Question map
Consider the following : 1. Calcutta Unitarian Committee 2. Tabernacle of New Dispensation 3. Indian Reform Association Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above?
Explanation
The correct answer is option B (2 and 3 only).
The Calcutta Unitarian Committee was established in 1823 by Rammohun Roy, Dwarkanath Tagore, and William[2] Adam[1], not by Keshab Chandra Sen. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
In 1868, Keshub laid the foundation stone of his new church - the Tabernacle of New Dispensation[4] on 24th January[3], confirming his association with its establishment. Statement 2 is correct.
Keshub Chandra Sen established the Indian Reform[6] Association, which was formed on 29th October,[5] 1870 with Keshab Chandra Sen as President. Statement 3 is correct.
Since Keshab Chandra Sen was associated with the establishment of only the Tabernacle of New Dispensation (2) and the Indian Reform Association (3), but not the Calcutta Unitarian Committee (1), the correct answer is option B - 2 and 3 only.
SourcesPROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'Timeline & Association' trap. The question separates the 'Early Phase' (Rammohun Roy) from the 'Later Phase' (Keshab Chandra Sen). If you only memorized 'Brahmo Samaj' broadly without noting the specific schisms (Adi vs. India vs. Sadharan) and their unique institutions, you would struggle.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was Keshab Chandra Sen associated with the establishment of the Calcutta Unitarian Committee?
- Statement 2: Was Keshab Chandra Sen associated with the establishment of the Tabernacle of New Dispensation?
- Statement 3: Was Keshab Chandra Sen associated with the establishment of the Indian Reform Association?
- Explicitly names the founders of the Calcutta Unitarian Committee without mentioning Keshab Chandra Sen.
- Shows the committee was established in 1823 by Rammohun Roy, Dwarkanath Tagore, and William Adam, implying Sen was not involved.
- States the Calcutta Unitarian Committee was established by Rammohan Roy, Dwarkanath Tagore and William Adam.
- Also associates Keshab Chandra Sen with other institutions (Tabernacle, Indian Reform Association) but not with the Calcutta Unitarian Committee.
States Keshab Chandra Sen helped Atmaram Pandurang found the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay (1867), showing he took part in founding new reform organisations outside his immediate base.
A student could infer that since Sen co-founded societies elsewhere, it is plausible he might also have been involved in founding other bodies in Calcutta and should therefore check records of the Calcutta Unitarian Committee for his name or correspondence.
Notes Sen's role in popularising the Brahmo Samaj and opening branches in multiple provinces, indicating a pattern of organizing and institutional expansion.
Combine this pattern with knowledge that Unitarians and liberal Christian groups sometimes collaborated with Brahmo leaders to search archival lists of founders/meetings for Sen's participation.
Gives the scale of organisational growth under Sen (54 Samajas by 1865), implying he actively promoted and established formal bodies and committees.
Use this as a reason to inspect organisational founding dates and minutes of Calcutta committees from the period to see if Sen's leadership role extended to a Unitarian committee.
Records that Keshab Chandra Sen visited and lectured in Madras, indicating he travelled and engaged with reform networks outside Bengal.
Given his mobility and networking, a student might look for evidence of his involvement in urban Calcutta committees (such as Unitarian groups) in travel accounts, lecture notices or society membership lists.
- Explicitly states Keshub (Keshab Chandra Sen) laid the foundation stone of the Tabernacle of New Dispensation.
- Provides a specific date (24th January, 1868) linking Sen to the establishment event.
- Chronology entry records Keshub as laying the foundation stone of the Tabernacle of New Dispensation in 1868.
- Describes the Tabernacle as Keshub's 'new church', directly associating him with its establishment.
- States that in 1868 Keshub laid the foundation stone of his new church, naming it the Tabernacle of New Dispensation.
- Directly ties the Tabernacle's founding to Keshab Chandra Sen in a biographical context.
States Sen promoted 'cosmopolitanisation of the Samaj' by including teachings from all religions—a pattern of creating syncretic/reformist religious practices.
A student could check whether any of Sen's syncretic initiatives carried the name 'New Dispensation' or 'Tabernacle' in biographies or contemporary reports of his interreligious programmes.
Records that Sen helped found the Prarthana Samaj (1867), showing he did establish or co‑found new religious/reform organizations.
Use this pattern (he founded new societies) to investigate primary sources for other organizations he may have founded, looking for the specific title 'Tabernacle of New Dispensation'.
Describes Sen's role carrying forward the Brahmo tradition and incorporating diverse teachings and modern thought—consistent with starting new movements/forms of worship.
Compare names and descriptions of Brahmo offshoots and Sen's projects in period newspapers or his own writings to see if one was called the 'Tabernacle of New Dispensation'.
Notes that under Sen the Brahmo Samaj expanded widely (many branches beyond Bengal), indicating organizational activity and institution‑building.
Given his active institution‑building, check regional records (e.g., Madras, Bombay) for establishment records or announcements of any 'Tabernacle' linked to Sen.
Mentions Sen lectured in Madras and influenced reform movements outside Bengal—shows he promoted ideas publicly and possibly launched new local initiatives.
Search contemporaneous Madras/Tamil sources or lecture accounts for references to a 'New Dispensation' or a 'Tabernacle' created by or announced during his tours.
- Explicitly states Keshub (Keshab) established the Indian Reform Association on his return to India.
- Describes the association's areas of activity, linking it directly to his initiatives.
- States the formation date of the Indian Reform Association and names Keshab Chandra Sen as President.
- Connects the association to Sen's secular and reform activities after his visit to Great Britain.
- Chronology entry records that Keshub (Keshab) establishes the Indian Reform Association.
- Places the establishment in the timeline of Keshab's activities, supporting his direct association.
Shows Keshab Chandra Sen was a leading organiser in the Brahmo Samaj who expanded branches beyond Bengal, indicating active role in founding and promoting reform organisations.
A student could use this pattern (Sen as an organiser who set up branches) to check contemporary records or lists of founders/members of the Indian Reform Association in those same regions and years.
Records Sen's direct participation in founding another reform body (Prarthana Samaj), demonstrating he did found or help establish reform associations.
From this example of Sen founding an association, a student could plausibly examine founding documents or membership lists of the Indian Reform Association for his name or for similar collaborator networks.
Places Keshab Chandra Sen within a broader list of 19th-century Indian reform movements and organisations, showing the common practice of forming societies named 'Samaj' or associations.
A student could use the common naming/organisational pattern to search period sources (newspapers, pamphlets) for an 'Indian Reform Association' and see if Sen appears among reform leaders.
Describes formation of other political/association bodies (Indian Association of Calcutta) by contemporary reformers, demonstrating a pattern of forming named associations to advance reform causes.
Given this pattern, a student could check timelines and founders of mid-19th-century associations (like Indian Reform Association) to test whether Sen—active in that milieu—was involved.
Notes that Keshab Chandra Sen travelled and lectured outside Bengal (e.g., Madras), implying a national-level reform presence that could align with involvement in pan-Indian associations.
Using this evidence of national activity, a student might look for records of the Indian Reform Association's geographic scope and founding figures to see if Sen's national work overlaps.
- [THE VERDICT]: Standard/Moderate. Solvable by Spectrum/NCERT if you tracked the specific names of organizations, not just the movements.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The Schisms of the Brahmo Samaj (1866 and 1878) and the specific institutions built by the splinter groups.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Map the Founder-Institution pairs: Rammohun Roy (Atmiya Sabha 1814, Unitarian Committee 1823); Debendranath Tagore (Tattvabodhini Sabha 1839); Keshab Chandra Sen (Sangat Sabha 1860, Indian Reform Association 1870, Naba Bidhan 1880); Anandamohan Bose (Sadharan Brahmo Samaj 1878).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Use 'Chronological Validity' as a filter. The Unitarian Committee was a precursor to the Brahmo Sabha (1828). Keshab joined the movement in 1857. He physically could not have established a committee that existed before he was born.
Several references state Keshab was made acharya and 'took forward' the Brahmo Samaj, showing his central leadership role in that reform movement.
UPSC often asks about key figures of socio-religious reform movements and their roles. Mastering who led which reform body helps answer questions on causes, influence and organisational changes; link this with questions on social reform, religious revivalism and the Bengal renaissance. Learn by mapping leaders to organisations and their major reforms (e.g., leadership, doctrinal changes).
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Keshab Chandra Sen and the Brahmo Samaj > p. 210
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 19: Towards Modernity > Brahmo Samaj (1828) > p. 300
References note that under Keshab the Samaj opened branches outside Bengal (UP, Punjab, Bombay, Madras) and give branch counts for 1865.
Questions probe the reach and influence of reform movements (regional spread, urban centres). Knowing where a movement expanded and its organisational strength helps explain its social impact and political linkages. Prepare by tabulating movements vs. regions and noting branch/network data from sources.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Keshab Chandra Sen and the Brahmo Samaj > p. 210
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 19: Towards Modernity > Brahmo Samaj (1828) > p. 300
One reference explicitly says Keshab helped Atmaram Pandurang found the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay (1867), showing his role beyond the Brahmo Samaj.
UPSC questions frequently test cross-regional links among reform movements and collaborations between leaders. Understanding these connections enables answers on diffusion of ideas and ideological kinships (e.g., Brahmo-Prarthana links). Study by tracing founder networks and notable collaborations mentioned in primary sources.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Prarthana Samaj > p. 211
Multiple references show Sen was made acharya, led the Samaj, introduced radical ideas, and was later dismissed—key to questions about his organizational roles.
Understanding Sen's formal position and influence within the Brahmo Samaj helps answer questions on leadership, reform trajectories, and intra-movement conflicts. This is high-yield for UPSC topics on 19th-century social-religious reformers and their institutional roles; study primary timelines and major actions (appointments, dismissals) to answer attribution questions.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Keshab Chandra Sen and the Brahmo Samaj > p. 210
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 19: Towards Modernity > Brahmo Samaj (1828) > p. 300
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 13: Growth of New India Religious and Social Reform After 1858 > Brahmo Samaj > p. 216
References document the Samaj's reform commitments (anti-caste, widow/inter-caste marriage support) and branches opened outside Bengal—context for Sen's activities.
Mastering the reform aims and geographic expansion of reform movements allows candidates to place individual reformers and institutions in context—useful for comparative questions on social reform movements and regional influence. Link this to social reform topics (women's rights, caste, education) and map-based questions on movement diffusion.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Keshab Chandra Sen and the Brahmo Samaj > p. 210
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 19: Towards Modernity > Brahmo Samaj (1828) > p. 300
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 13: Growth of New India Religious and Social Reform After 1858 > Brahmo Samaj > p. 216
Evidence shows Keshab Chandra Sen helped found the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay, illustrating how Brahmo ideas seeded related organisations.
Knowing how reform ideas propagated into new organisations helps answer questions about networks and institutional legacies of 19th-century reformers. This is useful for essays and mains questions comparing movements; prepare by linking founders, locations, and ideological continuities.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Prarthana Samaj > p. 211
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Keshab Chandra Sen and the Brahmo Samaj > p. 210
Several references state Keshab (Keshub) Chandra Sen became acharya and was a leading figure who popularised the Brahmo Samaj.
High-yield for UPSC modern India: questions often ask key leaders of socio-religious reform movements and their roles. Understanding Sen's leadership, reform ideas, and conflicts within Brahmo Samaj helps answer questions on reformist ideology, intra-movement splits, and personalities. Study by mapping leader → organization → major reforms and notable events (e.g., dismissal in 1865).
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Keshab Chandra Sen and the Brahmo Samaj > p. 210
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 19: Towards Modernity > SUMMARY > p. 307
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Significance of Reform Movements > p. 237
The 'Sangat Sabha' (1860). This was Keshab's spiritual fraternity that discussed spiritual discipline. Also, the 'Victoria Institution' (college for women) founded under the auspices of the Indian Reform Association is a likely future target.
Apply the 'Generational Gap' heuristic. 'Unitarian' implies the early, rationalist influence of Western Christianity on Rammohun Roy (1820s). 'New Dispensation' implies the later, syncretic, devotional phase of Keshab (1880s). They belong to different historical generations. If you know Roy founded the Unitarian Committee, Option A and D are dead. Option B is the only logical survivor.
Link the Indian Reform Association to GS-1 (Society) and GS-2 (Polity). Keshab's pressure led to the Native Marriage Act (Act III of 1872), which was an early precursor to the Special Marriage Act—a key point for debates on the Uniform Civil Code.