UPSC Prelims Marathon 20 January – Era of Extremists and the Swadeshi Movement – 2026

With reference to the factors leading to the rise of Extremism within the INC, consider the following statements:
1.International events, such as the defeat of the Italian army by Ethiopia (1896) and the Japanese victory over Russia (1905), shattered the myth of European invincibility.
2.The reactionary policies of Lord Curzon, specifically the Calcutta Corporation Act (1899) and the Indian Universities Act (1904), convinced nationalists that the British had no intention of granting self-government.
3.The Extremists were motivated by the failure of the Moderates to prevent the “Drain of Wealth,” which had led to devastating famines between 1896 and 1900.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following pairs regarding Extremist leaders and their contributions:
LeaderKey Contribution / Notable PositionLiterary Work
I. Bal Gangadhar TilakFounded Home Rule League (1916)Gita Rahasya
II. Lala Lajpat RaiPresided over the first All India Trade Union CongressUnhappy India
III. Bipin Chandra PalMember of the “Lal-Bal-Pal” triumvirateNew India (Journal)
IV. Aurobindo GhosePropounded the theory of Passive ResistanceBande Mataram (English Weekly)
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

With reference to the ideological differences between Moderates and Extremists, consider the following comparison:
AspectModeratesExtremists
I. Social BaseZamindars and upper-middle class in towns.Educated middle and lower-middle classes.
II. IdeologyBelieved British rule was a “providential” blessing.Believed British rule was the root of poverty.
III. GoalSelf-government within the Empire (Colonial Self-rule).Swaraj (meaning varying from autonomy to independence).
IV. Mass SupportHad full faith in the political potential of the masses.Did not believe the masses were ready for politics.
Which of the comparisons given above are correct?

Regarding the limitations of the Extremist (Militant) phase, consider the following statements:
1.The movement was largely characterized by Hindu religious imagery and revivalism, which inadvertently alienated the Muslim minority.
2.The Extremists failed to create a disciplined, all-India organizational structure, which led to the movement’s decline after the 1907 Surat Split.
3.They successfully integrated the rural peasantry into the mainstream struggle, making the Swadeshi movement a truly pan-India agrarian revolution.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to the Partition of Bengal (1905), consider the following statements regarding British intentions:
1.The official reason provided by the British was “Administrative Convenience,” claiming Bengal was too large for a single governor to manage.
2.Risley, the Home Secretary, noted that “Bengal united is a power; Bengal divided will pull in several different ways.”
3.The partition aimed to create a Muslim-majority province in Eastern Bengal to foster communal division and curb the influence of the Bengali intelligentsia.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding the objectives of the Swadeshi Movement:
1.To promote the use of indigenous goods and the total boycott of foreign cloth and salt to hurt British economic interests.
2.To establish a “National Education” system that would liberate Indian students from the “servile” colonial education.
3.To demand the immediate implementation of the Morley-Minto reforms as a prerequisite for ending the boycott.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to the book ‘Desher Katha’ (1904) written during the freedom struggle, consider the following statements:
1.It warned against the Colonial State’s “hypnotic conquest of the mind,” explaining how the British successfully colonized the Indian psyche.
2.It inspired the performance of swadeshi street plays, folk songs, and the “Yatras” in Bengal.
3.The use of the word ‘desh’ by Deuskar was specifically meant to refer only to the region of Bengal and its linguistic identity.
Which of the statements given above are correct?