Modern History of India with Questions and Answers

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Modern Indian History: From Plassey to Partition – UPSC Flashcards (25 Q&A Included)

Modern Indian History forms a crucial part of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Covering over 200 years of colonial rule and India’s freedom struggle, it provides both context and continuity to the evolution of Indian society and governance. This blog post offers an extensive set of 25 flashcards covering key events, dates, personalities, and legislations from the Battle of Plassey (1757) to India’s Independence and Partition (1947).

These flashcards are embedded in a structured JSON format at the end of the post. You can use them to revise directly or convert them into an Anki-compatible .apkg file using the integrated tool below.

📖 Why Modern Indian History is Important for UPSC

The period from 1757 to 1947 witnessed transformative changes in India’s political, economic, and cultural landscape. The East India Company’s rise, the emergence of national consciousness, and the making of independent India are not just historical events—they're foundational for understanding the Indian polity, economy, and society today.

UPSC has consistently asked questions from this segment in both Prelims and Mains. In fact, many toppers attribute their success in GS Paper 1 and Essay to strong command over Modern Indian History. With this in mind, flashcards offer a smart way to reinforce key facts while also building conceptual clarity.

🗂️ Topics Covered in the Flashcards

• Advent of Europeans
• British expansion in India
• Important Governor-Generals and their policies
• Revolt of 1857
• Growth of Indian nationalism
• Major Movements (Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India)
• Constitutional reforms (1909, 1919, 1935)
• Role of personalities: Gandhi, Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, etc.
• Partition and Independence

🧠 How to Use the Flashcards Effectively

Here’s a quick guide to using the flashcards for effective preparation:

1. Read the cards once to familiarize yourself.
2. Use spaced repetition (Anki) to revise regularly.
3. Mark difficult cards and revise them more frequently.
4. For each flashcard, ask yourself: “Can I link this to a bigger theme or movement?”
5. Use timelines and maps for better contextual understanding.

⚙️ Convert JSON Flashcards to Anki (.apkg)

If you use the Anki app for revision, paste the JSON block into our APKG Generator Tool to generate a deck file:

https://apkgmakeronline.blogspot.com/p/apkg-generator.html

📦 25 Flashcards in JSON Format

The following JSON contains 25 flashcards. Each object has a question, answer, and tags field. Copy the entire block into your converter or save it for revision.

{
  "questions": [
    {
      "question": "When did the Battle of Plassey take place?",
      "answer": "1757",
      "tags": ["british expansion", "battles"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who led the British forces in the Battle of Plassey?",
      "answer": "Robert Clive",
      "tags": ["personality", "east india company"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Which treaty ended the First Carnatic War?",
      "answer": "Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)",
      "tags": ["european advent", "treaties"]
    },
    {
      "question": "When was the Battle of Buxar fought?",
      "answer": "1764",
      "tags": ["battles", "british expansion"]
    },
    {
      "question": "What was the significance of the Battle of Buxar?",
      "answer": "It confirmed British control over Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.",
      "tags": ["battles", "significance"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Which act established dual government in Bengal?",
      "answer": "Regulating Act of 1773",
      "tags": ["governance", "acts"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal?",
      "answer": "Warren Hastings",
      "tags": ["governor-general", "early administration"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who introduced the Subsidiary Alliance system?",
      "answer": "Lord Wellesley",
      "tags": ["policies", "governor-general"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Which Governor-General annexed Awadh in 1856?",
      "answer": "Lord Dalhousie",
      "tags": ["annexation", "policies"]
    },
    {
      "question": "What was the Doctrine of Lapse?",
      "answer": "Policy of annexation under Lord Dalhousie for states without natural heirs.",
      "tags": ["doctrine", "dalhousie"]
    },
    {
      "question": "When did the Revolt of 1857 occur?",
      "answer": "1857",
      "tags": ["revolt", "uprising"]
    },
    {
      "question": "What was the immediate cause of the 1857 revolt?",
      "answer": "Introduction of greased cartridges in Enfield rifles.",
      "tags": ["causes", "revolt"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who was proclaimed the symbolic leader of the 1857 revolt?",
      "answer": "Bahadur Shah Zafar",
      "tags": ["revolt", "leaders"]
    },
    {
      "question": "When was the Indian National Congress founded?",
      "answer": "1885",
      "tags": ["nationalism", "INC"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who was the first president of the Indian National Congress?",
      "answer": "W.C. Bonnerjee",
      "tags": ["INC", "personalities"]
    },
    {
      "question": "What is the Partition of Bengal known for?",
      "answer": "It led to Swadeshi and Boycott Movement (1905).",
      "tags": ["partition", "bengal"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who led the Civil Disobedience Movement?",
      "answer": "Mahatma Gandhi",
      "tags": ["movements", "gandhi"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Which act introduced dyarchy in provinces?",
      "answer": "Government of India Act, 1919",
      "tags": ["constitutional reforms", "acts"]
    },
    {
      "question": "When was the Quit India Movement launched?",
      "answer": "1942",
      "tags": ["gandhi", "movements"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who gave the slogan 'Do or Die'?",
      "answer": "Mahatma Gandhi during Quit India Movement",
      "tags": ["quotes", "movements"]
    },
    {
      "question": "What was the result of the Cripps Mission?",
      "answer": "Failure to gain Indian support during WWII.",
      "tags": ["WWII", "british policy"]
    },
    {
      "question": "When did India gain independence?",
      "answer": "15 August 1947",
      "tags": ["independence", "partition"]
    },
    {
      "question": "What led to the formation of Pakistan?",
      "answer": "The Mountbatten Plan and demand by Muslim League.",
      "tags": ["partition", "mountbatten"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who was the last Viceroy of India?",
      "answer": "Lord Mountbatten",
      "tags": ["viceroy", "final phase"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Who formed the Indian National Army?",
      "answer": "Subhas Chandra Bose",
      "tags": ["freedom struggle", "INA"]
    },
    {
      "question": "Which plan proposed the partition of India?",
      "answer": "Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947)",
      "tags": ["partition", "plans"]
    }
   ]
}

📘 Closing Thoughts

Modern Indian History isn't about memorizing dates—it’s about understanding how a subjugated people built the foundation of the modern nation-state. These flashcards are designed to help you revise effectively, retain better, and recall confidently in the exam hall. Use them with discipline, and don’t forget to integrate with your current affairs and NCERT preparation.

If you found this resource useful, explore our other blog posts on Indian Polity, Geography, and Economy. Bookmark this page for future revisions and share it with your UPSC study group.

All the best for your UPSC journey!