Nationalism in India – important questions for Boards 2027

CBSE Class 10 Social Science

1. VSA · 0.5 marks

   By what date did Gandhi’s letter ask Irwin to fulfil the demands, failing which civil disobedience would begin?

   Answer

   Gandhi’s letter gave Irwin until 11 March 1930 to fulfil the demands; otherwise, the Congress would launch civil disobedience.

2. VSA · 1 mark

   How did a satyagrahi seek to overcome an oppressor without using physical force?

   Answer

   Without seeking vengeance or being aggressive, a satyagrahi could win the battle through nonviolence.

3. SA · 2 marks

   Explain how the events in Amritsar on 10 April led to the imposition of martial law, and describe what General Dyer did at Jallianwalla Bagh.

   Answer

   On 10 April, police fired on a peaceful procession in Amritsar, provoking attacks on banks, post offices and railway stations. Martial law followed, and General Dyer took command. On 13 April, he blocked Jallianwalla Bagh’s exits and fired on the crowd, killing hundreds.

4. MA · 3 marks

   Describe Gandhi’s call for a nationwide Rowlatt Satyagraha and explain how people protested and how the government initially responded. Give three points.

   Answer

   1. The 1919 Rowlatt Act, passed despite united opposition of Indian members, allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years. 2. Gandhi launched nationwide satyagraha against the Act, seeking non-violent civil disobedience beginning with a hartal on 6 April. 3. Rallies, railway strikes and shop closures followed; the British clamped down, picking up Amritsar leaders and barring Gandhi from Delhi.

5. LA · 5 marks

   Explain how plantation workers in Assam understood swaraj and responded to the Non-Cooperation Movement. Describe what happened when they left the plantations and explain how their actions connected local hopes with the wider national movement.

   Answer

   For plantation workers in Assam, swaraj meant freedom from confinement and the right to reconnect with their villages. 1. The Inland Emigration Act of 1859 did not permit plantation workers to leave the tea gardens without permission. Workers were rarely given permission, restricting their freedom of movement. 2. On hearing of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands left the plantations and headed home. They believed Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages. 3. The workers never reached their destination. Railway and steamer strikes stranded them on the way, and the police caught and brutally beat them. 4. Their hopes and actions went beyond the conditions of the tea gardens. By acting in the name of Mahatma Gandhi and connecting their movement with the Congress, they identified with an all-India agitation. The workers’ actions showed how local hopes for swaraj became connected with the wider national movement.

6. VSA · 1 mark

   What did Gandhi believe the dharma of non-violence could do for Indians?

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7. SA · 2 marks

   What concerns did some Congress members have about Gandhi’s proposed programme, and when and where was the Non-Cooperation programme finally adopted?

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8. MA · 3 marks

   According to Gandhi’s argument in Hind Swaraj, why did British rule survive in India, and what would happen if Indians withdrew their cooperation? Give three points.

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9. LA · 5 marks

   Explain why rich peasants and Indian industrialists supported the Civil Disobedience Movement, and describe the demands of poor peasants. Why did Congress hesitate to support no-rent campaigns?

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10. MCQ · 1 mark

    Which statement correctly describes the Rowlatt Act of 1919? (A) It allowed detention without trial for two years despite united opposition from Indian members of the Imperial Legislative Council. (B) It granted Indians elected control over the police. (C) It abolished the Imperial Legislative Council. (D) It allowed political prisoners to be tried by jury only.

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