UPSC Prelims Marathon 12 January – Socio-religious reform movements – 2026

Regarding the ‘Paramhansa Mandali’, consider the following statements:
1.It was a secret society founded in 1849 by Dadoba Pandurang and Mehtaji Durgaram, following the principles of the Manav Dharma Sabha.
2.The members were primarily concerned with the worship of one God and the abolition of caste, often demonstrating their rejection of caste by eating food cooked by lower-caste persons.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and the Satyashodhak Samaj, consider the following statements:
1.Phule challenged the Aryan theory by claiming that the Shudras and Ati-shudras were the original inhabitants of the land, conquered by “Aryan invaders.”
2.The Satyashodhak Samaj prohibited the use of Brahmin priests in marriage ceremonies, replacing them with rituals conducted in the mother tongue.
3.In his work Gulamgiri (Slavery), Phule dedicated the book to the American movement to abolish slavery, linking the struggle of Indian lower castes with the global struggle against oppression.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding Gopal Baba Walangkar, a pioneer of the Dalit movement in Maharashtra:
1.He was the author of Vital Vidhvansak (Destruction of Ceremonial Pollution), the first book to argue against the practice of untouchability from a rational and historical perspective.
2.He established the ‘Anarya Dosh-Parihar Mandali’ to organize the depressed classes and demand their recruitment into the British Indian Army.
3.He was a contemporary of Jyotiba Phule and was deeply influenced by the Satyashodhak philosophy.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to Gopalhari Deshmukh, consider the following statements:
1.Under the pen name ‘Lokahitawadi’, he wrote a series of 108 letters known as Shatapatre in the weekly Prabhakar, attacking religious orthodoxy.
2.He advocated for a total Westernization of Indian society, including the adoption of the English language and British social customs, as the only way to progress.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Regarding Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, consider the following statements:
1.He served as the first editor of the Marathi newspaper Kesari, but later parted ways with B.G. Tilak due to ideological differences regarding the priority of social reform over political independence.
2.He founded the periodical Sudharak, which focused on rationalist critique of social evils like child marriage and the subversion of women.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding the Social Service League:
1.It was founded in 1911 by Narayan Malhar Joshi (N.M. Joshi), a prominent member of the Servants of India Society.
2.The League worked primarily among the working classes of Bombay, establishing night schools, libraries, and dispensaries.
3.N.M. Joshi later became a key figure in the formation of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1920.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to the ‘Indian Social Conference’, consider the following statements:
1.Founded by M.G. Ranade and Raghunath Rao, it was often referred to as the “Social Reform Cell” of the Indian National Congress.
2.The conference started the “Pledge Movement” to inspire people to take an oath against child marriage.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the Prarthana Samaj, consider the following statements:
1.It was founded in 1867 by Atmaram Pandurang in Bombay, inspired by the visit of Keshab Chandra Sen.
2.Unlike the Brahmo Samaj, the Prarthana Samaj did not insist on a complete break from the traditional Hindu fold or its scriptures.
3.The movement was characterized by its reliance on the teachings of the Marathi Bhakti saints like Namdev, Tukaram, and Ramdas.
Which of the statements given above are correct?