Olive Defence

History · CDS

HC10 — Rise of Nationalism & INC Moderate Phase

📚 HC10 · Freedom Struggle – I · Chapter 1 of 3 CDS Level ★ High Priority

📌 CDS Focus: The INC's formation, its first president, the role of A.O. Hume, and the distinction between Moderate and Extremist phases are among the most frequently tested topics in CDS Modern India. Naoroji's presidency and his election to the British Parliament, Gokhale's role in training Gandhi, and the methods of the Moderates are all direct PYQ topics. The Moderate phase (1885–1905) is tested as a contrast to the Extremist phase.

PART A — FACTORS GIVING RISE TO NATIONALISM

1. Factors Behind the Rise of Indian Nationalism

📚

Western Education

English education exposed Indians to ideas of liberty, equality, democracy
Locke, Rousseau, Mill — read widely by educated Indians
Created a common English-speaking intelligentsia across regions
Macaulay's Education Minute (1835) ironically nurtured nationalism

🚂

Railways & Telegraph

Connected Indians across regions — created national consciousness
English-language press circulated ideas pan-India
Newspapers: Amrit Bazar Patrika, Hindu, Kesari, Maratha
Economic exploitation visible across regions — shared grievance

⚔️

Racial Discrimination

Indians excluded from high civil/military posts
Ilbert Bill (1883) controversy — British planters protested Indians judging them
Racial contempt in everyday British behaviour united Indians
Civil Service examination held in England — Indians effectively barred

📜

Reform Movements & Literature

Socio-religious reforms created a reformist mindset
Bankim Chandra's Anandamath (1882) — Vande Mataram composed here
Revivalism: Dayananda's Arya Samaj, Vivekananda's pride in Indian culture
Ancient India's glorious past used to inspire nationalism

PART B — FORMATION OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

2. Formation of INC (1885)

2.1 Foundation Facts Maximum PYQs

INC — Formation at a Glance

Safety Valve Theory: British historian Lala Lajpat Rai (and later some historians) argued that A.O. Hume founded the INC as a "safety valve" — to channel Indian discontent into constitutional means and prevent another 1857-type revolt. This is contested but CDS sometimes tests it. Bal Gangadhar Tilak rejected this theory and said the INC was born from genuine nationalist aspirations.

⚠ INC Formation Traps: (1) The first INC session was planned for Pune but shifted to Bombay due to a cholera outbreak. (2) A.O. Hume was British, not Indian. (3) First president W.C. Bonnerjee was from Bengal, not Bombay. (4) INC was founded in 1885, not 1886 or 1883. (5) The Viceroy was Lord Dufferin — not Lord Ripon (he had retired) or Lord Curzon (he came later).

PART C — MODERATE PHASE (1885–1905)

3. The Moderate Phase — Leaders & Methods

The Moderate phase (1885–1905) is characterised by educated, liberal leaders who believed in constitutional methods — prayers, petitions, and resolutions — to win reforms from the British. They trusted British justice and sought to work within the system.

3.1 Key Moderate Leaders PYQ

🌟

Dadabhai Naoroji

1825–1917 · "Grand Old Man"

First Indian elected to British Parliament — 1892, Finsbury Central (Liberal Party)
Proposed Drain of Wealth theory; Poverty and Un-British Rule in India
Presided over INC thrice — 1886 (Calcutta), 1893 (Lahore), 1906 (Calcutta — where Swaraj was first demanded as a goal)
Known as Dada Bhai (Elder Brother of India)

🕊️

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

1866–1915 · "Political Guru of Gandhi"

Founded Servants of India Society (1905) — for selfless public service
Called "political guru of Mahatma Gandhi" — Gandhi acknowledged him
Mentor to Tilak early on; later opposed Tilak's extreme methods
Advocated free and compulsory primary education
Member of Imperial Legislative Council; known for budget speeches

📢

Surendranath Banerjea

"Nation Maker" · Bengal

Founded Indian Association (1876) — precursor to INC
Called Rashtraguru (Nation Maker) and Indian Burke
First Indian to be dismissed from ICS (on technical grounds)
Founded The Bengalee newspaper
Actively organised public meetings against Ilbert Bill and Partition of Bengal

📖

Pherozeshah Mehta

Bombay Presidency

Known as the "Uncrowned King of Bombay"
Co-founded INC with Hume and Dinshaw Wacha
Founded Bombay Chronicle newspaper
Dominated early INC sessions; dominated Bombay municipal politics

3.2 Moderate Methods & Demands PYQ Concept

📄 Methods Used

Prayer, petition, and resolution — constitutional means
Sending delegations to Britain and meeting British MPs
Writing articles in newspapers and journals
Passing resolutions at annual INC sessions
Appealing to British sense of justice and fairness
Tilak mockingly called it "politics of prayers"

📌 Key Demands

Expansion of Legislative Councils with more Indian members
Indianisation of civil services; exams held in India too
Reduction of military expenditure
Separation of judicial and executive functions
Freedom of press and civil liberties
No demand for Independence — only administrative reform within Empire

3.3 Achievements & Criticism of Moderates

✅ What Moderates Achieved

Laid the foundation of nationalist thought and organisation
Created political consciousness among educated Indians
Indian Councils Act 1892 — partly due to Moderate pressure
Helped establish INC as a legitimate platform for Indian grievances
Spread Western liberal ideas across India

❌ Criticism of Moderates

Represented only the English-educated elite — no mass base
Relied on British goodwill — which rarely came
Their methods produced minimal results in 20 years
Tilak called them "Political Mendicants" — beggars for reforms
Failed to mobilise peasants, artisans, or working class

3.4 Important INC Sessions (Early Phase) PYQ Direct

Session	Year	Location	President	Key Resolution
1st	1885	Bombay	W.C. Bonnerjee	Foundation; 72 delegates; petition for reforms
2nd	1886	Calcutta	Dadabhai Naoroji	Popularised the Congress; expanded membership
3rd	1887	Madras	Syed Badruddin Tyabji	First Muslim President of INC
12th	1896	Calcutta	Rahimtullah Sayani	Vande Mataram sung for first time at INC session
22nd	1906	Calcutta	Dadabhai Naoroji	Swaraj first declared as goal of INC
23rd	1907	Surat	Rash Bihari Ghosh	Surat Split — Moderates vs Extremists

💡 Mnemonic — First INC Presidents: Bonnerjee (1885 Bombay) → Naoroji (1886 Calcutta) → Tyabji (1887 Madras — 1st Muslim) = BNT. Remember: the first three sessions were held in the three presidency cities — Bombay → Calcutta → Madras.

⚡ HC10 Memory Chart — Fast Revision

🌟 INC Formation

Founded: A.O. Hume (British ICS)
Year: 1885; Bombay (planned: Pune)
1st President: W.C. Bonnerjee
Viceroy: Lord Dufferin
72 delegates at first session

👤 Moderate Leaders

Dadabhai Naoroji — Drain theory; MP 1892
Gokhale — Servants of India Society; Gandhi's guru
Surendranath — Indian Association 1876; Rashtraguru
Pherozeshah Mehta — Bombay; Uncrowned King

📜 Methods

Prayer · Petition · Resolution
No mass movement; no confrontation
British goodwill trusted
Tilak: "Political Mendicants"
Won: Indian Councils Act 1892

🗓️ Key Sessions

1885 Bombay — 1st; Bonnerjee
1887 Madras — 1st Muslim president (Tyabji)
1896 Calcutta — Vande Mataram sung first time
1906 Calcutta — Swaraj 1st declared (Naoroji)
1907 Surat — Split; Extremists vs Moderates

📰 Newspapers — Moderates

The Bengalee — Surendranath Banerjea
Amrit Bazar Patrika — nationalist (Bengal)
The Hindu — G. Subramania Iyer (Madras)
Bombay Chronicle — Pherozeshah Mehta
Indian Mirror — Keshab Chandra Sen

🔑 Naoroji — Key Facts

British MP: 1892 — Finsbury Central
Book: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India
INC President: 1886, 1893, 1906
1906 — declared Swaraj as INC goal
Called "Grand Old Man of India"

📄 Topic-Wise PYQs & Tricky Questions

Q1. Who was the founder of the Indian National Congress? CDS PYQ

(a) Dadabhai Naoroji(b) W.C. Bonnerjee (c) A.O. Hume(d) Gokhale

✔ Answer: (c) A.O. Hume

Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British ICS officer, founded the Indian National Congress in 1885 in consultation with Lord Dufferin. W.C. Bonnerjee was the first President (not founder). Naoroji was a key early leader but not the founder. A.O. Hume is called the "Father of INC."

Q2. The first session of INC was held in: CDS PYQ

(a) Calcutta(b) Madras (c) Bombay(d) Pune

✔ Answer: (c) Bombay

The first INC session was held at Bombay (Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College) on 28 December 1885. It was originally planned for Pune, but a cholera outbreak forced a shift to Bombay. Calcutta hosted the 2nd session (1886); Madras the 3rd (1887).

Q3. Who was the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress? Tricky

(a) Muhammad Ali Jinnah(b) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (c) Badruddin Tyabji(d) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

✔ Answer: (c) Badruddin Tyabji

Badruddin Tyabji was the first Muslim President of INC at its 3rd session in Madras (1887). Jinnah later presided over the 1916 session. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan opposed the INC entirely. Maulana Azad presided in 1923 and 1940. CDS often asks this to test whether students know the difference between the first president and first Muslim president.

Q4. Gopal Krishna Gokhale is known as the 'political guru' of: CDS PYQ

(a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak(b) Jawaharlal Nehru (c) Mahatma Gandhi(d) Subhas Chandra Bose

✔ Answer: (c) Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi acknowledged Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his political guru. When Gandhi returned to India from South Africa, Gokhale advised him to travel across India for a year to understand the country before entering politics. Gokhale died in 1915 before seeing Gandhi's major campaigns. Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society (1905).

Q5. In which INC session was 'Swaraj' first declared as the goal? CDS PYQ

Dadabhai Naoroji, as President of the 1906 Calcutta INC session, first declared Swaraj (self-rule) as the goal of INC. This was the first time self-governance was explicitly named as a goal — though it meant dominion status, not full independence. Full Purna Swaraj (complete independence) was declared at the 1929 Lahore session by Nehru.

Q6. 'Servants of India Society' was founded by: CDS PYQ

(a) Dadabhai Naoroji(b) Gokhale (c) Surendranath Banerjea(d) Pherozeshah Mehta

✔ Answer: (b) Gokhale

Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in Pune in 1905. Its members took vows of poverty, celibacy, and service to the nation — devoting their lives to social and political upliftment. The organisation trained people to serve the nation selflessly. It is different from Jyotiba Phule's Satyashodhak Samaj.

Q7. 'Vande Mataram' was first sung at an INC session in: Tricky

✔ Answer: (b) 1896 Calcutta

Vande Mataram (from Bankim Chandra's Anandamath, 1882) was first sung at the INC session in 1896 in Calcutta — 11 years after the INC was founded. It was sung by Rabindranath Tagore. Students often confuse this with Naoroji's 1886 Calcutta session or the 1906 session where Swaraj was declared.

Q8. The 'Indian Association' founded in 1876 was started by: CDS PYQ

(a) A.O. Hume(b) Dadabhai Naoroji (c) Surendranath Banerjea(d) W.C. Bonnerjee

✔ Answer: (c) Surendranath Banerjea

Surendranath Banerjea founded the Indian Association in Calcutta in 1876 — it was one of the most important precursor organisations to the INC. He used it to mobilise opinion on issues like the Ilbert Bill (1883) and the age limit for ICS examinations. It merged into the INC after 1885.

📋 Quick Reference — HC10

🌟 INC — Formation

Founded by A.O. Hume — 1885
First session: Bombay (planned: Pune)
First president: W.C. Bonnerjee
Viceroy: Lord Dufferin
72 delegates attended

📜 Moderate Leaders

Naoroji — Drain of Wealth; British MP
Gokhale — Gandhi's guru; Servants of India
Surendranath — Indian Association 1876
Pherozeshah Mehta — Bombay

🗓️ Key INC Sessions

1885 Bombay — 1st (Bonnerjee)
1886 Calcutta — 2nd (Naoroji)
1887 Madras — 1st Muslim president
1896 Calcutta — Vande Mataram sung
1906 Calcutta — Swaraj declared

📰 Key Writings

Poverty & Un-British Rule — Naoroji
Anandamath — Bankim Chandra (Vande Mataram)
The Bengalee — Surendranath
Kesari / Maratha — Tilak (Extremist)

🔑 Moderate Methods

Prayer · Petition · Resolution
No mass movement
Trusted British Parliament
Result: Indian Councils Act 1892
Phase: 1885–1905

🔑 First Evers — INC

1st President — W.C. Bonnerjee
1st Muslim President — Badruddin Tyabji
1st woman President — Annie Besant (1917)
1st to declare Swaraj — Naoroji (1906)
Purna Swaraj — Nehru (1929 Lahore)

📝 Mock Tests 🎯 Subject Quiz ✈️ Telegram