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Q69 (IAS/2018) History & Culture › National Movement (1857–1947) › Gandhian mass movements Official Key

Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The Champaran Movement was Gandhi's first attempt at mobilizing the Indian masses, made on an invitation by peasants of Champaran.[1] Indigo cultivators of the district Champaran in Bihar were severely exploited by the European planters who had bound the peasants to compulsorily grow indigo on 3/20th of their fields and sell it at the rates[1] dictated by the planters. Mahatma Gandhi spent much of 1917 in Champaran, seeking to obtain for the peasants security of tenure as well as the freedom to cultivate the crops of their choice. These initiatives[2] in Champaran, Ahmedabad and Kheda marked Gandhiji out as a nationalist with a deep sympathy for the poor.[2]

The very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha was that it linked agrarian distress and peasant grievances directly to the broader national movement for independence. This was the first time Gandhi brought peasant issues into the mainstream of India's freedom struggle, establishing a pattern that would continue throughout the nationalist movement. Options A and B are not supported by the sources as defining features of Champaran specifically, while option D is incorrect as the movement resulted in the abolition of the Tinkathiya system[3] rather than a drastic decrease in commercial crop cultivation overall.

Sources
  1. [1] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > a) Champaran Movement (1917) > p. 42
  2. [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 11: MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT > 2. The Making and Unmaking of Non-cooperation > p. 289
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Q. Which one of the following is a very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha ? [A] Active all-India participation of lawyers, stu…
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Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 2.5/10 · 2.5/10
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This is a foundational concept question, not a trivia question. It tests if you understand the 'Gandhian Shift' in Indian history—the transition from elite, urban politics to mass-based rural mobilization. It is directly solvable from Spectrum or NCERT by recognizing Champaran as the entry point of the 'Peasant' into the 'Nation'.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Was active all-India participation of lawyers, students, and women in the national movement a significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 14: Nationalist Movement 1905—1918 > The Role of Students, Women, Muslims, and the Masses > p. 243
Strength: 4/5
“be withdrawn; they were to be disaffiliated, their students were not to be permitted to compete for scholarships and were to be barred from all service under the government. Disciplinary action was taken against students found guilty of participating in the nationalist agitation. Many of them were fined, expelled from schools and colleges, arrested, and sometimes beaten by the police with lathis. The students, however, refused to be cowed down. A remarkable aspect of the Swadeshi agitation was the active participation of women in the movement. The traditionally home-centred women of the urban middle classes joined processions and picketing. From then on they were to take an active part in the nationalist movement.”
Why relevant

Describes a recurring pattern in early nationalist agitations: students were active volunteers and faced punishment, and women began to join processions and picketing.

How to extend

A student could take this general pattern (students and women becoming active in movements of 1905–1918) and check local Champaran records or biographies to see if the same social groups appeared there.

Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 13: Growth of New India Religious and Social Reform After 1858 > Emancipation of Women > p. 230
Strength: 3/5
“made to make modern medicine and child delivery techniques available to Indian women. The movement for the liberation of women received a great stimulus from the rise of the militant national movement in the 20th century. Women played an active and important role in the struggle for freedom. They participated in large numbers in the agitation against the partition of Bengal and in the Home Rule movement. After 1918 they marched in political processions, picketed shops selling foreign cloth and liquor. Another important development was the birth of a women's movement in the country. Up to the 1920's enlightened men had worked for the uplift of women.”
Why relevant

States that the rise of the militant national movement mobilised women into public political roles (picketing, processions) after 1918 and that women played active roles in freedom struggles.

How to extend

Use the timing and trend (women's wider political entry) against the 1917 Champaran event to assess plausibility of female participation and then look for Champaran-specific accounts or local examples.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 16: Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan > Students > p. 335
Strength: 3/5
“Students became active volunteers of the movement and thousands of them left government schools and colleges and joined national schools and colleges. The newly opened national institutions like the Kashi Vidyapeeth, the Gujarat Vidyapeeth and the Jamila Milia Islamia and others accommodated many students.”
Why relevant

Notes students' prominent role in several movements (leaving government institutions for national ones), indicating that student activism was a transferable feature across different agitations.

How to extend

Apply this transferable role to Champaran by checking whether student groups or national schools active in the region participated in 1917.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Extent of Mass Participation > p. 268
Strength: 2/5
“in processions and picketing. From now onwards, they were to play a significant role in the national movement. Stand of Muslims Some of the Muslims participated— Barrister Abdul Rasul, Liaqat Hussain, Guznavi, Maulana Azad (who joined one of the revolutionary terrorist groups); but most of the upper and middle class Muslims stayed away or, led by Nawab Salimullah of Dacca, supported the partition on the plea that it would give them a Muslim-majority East Bengal. To further government interests, the All India Muslim League was propped up on December 30, 1905 as an anti-Congress front, and reactionary elements like Nawab Salimullah of Dacca were encouraged.”
Why relevant

Gives an example of lawyers/Barristers (e.g., Abdul Rasul, Liaqat Hussain) participating in nationalist activities, showing legal professionals sometimes engaged in political struggle.

How to extend

Take this example as a pattern that lawyers joined movements and then examine lists of Champaran leaders (local lawyers, barristers) or trial records to see if lawyers were active there.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 15: Emergence of Gandhi > Champaran Satyagraha (1917)—First Civil Disobedience > p. 317
Strength: 4/5
“Within a decade, the planters left the area. Gandhi had won the first battle of civil disobedience in India. Other popular leaders associated with Champaran Satyagraha were Brajkishore Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Ramnavmi Prasad and Shambhusharan Varma.”
Why relevant

Directly mentions the Champaran Satyagraha and lists 'popular leaders associated' with it, indicating leadership presence that can be cross-checked for professions or social background.

How to extend

Use the named leaders as starting points: check whether those individuals (or other named Champaran participants) were lawyers, students, or women to test the claim.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-I · 2011 · Q70 Relevance score: 0.71

Consider the following statements : 1. The Champaran Satyagraha marked Gandhiji’s second appearance in Indian politics as a leader of the masses. 2. The Champaran Satyagraha was launched to address the problems faced by Indigo plantation workers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

NDA-II · 2009 · Q13 Relevance score: 0.42

Consider the following statements with regard to Champaran Satyagraha (1917): J. The Champaran Satyagraha marked Mahatma Gandhi’s first appcarance in Indian politics as a leader of the masses. 2. Young nationalists like Rajendra Prasad and J. B. Kripalani had worked with Mahatma Gandhi at Champaran. 3. It was during this movement that Mahatma Gandhi formulated his philosophy of Satyagraha. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CAPF · 2016 · Q75 Relevance score: -0.23

Which of the following statements about the Champaran Satyagrah is / are correct? 1. The Champaran region had a long tradition of anti-planter discontent and agitation 2. Mahatma Gandhi gave all India publicity to the grievances of Champaran cultivators 3. The cultivators of Champaran had protested against excessive taxation on sugar Select the correct answer using the code given below:

CDS-II · 2011 · Q61 Relevance score: -0.66

Which of the statements given below about the Champaran Satyagraha is/are correct ? 1. It was related to Indigo plantations. 2. It started because the European planters oppressed the Zamindars. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

NDA-II · 2017 · Q71 Relevance score: -0.92

Consider the following movements : 1. Moplah Rebellion 2. Bardoli Satyagraha 3. Champaran Satyagraha 4. Salt Satyagraha Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the above in ascending order ?