1. Who among the following issued the ‘Communal Award’?
(a) Ramsay Macdonald
(b) Stanley Baldwin
(c) Neville Chamberlain
(d) Winston Churchill
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1999]
Ans. (a) Ramsay Macdonald
- At the Second Round Table Conference, there was no agreement on the issue of a special voting group for lower classes and different communities.
- The British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald was given the job of finding a solution.
- On August 16, 1932, Ramsay Macdonald announced his “Communal Award” as the solution.
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2. A separate electoral group was made by the communal Tribunal of Ramsay MacDonald first time in August 1932–
(a) for Muslims
(b) for Indian Christians
(c) for Anglo-Indians
(d) for Untouchables
[42nd B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1997]
Ans. (d) for Untouchables
- In August 1932, British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald declared the Communal Award.
- This law gave some seats in the Legislative Assembly to minority groups, such as Muslims, Sikhs, and Dalits (untouchables).
- The Dalits would be considered as minorities based on the new law.
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3. Consider the statements :
Assertion (A): The British Government announced the Communal Award in August 1932.
Reason (R): It allowed each minority a number of seats in the legislature to be elected on the basis of a separate electorate.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
[U.P.R.O. /A.R.O. (Mains) 2017]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- On August 16th, 1932, the British Prime Minister, Ramsay Macdonald, announced the Communal Award.
- This law stated that there were to be some seats in the Legislative Assembly that would be reserved for minority groups, including Muslims, Sikhs, and now the Dalits (untouchables).
- These seats would be chosen by special elections.
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4. Which were not allocated separate electorates and reserved seats by the Communal Award of MacDonald?
(a) Muslims
(b) Sikhs
(c) Depressed Castes
(d) Buddhists
[U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2001]
Ans. (d) Buddhists
- On August 16th, 1932 British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald announced the Communal Award.
- Muslims, as well as the depressed class, were given their own special voting areas in the provincial legislative assemblies.
- Christians, Sikhs, Anglo-Indians, and others were also given their own sections, but Buddhists were not given separate electorates.
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5. When did Mahatma Gandhi start their first fast unto death?
(a) At the time of the Communal Award
(b) At the time of Calcutta Riots
(c) At the time of Jallianwala Bagh Mishap.
(d) At the time of the Delhi Riots
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010]
Ans. (a) At the time of the Communal Award
- On September 20, 1932, Mahatma Gandhi started a hunger strike to oppose the Communal Award given by British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald.
- This strike ended on the 24th of September 1932 following a deal between Gandhi and Ambedkar called the Poona Pact.
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6. Mahatma Gandhi undertook a fast unto death in 1932, mainly because :
(a) The Round Table Conference failed to satisfy Indian political aspirations
(b) Congress and the Muslim League had a difference of opinion
(c) Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award
(d) None of the statements (a), (b), and (c) given above is correct in this context
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2012]
Ans. (c) Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award
- On September 20, 1932, Mahatma Gandhi started a hunger strike to show his disagreement with the Communal Award of British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald.
- This strike ended four days later, on September 24th, due to an agreement known as the Poona Pact between Gandhi’s
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7. How many seats were given to depressed classes under the Communal Award and Poona Pact?
(a) 74 and 79 respectively
(b) 71 and 147 respectively
(c) 78 and 80 respectively
(d) 78 and 69 respectively
[47th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2005]
Ans. (b) 71 and 147 respectively
- The Communal Award said that 71 seats in Provincial Legislatures should be set aside for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The Poona Pact later increased this number to 148, with Madras having 30, Sindh and Bombay having 15, Punjab having 8, Bihar and Odisha having 18, Central Provinces having 20, Assam having 7, Bengal having 30, and United Provinces having 20.
- Some books say that there were 147 seats instead. On top of this.
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8. The Poona Pact was concerned with:
(a) Depressed classes
(b) Hindu-Muslim unity
(c) Constitutional progress
(d) Educational reforms
[U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2007, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996]
Ans. (a) Depressed classes
- The Communal Award gave 71 reserved seats for depressed classes in Provincial Legislatures, but the Poona Pact increased this number to 148.
- Some books suggest that there were 147 seats in total. Additionally, 18% of General class seats in the Central Legislature were also reserved for the depressed class.
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9. The purpose of the Poona Pact was:
(a) Hindu-Muslim unity
(b) To provide representation of untouchables
(c) To privilege the Kings
(d) Reconsideration of Dyarchy
[U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 1997, 46th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2004]
Ans. (b) To provide representation of untouchables
- The Communal Award set aside 71 seats for people from disadvantaged backgrounds in state legislatures.
- The Poona Pact then increased this to 148.
- Some books, however, say this was 147. In addition, 18% of seats in the central legislature were reserved for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
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10. Assertion (A): The Poona Pact defeated the purpose of the Communal Award.
Reason (R): It paved the way for the reservation of seats in the Parliament and the State Assemblies for the SC and ST people.
Select the correct answer from the code given below:
Code :
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not a correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2005]
Ans. (a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- On August 16, 1932, Ramsay Macdonald made the Communal Award which allowed Muslims, Sikhs, Europeans, and people from lower classes to have their own electorates.
- Gandhi started a hunger strike on September 20th to oppose this decision.
- Finally, on September 24th, the Poona Pact was agreed upon which stated two provisions.
- The first was that 148 seats in the provincial legislature would be reserved for the lower classes, with only 71 seats being reserved according to the Communal Award.
- The second was that 18% of the seats allocated to the general electorate in British India would be reserved for the lower classes. These two statements were both true, making option (a) the correct answer.
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11. Dr. Ambedkar and Gandhiji had a Pact called :
(a) Calcutta Pact
(b) London Pact
(c) Poona Pact
(d) Lahore Pact
[Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2007, Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Mains) 2002]
Ans. (c) Poona Pact
- On August 16th, 1932, Ramsay Macdonald announced the Communal Award.
- This award said Muslims, Europeans, Sikhs, and Depressed Classes had their own separate voting groups.
- On September 20th, 1932, Gandhi started a hunger strike to oppose this decision.
- On September 24th, the Poona Pact was signed which allowed for a joint voting system with two conditions.
- The first condition was that 148 seats were saved for the Depressed Classes in the provincial legislature, which was more than the 71 seats given in the Communal Award.
- The second condition was that 18 percent of the seats in the British India Central Legislature were set aside for Depressed Classes. This agreement made both statements true, and so option (c) is the correct answer.
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12. The Poona Pact was signed between:
(a) Gandhiji and Lord Irwin
(b) Gandhiji and Jinnah
(c) Gandhiji and Subhash Chandra Bose
(d) Gandhiji and Ambedkar
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2004]
Ans. (d) Gandhiji and Ambedkar
- Gandhi went on a hunger strike to protest against the Communal Award, leading to the Poona Pact being signed on September 24, 1932.
- This agreement was reached between Gandhi’s supporters and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, although Gandhi himself did not sign it.
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13. Which among of following was implemented after the announcement of the “Communal Award’’.
(a) Lucknow Pact
(b) Karachi Agreement
(c) Lahore Agreement
(d) Poona Pact
[U.P. U.D.A./L.D.A. (Spl) (Mains) 2010]
Ans. (d) Poona Pact
- On September 24th, 1932, a pact known as the Poona Pact was signed between supporters of Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar after Gandhi had done a “fast unto death” protest against the Communal Award.
- Gandhi himself did not sign this agreement.
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14. Which of the following did not sign on the historical Poona Pact of 1932?
(a) B. R. Ambedkar
(b) Madan Mohan Malviya
(c) C. Rajagopalachari
(d) M. K. Gandhi
[U.P. P.C.S. (Pre) 2001]
Ans. (d) M. K. Gandhi
- On 24 September 1932, a document known as the Poona Pact was signed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar from the depressed classes and Pt.
- Madan Mohan Malviya from the Hindu classes at 5 p.m.
- Many other people were also involved in signing the document in Bombay including M.M. Jayakar, Devdas Gandhi, Vishwas, Raja Bhoj, P. Balu, Gawai, Thakkar, Solanki, Tej Bahadur Sapru, G.D. Birla, Rajgopalachari, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. Rao Bahadur Srinivas
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15. After the Poona Pact of 1932, Harijan Sewak Sangh was established. Its President was:
(a) Jagjiwan Ram
(b) Ghanshyam Das Birla
(c) B.R. Ambedkar
(d) Amrit Lal Thakkar
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011, U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1994]
Ans. (b) Ghanshyam Das Birla
- The Poona Pact happened in 1932, and afterward, Gandhi wasn’t really involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
- However, he became interested in the anti-untouchability movement and started the “All India Untouchability League”.
- Later on, it was renamed the “Harijan Sevak Sangh” and Ghanshyam Das Birla was chosen as the first President of this institution
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16. Who among the following founded the All India Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932?
(a) B.G. Gokhale
(b) M.K. Gandhi
(c) B.R. Ambedkar
(d) None of the above
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]
Ans. (b) M.K. Gandhi
- Following the Poona Pact in 1932, Mahatma Gandhi began to be more involved in the anti-untouchability movement and started a group called the All India Untouchability League.
- This was later renamed the Harijan Sevak Sangh, and Ghanshyam Das Birla was the first president.
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17. Who among the following was the first President of the India Anti-Untouchability League (later changed to Harijan Sevak Samaj)?
(a) B.R. Ambedkar
(b) G. D. Birla
(c) Jyotiba Phule
(d) M.K. Gandhi
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]
Ans. (b) G. D. Birla
- Following the Poona Pact in 1932, Mahatma Gandhi stopped his involvement in the Civil Disobedience Movement and instead focused on the anti-untouchability Movement.
- He established the “All India Untouchability League”, which was later renamed “Harijan Sevak Sangh”.
- Ghanshyam Das Birla was the first president of this organization.
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18. The first President of the All India Anti-Untouchability League formed in 1932, was :
(a) B.R. Ambedkar
(b) Amrit Lal Thakkar
(c) G. D. Birla
(d) M.K. Gandhi
[U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010]
Ans. (c) G. D. Birla
- After the Poona Pact of 1932, Mahatma Gandhi started to focus on the anti-untouchability Movement.
- He created the “All India Untouchability League” which was later renamed to “Harijan Sevak Sangh”.
- Ghanshyam Das Birla was the first president of this organization.
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19. ‘Harijan Sewak Sangh’ was organized by :
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(c) G. D. Birla
(d) Swami Vivekanand
[Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A. (Pre) 2007, Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Mains) 2006]
Ans. (a) Mahatma Gandhi
- Mahatma Gandhi, known as the Father of the Nation, founded the All India Anti-Untouchability League in 1932.
- He then started a magazine called ‘Harijan’ in 1933, and chose Ghanshyamdas Birla to be the first President of Harijan Sevak Sangh.
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20. The former name of Harijan Sevak Sangh was?
(a) All India Anti-Untouchability League
(b) All India Depressed Classes Association
(c) Depressed Classes Association for Social Reforms.
(d) Association of Untouchables
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2014]
Ans. (a) All India Anti-Untouchability League
- Mahatma Gandhi created the “All India Anti-Untouchability League” to try and get rid of discrimination based on caste in society in September 1932.
- This was later renamed the “Harijan
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21. ‘Depressed Classes League’ was established by:
(a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(b) Babu Jagjiwan Ram
(c) N.S. Kajrolkar
(d) Mahatma Jyotiba Phule
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]
Ans. (b) Babu Jagjiwan Ram
- Babu Jagjivan Ram started the Depressed Class League.
- In 1942, B.R. Ambedkar created the All-India Scheduled Caste Federation.
- M.C. Rajah established the All-India Depressed Classes Association in 1926.
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22. Who of the following said, “Mahatma Gandhi like a fleeting phantom raises dust but not the level”?
(a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(b) M.A. Jinnah
(c) V.D. Savarkar
(d) None of the above
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2004]
Ans. (a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
- On August 14, 1931, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Gandhi were in conversation in Mumbai and Ambedkar said that history showed that great people could stir things up, but not necessarily fix them.
- This showed that there was tension between Gandhi and Ambedkar over the situation of depressed classes.
- In response, Gandhi began a hunger strike in September 1932 against the Communal Award of Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald.
- Eventually, the followers of Gandhi and Ambedkar agreed to the Poona Pact.
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