UPSC Post-Independence India – Chapter 13: Politics in the Nehru and Shastri Years (22 MCQs)

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UPSC Post-Independence India – Chapter 13: Politics in the Nehru and Shastri Years (22 MCQs) – 22 questions, subject: History. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

The Praja Socialist Party, formed in 1952, was the result of the merger of:

Correct Answer: B [the Socialist Party and the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party]

Explanation:

the Socialist Party and J.B. Kripalani's Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party merged in 1952 to form the PSP.

2.  

When the Union government dismissed the E.M.S. Namboodiripad ministry of Kerala in July 1959, the President of the Indian National Congress was:

Correct Answer: C [Indira Gandhi]

Explanation:

Indira Gandhi was Congress president in 1959, when Article 356 was used against the Kerala government.

3.  

The Swatantra Party was formed in:

Correct Answer: C [1959]

Explanation:

C. Rajagopalachari founded the Swatantra Party in June 1959, months after the Congress Nagpur resolution on cooperative farming.

4.  

The first no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha was moved in 1963 by:

Correct Answer: B [J.B. Kripalani]

Explanation:

Acharya J.B. Kripalani moved the first no-confidence motion against the Nehru government in August 1963; it was defeated.

5.  

The first communist government in Kerala (1957) was headed by:

Correct Answer: A [E.M.S. Namboodiripad]

Explanation:

E.M.S. Namboodiripad led the CPI ministry formed after the 1957 Kerala Assembly election, the first elected communist State government.

6.  

The Kerala government was dismissed in 1959 under:

Correct Answer: C [Article 356]

Explanation:

Article 356 provides for President's Rule on failure of constitutional machinery; it was used to dismiss the Kerala ministry in July 1959.

7.  

The Congress adopted the goal of a "socialistic pattern of society" at its session in:

Correct Answer: A [Avadi]

Explanation:

The Congress adopted the goal of a 'socialistic pattern of society' at its Avadi session in 1955.

8.  

The Kamaraj Plan of 1963 proposed that:

Correct Answer: B [senior Congress leaders leave government posts for party work]

Explanation:

K. Kamaraj proposed that senior leaders quit office for party work; six Union Ministers and six Chief Ministers resigned in 1963.

9.  

After Nehru's death in May 1964, the interim Prime Minister was:

Correct Answer: C [Gulzarilal Nanda]

Explanation:

Gulzarilal Nanda, the senior-most minister, was sworn in as interim Prime Minister on Nehru's death on 27 May 1964.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. The first general elections were held between October 1951 and February 1952.
2. The DMK was founded by C.N. Annadurai in 1949.
3. The Communist Party of India was formed after independence.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2 are correct: elections ran October 1951 to February 1952 and Annadurai founded the DMK in 1949.

11.  

Assertion (A): C. Rajagopalachari formed the Swatantra Party in 1959.

Reason (R): He opposed the Congress resolution on cooperative farming and the licence system.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

Rajaji founded the Swatantra Party in 1959 precisely to oppose the Nagpur cooperative-farming resolution and the licence-permit system.

12.  

The phrase "Congress system" to describe one-party dominance was used by:

Correct Answer: D [Rajni Kothari]

Explanation:

Rajni Kothari coined the term in his 1964 Asian Survey article "The Congress 'System' in India".

13.  

The agitation against the Kerala government in 1959 is known as:

Correct Answer: D [Vimochana Samaram]

Explanation:

The 1959 agitation against Kerala's Communist government is called Vimochana Samaram, meaning 'Liberation Struggle'.

14.  

Lal Bahadur Shastri became Prime Minister on:

Correct Answer: A [9 June 1964]

Explanation:

After the Syndicate secured a consensus, Lal Bahadur Shastri was sworn in as Prime Minister on 9 June 1964.

15.  

Who among the following was not a member of the Congress "Syndicate"?

Correct Answer: B [Morarji Desai]

Explanation:

he contested against the Syndicate's choice in 1966.

16.  

The Nagpur session of the Congress (1959) is remembered for its resolution on:

Correct Answer: B [cooperative joint farming]

Explanation:

The January 1959 Nagpur session resolved on cooperative joint farming and land ceilings, which prompted Rajaji to form the Swatantra Party.

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Lal Bahadur Shastri becomes Prime Minister
2. First general elections begin
3. Communist government formed in Kerala
4. Kamaraj Plan

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [2-3-4-1]

Explanation:

Order: First general elections begin (1951) → Communist government formed in Kerala (1957) → Kamaraj Plan (1963) → Lal Bahadur Shastri becomes Prime Minister (1964).

18.  

In the first general elections, the voting age was:

Correct Answer: A [21 years]

Explanation:

The voting age in the first general elections was 21 years; it was lowered to 18 by the 61st Amendment (1988).

19.  

Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister in January 1966 after defeating in the party vote:

Correct Answer: C [Morarji Desai]

Explanation:

In the Congress parliamentary party vote of 19 January 1966, Indira Gandhi defeated Morarji Desai by 355 votes to 169.

20.  

Who was called the "kingmaker" for his role in choosing Shastri and Indira Gandhi?

Correct Answer: C [K. Kamaraj]

Explanation:

K. Kamaraj, Congress president and Syndicate leader, steered the consensus for Shastri in 1964 and for Indira Gandhi in 1966.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2018

Consider the following events:

1. The first democratically elected communist party government formed in a State in India.
2. India's then largest bank, 'Imperial Bank of India', was renamed 'State Bank of India'.
3. Air India was nationalised and became the national carrier.
4. Goa became a part of independent India.

Which of the following is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?

Correct Answer: B [3 - 2 - 1 - 4]

Explanation:

Air India (1953), SBI (1955), Kerala (1957), Goa (1961).

22.  
UPSC Prelims 2007

Consider the following statements:

1. Jawaharlal Nehru was in his fourth term as the Prime Minister of India at the time of his death.
2. Jawaharlal Nehru represented Rae Bareilly constituency as a Member of Parliament.
3. The first non-Congress Prime Minister of India assumed the office in the year 1977.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: D [1 and 3]

Explanation:

Nehru's terms: 1947–52, 1952–57, 1957–62, 1962–64; Morarji Desai became the first non-Congress PM in March 1977.

➤ Full notes, maps, tables, a reason for every option and Mains PYQs – U04 · Post-Independence India (UPSC book, ₹249): www.shanmugamiasacademy.in/study-materials/upsc-post-independence-india

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