Second half of the 19th century gave way to a large number of public associations raising demand for political reforms in India. In this context, consider the following statements:
1. Most of these associations were dominated by people of socio-economic backward classes.
2. They worked for association of Indians with the administration,putting forward Indian demands to the British Parliament.
3. Indian National Congress was the earliest organisation of this kind.

How many statements given above is/are correct:
(a) One only
(b) Two only
(c) All the three
(d) None

Question

Second half of the 19th century gave way to a large number of public associations raising demand for political reforms in India. In this context, consider the following statements:
1. Most of these associations were dominated by people of socio-economic backward classes.
2. They worked for association of Indians with the administration,putting forward Indian demands to the British Parliament.
3. Indian National Congress was the earliest organisation of this kind.

How many statements given above is/are correct:
(a) One only
(b) Two only
(c) All the three
(d) None

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Statement 1 is not correct: All these associations were dominated by wealthy and aristocratic elements and these organisations were provincial or local in character.

Statement 2 is correct: They worked for reform of administration, association of Indians with the administration, and spread of education, and sent long petitions, putting forward Indian demands, to the British Parliament.

Statement 3 is not correct: Although the Indian National Congress, founded in December 1885, was the first organised expression of the Indian National Movement on an all- India scale. It had, however, many predecessors. The earliest public association in modern India was the Landholder Society&mdash;an association of the landlords of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, founded in 1837 with the purpose of promoting the class interests of the landlords.Then, in 1843, was organised the Bengal British Indian Society to protect and promote general public interests. These two organisations merged to form the British India Association. Similarly, the Madras Native Association and the Bombay Association were established in 1852.

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M Question 1	⏱ 0
Second half of the 19th century gave way to a large number of public associations raising demand for political reforms in India. In this context, consider the following statements: 1. Most of these associations were dominated by people of socio-economic backward classes. 2. They worked for association of Indians with the administration,putting forward Indian demands to the British Parliament. 3. Indian National Congress was the earliest organisation of this kind. How many statements given above is/are correct: (a) One only (b) Two only (c) All the three (d) None