and crescent) and Gandhi's Swaraj flag (with spinning wheel) became symbols of unity and defiance.

5. Reinterpretation of history: Nationalists wrote about India's glorious past in ancient times, contrasting it with colonial decline, inspiring pride and a desire for freedom.

Conclusion: These cultural symbols and processes, combined with political struggles, created a powerful sense of collective belonging among Indians.

📌 PART D: MAP‑BASED QUESTIONS (4 Questions)

Q1. [CBSE 2020] On the given outline map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate symbols:
(a) Champaran – where Gandhiji started his first satyagraha
(b) Ahmedabad – where Gandhiji organised satyagraha for mill workers
(c) Dandi – where Gandhiji broke the salt law
(d) Amritsar – site of Jallianwalla Bagh massacre
Ans1. ✅ Significance: (a) Champaran (Bihar) – 1917 satyagraha against indigo plantation system. (b) Ahmedabad (Gujarat) – 1918 mill workers' satyagraha. (c) Dandi (Gujarat) – 6 April 1930, broke salt law. (d) Amritsar (Punjab) – 13 April 1919 massacre.
Q2. [CBSE 2021 Term-1] Identify the place where the Indian National Congress session was held in 1929.
Ans2. ✅ Answer: Lahore
Q3. [CBSE 2022 Term-2] Two places A and B are marked on the outline map of India. Identify them and write their significance:
A – Place where Gandhiji organized satyagraha for peasants in 1917
B – Place where the famous Salt March ended
Ans3. ✅ Answer: A – Champaran (Bihar) – first satyagraha in India against plantation system. B – Dandi (Gujarat) – where Gandhi broke salt law on 6 April 1930.
Q4. [CBSE 2023] On the map of India, locate and label the following centres of the national movement:
(a) Kheda – where Gandhiji supported peasants
(b) Bardoli – site of successful satyagraha led by Vallabhbhai Patel
(c) Chauri Chaura – where violence led to withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement
Ans4. ✅ Significance: (a) Kheda (Gujarat) – 1917 peasant satyagraha for revenue relaxation. (b) Bardoli (Gujarat) – 1928 satyagraha against enhanced land revenue. (c) Chauri Chaura (UP) – 1922 violent incident.

📌 PART E: ASSERTION-REASON QUESTIONS (4 Questions)

Options: (a) Both A and R are true and R explains A. (b) Both true but R does not explain A. (c) A true, R false. (d) A false, R true.

Q1. [CBSE 2022] Assertion (A): Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922.
Reason (R): He felt the movement was turning violent and satyagrahis needed proper training.
Ans1. ✅ Answer: (a) Both true and R explains A
Q2. [CBSE 2022] Assertion (A): The Simon Commission was greeted with the slogan 'Go back Simon'.
Reason (R): The commission did not have a single Indian member.
Ans2. ✅ Answer: (a) Both true and R explains A
Q3. [CBSE 2023] Assertion (A): Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol to unite the nation.
Reason (R): Salt was consumed by the rich and poor alike and the tax on it revealed British oppression.
Ans3. ✅ Answer: (a) Both true and R explains A
Q4. [CBSE 2020] Assertion (A): Dr B.R. Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for dalits.
Reason (R): He believed political empowerment would resolve social disabilities.
Ans4. ✅ Answer: (a) Both true and R explains A

📌 PART F: CASE-BASED QUESTIONS (1 Set)

[CBSE 2023] Source: "Mahatma Gandhi declared that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians, and had survived only because of this cooperation. If Indians refused to cooperate, British rule in India would collapse within a year, and swaraj would come. Gandhi proposed that the movement should unfold in stages. It should begin with the surrender of titles that the government awarded, and a boycott of civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils, schools, and foreign goods. Then, in case the government used repression, a full civil disobedience campaign would be launched."

Q1. According to Gandhi, how was British rule established in India?
Ans1. ✅ Answer: With the cooperation of Indians, and it survived only because of this cooperation.
Q2. What did Gandhi believe would happen if Indians refused to cooperate?
Ans2. ✅ Answer: British rule in India would collapse within a year, and swaraj would come.
Q3. List any two things Gandhi proposed to boycott in the first stage of the movement.
Ans3. ✅ Answer: (i) Surrender of government-awarded titles (ii) Boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, legislative councils, schools, and foreign goods (any two).
Q4. What was to be launched if the government used repression?
Ans4. ✅ Answer: A full civil disobedience campaign.

All questions are authentic CBSE PYQs with verified year tags. Practice them thoroughly.

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