UPSC CSE Mains 2023: Modern History Questions | Best Books | Expert Tips | Must-do Topics

India's struggle for freedom is etched on the mind of every Indian. Since childhood, we read stories of the valour of our great men and women who fought to free India from the shackles of the British Raj. The period of 200 years of struggle is marked by decades of courage and sacrifice. Considering the indelible impact that this period has had on our present, India’s freedom struggle has been made a critical part of the country’s toughest exam - UPSC Civil Services.

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Important Events of the Indian Freedom Struggle: Quick Revision

We all have studied modern history at school. But as time passes, our knowledge about significant events of the pre-independence era starts to fade (unless you are a Government exam aspirant!). Let's refresh your memory a bit. Here is a timeline that will take you through all the major events from 1857 to 1947. 

Trend of Questions from Modern History in UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination 

Modern Indian history refers to the history of India from the middle to late eighteenth century to the present. The era is punctuated by significant events such as the decline of the Mughal empire, the British conquest of India, the revolt of 1857, the rise of nationalism, the Indian freedom movement, etc. Over the years, UPSC has consistently asked questions from modern history in both Prelims and Main Examination. 

Here is a graph that shows the number of questions asked in the prelim examination in the last 6 years. The difficulty level of these questions ranges from moderate to difficult. 

Can you solve a few MCQs related to modern Indian history? Here, take a guess. 

Q1. Which Indian mass movement began with the famous ‘Dandi March’ of Mahatma Gandhi? 

1. Khilafat Movement
2. Non-Cooperation Movement
3. Civil Disobedient Movement
4. Quit India Movement 

Q2. Who among the following introduced the subsidiary alliance system in India?

1. Lord Clive
2. Lord Wellesley
3. Lord Cunningham
4. Lord Canning

Q3. Who founded Banaras Hindu University, the largest residential Central University in Asia in Varanasi?

1. Vivekananda
2. Annie Besant
3. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya
4. Jawahar Lal Nehru

Q4. Who was the personal secretary of Gandhiji?

1. Mahadev Desai
2. Sharat Bose
3. K.C. Nayyar
4. S.P. Mitra

Q5. Who referred to Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘Father of the Nation’ for the first time?

1. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
2. C. Rajgopalachari
3. Jawaharlal Nehru
4. Subhash Chandra Bose

(Answers are given at the end of the article) 

UPSC’s changing pattern: UPSC is known for being uncertain with regard to the preliminary exam pattern. In fact, the tried-and-tested elimination method is seemingly not helpful anymore, as observed in the exams conducted lately. Hence, candidates are expected to challenge themselves with different kinds of questions, focus on basic concepts and memorize facts, years, names, etc. well. 

Modern History Previous Year Questions (UPSC Main Exam)

In the Main examination, UPSC targets the background knowledge of the candidate rather than the factual knowledge. Here are a few PYQs asked in UPSC Main Examination that will give you a glimpse.

Q1. Clarify how mid-eighteenth-century India was beset with the specter of a fragmented polity (2017) 

Q2. Many voices strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement during the Gandhian phase. Elaborate. (2019) 

Q3. Explain how the Uprising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India. (2016) 

Q4. Since the 1920s, the national movement acquired various ideological strands and expanded its social base. Discuss. (2020)

Q5. Why was a sudden spurt in famines in colonial India since the mid-18th century? Give reasons. (2022)

The 7-5-3 Rule of Answer Writing: Named after the code of discipline that martial artists use, the 7-5-3 rule is a simple rule that helps you write a well-structured subjective answer to UPSC Main examination questions within the given time limit. SEVEN: Answer questions within 7 minutes per question FIVE: Write 5 bulleted points in answers related to the keyword THREE: Elaborate each point in three dimensions (social, economic, political ) as per the question. OR Write for, against, and conclusion OR Write about what, why, how

Books and Important Topics for Modern History for UPSC CSE Examination

Here are some best books to prepare for the major sections of Modern History for UPSC CSE.

• A Brief History Of Modern India Spectrum by Rajeev Ahir
• History Of Modern India by Bipin Chandra
• India’s Struggle For Independence by Bipin Chandra
• From Plassey To Partition And After by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay
• NCERT Class XI - Modern India by Bipan Chandra

Important Topics

Expert Tips for Studying Modern History for UPSC CSE

• Build a story
• Make timelines
• Analyze each significant event and understand its future impact
• Stick to a few sources. Multiple revision of limited resources is more important 
• Use maps to remember the locations of important events
• Use mnemonic devices. Here is one for Viceroys of India in chronological order:  

Can Elgin Make Lemon Rice for Dinner and Lunch? (After that) Elgin Could Meet Hardinge for Chemistry Reading In a While. 

1. Lord Canning
2. Lord Elgin (1st)
3. Lord Mayo
4. Lord Lytton
5. Lord Ripon
6. Lord Dufferin
7. Lord Lansdowne
8. Lord Elgin (2nd)
9. Lord Curzon
10. Lord Minto (1st)
11. Lord Hardinge 
12. Lord Chelmsford
13. Lord Reading
14. Lord Irwin
15. Lord Willingdon

Answers to MCQs: 1-C, 2-B,3-C,4-A,5-D

We hope you found the above article helpful. For more such articles, stay tuned to Unstop! 

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