The Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers are essential for every competitive exam aspirant. Be it UPSC, SSC, State PSCs, or defence exams, understanding India’s freedom struggle not only strengthens your history knowledge but also helps you grasp the evolution of Indian democracy.
This blog provides over 50 well-structured Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers, covering phases from early resistance to independence. With explanations for every answer, this guide will make your preparation smarter and more effective.
🔑 Key Points on Indian National Movement
Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers
Covers all phases: Revolt of 1857 to 1947 Independence
Features top leaders like Gandhi, Bose, Nehru, Tilak
Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers Includes major movements: Non-Cooperation, Quit India
In-depth look at regional and tribal revolts
Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers Ideal for SSC, UPSC, Railways, NDA, CDS & other exams
🇮🇳 Key Highlights of the Indian National Movement
The Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers section is incomplete without a solid understanding of the historical context behind it. The Indian National Movement was a long and determined struggle against British colonial rule, lasting nearly 200 years.
It began with the Revolt of 1857, also known as the First War of Indian Independence, and culminated in India gaining independence on August 15, 1947.
Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh played pivotal roles—frequently featured in Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers for competitive exams.
Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers The freedom struggle went through various phases:
Early Nationalists (Moderates): Focused on petitions and reforms.
Extremists: Advocated assertive politics, led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal.
Gandhian Phase: Non-violent civil disobedience and mass mobilization.
Revolutionary Movements: Focused on armed resistance.
Movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, and the Quit India Movement formed the backbone of the freedom struggle. These are commonly asked in Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers in UPSC, SSC, and other exams.
The role of women, students, farmers, and the press was highly significant. Icons like Sarojini Naidu and Aruna Asaf Ali inspired a generation.
Contributions from regional movements, princely states, and tribal revolts were also crucial and are often referenced in Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers to test deeper understanding.
Over time, the demand transitioned from seeking dominion status within the British Empire to complete independence, highlighting the ideological evolution within the movement.
Various organizations like the Indian National Congress (INC), the Muslim League, and the Indian National Army (INA) shaped the political narrative and dynamics, all of which are essential topics in Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers sections in exam prep.
📊 Types of Indian National Movement (Table Comparison)
| Phase | Key Features | Leaders |
|---|---|---|
| Early Nationalists | Petitioning, moderate reforms | Dadabhai Naoroji, W.C. Bonnerjee |
| Extremists | Assertive politics, Swadeshi | Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai |
| Gandhian Era | Non-violent resistance, mass mobilization | Gandhi, Nehru, Patel |
| Revolutionary Movements | Armed struggle, underground networks | Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad |
| Constitutional Approach | Council Reforms, Round Table | B.R. Ambedkar, Motilal Nehru |
📝 Indian National Movement Multiple Choice Questions with Answers (with Explanation)
Who is regarded as the ‘Father of the Indian National Movement’?
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Dadabhai Naoroji ✅
C) Mahatma Gandhi
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji’s economic critique of British rule earned him this title.
Which year did the Revolt of 1857 occur?
A) 1848
B) 1857 ✅
C) 1867
D) 1885
Explanation: It was the first large-scale resistance against British rule.
The Indian National Congress was founded in:
A) 1857
B) 1885 ✅
C) 1905
D) 1911
Explanation: Founded by A.O. Hume, it marked the beginning of organized nationalist politics.
Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress?
A) Dadabhai Naoroji
B) W.C. Bonnerjee ✅
C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
D) Badruddin Tyabji
The slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” was given by:
A) Gandhi
B) Nehru
C) Tilak ✅
D) Bose
The Partition of Bengal was carried out in:
A) 1905 ✅
B) 1906
C) 1911
D) 1920
The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in:
A) 1919
B) 1920 ✅
C) 1930
D) 1942
Gandhi’s first major national movement was:
A) Quit India
B) Salt Satyagraha
C) Champaran Satyagraha ✅
D) Dandi March
The Simon Commission was boycotted because:
A) It had British members only ✅
B) It recommended partition
C) It supported Indian rulers
D) It demanded taxes
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred in:
A) 1917
B) 1919 ✅
C) 1921
D) 1930
Gandhiji led the Dandi March in:
A) 1930 ✅
B) 1932
C) 1942
D) 1920
The ‘Do or Die’ slogan was associated with:
A) Non-Cooperation
B) Quit India Movement ✅
C) Swadeshi Movement
D) Khilafat Movement
Which act allowed Indians in the Central Legislative Council?
A) Government of India Act 1909 ✅
B) Regulating Act 1773
C) Pitt’s India Act
D) Indian Councils Act 1861
Subhas Chandra Bose formed:
A) INA ✅
B) INC
C) RSS
D) Muslim League
The Lahore Session of 1929 is known for:
A) Partition demand
B) Purna Swaraj Resolution ✅
C) Quit India
D) INA formation
16. The INA trials were held at:
• A) Bombay
• B) Red Fort, Delhi ✅
• C) Kolkata
• D) Lahore
Explanation: The Indian National Army (INA) trials were held at the Red Fort in Delhi in 1945-46 and sparked widespread nationalist sentiments.
17. The Cripps Mission failed because:
• A) Gandhi rejected it ✅
• B) Muslim League opposed it
• C) British withdrew it
• D) Nehru accepted it
Explanation: Gandhi criticized the offer made by Cripps, famously calling it a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank.”
18. Which freedom fighter gave the slogan “Give me blood and I will give you freedom”?
• A) Bhagat Singh
• B) Gandhi
• C) Subhas Chandra Bose ✅
• D) Nehru
Explanation: Bose inspired masses to join the INA with this powerful revolutionary slogan.
19. Which session of Congress accepted ‘Poorna Swaraj’ as its goal?
• A) Bombay, 1930
• B) Lahore, 1929 ✅
• C) Karachi, 1931
• D) Surat, 1907
Explanation: The Congress adopted complete independence as its goal during the Lahore Session under Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership.
20. What did Gandhi mean by ‘Satyagraha’?
• A) Armed struggle
• B) Truth and non-violent resistance ✅
• C) Political negotiation
• D) Civil war
Explanation: Satyagraha was Gandhi’s unique method of peaceful protest rooted in the power of truth and non-violence.
21. Which agreement marked the end of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
• A) Poona Pact
• B) Lucknow Pact
• C) Gandhi–Irwin Pact ✅
• D) Simon Agreement
Explanation: The Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931 led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
22. Who was the first Indian to be elected as the President of the Indian National Congress?
• A) Badruddin Tyabji
• B) Dadabhai Naoroji
• C) W.C. Banerjee ✅
• D) Surendranath Banerjee
Explanation: Womesh Chandra Banerjee presided over the first session of the INC in 1885 in Bombay.
23. Who among the following started the Self-Respect Movement?
• A) Bhagat Singh
• B) E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar) ✅
• C) B.R. Ambedkar
• D) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Explanation: Periyar launched the movement to challenge caste discrimination and promote equality in Tamil Nadu.
24. Who established the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)?
• A) Nehru
• B) Chandrashekhar Azad and Ram Prasad Bismil ✅
• C) Gandhi and Patel
• D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation: HSRA was formed in 1928 to organize armed resistance against British rule.
25. Which movement introduced the idea of ‘Constructive Programme’?
• A) Quit India Movement
• B) Civil Disobedience Movement
• C) Non-Cooperation Movement ✅
• D) Khilafat Movement
Explanation: Gandhi urged the public to promote khadi, cleanliness, and national education as part of a constructive program.
26. Who formed the Swaraj Party in 1923?
• A) Jawaharlal Nehru and Motilal Nehru
• B) Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das ✅
• C) Subhas Chandra Bose and Patel
• D) Tilak and Gokhale
Explanation: Formed to contest elections and disrupt colonial legislatures from within.
27. What was the slogan of the Quit India Movement?
• A) Do or Die ✅
• B) Inquilab Zindabad
• C) Jai Hind
• D) Vande Mataram
Explanation: Gandhi gave this famous slogan on August 8, 1942, during the Quit India Movement.
28. Who led the Salt Satyagraha from the front?
• A) Nehru
• B) Mahatma Gandhi ✅
• C) Sardar Patel
• D) Bose
Explanation: Gandhi led the historic Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi in 1930.
29. Who was known as the “Frontier Gandhi”?
• A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• B) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan ✅
• C) Subhas Chandra Bose
• D) Bhagat Singh
Explanation: He was a staunch Gandhian and led the Khudai Khidmatgar movement in the North-West Frontier Province.
30. The term “Drain of Wealth” was popularized by:
• A) Nehru
• B) Gandhi
• C) Dadabhai Naoroji ✅
• D) Patel
Explanation: He argued that British colonialism led to an enormous economic drain from India to Britain.
31. When was the Quit India Resolution passed?
• A) January 26, 1930
• B) March 12, 1930
• C) August 8, 1942✅
• D) April 13, 1919
Explanation: The Quit India Movement was launched on August 8, 1942, at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi.
32. The INA trials were held at:
• A) Bombay
• B) Red Fort, Delhi ✅
• C) Kolkata
• D) Lahore
Explanation: The trials of officers of the Indian National Army (INA) were conducted at the Red Fort in Delhi in 1945–46, gaining nationwide attention.
33. The Cripps Mission failed because:
• A) Gandhi rejected it ✅
• B) Muslim League opposed it
• C) British withdrew it
• D) Nehru accepted it
Explanation: Gandhi rejected the offer as “a post-dated cheque on a crashing bank,” leading to the failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942.
34. Which freedom fighter gave the slogan “Give me blood and I will give you freedom”?
• A) Bhagat Singh
• B) Gandhi
• C) Subhas Chandra Bose ✅
• D) Nehru
Explanation: Subhas Chandra Bose used this slogan to motivate Indians to join the INA and fight against British rule.
35. Which session of Congress accepted ‘Poorna Swaraj’ as its goal?
• A) Bombay, 1930
• B) Lahore, 1929 ✅
• C) Karachi, 1931
• D) Surat, 1907
Explanation: The resolution for complete independence was adopted in the Lahore session under the leadership of Nehru.
36. What did Gandhi mean by ‘Satyagraha’?
• A) Armed struggle
• B) Truth and non-violent resistance ✅
• C) Political negotiation
• D) Civil war
Explanation: ‘Satyagraha’ was Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance rooted in truth and justice.
37. Which agreement marked the end of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
• A) Poona Pact
• B) Lucknow Pact
• C) Gandhi–Irwin Pact ✅
• D) Simon Agreement
Explanation: Signed in 1931, the Gandhi-Irwin Pact led to a truce between the Congress and the British.
38. Who was the first Indian to be elected as the President of the Indian National Congress?
• A) Badruddin Tyabji
• B) Dadabhai Naoroji
• C) W.C. Banerjee ✅
• D) Surendranath Banerjee
Explanation: Womesh Chandra Banerjee presided over the first session of INC in 1885 at Bombay.
39. Who among the following started the Self-Respect Movement?
• A) Bhagat Singh
• B) E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar) ✅
• C) B.R. Ambedkar
• D) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Explanation: Periyar started this movement in Tamil Nadu for social equality and eradication of caste hierarchy.
40. Who established the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)?
• A) Nehru
• B) Chandrashekhar Azad and Ram Prasad Bismil ✅
• C) Gandhi and Patel
• D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation: HSRA was a revolutionary group fighting for independence through direct action.
41. Which movement introduced the idea of ‘Constructive Programme’?
• A) Quit India Movement
• B) Civil Disobedience Movement
• C) Non-Cooperation Movement ✅
• D) Khilafat Movement
Explanation: Gandhi promoted self-reliance, Khadi, education, and village industries as part of the constructive programme.
42. Who coined the term ‘Drain of Wealth’?
• A) Dadabhai Naoroji ✅
• B) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• C) R.C. Dutt
• D) M.G. Ranade
Explanation: Naoroji explained how British policies led to economic exploitation of India.
43. The Nehru Report was prepared in response to:
• A) Cripps Mission
• B) Simon Commission ✅
• C) Round Table Conferences
• D) Cabinet Mission
Explanation: The Simon Commission’s exclusion of Indians led to the Nehru Report in 1928 as an alternative constitutional framework.
44. Who was called ‘Lokmanya’?
• A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak ✅
• B) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• C) B.R. Ambedkar
• D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation: Tilak was called ‘Lokmanya’, meaning ‘accepted by the people’.
45. Which act allowed Indians to be tried without a jury and led to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre protests?
• A) Rowlatt Act ✅
• B) Indian Councils Act
• C) Pitt’s India Act
• D) Regulating Act
Explanation: The Rowlatt Act of 1919 curtailed civil liberties and sparked protests that culminated in the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.
46. The famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” was given by:
• A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak ✅
• B) Lala Lajpat Rai
• C) Dadabhai Naoroji
• D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation: Tilak’s powerful slogan energized the freedom struggle and emphasized the right to self-rule.
47. Who led the Salt Satyagraha from Tamil Nadu?
• A) K. Kamaraj
• B) C. Rajagopalachari ✅
• C) Subramania Bharati
• D) E.V. Ramasamy
Explanation: C. Rajagopalachari led the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha in Tamil Nadu, mirroring Gandhi’s Dandi March.
48. The title of ‘Rashtrapita’ or ‘Father of the Nation’ was given to Gandhi by:
• A) Subhas Chandra Bose ✅
• B) Nehru
• C) Ambedkar
• D) Rabindranath Tagore
Explanation: Subhas Chandra Bose referred to Gandhi as the Father of the Nation in a radio address from Singapore.
49. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on:
• A) April 10, 1919
• B) April 13, 1919 ✅
• C) May 5, 1919
• D) March 30, 1919
Explanation: On April 13, 1919, British troops led by General Dyer opened fire on unarmed civilians in Amritsar.
50. The slogan “Do or Die” is associated with which movement?
• A) Civil Disobedience Movement
• B) Non-Cooperation Movement
• C) Quit India Movement ✅
• D) Swadeshi Movement
Explanation: Gandhi gave the slogan during the Quit India Movement in 1942, urging Indians to fight till the end.
The Indian National Movement multiple choice questions with answers presented here offer an in-depth understanding of the events, leaders, ideologies, and struggles that shaped India’s freedom. These questions are essential for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, State PSCs, NDA, CDS, and more. They not only help in revising key facts but also enhance conceptual clarity in history and polity.
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