Ram Mohan Roy, The Brahmo Movement; Devendranath Tagore; Iswarchandra Vidyasagar; The Young Bengal Movement; Dayanada Saraswati; The social reform movements in India including Sati, widow remarriage, child marriage etc.; The contribution of Indian renaissance to the growth of modem India; Islamic revivalism – the Feraizi and Wahabi Movements.

History Optional PYQs: Social and Religious Reform Movements in Bengal and Other Areas [1985-2026]

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Year	Question	Answer
2026	"Raja Rammohun Roy stands in history as the living bridge over which India marches from her unmeasured part to her incalculable future." Explain.
2025	"The tensions between cultural revivalism and modernisation shaped the trajectory of the socio-religious reform movements in 19th century India." Discuss.	View answer
2024	In course of the 19th century, the agenda of social reform was gradually replaced by revivalism.	View answer
2023	The universalist perspective of socio-religious reform movements was not a 'purely philosophic concern; it strongly influenced the political and social outlook of the time'. Examine.	View answer
2020	Critically examine the following statement in about 150 words:"In the initial stages, when Indian nationalism was immature, just sprouting, it found expression in many liberal religio-reform movements."	View answer
2019	Critically examine: “Two important intellectual criteria which informed the reform movements were rationalism and religious universalism.”	View answer
2019	How far was the widow remarriage movement effective in arousing social concern for Indian women?	View answer
2018	Critically examine: "Faced with the challenge of the intrusion of colonial culture and ideology, an attempt to reinvigorate traditional institutions and to realize the potential of traditional culture developed during the nineteenth century."	View answer
2017	Critically comment in 150 words: "The chief value of Raja's (Raja Rammohan Roy) labours seems to lie in his fight against the forces of medievalism in India.”	View answer
2017	Critically comment in 150 words: "The Arya Samaj may quite logically be pronounced as the outcome of condition imported into India from the West."	View answer
2015	Swami Dayanand’s philosophy represents both elements of extremism and social radicalism." Substantiate.	View answer
2014	“Though Sri Ramakrishna became the prophet of neo-Hinduism, he never claimed to have founded any new religion." Elaborate.	View answer
2013	Swami Vivekananda opined that “We should give our ancient spirituality and culture and get it return Western science, technology, methods of raising the standard of life, business integrity and technique of collective effort.” Critically examine in 150 words.	View answer
2013	“The first point to note is the continuing importance of religion and philosophy as vital ingredients in the modern Indian Renaissance. Indeed, there is as much reason for regarding it as a reformation as there is for treating it as a Renaissance.” Critically examine.	View answer
2012	“The contact of the new Indian middle class with the West proved to be a catalyst. The social and religious movements launched by Rammohan or Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar have to be understood in this context."- Elaborate.	View answer
2011	“Young Bengal left little distinctive or permanent impression on the plane of religion and philosophy." Critically evaluate.	View answer
2010	Critically evaluate: “The educated middle class in the 19th century often found the domain of reason to be oppressive, as it implied the historical necessity of ‘civilizing’ colonial rule."	View answer
2010	Discuss the extent to which the Indian Renaissance movement contributed towards the rise of nationalist consciousness.	View answer
2009	How did social legislation in the nineteenth century improve the condition of women in India?	View answer
2009	“The Arya Samaj may quite logically be pronounced as the outcome of conditions imported into India by the west." (Lala Lajpat Rai). Comment.	View answer
2007	"Of the evils which corroded Indian society in the nineteenth century were probably those stunted its womanhood.” Comment.	View answer
2006	“So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them." Comment.	View answer
2005	’The national democratic awakening of the Indian people found expression also in the religious sphere.’	View answer
2000	Discuss the important social reform legislations passed in the 19th century and elucidate the reaction of Indian leaders to the measures adopted.	View answer
1998	The Arya Samaj"did not, however, succeed in capturing the imagination of modem India as a whole". Comment.	View answer
1997	The 19th century Indian renaissance was both an acceptance and rejection of western values. Do you agree?	View answer
1996	"The religious reform movements of the 19th century were "endeavours to recast the old religion (Hinduism) into a new form suited to meet the needs of the new society.” Comment.	View answer
1994	"The Widow Remarriage Act was, in many ways, a logical sequel to the abolition of Sati.” Comment.	View answer
1993	To what extent did the socio-religious movements contribute to the emancipation of women in the 19th century.	View answer
1986	'Rammohun thus presents a most instructive and inspiring study for the New India of which he is the type and pioneer.’ Comment in about 200 words.	View answer
1985	"These religio-reform movements were national in content but religious in form. It was in the later stages of our national existence, that nationalism found exclusively or predominantly secular forms." Comment in about 200 words.	View answer