Independence Day 2024:This year, India will celebrate its 78th Independence Day on August 15th. This time, the country has announced various initiatives to mark this historic day.
The Ministry of Defence's spokesperson, Bharat Bhushan Babu, has announced the "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) theme for 2024 Independence Day. This theme represents India's goal of becoming a fully developed nation by 2047, the country's 100th anniversary of independence.
India launched year-long celebrations with a slew of programs and projects to showcase 'development, governance, technology, reform, progress, and policy over the years. Test your knowledge by solving the quiz based on Independence Day.
1. What is the theme for 78th Independence Day?
(a)Viksit Bharat
(b) Promote India's culture
(c) Nation First, Always First
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a)
Explanation: The theme for the 78th Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat', which aligns with the government's goal of transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047.
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2. When did British came to India?
(a) 1611
(b) 1600
(c) 1609
(d) 1608
Ans. (d)
Explanation:The British first came to India on August 24, 1608, via the Port of Surat. They initially came to establish trade relations and set up factories for the East India Company.
3. Which of the following is/are true regarding the ratio of the national flag?
(a) The ratio of the length to the height of the flag shall be 3:2
(b) The ratio of the length to the width of the flag shall be 3:2
(c) The ratio of the length to the height of the flag shall be 2:3
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (d)
Explanation: The national flag shall be rectangular in shape. The ratio of the length to the height (width) of the flag shall be 3:2.
READ| Independence Day 2024 Questions with Answers for Government Exams
4.For how many years India was under British Rule?
(a) 200 years
(b) 89 years
(c)190 years
(d) 100 years
Ans. (a)
Explanation:The British first came to India in 1600, where they established their East India Company. After that, they gradually expanded their control over the Indian subcontinent. This went on until 1947, when India gained independence. So, the British ruled India for 200 years, solidifying their dominance over India.
5. On Independence Day, the Prime Minister of India hoists our tricolour flag at:
(a) the Purana Qila, Delhi
(b) the Red Fort, Old Delhi
(c) the Red Fort, Agra
(d) the India Gate, New Delhi
Ans. (b)
Explanation: India became free from British rule on 15th August 1947 and the first Prime Minister of Independent India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Indian National Flag above Lahori Gate of Red Fort in Delhi. From that day Prime Ministers of India hoist our tricolour flag at the Red Fort, Old Delhi.
6. Who among the following was the Prime Minister of Britain at the time of Independence?
(a) Lord Mountbatten
(b) Winston Churchill
(c) Clement Attlee
(d) Ramsay MacDonald
Ans. (c)
Explanation: Clement Attlee was the Prime Minister of Britain at the time of Independence. He served the post from 1945-1955.
7. Who among the following was the first Governor-General of New Dominions of India until June 1948?
(a) Lord Mountbatten
(b) C. Rajgopalchari
(c) Dr BR Amdedkar
(d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Ans. (a)
Explanation: Lord Mountbatten became the first Governor-General of the new Dominions of India until June 1948. He swore in Jawaharlal Nehru as the first Prime Minister of independent India.
8. The famous quote "a tryst with destiny" is given by
(a) Dr BR Ambedkar
(b) Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Mahatma Gandhi
(d) Abdul Kalam Azad
Ans. (b)
Explanation: First Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru said, "Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge… At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom."
9. Which of the following Plans was known as the partition plan?
(a) Macaulay Plan
(b) Atlee Announcement
(c) Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
(d) Mountbatten Plan
Ans. (d)
Explanation: Lord Mountbatten, the Viceroy of India in 1947, put forth the partition plan widely known as the Mountbatten Plan. The Plan was accepted by Congress and the Muslim League.
10. Which of the following are the extremist leaders?
(a) Lala Lajpat Rai
(b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(c) Bipin Chandra Pal
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d)
Explanation: The Extremist leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh. Instead of the PPP (Protest, Prayer, and Petition) path, they emphasise self-reliance, constructive work, and swadeshi.
11. Who presided over the 1905 Congress session in Banaras?
(a) Gopal Krishan Gokhale
(b) Dadabhai Naroji
(c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(d) Aurobindo Ghosh
Ans. (a)
Explanation: The Congress session in Banaras (1905) was presided by Gopal Krishan Gokhale.
12. When did the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre take place?
(a) 10 April 1917
(b) 13 April 1918
(c) 9 April 1916
(d) 13 April 1919
Ans. (d)
Explanation: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre took place on 13 April 1919. People were gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest against the arrest of Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal on 13 April 1919.
13. Match the following is/are not correctly matched:
- Champaran Satyagraha - 1917
- Kheda Satyagraha - 1918
- Ahmedabad Mill Strike - 1918
- Rowlatt Act Satyagraha - 1919
(a) Only 1
(b) Both 2 and 3
(c) Only 2
(d) Both 2 and 4
Ans. (c)
Explanation: Kheda Satyagraha took place in 1917.
14. Who presided over the 1907 Congress Session in Surat on the bank of the river Tapti?
(a) Pherozeshah Mehta
(b) Dadabhai Naroji
(c) Lala Hardayal
(d) Gopal Krishan Gokhale
Ans. (a)
Explanation: 1907 Congress Session in Surat on the bank of the river Tapti was presided over by Pherozeshah Mehta due to the differences between Moderates and Extremists first split in Congress occurred.
15. In which session of the Congress both Extremist and Moderate leaders were united?
(a) Madras
(b) Lucknow
(c) Calcutta
(d) Banaras
Ans. (b)
Explanation:Lucknow Session of Congress 1916 was presided over by Ambika Charan Majumdar (Moderate leader) where both Extremist and Moderate leaders were united.
16. When was Non-Cooperation Movement started?
(a) 1919
(b) 1920
(c) 1921
(d) 1922
Ans. (b)
Explanation: Non-Cooperation Movement was started in 1920.
17. When was Gandhi Irwin Pact signed?
(a) 3 March 1930
(b) 5 March 1931
(c) 5 April 1931
(d) 15 April 1930
Ans. (b)
Explanation: On 5th March 1931, Gandhi Irwin Pactwas signed.
18. Who among the following retained as the head of State until India transits a full republic?
(a) Dr Rajendra Prasad
(b) King George VI
(c) Mahatma Gandhi
(d) Queen Elizabeth II
Ans. (b)
Explanation: After getting independence on 15 August 1947 from the British. India retained King Gorge VI as the head of the State until its transition to a full republic on 26 January 1950.
19. The first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian National Flag on 15 August, 1947 which of the following gates of the Red Fort?
(a) Lahori Gate
(b) Delhi Gate
(c) Kashmiri Gate
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a)
Explanation: The first Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehruraised the Indian National Flag on 15 August 1947 above the Lahori Gate, Red Fort, Delhi, subsequently the incumbent Prime Minister customarily raises the Indian National Flag above the mentioned gate.
20. Who among the following played Shehnai at the celebration of Indian Independence Day 1947?
(a) Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan
(b) Bismillah Khan
(c) Madhukar Dhumal
(d) Ahmed Ali
Ans. (b)
Explanation: Bismillah Khan played Shehnai at the celebration of Indian Independence Day 1947. He was the first Indian to greet the nation with his musical instrument Shehnai.
21. In which of the following Congress sessions, the Indian National Congress declared Purna Swaraj?
(a) Lahore Session, 1929
(b) Karachi Session, 1930
(c) Nagpur Session, 1929
(d) Calcutta Session, 1929
Ans. (a)
Explanation: At the 1929 Lahore Session, Indian National Congress declared Purna Swaraj and was promulgated on 26 January, 1930.
22. Who among the following did not participate in official events of Indian Independence Day 1947?
(a) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(b) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(c) Mahatma Gandhi
(d) Dr. B. R Ambedkar
Ans. (c)
Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi did not participate in the official event of Indian Independence Day 1947. Instead, he marked the day with 24 hours fast in Calcutta, encouraging peace during riots.
23. Who was conferred with the rank of first Field Marshal of India?
(a)Kodandera M. Cariappa
(b) Sam Mankeshaw
(c) K.M. Cariappa
(d) Arjan Singh
Ans. (b)
Explanation:Sam Manekshaw was conferred with the rank of first Field Marshal of India. To date, only two Indian Army officers have been conferred with the rank. After Sam Manekshaw, the second individual was Kodandera M. Cariappa.
24. When was India's first five-year plan launched?
(a) 1949
(b)1947
(c) 1950
(d) 1951
Ans. (d)
Explanation:The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, presented the First Five-Year Plan to the Parliament of India in 1951. The First Five-year Plan mainly focused on the development of the primary sector and was based on the Harrod–Domar model with few modifications.
25. When were the first Lok Sabha elections held in India?
(a) 1952
(b) 1961
(c) 1950
(d) 1947
Ans. (a)
Explanation:General elections were held in India between 25 October 1951 and 21 February 1952. They were the first elections to the Lok Sabha after independence in August 1947. The First Session of this Lok Sabha commenced on 13th May 1952.
26. In which year did India make education the fundamental right of children?
(a) 2012
(b) 2009
(c) 2010
(d) 2008
Ans. (c)
Explanation:The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) is an Act of the Indian Parliament that was enacted on August 4, 2009. When the Act came into force on April 1, 2010, India became one of the countries in the world to make education a fundamental right.
27. In which year was the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formed?
(a) 1969
(b) 1959
(c) 1979
(d) 1989
Ans. (a)
Explanation:ISRO was formed in 1969 with a vision to develop and harness space technology in national development while pursuing planetary exploration and space science research. ISRO replaced its predecessor, INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research).
28. The British Monarch at the time of Indian Independence was________.
(A) George V
(B) King Edward VII
(C) George VI
(D) None of the above
Ans. ( c )
Explanation: George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952.
29. Which one of the following parties was in power in the U.K. when India got independence?
(A) Socialist Party
(B) Liberal Party
(C) Labour Party
(D) Conservative Party
Ans. ( c )
Explanation: The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists, and trade unionists.
30. The Mountbatten Plan became the basis for______.
(A) Solution of communal problems
(B) Partition of the country
(C) Transfer of power
(D) Continuity of British Rule
Ans. (b)
Explanation: The Mountbatten Plan included the Principle of the partition of British India, which was accepted by the British Government. Successor governments would be given dominion status.
31. Who designed the National Flag of India?
(A) Pingali Venkayya
(B) MK Gandhi
(C) Sachindra Das Bose
(D) Hemachandra Kanungo
Ans (a)
Explanation: The design of the flag of India that was first presented in 1921 to Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the All-India Congress, was created byPingali (or Pinglay) Venkayya.
32. Who was the first British person to visit India?
(a)Lord Mountbatten
(b)Captain William Hawkins
(c)Vasco Da Gama
(d)John Mildenhall
Ans. (d)
Explanation:The first British person to visit India was John Mildenhall, who arrived by land in 1599 and presented himself as an East India Company minister. He was one of the first British travellers who travelled overland to India.
33. The national song of India, "Vande Mataram," was first sung by _____
(a)Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c)Rabindranath Tagore
(d) Subhash Chandra Bose
Ans. (c)
Explanation:The national song of India, "Vande Mataram," was written by Bankimchandra Chatterji. However, it was first sung by Rabindranath Tagore in 1896. It was adopted by the constituent assembly on January 24, 1950.
34. How many years has it been since India gained independence?
(a) 77
(b) 78
(c) 76
(d) 79
Ans. (b)
Explanation:India gained independence on August 15, 1947, and its first anniversary was observed on August 15, 1948. So, this year, we will celebrate the 78th Independence Day on August 15, 2024.
35. When did Dandi March start?
(a)14 April 1930
(b) 12 March, 1931
(c) 12 March, 1930
(d) 12 April, 1930
Ans. (c)
Explanation:On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi began the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a village on the Gujarat coast. This march was a key part of the Civil Disobedience Movement, launched with the support of the Indian National Congress and the people of India. The movement aimed to peacefully defy British laws and assert India's demand for independence.
36.Who was the founder of the Arya Samaj?
a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
b) Swami Vivekananda
c) Dayanand Saraswati
d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Ans. c
Explanation: Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875, a Hindu reform movement that promoted values based on the Vedas.
37.The Swadeshi Movement was launched to protest against which event?
a) Partition of Bengal
b) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
c) Rowlatt Act
d) Simon Commission
Ans. a
Explanation: The Swadeshi Movement was launched in 1905 to protest against the Partition of Bengal, encouraging Indians to boycott British goods and promote Indian-made products.
38.Who was the leader of the Bardoli Satyagraha?
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Subhas Chandra Bose
c) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. c
Explanation: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928, a successful non-violent movement against increased land revenue assessments in Bardoli, Gujarat.
39.Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize?
a) C.V. Raman
b) Rabindranath Tagore
c) Amartya Sen
d) Mother Teresa
Ans. b
Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore became the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize in 1913 for his literary work "Gitanjali."
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