Social Reform Movements MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Social Reform Movements - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is - Dharma Sabha

Key Points

• Dharma Sabha
  • The Dharma Sabha was formed in 1830 by Radhakanta Deb.
  • It was established to counter Raja Rammohun Roy's efforts to abolish the practice of sati.
  • The organization aimed to preserve traditional Hindu customs and opposed the British colonial government's intervention in religious practices.

Additional Information

• Raja Rammohun Roy
  • He was a prominent social reformer in India who advocated for the abolition of the sati practice, which involved the immolation of widows on their husband's funeral pyres.
  • Raja Rammohun Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 to promote social and religious reforms.
• Other Organizations
  • The Brahmo Samaj aimed at reforming Hindu society and promoting monotheism.
  • The Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875 to promote values based on the Vedas and opposed practices like idol worship.
  • The Indian National Congress was established in 1885 to seek Indian self-rule and independence from British rule.

The correct answer is - Oppose and resist social change

Key Points

• Oppose and resist social change
  • Counter-movements are typically formed in response to social movements that seek to bring about changes in society.
  • The primary goal of counter-movements is to oppose and resist the changes proposed by these social movements.
  • They often represent groups that feel threatened by the changes and wish to maintain the status quo.
  • Examples include movements against civil rights advancements, gender equality, and environmental regulations.

Additional Information

• Characteristics of Counter-Movements
  • Often emerge when existing power structures are challenged.
  • Can be reactionary, aiming to preserve traditional values and norms.
  • May use various strategies, including lobbying, protests, and legal actions, to achieve their goals.
• Examples of Counter-Movements
  • Anti-feminist movements - Oppose feminist efforts to achieve gender equality.
  • Climate change denial groups - Resist environmental policies aimed at combating climate change.
  • Pro-life movements - Oppose the legalization and practice of abortion.

The correct answer is - Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

Key Points

Additional Information

• Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
  • This act is a significant measure to provide protection to SCs and STs against acts of discrimination and violence.
  • Provisions under the act include stringent punishment for offenders, establishment of special courts for fast-track trials, and measures for relief and rehabilitation of victims.
• Government of India Act, 1935
  • This was a pre-independence legislative measure that provided for a federal structure and provincial autonomy but did not specifically address violence against Dalits and Adivasis.
• 93rd Constitutional Amendment, 2006
  • This amendment deals with reservations in education for socially and educationally backward classes, but is not directly related to legal provisions against violence towards Dalits and Adivasis.
• Article 17, Constitution of India 1950
  • Article 17 abolishes "untouchability" and forbids its practice in any form, making it a punishable offense under the law.
  • While it provides a constitutional safeguard, the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 specifically strengthens legal provisions against violence and humiliation.

The correct answer is - 3) A - II, B - I, C - IV, D - III

Key Points

Additional Information

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy
  • Known as the "Father of the Indian Renaissance," he worked towards the abolition of practices like sati and child marriage.
  • He also advocated for modern education and the rights of women.
• M. G. Ranade
  • A distinguished social reformer and judge, Ranade co-founded the Widow Remarriage Association and was an advocate for women's empowerment and education.
• Savitri Bai Phule
  • Recognized as one of the first female teachers of India, she worked tirelessly for women's education and fought against social injustices.
• Jyotiba Phule
  • A prominent social reformer and thinker who challenged the rigid caste system and worked for the upliftment of the downtrodden and oppressed sections of society.

Shree Guru Narayan

Key Points

• Shree Guru Narayan
  • He was a prominent social reformer in Kerala, India.
  • He emphasized the importance of education, social equality, and the upliftment of the oppressed classes.
  • Guru Narayan founded several educational institutions and temples open to all castes, breaking traditional caste barriers.
  • He is best known for his pragmatic approach to social reform, combining spiritual and practical solutions to address societal issues.

Additional Information

• Jawaharlal Nehru
  • He was the first Prime Minister of independent India.
  • Nehru was a key figure in the Indian independence movement and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.
  • He is known more for his political leadership and vision for a modern India rather than direct social reform.
• Mahatma Gandhi
  • He was a leader of the Indian independence movement and a proponent of non-violent resistance.
  • Gandhi worked extensively on social reforms, including the upliftment of the untouchables, but his approach was more idealistic and spiritual.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • He was a prominent nationalist leader and freedom fighter.
  • Tilak is best known for his aggressive stance against British rule and his slogan "Swaraj is my birthright."
  • His focus was more on political activism rather than social reform.

The correct answer is Sayyed Ahmed Khan.Key Points

• The Aligarh Movement was the push to establish a modern system of Western-style scientific education for the Muslim population of British India, during the later decades of the 19th century.
•  The movement's name derives from the fact that its core and origins lay in the city of Aligarh in Northern India and, in particular, with the foundation of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875.
• The founder of the oriental college, and the other educational institutions that developed from it, was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
• He became the leading light of the wider Aligarh Movement.

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

• Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was an Indian Muslim reformer, philosopher, and educationist in nineteenth-century British India.
• Though initially espousing Hindu-Muslim unity, he became the pioneer of Muslim nationalism in India and is widely credited as the father of the two-nation theory, which formed the basis of the Pakistan movement.
• Born into a family with strong debts to the Mughal court, Ahmad studied the Quran and Sciences within the court. He was awarded an honorary LLD from the University of Edinburgh in 1889.

Additional Information Moulana Hussain

• Hussain Ahmad Madani was an Indian Islamic scholar, who served as the principal of Darul Uloom Deoband.
• He was among the first recipients of the civilian honor of Padma Bhushan in 1954.
• Madani played a key role in cementing the Congress-Khilafat Pact in the 1920s and "Through a series of lectures and pamphlets during the 1920s and 1930s, Madani prepared the ground for the cooperation of the Indian Ulama with the Indian National Congress."
• His work Muttahida Qaumiyat Aur Islam was published in 1938 and advocated for a united country, in opposition to the partition of India.

Mohammed Ali Jauhar

• Muhammad Ali Jauhar, was an Indian Muslim activist, prominent member of the All-India Muslim League, journalist and poet, a leading figure of the Khilafat Movement, and one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia.
• Jauhar was a product of the Aligarh Movement.
• He was elected to become the President of the Indian National Congress party in 1923 and it lasted only for a few months.
• He was also one of the founders and 14th president of the All-India Muslim League.

Hakim Ajmal Khan

• Mohammad Ajmal Khan, better known as Hakim Ajmal Khan, was a physician in Delhi, India, and one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia University.
• He also founded another institution, Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, better known as Tibbia College, situated in Karol Bagh, Delhi.
• He was the only Muslim to chair a session of the Hindu Mahasabha.
• He became the university's first chancellor in 1920 and remained in office until his death in 1927.

The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.
Key Points

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a social reformer who founded a reform association known as the Brahma Sabha (Brahma Samaj) in Calcutta in 1828.
• In 1814, he formed Atmiya Sabha and the Calcutta Unitarian Association in 1821.
• He campaigned for rights for women, including the right for widows to remarry, and the right for women to hold property. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• He attacked child marriage, polygamy, the illiteracy of women, and the degraded state of widows.
• His efforts led to the abolition of Sati in 1829.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned against the caste system, untouchability, superstitions, and use of intoxicants. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• He supported the idea of western education in the country and bring about greater freedom and equality for women.
• He wrote about how women were confined to domestic work and not allowed to move outside.

The correct answer is Sayyed Ahmed Khan.Key Points

• The Aligarh Movement was the push to establish a modern system of Western-style scientific education for the Muslim population of British India, during the later decades of the 19th century.
•  The movement's name derives from the fact that its core and origins lay in the city of Aligarh in Northern India and, in particular, with the foundation of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875.
• The founder of the oriental college, and the other educational institutions that developed from it, was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
• He became the leading light of the wider Aligarh Movement.

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

• Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was an Indian Muslim reformer, philosopher, and educationist in nineteenth-century British India.
• Though initially espousing Hindu-Muslim unity, he became the pioneer of Muslim nationalism in India and is widely credited as the father of the two-nation theory, which formed the basis of the Pakistan movement.
• Born into a family with strong debts to the Mughal court, Ahmad studied the Quran and Sciences within the court. He was awarded an honorary LLD from the University of Edinburgh in 1889.

Additional Information Moulana Hussain

• Hussain Ahmad Madani was an Indian Islamic scholar, who served as the principal of Darul Uloom Deoband.
• He was among the first recipients of the civilian honor of Padma Bhushan in 1954.
• Madani played a key role in cementing the Congress-Khilafat Pact in the 1920s and "Through a series of lectures and pamphlets during the 1920s and 1930s, Madani prepared the ground for the cooperation of the Indian Ulama with the Indian National Congress."
• His work Muttahida Qaumiyat Aur Islam was published in 1938 and advocated for a united country, in opposition to the partition of India.

Mohammed Ali Jauhar

• Muhammad Ali Jauhar, was an Indian Muslim activist, prominent member of the All-India Muslim League, journalist and poet, a leading figure of the Khilafat Movement, and one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia.
• Jauhar was a product of the Aligarh Movement.
• He was elected to become the President of the Indian National Congress party in 1923 and it lasted only for a few months.
• He was also one of the founders and 14th president of the All-India Muslim League.

Hakim Ajmal Khan

• Mohammad Ajmal Khan, better known as Hakim Ajmal Khan, was a physician in Delhi, India, and one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia University.
• He also founded another institution, Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, better known as Tibbia College, situated in Karol Bagh, Delhi.
• He was the only Muslim to chair a session of the Hindu Mahasabha.
• He became the university's first chancellor in 1920 and remained in office until his death in 1927.

The correct answer is Only 2.

Key Points

• Lingayatism is a Shaivite Hindu religious tradition in India founded by a social reformer Basavanna.
• The Lingayat means a person wearing Linga.
• Lingayats were against Hinduism in the 12th century and rejected most of the Hindu traditions.
• Lingayats rejected the Vedas, shastras, smritis, and the Upanishads. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• They follow Basava's vachanas and don't believe in the caste system. Hence statement 1 is not correct.

Additional Information

• Basaveshwara popularly known as Basavanna was a 12th-century social reformer, philosopher, and Lingayat saint.
• He spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas.
• He introduced Ishtalinga necklace and public institutions such as the Anubhava Mantapa.
• His prime target was the caste hierarchy which he rejected with full force.

Confusion Points

• The terms Lingayatism and Veerashaivism have been used synonymously, but they are not the same.
• The essential difference is that veerashaivas accept the Vedic texts and practices like caste and gender discrimination.
• But Lingayats rejected the above practices.

Shree Guru Narayan

Key Points

• Shree Guru Narayan
  • He was a prominent social reformer in Kerala, India.
  • He emphasized the importance of education, social equality, and the upliftment of the oppressed classes.
  • Guru Narayan founded several educational institutions and temples open to all castes, breaking traditional caste barriers.
  • He is best known for his pragmatic approach to social reform, combining spiritual and practical solutions to address societal issues.

Additional Information

• Jawaharlal Nehru
  • He was the first Prime Minister of independent India.
  • Nehru was a key figure in the Indian independence movement and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.
  • He is known more for his political leadership and vision for a modern India rather than direct social reform.
• Mahatma Gandhi
  • He was a leader of the Indian independence movement and a proponent of non-violent resistance.
  • Gandhi worked extensively on social reforms, including the upliftment of the untouchables, but his approach was more idealistic and spiritual.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • He was a prominent nationalist leader and freedom fighter.
  • Tilak is best known for his aggressive stance against British rule and his slogan "Swaraj is my birthright."
  • His focus was more on political activism rather than social reform.

The correct answer is - Dharma Sabha

Key Points

• Dharma Sabha
  • The Dharma Sabha was formed in 1830 by Radhakanta Deb.
  • It was established to counter Raja Rammohun Roy's efforts to abolish the practice of sati.
  • The organization aimed to preserve traditional Hindu customs and opposed the British colonial government's intervention in religious practices.

Additional Information

• Raja Rammohun Roy
  • He was a prominent social reformer in India who advocated for the abolition of the sati practice, which involved the immolation of widows on their husband's funeral pyres.
  • Raja Rammohun Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 to promote social and religious reforms.
• Other Organizations
  • The Brahmo Samaj aimed at reforming Hindu society and promoting monotheism.
  • The Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875 to promote values based on the Vedas and opposed practices like idol worship.
  • The Indian National Congress was established in 1885 to seek Indian self-rule and independence from British rule.

The correct answer is - Oppose and resist social change

Key Points

• Oppose and resist social change
  • Counter-movements are typically formed in response to social movements that seek to bring about changes in society.
  • The primary goal of counter-movements is to oppose and resist the changes proposed by these social movements.
  • They often represent groups that feel threatened by the changes and wish to maintain the status quo.
  • Examples include movements against civil rights advancements, gender equality, and environmental regulations.

Additional Information

• Characteristics of Counter-Movements
  • Often emerge when existing power structures are challenged.
  • Can be reactionary, aiming to preserve traditional values and norms.
  • May use various strategies, including lobbying, protests, and legal actions, to achieve their goals.
• Examples of Counter-Movements
  • Anti-feminist movements - Oppose feminist efforts to achieve gender equality.
  • Climate change denial groups - Resist environmental policies aimed at combating climate change.
  • Pro-life movements - Oppose the legalization and practice of abortion.

The correct answer is - Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

Key Points

Additional Information

• Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
  • This act is a significant measure to provide protection to SCs and STs against acts of discrimination and violence.
  • Provisions under the act include stringent punishment for offenders, establishment of special courts for fast-track trials, and measures for relief and rehabilitation of victims.
• Government of India Act, 1935
  • This was a pre-independence legislative measure that provided for a federal structure and provincial autonomy but did not specifically address violence against Dalits and Adivasis.
• 93rd Constitutional Amendment, 2006
  • This amendment deals with reservations in education for socially and educationally backward classes, but is not directly related to legal provisions against violence towards Dalits and Adivasis.
• Article 17, Constitution of India 1950
  • Article 17 abolishes "untouchability" and forbids its practice in any form, making it a punishable offense under the law.
  • While it provides a constitutional safeguard, the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 specifically strengthens legal provisions against violence and humiliation.

The correct answer is - 3) A - II, B - I, C - IV, D - III

Key Points

Additional Information

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy
  • Known as the "Father of the Indian Renaissance," he worked towards the abolition of practices like sati and child marriage.
  • He also advocated for modern education and the rights of women.
• M. G. Ranade
  • A distinguished social reformer and judge, Ranade co-founded the Widow Remarriage Association and was an advocate for women's empowerment and education.
• Savitri Bai Phule
  • Recognized as one of the first female teachers of India, she worked tirelessly for women's education and fought against social injustices.
• Jyotiba Phule
  • A prominent social reformer and thinker who challenged the rigid caste system and worked for the upliftment of the downtrodden and oppressed sections of society.