First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement ICSE Class 10

What First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement is about

Weightage: CISCE publishes no chapter weightage. History is tested in Part I (compulsory 1- and 2-mark items) and in Part II Section B, where you answer three of five 10-mark History questions, each split 3 + 3 + 4.Source: CISCE ICSE 2027 Specimen Question Paper 501, History & Civics (H.C.G. Paper 1)

Key concepts

Early Nationalists: objectives and methods

Leaders: Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, W. C. Bonnerjee, M. G. Ranade.

Objectives (reforms within British rule):
1. Expansion of the legislative councils, with elected Indian members.
2. Holding the ICS examination in India as well as in England, and raising the age limit, so that more Indians could enter the services.
3. Separation of the judiciary from the executive.
4. Reduction of land revenue and of military expenditure, and an end to the drain of wealth.
5. Protection of Indian industries, and more spending on education and welfare.
6. Freedom of speech and of the press.
Their long-term aim was self-government within the British Empire.

Methods (constitutional): petitions, prayers and protests through memoranda and resolutions passed at annual sessions; speeches and articles in newspapers to educate public opinion; delegations to England to present India's case to the British public and Parliament. They believed in the British sense of justice and fair play.

Worked example

(2 marks) Imagine you are an Early Nationalist leader. Mention two methods you would use against the British.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. I would send petitions and memoranda to the government and pass resolutions at Congress sessions - 1 mark.
2. I would make speeches and write in newspapers to educate public opinion, and send delegations to England to place India's case before the British public - 1 mark.

Answer: I would use constitutional methods: (1) petitions, memoranda and resolutions placed before the government, and (2) speeches, newspaper articles and delegations to England to win the support of Indian and British public opinion.

Contributions of Naoroji, Banerjee and Gokhale

Dadabhai Naoroji (the 'Grand Old Man of India'):

• Put forward the drain theory in 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India', showing how British rule impoverished India.
• Became the first Indian member of the British House of Commons (1892) and raised Indian issues there.
• Was President of the Congress three times; at the Calcutta session of 1906 he declared Swaraj as the goal of the Congress.

Surendranath Banerjee:

• Led an all-India agitation against the lowering of the ICS age limit and for simultaneous examinations.
• Through his newspaper 'The Bengalee' he spread nationalist ideas.
• Led the movement against the Partition of Bengal and was twice President of the Congress.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale:

• Founded the Servants of India Society (1905) to train dedicated workers for national service.
• As a member of the Imperial Legislative Council he criticised government budgets and demanded free and compulsory primary education.
• Was President of the Congress (1905, Banaras) and was regarded by Mahatma Gandhi as his political guru.

Worked example

(2 marks) Mention any two contributions of Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. He founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 to train workers for national service - 1 mark.
2. In the Imperial Legislative Council he criticised the budget and demanded free and compulsory primary education - 1 mark.

Answer: Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in 1905, and in the Imperial Legislative Council he exposed unjust budgets and pressed for free and compulsory primary education. Gandhiji regarded him as his political guru.

Partition of Bengal (1905)

Lord Curzon announced the Partition of Bengal in July 1905; it came into effect on 16 October 1905. Bengal was divided into West Bengal (with Bihar and Orissa) and a new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam.

Official (British) reason: Bengal was too large a province to be governed efficiently.

Nationalists' perspective on the real motive:
1. To weaken Bengal, the nerve centre of Indian nationalism, by dividing Bengali-speaking people.
2. To divide Hindus and Muslims: the eastern province had a Muslim majority and the western a Hindu majority, so it was an application of 'divide and rule'.
3. To reduce Bengalis to a minority in their own province, since West Bengal included the Hindi- and Oriya-speaking populations of Bihar and Orissa.

Reaction: 16 October 1905 was observed as a day of mourning; people tied rakhis to one another as a sign of unity; the Swadeshi and boycott movement spread. The partition was annulled in 1911.

Worked example

(3 marks) Who partitioned Bengal? Mention two points that explain the Nationalists' view of the actual motive behind it.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905 - 1 mark.
2. Nationalist view: it was meant to weaken Bengal, the centre of nationalism, by dividing the Bengali people - 1 mark.
3. Nationalist view: it aimed to divide Hindus and Muslims by creating a Muslim-majority eastern province (divide and rule) - 1 mark.

Answer: Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905. The Nationalists believed that the real motive was not efficiency but to weaken Bengal, the heart of Indian nationalism, and to divide Hindus and Muslims by creating a Muslim-majority eastern province.

Assertive Nationalists: objectives and methods

Leaders: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai (Lal-Bal-Pal) and Aurobindo Ghosh.

Why they rose: the failure of the Moderates' petitions to win real gains; Curzon's repressive measures, especially the Partition of Bengal; economic distress caused by famines and plague in the 1890s; and events abroad, such as Japan's victory over Russia in 1905, which showed that an Asian country could defeat a European power.

Objective: Swaraj, which they understood as self-rule or freedom from British control, not just reforms. Tilak declared, 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.' They also aimed to make Indians self-reliant and proud of their heritage.

Methods:
1. Swadeshi: using Indian goods and encouraging Indian industries.
2. Boycott of British goods, and later of British institutions such as courts, schools and titles.
3. National education: setting up national schools and colleges with Indian content.
4. Passive resistance: refusing to cooperate with the government and to obey unjust laws.
5. Mass mobilisation through festivals (Ganapati and Shivaji festivals), public meetings and the Press.

Worked example

(3 marks) What was the objective of the Assertive Nationalists? Mention two of their methods.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Objective: Swaraj, self-rule or freedom from British control, not merely reforms - 1 mark.
2. Method: Swadeshi, the use of Indian goods to promote Indian industry - 1 mark.
3. Method: boycott of British goods and institutions (or national education, passive resistance) - 1 mark.

Answer: Their objective was Swaraj, self-rule rather than reform. They used Swadeshi, encouraging Indian goods and industry, and boycott of British goods and institutions; they also set up national schools and practised passive resistance.

Contributions of Tilak, Pal and Lajpat Rai

Bal Gangadhar Tilak ('Lokmanya'):

• Gave the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.'
• Started the newspapers 'Kesari' (Marathi) and 'Maratha' (English) to spread nationalist ideas.
• Organised the Ganapati and Shivaji festivals to bring people together for political purposes.
• Started the Home Rule League (1916) and played a leading part in the Lucknow Pact.

Bipin Chandra Pal:

• Toured the country spreading the message of Swadeshi, boycott and national education, especially during the anti-partition movement.
• Edited nationalist papers such as 'New India' and worked with Aurobindo Ghosh on 'Bande Mataram'.
• Is often called the father of revolutionary thoughts in India for his powerful writing and speeches.

Lala Lajpat Rai ('Punjab Kesari', the Lion of Punjab):

• Led protests in Punjab against unjust land and canal laws and was deported to Mandalay in 1907.
• Helped spread the Swadeshi and national education movement; associated with the DAV College, Lahore and the Punjab National Bank.
• Later led the protest against the Simon Commission in Lahore (1928) and died after being injured in a lathi charge.

Worked example

(2 marks) Mention any two contributions of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. He gave the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' - 1 mark.
2. He spread nationalism through his newspapers Kesari and Maratha and the Ganapati and Shivaji festivals - 1 mark.

Answer: Tilak declared 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it', and spread nationalism through his newspapers Kesari and Maratha and through the Ganapati and Shivaji festivals.

Surat Split (1907)

At the Surat session of the Congress in 1907, the party split between the Early Nationalists and the Assertive Nationalists.

Reasons:
1. Differences over objectives: the Moderates wanted self-government within the Empire through reforms; the Assertives wanted Swaraj.
2. Differences over methods: the Moderates wanted to limit Swadeshi and boycott to Bengal and to protest against the partition only; the Assertives wanted to extend boycott and passive resistance to the whole country.
3. Dispute over the presidency: the Assertives wanted Lala Lajpat Rai or Tilak as President, while the Moderates chose Rash Behari Ghosh.
4. The Moderates feared that the Assertives' methods would invite government repression and harm the movement.

Result: the Congress split; the Moderates kept control of the Congress, and the Assertives were left out. The government used the split to suppress the Assertives (Tilak was sentenced to six years in Mandalay in 1908). The two groups reunited at the Lucknow session of 1916.

Worked example

(2 marks) In which year did the Surat Split take place? What was its result?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The Surat Split took place in 1907 - 1 mark.
2. The Congress split into Moderates and Assertives; the Moderates controlled the Congress, the Assertives were excluded, and the government repressed the Assertive leaders - 1 mark.

Answer: The Surat Split took place in 1907. The Congress divided into two groups: the Moderates kept control, the Assertive Nationalists were excluded, and the British took the chance to suppress the Assertive leaders. They reunited only in 1916.

The Muslim League (1906)

Formed on 30 December 1906 at Dacca, under leaders such as the Aga Khan and Nawab Salimullah of Dacca.

Factors leading to its formation:
1. British policy of divide and rule, which encouraged Muslims to see their interests as separate from those of Hindus.
2. Educational and economic backwardness of Muslims compared with Hindus, which created a fear of Hindu domination in a system based on majority.
3. The Partition of Bengal, which many Muslim leaders welcomed because it created a Muslim-majority province; the Hindu-led protests against it made them feel the need for a separate organisation.
4. The religious tone of some Assertive Nationalist activities, such as the Ganapati and Shivaji festivals, which some Muslims found alienating.
5. The Simla Deputation (1906): Muslim leaders led by the Aga Khan met Lord Minto, who received their demand for separate electorates favourably, encouraging them to organise.

Objectives:
1. To promote among Muslims a feeling of loyalty to the British government and remove misconceptions about the government's intentions.
2. To protect and advance the political rights and interests of Muslims and place their needs before the government.
3. To prevent the growth of hostility among Muslims towards other communities, without prejudice to the above aims.

Worked example

(4 marks) In which year was the Muslim League formed? Mention any three of its objectives.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Formed in 1906 (30 December, at Dacca) - 1 mark.
2. To promote loyalty among Muslims towards the British government - 1 mark.
3. To protect and advance the political rights and interests of Muslims and present their needs to the government - 1 mark.
4. To prevent hostility among Muslims towards other communities - 1 mark.

Answer: The Muslim League was formed in 1906 at Dacca. Its objectives were (1) to promote loyalty among Muslims towards the British government, (2) to protect and advance the political rights of Muslims and represent their needs to the government, and (3) to prevent hostility among Muslims towards other communities.

The Lucknow Pact (1916)

At their sessions in Lucknow in December 1916, the Congress and the Muslim League agreed on a common programme. The pact is associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak for the Congress and Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the League.

Main points: the Congress accepted separate electorates for Muslims and an agreed share of seats for them in the legislatures; both bodies jointly demanded self-government and wider representative institutions from the British.

Impact:
1. It brought about Hindu-Muslim unity and showed the British a united front.
2. The Moderates and the Assertives had also come together again at the Lucknow session, so the national movement was strengthened.
3. It increased pressure on the British, who soon promised gradual self-government.
4. However, by accepting separate electorates, the Congress gave recognition to communal representation, which later strengthened separatist politics.

Worked example

(3 marks) Who were the signatories of the Lucknow Pact? State two effects of the Pact.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Signatories: Bal Gangadhar Tilak for the Congress and Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the Muslim League - 1 mark.
2. Effect: it promoted Hindu-Muslim unity, and the Congress and League presented joint demands for self-government - 1 mark.
3. Effect: by accepting separate electorates, the Congress recognised communal representation, which later encouraged communal politics - 1 mark.

Answer: The Lucknow Pact of 1916 is associated with Tilak (Congress) and Jinnah (Muslim League). It created Hindu-Muslim unity and joint demands for self-government, strengthening the movement, but the Congress's acceptance of separate electorates also gave recognition to communal politics.

First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Assertive Nationalists, Surat Split, Muslim League and Lucknow Pact
• Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal

First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement: key facts

First phase

1885-1907: Early Nationalists (Moderates)

Naoroji, Banerjee, Gokhale.

Second phase

1905-1916: Assertive Nationalists

Tilak, Pal, Lajpat Rai.

Partition of Bengal

Lord Curzon; announced July 1905, effective 16 October 1905; annulled 1911

Muslim League

30 December 1906, Dacca

Aga Khan, Nawab Salimullah.

Surat Split

1907

Reunion at Lucknow, 1916.

Lucknow Pact

1916: Tilak (Congress) and Jinnah (Muslim League)

Separate electorates accepted.

Servants of India Society

Gokhale, 1905

Tilak's papers

Kesari (Marathi), Maratha (English)

How the board asks First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Moderates' three Ps

  Prayer, Petition, Protest (constitutional).

  Use it when: Early Nationalist methods.

• Assertives' SBNP

  Swadeshi, Boycott, National education, Passive resistance.

  Use it when: Assertive methods.

• Lal-Bal-Pal

  Lajpat Rai (Punjab), Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Maharashtra), Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal).

  Use it when: Naming Assertive leaders by region.

• 5-6-7-16

  1905 Partition, 1906 Muslim League, 1907 Surat Split, 1916 Lucknow Pact.

  Use it when: Dates and chronology items.

First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section B style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 10-mark question split into 3 + 3 + 4 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Wrong Viceroy or the British reason for the Partition

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: candidates wrote Lord Lytton or Lord Canning instead of Lord Curzon, gave the British perspective instead of the Nationalist one, and confused Curzon's stated reason with the actual motive.

  Wrong working

  Lord Lytton partitioned Bengal because it was too large to govern.

  Right working

  Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal; Nationalists believed the real motive was to weaken Bengal and divide Hindus and Muslims.

  ✓Do this: Separate 'official reason' (size) from 'Nationalist view' (divide and rule).

  Usually costs: Up to 3 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Missing years

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: candidates failed to state the year of the Surat Split and of the Muslim League's formation; some left the question unattempted.

  ✓Do this: Learn 5-6-7-16.

  Usually costs: 1 mark each.

• ✗Mistake: Writing Moderate objectives for Assertives, or failing on Tilak

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: candidates wrote the objective of the Early Nationalists and could not list Tilak's contributions.

  ✓Do this: Assertive objective = Swaraj. Tilak = slogan, Kesari and Maratha, festivals, Home Rule League.

  Usually costs: Up to 3 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Mixing factors and objectives of the Muslim League

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025: candidates confused objectives of the Muslim League with factors leading to its formation.

  ✓Do this: Factors happened before 1906; objectives are aims stated in 1906.

  Usually costs: 2 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Choosing Revivalism instead of Swadeshi, or missing 'odd one out'

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025: candidates chose Revivalism instead of Swadeshi, and missed the word 'odd' and chose Tilak.

  ✓Do this: Read the question word; Swadeshi = buy Indian goods.

  Usually costs: The full mark.

Practice questions on First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   Which method would the Early Nationalists MOST LIKELY use?
   (a) Boycott of British goods
   (b) A petition to the Viceroy
   (c) Passive resistance
   (d) National schools

   Hint

   Constitutional.

   Answer

   (b) A petition to the Viceroy.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQHarder board level

   Who presided over the Surat session of 1907?
   (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
   (b) Rash Behari Ghosh
   (c) Lala Lajpat Rai
   (d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale

   Hint

   The Moderates' candidate.

   Answer

   (b) Rash Behari Ghosh.

3. Q3 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Mention any two contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji.

   Hint

   Drain theory; House of Commons.

   Answer

   He explained the drain of wealth in 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India', and he was the first Indian member of the British House of Commons (also: declared Swaraj the goal at Calcutta, 1906).

4. Q4 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Mention any two contributions of Surendranath Banerjee.

   Hint

   ICS agitation; newspaper.

   Answer

   He led an all-India agitation against reducing the ICS age limit, and spread nationalist ideas through his newspaper 'The Bengalee' (also: led the anti-partition movement).

5. Q5 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Mention two contributions each of Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai.

   Hint

   Speeches and papers; Punjab.

   Answer

   Pal: (1) toured India spreading Swadeshi, boycott and national education during the anti-partition movement; (2) edited nationalist papers such as 'New India' and worked on 'Bande Mataram'. Lajpat Rai: (1) led agrarian protests in Punjab and was deported to Mandalay in 1907; (2) promoted national education through the DAV College and later led the protest against the Simon Commission in Lahore.

6. Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Why did the Assertive Nationalists rise? Give three causes.

   Hint

   Failure, repression, inspiration.

   Answer

   (1) The Moderates' petitions had brought few results. (2) Curzon's repressive measures, especially the Partition of Bengal, angered Indians. (3) Japan's victory over Russia in 1905 showed that Europeans could be defeated, inspiring confidence (also: famines and plague).

7. Q7 · 2 marks · Very short answerHOTS / competency

   Distinguish between the factors leading to the formation of the Muslim League and its objectives, with one example of each.

   Hint

   Before versus aims.

   Answer

   Factors are the causes that led to its creation, for example the British policy of divide and rule. Objectives are what it aimed to achieve after formation, for example protecting the political rights of Muslims.

8. Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   How did the Lucknow Session of 1916 strengthen the national movement? Give three points.

   Hint

   Two reunions.

   Answer

   (1) The Moderates and Assertives reunited in the Congress. (2) The Congress and the Muslim League signed the Lucknow Pact and made joint demands for self-government. (3) This united front increased pressure on the British to grant reforms.

9. Q9 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Who was the Viceroy when Bengal was partitioned? State the official reason.

   Hint

   Not Lytton or Canning.

   Answer

   Lord Curzon. The official reason was that Bengal was too large to be administered efficiently.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.When did the Partition of Bengal come into effect?Show answer

   16 October 1905.

2. 2.When and where was the Muslim League founded?Show answer

   30 December 1906, Dacca.

3. 3.Who founded the Servants of India Society?Show answer

   Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1905).

4. 4.Who is called 'Punjab Kesari'?Show answer

   Lala Lajpat Rai.

5. 5.In which year was the partition annulled?Show answer

   1911.

6. 6.What did the Congress accept in the Lucknow Pact?Show answer

   Separate electorates for Muslims.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Early Nationalists 1885-1907: reforms; petitions, prayers, protests; faith in British justice.
• ☐Naoroji: drain theory, House of Commons, Swaraj 1906. Banerjee: ICS agitation, The Bengalee. Gokhale: Servants of India Society, primary education.
• ☐Partition 1905 (Curzon): official = size; Nationalist = weaken Bengal, divide Hindus and Muslims.
• ☐Assertives: Swaraj; Swadeshi, boycott, national education, passive resistance.
• ☐Tilak: 'Swaraj is my birthright', Kesari, Maratha, festivals. Pal: Swadeshi tours, New India. Lajpat Rai: Punjab Kesari, Mandalay 1907.
• ☐Surat Split 1907: goals, methods, presidency; Moderates kept the Congress.
• ☐Muslim League 1906, Dacca: factors (divide and rule, backwardness, partition, Simla Deputation); objectives (loyalty, Muslim rights, no hostility).
• ☐Lucknow Pact 1916: Tilak and Jinnah; separate electorates; unity but communal recognition.

First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement: frequently asked questions