UPSC GS Paper I: Modern History, Rise of Indian Nationalism, INC Formation, Moderate vs Extremist

Must?Know

• Indian National Congress (INC) formed in December 1885 in Bombay; founded by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, with support from Indian leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji and Dinshaw Wacha.
• First session of INC held from 28–31 December 1885 at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay; presided by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee.
• Early Congress (1885–1905) dominated by Moderates who believed in constitutional methods, petitions, prayers, and persuasion to achieve political reforms.
• Moderates included Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, and Surendranath Banerjee; emphasized loyalty to the British Crown.
• Dadabhai Naoroji presented the "Drain Theory" in his book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901), arguing that Britain drained India’s wealth through salaries, pensions, and trade imbalances.
• Surat Split occurred in 1907 when INC divided into Moderates and Extremists over leadership and methods; split formalized after clash at Surat session.
• Extremists, led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal (Lal-Bal-Pal trio), advocated self-reliance, swaraj, and mass mobilization through boycott and national education.
• Tilak declared “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” in 1906, becoming a defining slogan of the Extremist phase.
• Extremists criticized Moderates for relying solely on petitions and annual meetings; believed in direct action and mass participation.
• Partition of Bengal in 1905 by Lord Curzon triggered widespread protests and marked the beginning of the Swadeshi Movement, a key platform for Extremist leadership.
• Swadeshi Movement (1905–1911) involved boycott of British goods, promotion of indigenous industries, and establishment of national schools; centered in Bengal but spread to Maharashtra, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu.
• Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 to train national missionaries for social and political reform through constitutional means.
• Surat Split (1907) resulted in Moderates retaining control of INC; Extremists were marginalized until the Lucknow Pact (1916) facilitated their re-entry.
• Extremists were imprisoned or silenced post-1907: Tilak was sentenced to six years in Mandalay (1908–1914) for sedition due to writings in Kesari.
• Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act, 1909) introduced separate electorates for Muslims, accepted by Moderates but criticized by Extremists as divisive.
• Lucknow Pact (1916) signed between INC and Muslim League; marked reunion of Moderates and Extremists within Congress and joint demand for self-government.
• Annie Besant played a key role in reuniting INC factions and launched the Home Rule Movement in 1916 alongside Tilak, who started his own league in April 1916.
• Home Rule Leagues (Besant’s in September 1916, Tilak’s in April 1916) demanded self-government within the British Empire, modeled on Irish Home Rule.
• Montagu Declaration (August 1917) announced by Secretary of State Edwin Montagu: “progressive realization of responsible government in India as an integral part of the British Empire.”
• Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act, 1919) introduced dyarchy in provinces, a partial transfer of power, seen as inadequate by both Moderates and post-1919 nationalist leaders.
• Extremists emphasized mass mobilization and cultural revival: Tilak revived Ganapati and Shivaji festivals to foster national unity and resistance.
• Moderates succeeded in getting Indian voices heard in British political discourse: Dadabhai Naoroji became the first Asian MP in British House of Commons (1892–1895).
• Indian Councils Act 1892 expanded legislative councils and allowed indirect election of members, a limited concession welcomed by Moderates.
• Surat Split was triggered by dispute over venue (Moderates wanted Pune, but session held in Surat) and election of president (Extremists supported Lala Lajpat Rai, Moderates elected Rashbihari Ghosh).
• The Extremists’ approach laid groundwork for Gandhi’s mass movements post-1919, particularly in use of boycott, swadeshi, and non-cooperation.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – Requires understanding of ideological differences, timelines, and interlinkages between events like Partition of Bengal, Swadeshi Movement, and organizational splits.

Common UPSC Traps

Trap: The Indian National Congress was founded by Indian leaders alone – Fact: A.O. Hume, a British civil servant, initiated the formation with Indian leaders’ collaboration, as per historical records in A History of the Indian National Congress by Pattabhiramaiah.
Trap: The Surat Split occurred in 1905 – Fact: The split happened in 1907 during the Surat session; 1905 was the year of Bengal Partition, which intensified ideological differences.
Trap: Moderates completely rejected mass agitation – Fact: Moderates supported public meetings and press campaigns but opposed civil disobedience and boycott, distinguishing their method from Extremists.
Trap: The Home Rule Movement was launched solely by Tilak – Fact: Two separate leagues: Tilak started his in April 1916, Annie Besant launched hers in September 1916, later coordinated efforts.

Practice MCQs

Question: The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 primarily with the objective of:
A) Launching an armed struggle for independence
B) Creating a platform for Indian civil servants to unite
C) Providing a constitutional platform for political dialogue with the British
D) Establishing a socialist economic order in India
Answer: C
Explanation: The early INC aimed to create a platform for dialogue with the British through petitions and constitutional means, as seen in its moderate phase.
Why others fail: Option B is misleading—while some members were civil servants, the INC was a broad-based political platform, not exclusive to them.

Question: The Surat Split in the Indian National Congress took place in which year?
A) 1905
B) 1906
C) 1907
D) 1916
Answer: C
Explanation: The Surat Split occurred in 1907 during the annual session, marking the formal division between Moderates and Extremists.
Why others fail: Option A (1905) is the year of Bengal Partition, which intensified divisions but did not cause the split itself.

Question: Which of the following leaders is correctly matched with the movement or organization they led?

1. Bal Gangadhar Tilak – Home Rule League

2. Gopal Krishna Gokhale – Servants of India Society

3. Dadabhai Naoroji – Drain Theory
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation: All three are correct: Tilak founded a Home Rule League in 1916, Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in 1905, and Naoroji formulated the Drain Theory.
Why others fail: Option C may tempt those unaware of Gokhale’s role in founding the Servants of India Society.

Question: The Lucknow Pact (1916) is significant because it:
A) Marked the beginning of the Non-Cooperation Movement
B) Led to the reunification of Moderates and Extremists in the INC
C) Resulted in the formation of the Muslim League
D) Announced the policy of dyarchy in Indian provinces
Answer: B
Explanation: The Lucknow Pact facilitated the reunion of Moderates and Extremists within the INC and also improved Congress-League relations.
Why others fail: Option A is incorrect—Non-Cooperation Movement began in 1920, not 1916.

Question: Which of the following was a key demand of the Extremists in the Indian National Congress?
A) Expansion of legislative councils through the Indian Councils Act
B) Gradual reforms through British parliamentary appeals
C) Swaraj as the goal of the national movement
D) Loyalty to the British Crown as a principle
Answer: C
Explanation: Extremists, especially Tilak, openly demanded swaraj (self-rule), unlike Moderates who sought reforms within colonial framework.
Why others fail: Option D reflects Moderate stance, making it a tempting but incorrect choice.

Last?Minute Revision

• 1885: INC founded in Bombay.
• 1892: Indian Councils Act introduced indirect elections.
• 1905: Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.
• 1905–1911: Swadeshi Movement active.
• 1906: Tilak’s “Swaraj is my birthright” slogan.
• 1907: Surat Split in INC.
• 1909: Morley-Minto Reforms introduced separate electorates.
• 1916: Lucknow Pact between INC and Muslim League.
• 1916: Tilak and Besant launched Home Rule Leagues.
• 1917: Montagu Declaration promised responsible government.
• Dadabhai Naoroji: First Asian MP in UK (1892).
• Gokhale: Founded Servants of India Society (1905).
• A.O. Hume: Founder-secretary of INC.
• W.C. Bonnerjee: First president of INC.
• Lal-Bal-Pal: Extremist triumvirate.
• Drain Theory: Dadabhai Naoroji, Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
• Surat Split: 1907, not 1905.
• Home Rule Leagues: Two separate ones—Tilak (April 1916), Besant (September 1916).
• Extremists favored boycott and national education; Moderates favored petitions.
• Moderates accepted Morley-Minto Reforms; Extremists opposed them.
• Tilak imprisoned 1908–1914 in Mandalay.
• Swadeshi Movement included boycott of British goods and use of indigenous products.
• 1916: Reunion of Moderates and Extremists post-Lucknow Pact.
• Gokhale was mentor to Gandhi; Tilak influenced later mass movements.
• INC’s early sessions were annual and rotated across cities.