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Modern India – UPSC GS1

This module of the GS Paper 1: History, Culture, Geography & Society course covers british rule, 1857, reform movements and the freedom struggle. It has 4 study lessons and a 26-question practice quiz. Free lessons can be read in full; premium lessons show a preview.

Lessons in this module

1. British Expansion, the Revolt of 1857 and Social Reform

Free 8 min

Other revenue systems: the Ryotwari system (Thomas Munro, Madras) – settlement directly with peasants; and the Mahalwari system (north-west India) – settlement with the village community. Began at Meerut on 10 May 1857. The immediate…

2. The National Movement: 1885 to 1919

Premium 8 min

The Indian National Congress was founded in December 1885 at Bombay. A.O. Hume helped found it, and W.C. Bonnerjee was its first president. Moderates (1885–1905): Dadabhai Naoroji ("drain of wealth" theory), Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah…

3. The Gandhian Era and Independence (1920–1947)

Premium 7 min

1927–28 – Simon Commission: no Indian members. Protests ("Simon Go Back"); Lala Lajpat Rai died after a lathi charge. 1928 – Nehru Report: an Indian draft for a constitution with dominion status. Dec 1929 –…

4. Post-Independence Consolidation (1947–1970s)

Premium 7 min

Independence in 1947 came with enormous challenges. India had to absorb partition refugees, integrate more than 500 princely states, write a Constitution, hold elections for a poor and mostly illiterate population, and plan economic growth.…

 Module quiz: Modern India (26 questions)

Maps & infographics in this module

Map of the main centres of the 1857 revolt: Meerut, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, Arrah and Barrackpore with their leaders
The revolt was strongest in the north and central Gangetic belt.
Timeline from the Battle of Plassey in 1757 to the Government of India Act 1858
A century of Company expansion ended with Crown rule.
An engraving of rebels during the Revolt of 1857
An engraving of rebels during the Revolt of 1857. Credit: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain.
A painting of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, founder of the Brahmo Sabha
A painting of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, founder of the Brahmo Sabha. Credit: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain.
Timeline of the national movement from 1885 to 1919
From petitions to mass protest.
Map of Gandhian movement sites: Champaran, Kheda, Chauri Chaura, Jallianwala Bagh, Lahore, the Dandi march route and Bombay
The Dandi March (about 385 km) ran from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi on the Gujarat coast.

Frequently asked questions

Lessons: British Expansion, the Revolt of 1857 and Social Reform; The National Movement: 1885 to 1919; The Gandhian Era and Independence (1920–1947); Post-Independence Consolidation (1947–1970s).

Answer: Lord Cornwallis. Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal in 1793.

Answer: Lord Dalhousie. Dalhousie annexed states such as Satara, Jhansi and Nagpur under the Doctrine of Lapse.

Answer: Begum Hazrat Mahal. Begum Hazrat Mahal led the uprising at Lucknow (Awadh).

Answer: Morley–Minto Reforms 1909. The Indian Councils Act, 1909 (Morley–Minto) introduced separate electorates.

Related modules

Ancient India3 lessons
Prehistoric and Harappan India3 lessons
Vedic Age, Mahajanapadas and Heterodox Religions4 lessons
Mauryas to Guptas5 lessons
Medieval India2 lessons
Early Medieval and Delhi Sultanate5 lessons
Mughals, Marathas and Bhakti–Sufi Movements5 lessons
Advent of Europeans and British Expansion5 lessons
Revolt of 1857 and Socio-Religious Reform4 lessons
Indian National Movement7 lessons
Post-Independence Consolidation4 lessons
World History2 lessons
World History in Depth6 lessons
Art and Culture2 lessons
Indian Art, Architecture and Literature6 lessons
Indian Geography2 lessons
Indian Physical and Economic Geography6 lessons
World Geography2 lessons
Physical Geography in Depth5 lessons
Geophysical Phenomena and Resource Distribution4 lessons
Indian Society2 lessons
Indian Society in Depth6 lessons

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