TNPSC Group II · Bite-size lessons
Indian National Movement
About 6 min · General Studies · English
Time worked out from the lesson's 429 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.
The Indian National Movement (1857–1947) represents India's long struggle against British colonial rule, culminating in independence on 15 August 1947. This topic is a cornerstone of TNPSC General Studies. Questions typically test knowledge of chronology, key leaders, movements, acts, and their consequences.
Key ideas
- Revolt of 1857 was the first large-scale armed resistance against British rule, triggered by the greased cartridge issue but rooted in political, economic, and social grievances. It failed due to lack of coordination, limited geographic spread, and absence of unified leadership.
- Formation of Indian National Congress (1885) by A.O. Hume marked the beginning of organised nationalism. Early Congress leaders (Dadabhai Naoroji, Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta) used petitions, prayers, and constitutional methods—hence called "Moderates."
- Extremist Phase (1905–1919) saw leaders like Tilak, Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal advocate Swadeshi, boycott, and national education. Tilak's slogan: "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it."
- Revolutionary Nationalism ran parallel to mainstream movements. Groups like Anushilan Samiti, Ghadar Party, and individuals like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, and Subhas Chandra Bose's INA pursued armed struggle.
- Gandhian Era (1919–1947) introduced mass participation through Satyagraha (non-violent resistance). Key movements: Non-Cooperation (1920–22), Civil Disobedience (1930–34), and Quit India (1942).
Watch out for
- Confusing Home Rule Leagues: Students mix up Annie Besant (Madras, September 1916) with Tilak (Pune, April 1916). Remember: Tilak started FIRST (April), Besant LATER (September).
- Wrong sequence of Gandhian movements: The correct order is Non-Cooperation (1920) → Civil Disobedience (1930) → Quit India (1942). Students often confuse Civil Disobedience with Non-Cooperation.
- Mixing up Pacts: Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) ended Civil Disobedience temporarily; Poona Pact (1932) was between Gandhi and Ambedkar on depressed classes' representation—not the same context.
Quick reference
- 1857 Revolt centres: Delhi (Bahadur Shah II), Kanpur (Nana Sahib), Lucknow (Begum Hazrat Mahal), Jhansi (Rani Lakshmibai)
- Moderate-Extremist split: Surat Congress 1907; reunited at Lucknow 1916
- Three Round Table Conferences: 1930 (Congress absent), 1931 (Gandhi attended), 1932 (Congress absent again)
- INA trials (1945): Red Fort; defended by Bhulabhai Desai, Nehru, Asaf Ali
- Last Viceroy: Lord Mountbatten; oversaw partition and transfer of power
Check yourself: 3 questions
1. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress?
2. The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was launched by Mahatma Gandhi to address the grievances of indigo cultivators. In which present-day state is Champaran located?
3. Which of the following events occurred first in the chronological order of the Indian freedom struggle? 1. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 2. Partition of Bengal 3. Formation of Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) 4. Quit India Movement
This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 17 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.
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