SSC · Railway
The Indian Association, an important political organisation of Bengal, was founded by Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose in Calcutta in:
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Answer: Option A — 1876
Detailed Solution
The Indian Association (Bharat Sabha) was founded in Calcutta on 26 July 1876 by Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose.
About the Indian Association:
- It was one of the most important political organisations of India before the founding of the Indian National Congress.
- It aimed to create a strong public opinion on political questions, to unite the Indian people on a common political programme, to promote Hindu-Muslim friendship, and to involve the masses in public movements.
- Unlike earlier associations, which represented mainly the landlords, it represented the educated middle classes.
Its activities:
- It organised an all-India agitation against the reduction of the maximum age for the Indian Civil Service examination from 21 to 19 (1877), and demanded simultaneous examinations in India and England.
- Surendranath Banerjea toured India to mobilise public opinion on this issue.
- It campaigned against the Vernacular Press Act (1878) and the Arms Act (1878).
- It supported the Ilbert Bill (1883).
- It took up the cause of the tenants of Bengal and the plantation labourers of Assam.
The Indian National Conference:
- The Indian Association organised the Indian National Conference in Calcutta in 1883 and 1885, which brought together delegates from different parts of India.
- In 1886, the Indian National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress.
About Surendranath Banerjea:
- He was dismissed from the Indian Civil Service in 1874, and became a teacher and journalist.
- He edited the newspaper "The Bengalee".
- He was called "Rashtraguru".
About Ananda Mohan Bose:
- He was the first Indian Wrangler at Cambridge (1874), a lawyer and educationist.
- He was President of the Congress in 1898 (Madras session).
Why not the other options?
- ✗1857, 1866 and 1885 were the years of other events.
Quick tip
Remember: Indian Association (Calcutta, 26 July 1876) = Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose; ICS age agitation (1877); Indian National Conference (1883) merged with the Congress.
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Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the growth of Indian nationalism from the early 1900s to the First World War: the partition of Bengal in 1905, the Swadeshi and Boycott movement, the rise of extremist leaders such as Lal, Bal and Pal, the Surat split of 1907, and the Home Rule Leagues of Tilak and Annie Besant. Typical questions cover the year the partition of Bengal was announced and annulled (1905 and 1911), the slogans and leaders of the Swadeshi movement, and the founders of the two Home Rule Leagues (1916). Be clear about the difference between the moderates, who used petitions, and the extremists, who called for swaraj and mass action. Practise the Swadeshi movement and early nationalism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.