Modern Indian History

What important events took place in 1861 and 1947?

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and choose the best answer to the question out of the four alternatives.

The British exercised power over their American colonies until the Revolutionary War in 1776. After or at independence, both the United States and India fought wars of succession, classified as civil or international wars depending upon which side won. The Civil War in the US in 1861 resulted in victory for the Union forces of the north and defeat for the Confederate forces of the south but it also resulted in a ½ million or more deaths. The partition of British Indian Empire in 1947 resulted in the separation of Pakistan in the west from India in the east but it also resulted in a ½ - 1 ½ million deaths and 12-14 million refugees as Hindus fled from Pakistan and as many Muslims fled from India. “The exchange of populations between the two new states took on the characteristics of what is today called ‘ethnic cleansing’”.
Britain was not involved in the Indian conflict as it was in the American Revolution 171 years earlier. Perhaps that is why India is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations whereas the US is not. Indeed, the present Secretary-General is Kamalesh Sharma, an Indian diplomat. Fifty-four sovereign states are currently members of this voluntary association. And the US should at long last consider joining the club given its “special relationship” with the UK.

According to the passage, what is the main contribution of Mahatma Gandhi in the field of political education?

Directions: Read the passage to answer the question given below.

Political education may be defined as the preparation of a citizen to take well informed, responsible and sustained action for participation in the national struggle for the realisation of the socio-economic objectives of the country. The overriding socio-economic objectives in India are the abolition of poverty and the creation of a modern democratic, secular and socialist society in place of the present traditional, feudal, hierarchical and inegalitarian one.

Under the British rule, the congress leaders argued that political education was an important part of education and refused to accept the official view that education and politics should not be mixed with one another. But when they came to power in 1947 they almost adopted the British policy and began to talk of education being defiled by politics. ‘Hands off education‘ was the call to political parties of that time. But in spite of it, political infiltration into the educational system has greatly increased in the sense that different parties vie with each other to capture the minds of teachers and students. The wise academicians wanted political support, without political interference. What we have actually received is infinite political interference. This interference with the educational system by political parties for their own ulterior motives is no political education at all; and with the all round growth of elitism, it is hardly surprising that real political education within the school system (which really means the creation of a commitment to social transformation) has been even weaker than in the pre-independence period.

At the same time, the freedom struggle came to an end and the major non-formal agency of political education disappeared. The press could and did provide some political education. But it did not utilise the opportunity to the fullest and the stranglehold of vested interests continued to dominate it. The same can be said about political parties as well as about other institutions and agencies outside the school system which can be expected to provide political education. All things considered, it appears that we have made no genuine progress in political education in the post independence period and even slid back in some respects. For instance, the education system has become even more elite-oriented. Patriotism has become the first casualty. Gandhiji gave us the courage to oppose the government when it was wrong, in a disciplined fashion and on basic principles. He believed the means to be as important as the ends and taught us to work among the poor people for mobilising and organising them. Today we have even lost the courage to fight on basic issues in a disciplined manner because agitation and anarchic politics for individual, group or party aggrandisement has become common. The education system of today continues to support domination of the privileged groups and domestication of the underprivileged ones. The situation will not change unless we take vigorous steps to provide genuine political education on an adequate scale. This is one of the major educational reforms we need; and if it is not carried out, mere linear expansion of the existing system of normal education will only support the status quo and hamper radical social transformation.