Question 68 from UPSC CSE 2025 - Modern History

Question

Consider the following subjects with regard to the Non-Cooperation Programme:
I. Boycott of law courts and foreign cloth
II. Observance of strict non-violence
III. Retention of titles and honours without using them in public
IV. Establishment of Panchayats for settling disputes
How many of the above were parts of the Non-Cooperation Programme?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Only three

Strategy: Focus on the listed programmes of the Non-Cooperation Movement from historical memory. Boycott of law courts and foreign cloth is a core part, as is the establishment of local Panchayats to settle disputes and the insistence on strict non-violence. Retention of titles and honours without using them goes against the spirit of the movement, which called for surrendering such titles, not mere non-use. Thus, three items were included, not all four.

Key Info: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress as a mass resistance campaign against British colonial rule.

* Key features of the Non-Cooperation Programme included:
  * Boycott of law courts, foreign cloth, government schools and colleges, and elections under the 1919 Act.
  * Resignation from honorary government positions and titles; active surrender, not passive retention, was required.
  * Promotion of Swadeshi, especially homespun khadi and indigenous goods; public burning of foreign cloth was common during this era.
  * Establishment of national schools, colleges, and alternative institutions such as Kashi Vidyapeeth, Bihar Vidyapeeth, and Jamia Millia Islamia.
  * Formation of local panchayats as parallel dispute resolution bodies in place of government-organized courts.
  * Observation of strict non-violence, an essential Gandhian principle for all participants, especially as the movement spread to the masses.
  * Fostered Hindu-Muslim unity, popularized charkha spinning, and included constructive social work.

* Surrender of Titles: The movement explicitly called for the renunciation and public surrender of titles and honors conferred by the British, e.g., 'Sir', 'Rai Bahadur', etc., as a symbol of severing allegiance. Continuing to retain titles, even without using them in public, was against the Gandhian directive and not considered adequate non-cooperation.

* Panchayats: These were set up as part of the constructive programme, offering local, community-based forums for settling civil disputes, thus reducing dependence on colonial law courts.

* Immediate Causes: The movement was catalyzed by the repressive Rowlatt Act, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and widespread disillusionment with British reforms post-World War I.

* Leadership and Implementation: The All India Congress Committee formally approved the programme in the Calcutta (September 1920) and Nagpur (December 1920) Sessions. Membership was expanded, and organizational structure reorganized at the Nagpur Session to implement mass mobilisation effectively.

Answer

Option A: Only one

Answer

Option B: Only two

Answer

Option D: All four