Download FREE CBSE Class 10 History Chapter 2 PYQ with detailed answers.
This free PYQ for CBSE Class X Social Science, Chapter 2: Nationalism in India (History), contains previous year questions from board exams, chapter-wise with answers. It has been prepared by Sumeet Sahu at Unique Study Point, Indore, strictly following the latest NCERT syllabus for Session 2026-27.
Q1. Who wrote the book "Hind Swaraj"? [CBSE 2020] [1] (a) Rabindranath Tagore (b) B.R. Ambedkar (c) Mahatma Gandhi (d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans: (c) Mahatma Gandhi. He wrote Hind Swaraj in 1909 while travelling from London to South Africa, outlining his vision of Indian self-rule.
Q2. Which event forced Gandhiji to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922? [CBSE 2021] [1] (a) Pressure from British Government (b) Second Round Table Conference (c) Gandhiji's arrest (d) Chauri Chaura incident
Ans: (d) Chauri Chaura incident. A violent mob set fire to a police station in Chauri Chaura (UP) killing 22 policemen. Gandhi believed in non-violence and halted the movement.
Q3. Against which form of discrimination did Mahatma Gandhi launch Satyagraha in South Africa? [CBSE 2023] [1] (a) Racial discrimination (b) Gender discrimination (c) Caste discrimination (d) Religious discrimination
Ans: (a) Racial discrimination. Gandhi fought against the harsh discrimination faced by Indians in South Africa through non-violent Satyagraha.
Q4. Where did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre take place? [CBSE 2022] [1] (a) Amritsar (b) Lahore (c) Delhi (d) Lucknow
Ans: (a) Amritsar. On 13 April 1919, General Dyer fired on a peaceful gathering at Jallianwala Bagh, killing hundreds of unarmed people.
Q5. Which of the following is NOT true regarding the Khilafat Movement? [CBSE 2022] [1] (a) It aimed at bringing Hindus and Muslims together in the Non-Cooperation Movement (b) It was led by Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali (c) It was launched to restore the Ottoman Emperor's authority (d) It was started by Mahatma Gandhi alone without Muslim support
Ans: (d) It was NOT started by Gandhi alone. The Khilafat Movement was led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, and Gandhi supported it to unite Hindu-Muslim efforts.
Q6. Who designed the Swaraj flag in 1921? [CBSE 2020] [1] (a) Mahatma Gandhi (b) Jawaharlal Nehru (c) Subhas Chandra Bose (d) Bhagat Singh
Ans: (a) Mahatma Gandhi. The flag had red, green, white stripes with a spinning wheel (charkha) at the centre, symbolising self-reliance.
Q7. Assertion (A): Gandhiji withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922. Reason (R): The movement turned violent at Chauri Chaura. [CBSE 2024] [1] (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) correctly explains (A) (b) Both true but (R) does not correctly explain (A) (c) (A) is true but (R) is false (d) (A) is false but (R) is true
Ans: (a) Both are true and (R) correctly explains (A). The Chauri Chaura violence directly led Gandhi to withdraw the movement.
Q8. Which of the following was the main reason for launching the Civil Disobedience Movement? [CBSE 2021] [1] (a) Rejection of Simon Commission report (b) Failure of Round Table Conference (c) Refusal of British to accept Eleven demands (d) Jallianwala Bagh massacre UNIQUE STUDY POINT BY SUMEET SAHU | Amitesh Nagar, Indore (M.P.) | www.uniquestudyonline.com Page 1 UNIQUE STUDY POINT BY SUMEET SAHU Class X | Social Science | History Ch.2
Ans: (c) Refusal of British to accept Eleven demands. Gandhiji sent a letter with 11 demands to Viceroy Irwin; when refused, he launched the movement with the Dandi March.
Q9. The Inland Emigration Act of 1859 was designed to: [CBSE 2023] [1] (a) Allow plantation workers to move freely (b) Restrict movement of plantation workers out of tea gardens (c) Encourage migration to cities (d) Promote foreign trade
Ans: (b) Restrict movement of plantation workers. Under this Act, plantation workers were not permitted to leave tea gardens without permission, virtually keeping them bonded.
Q10. Who painted the famous image of Bharat Mata? [CBSE 2020] [1] (a) Raja Ravi Varma (b) Abanindranath Tagore (c) Rabindranath Tagore (d) Nandalal Bose
Ans: (b) Abanindranath Tagore. He painted Bharat Mata as an ascetic figure - calm, composed, divine and spiritual, inspired by the Swadeshi Movement.
Q16. Discuss the Salt March to show why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism. [CBSE 2024]
Ans: The Salt March (Dandi March) was a powerful act of civil disobedience: โข Universal Symbol: Salt was consumed by rich and poor alike. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production was the most oppressive face of British rule. โข The March: On 12 March 1930, Gandhi started from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 volunteers, walking 240 miles to Dandi over 24 days. โข Law Breaking: On 6 April 1930, Gandhi picked up a handful of salt, symbolically breaking the salt law. This electrified the nation. โข Mass Participation: People across the country began manufacturing salt and demonstrating in front of government salt factories. The movement spread rapidly. โข Impact: Thousands were arrested including Gandhi. The movement gained worldwide attention and demonstrated the power of non-violent resistance against colonial oppression.
Q17. "The sense of collective belonging that united different groups was partly a result of the experience of united struggles." Elaborate. [CBSE 2023]
Ans: The sense of collective belonging developed through multiple processes: โข Bharat Mata: The image of Bharat Mata became a visual symbol. Abanindranath Tagore's painting was widely circulated, inspiring nationalist feelings. โข National Songs: "Vande Mataram" by Bankim Chandra became a rallying cry. It was sung at gatherings and created emotional unity across regions. โข Folk Culture: Nationalists collected and published folk tales, songs and legends from across India, building a sense of shared cultural heritage. โข Symbols & Flags: The tricolour flag with spinning wheel, national anthems, and reinterpretation of history created common identity markers. โข Shared Struggles: Movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and mass protests brought together diverse classes, religions and regions under one cause.
Q18. Describe the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement. [CBSE 2022]
Ans: Women participated actively in the Civil Disobedience Movement: โข Massive Participation: Women participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops in large numbers. โข Prominent Leaders: In urban areas, educated women and high-caste families actively participated. In rural areas, tribal and peasant women joined. โข Jail-going: Many women courted arrest. Their willingness to go to jail stunned the British and gained public sympathy for the movement. โข Gandhi's View: However, Gandhi believed women's role should be limited to being good mothers and wives. He was against their taking leadership positions. โข Limited Gains: Despite massive participation, women did not gain any significant political position in Congress or in decision-making. Their role remained largely symbolic.
Q19. Describe the impact of the First World War on the economic and political situation of India. [CBSE 2020]
Ans: The First World War had profound effects on India: โข Defence Expenditure: War led to huge increase in defence spending, funded by war loans and increased taxes. Customs duties raised, income tax introduced. โข Price Rise: Prices nearly doubled (1913-1918). Villagers were forced to supply soldiers for the war, causing anger and resentment. โข Crop Failure & Epidemic: Crops failed in many parts leading to acute food shortage. Influenza epidemic (1918-19) killed 12-13 million people. โข Indian Soldiers: Around 1.5 million Indian soldiers fought for Britain abroad. They returned with new political awareness and expectations of reform. โข Political Impact: Indians expected self-governance as reward for war support. Instead, they got the repressive Rowlatt Act, fuelling the nationalist movement further.
Q20. Explain any five features of the Non-Cooperation Movement. [CBSE 2021]
Ans: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) had the following features: โข Surrender of Titles: Indians returned titles and honours given by the British government. Many renounced their positions in colonial administration. โข Boycott of Institutions: Students left government schools/colleges, lawyers boycotted British courts, and council elections were boycotted. โข Boycott of Foreign Goods: Foreign cloth was boycotted and publicly burnt. Import of foreign cloth fell drastically. Khadi became a symbol of resistance. โข Mass Participation: For the first time, peasants, tribals, workers and middle class all joined a single national movement under Gandhi's leadership. โข Withdrawal: Gandhi withdrew the movement in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident where a violent mob killed 22 policemen, as he believed in non-violence.
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| Class | Class X (CBSE / NCERT) |
| Subject | Social Science |
| Chapter | Chapter 2: Nationalism in India (History) |
| Resource Type | PYQ |
| Session | 2026-27 (Latest NCERT Syllabus) |
| Downloads | 130+ |
| Prepared by | Sumeet Sahu, Unique Study Point, Indore |
| Cost | Free |