SSC CGL History · Free notes
Modern India: SSC CGL History
Modern India has 207 questions in the SSC CGL Tier I bank: 82 from the 2023 shifts, 75 from the 2024 shifts and 50 from the 2025 shifts, and 158 of them EASY. That makes it the largest History chapter, and nearly every question asks for a name, a year or a place that a standard textbook gives plainly. The 2025 shifts changed the mix: they asked more about what each Act provided and about tribal and North-East leaders, and less about the reform societies. Each page below is a set of year-by-year tables, running from the Company's wars to the first years of the republic, with the traps SSC sets beside each one.
The handout has every subtopic, worked example, formula and trap with answers shown. The formula sheet is the chapter’s formulas and traps alone, on one page.
Subtopic notes
Company Conquest and Land Revenue
20 PYQsHow the East India Company won Bengal and then the rest of India, the three ways it collected land revenue, and the nationalist case that its rule drained India's wealth.
Revolt of 1857 and Popular Uprisings
18 PYQsThe great revolt of 1857 with its dates, centres and leaders, the tribal and peasant risings before and after it, and the resistance in Manipur and the Naga hills.
British Administration, Acts and Legislation
42 PYQsThe Acts that set up and changed British rule from 1773 to 1935, what each Governor-General or Viceroy is remembered for, and the milestones of colonial education.
19th Century Social and Religious Reform
37 PYQsThe reform societies of Bengal, western India and beyond, their founders and years, and the campaigns against sati, for widow remarriage and against caste.
Early Nationalism and Revolutionaries
20 PYQsThe Congress from 1885 to 1916, the partition of Bengal and the Swadeshi movement, and the revolutionaries who fought in India and from London, Germany and America up to the First World War.
Gandhi and the Mass Movements
38 PYQsGandhi from South Africa to Champaran, the Non-Cooperation Movement, the road from the Simon Commission to the Salt March and the Poona Pact, and the other movements of the 1920s and early 1930s.
Quit India and Independence
14 PYQsThe last decade before freedom: the new parties of 1936 to 1939, Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA, Quit India and its young martyrs, and the British missions that ended in the partition plan of 1947.
India After 1947 and Culture
18 PYQsIndia's first years as a republic, its shortest-serving Prime Ministers and JP's Total Revolution, and the writers, newspapers, musicians and buildings of the colonial age.
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 25 reference tables · 39 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 25 reference tables · 39 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Reference tables (3)
Land revenue settlements3 rows
| System | Who paid | Where | Name to remember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent Settlement (1793) | Zamindar, fixed amount | Bengal, Bihar, Orissa | Lord CornwallisQ |
| Ryotwari | The cultivator, directly | Madras, Bombay | Thomas Munro, Alexander Read |
| Mahalwari (1822) | The village as a whole | North-West, Punjab, Central Provinces | Holt Mackenzie |
The drain of wealth and early industry5 rows
| Fact | Year | Name or place |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty and Un-British Rule in India | 1901 | Dadabhai NaorojiQ |
| The Economic History of India | 1902 | R. C. Dutt |
| First cotton mill | 1854 | Bombay |
| First jute mill | 1855 | Rishra, near Calcutta |
| Tata Iron and Steel Company | 1907 | Jamshedpur |
Watch out for (5)
- Wellesley and Dalhousie swapped→ Battles and annexation policies
- Clive did not fight at Buxar→ Battles and annexation policies
- Cornwallis, not Wellesley or Curzon→ Land revenue settlements
- Ryotwari is south and west, Mahalwari is north→ Land revenue settlements
- Naoroji first, Dutt later→ The drain of wealth and early industry
Reference tables (3)
Tribal and peasant risings6 rows
| Rising | Years | Region | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paika rebellion | 1817 | Khurda, Odisha | Bakshi JagabandhuQ |
| Kol revolt | 1831 to 1832 | Chotanagpur | Budhu BhagatQ |
| Santhal Hul | 1855 to 1856 | Rajmahal hills | Sido and Kanhu MurmuQ |
| Malabar (Moplah) rising | 1921 | Malabar, Kerala | Mappila peasantsQ |
| Munda Ulgulan | 1899 to 1900 | Ranchi, Jharkhand | Birsa Munda |
| Rampa rebellion | 1922 to 1924 | Andhra Pradesh | Alluri Sitarama RajuQ |
Watch out for (5)
- Bahadur Shah II, not Bahadur Shah I→ The revolt of 1857: dates and leaders
- Two leaders in Bihar→ The revolt of 1857: dates and leaders
- Santhal and Munda are different risings→ Tribal and peasant risings
- Two Rampa risings→ Tribal and peasant risings
- Heraka was a faith and a revolt, not a literacy drive→ Resistance in Manipur and the Naga hills
Reference tables (4)
Acts of the Company era (1765 to 1858)5 rows
| Act | Year | Main change |
|---|---|---|
| Regulating Act | 1773 | Governor-General of Bengal with a council of four; Supreme Court at CalcuttaQ |
| Pitt's India Act | 1784 | Board of Control in London; double governmentQ |
| Charter Act | 1813 | Trade monopoly ended; one lakh rupees a year for education |
| Charter Act | 1833 | Governor-General of India; Law CommissionQ |
| Government of India Act | 1858 | Crown rule; Secretary of State with the Council of IndiaQ |
Acts under the Crown (1861 to 1935)5 rows
| Act | Year | Remember it for |
|---|---|---|
| Indian High Courts Act | 1861 | High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay, MadrasQ |
| Age of Consent Act | 1891 | Girls' age of consent raised from 10 to 12Q |
| Indian Councils Act (Morley-Minto) | 1909 | Separate electorates for MuslimsQ |
| Government of India Act (Montagu-Chelmsford) | 1919 | Dyarchy in the provinces; two-house central legislatureQ |
| Government of India Act | 1935 | Provincial autonomy; federation proposedQ |
Watch out for (7)
- 1857 is the revolt, 1858 is the Act→ Acts of the Company era (1765 to 1858)
- The Board of Control did not end the Court of Directors→ Acts of the Company era (1765 to 1858)
- Governor-General of Bengal, then of India→ Acts of the Company era (1765 to 1858)
- 1919 brought dyarchy, 1935 ended it in the provinces→ Acts under the Crown (1861 to 1935)
- Mayo's census was the first, Ripon's the first synchronous→ Governors-General and Viceroys: what each did
- Ripon's resolution was about political education→ Governors-General and Viceroys: what each did
- Macaulay favoured English, not Sanskrit→ Education policy and institutions
Reference tables (3)
Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj and reform in western India7 rows
| Body or work | Year | Founder or leader |
|---|---|---|
| Paramahansa Mandali | 1849 | Dadoba PandurangQ |
| Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha | 1851 | Dadabhai Naoroji and othersQ |
| Prarthana Samaj | 1867 | Atmaram Pandurang; led by Ranade and BhandarkarQ |
| Satyashodhak Samaj | 1873 | Jyotiba Phule |
| Arya Samaj | 1875 | Swami Dayanand SaraswatiQ |
| Stree Purush Tulana | 1882 | Tarabai ShindeQ |
| Fergusson College | 1885 | Tilak and the Deccan Education SocietyQ |
Theosophy, Vivekananda, and the Muslim, Sikh and caste reformers6 rows
| Movement or body | Leader | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Theosophical Society | Blavatsky and Olcott | New York 1875; Adyar from 1882Q |
| Ramakrishna Mission | Swami Vivekananda | 1897; Belur MathQ |
| Aligarh Movement | Sayyid Ahmad Khan | Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, 1875Q |
| Singh Sabha Movement | Sikh reformers | Amritsar, 1873Q |
| Satnami movement | Guru Ghasidas | Chhattisgarh, among leather workersQ |
| Samata Sainik Dal | B. R. Ambedkar | 1927Q |
Watch out for (6)
- Vidyasagar was a Sanskrit scholar→ Ram Mohan Roy, the Brahmo Samaj and Vidyasagar
- Two Hindu Colleges→ Ram Mohan Roy, the Brahmo Samaj and Vidyasagar
- The Arya Samaj began in Bombay→ Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj and reform in western India
- Gokhale did not found Fergusson College→ Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj and reform in western India
- Besant led the Theosophists but did not found them→ Theosophy, Vivekananda, and the Muslim, Sikh and caste reformers
- Ramakrishna did not found the Mission→ Theosophy, Vivekananda, and the Muslim, Sikh and caste reformers
Reference tables (2)
The early Congress and the Swadeshi years7 rows
| Event | Year | Name or place |
|---|---|---|
| Indian National Congress founded | 1885 | BombayQ |
| Second Congress session | 1886 | Calcutta, Dadabhai Naoroji presidingQ |
| Partition of Bengal | 1905 | Lord CurzonQ |
| Swaraj declared the goal | 1906 | Calcutta session, Naoroji presidingQ |
| Congress session in Bihar | 1912 | Bankipore (Patna)Q |
| Lucknow Pact | 1916 | Congress and Muslim LeagueQ |
| Home Rule Leagues | 1916 | Tilak and Annie BesantQ |
Watch out for (4)
- Naoroji, not Bonnerjee, at the second session→ The early Congress and the Swadeshi years
- Bengal partitioned in 1905, reunited in 1911→ The early Congress and the Swadeshi years
- Arrested in 1910, in the Andamans in 1911→ Revolutionaries at home and abroad (1897 to 1915)
- Two India Houses→ Revolutionaries at home and abroad (1897 to 1915)
Reference tables (4)
Rowlatt, Jallianwala and Non-Cooperation (1919 to 1924)6 rows
| Event | Year | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Rowlatt Act | 1919 | Detention without trial for two yearsQ |
| Jallianwala Bagh | 13 April 1919 | Amritsar; Tagore returned his knighthoodQ |
| AITUC founded | 1920 | Bombay; Lala Lajpat Rai presidentQ |
| Chauri Chaura | February 1922 | Non-Cooperation called offQ |
| Swaraj Party | 1923 | C. R. Das and Motilal NehruQ |
| Belgaum session | 1924 | Gandhi presidedQ |
From the Simon Commission to the Poona Pact (1927 to 1932)6 rows
| Event | Year | Name to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Simon Commission protests | 1928 | Lala Lajpat Rai died after the Lahore lathi chargeQ |
| Bardoli Satyagraha | 1928 | Vallabhbhai PatelQ |
| Purna Swaraj resolution | 1929 | Lahore session, Nehru presidingQ |
| Dandi March | 1930 | Viceroy Lord IrwinQ |
| Gandhi-Irwin Pact | 1931 | Then the Second Round Table ConferenceQ |
| Poona Pact | 1932 | Gandhi and AmbedkarQ |
Watch out for (5)
- Bardoli was Patel's, in 1928→ Gandhi's early life and first satyagrahas
- Chauri Chaura was in the United Provinces→ Rowlatt, Jallianwala and Non-Cooperation (1919 to 1924)
- Lahore 1929 is Purna Swaraj, Karachi 1931 is Fundamental Rights→ From the Simon Commission to the Poona Pact (1927 to 1932)
- Irwin at Dandi, Willingdon after→ From the Simon Commission to the Poona Pact (1927 to 1932)
- The Red Shirts were non-violent→ Red Shirts, kisan sabhas and the revolutionaries of 1930
Reference tables (3)
Watch out for (3)
- Germany for the Legion, Singapore for the INA→ Subhas Chandra Bose, the Forward Bloc and the INA
- Bhikaji Cama is 1907, not 1942→ Quit India and its martyrs
- Cripps 1942, Cabinet 1946→ New parties of 1936 and the missions to 1947
Reference tables (3)
India after 19476 rows
| Person or event | Year | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| First Republic Day chief guest | 1950 | Sukarno of IndonesiaQ |
| Potti Sriramulu's fast | 1952 | Led to Andhra State, the first linguistic stateQ |
| Wheat Revolution stamp | 1968 | Marked the Green RevolutionQ |
| Total Revolution | 1974 | Jayaprakash Narayan (Lok Nayak)Q |
| Gulzarilal Nanda | 1964 and 1966 | Interim Prime Minister, 13 days each timeQ |
| Chandra Shekhar | 1990 to 1991 | About seven months as Prime MinisterQ |
Colonial architecture3 rows
| Style | Features | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Neo-classical | Greek and Roman columns, pediments | Town Hall, Bombay |
| Neo-Gothic | Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, spires | Victoria Terminus, Bombay High Court |
| Indo-Saracenic | Indian domes and chhatris with European plans | Gateway of India |
Watch out for (4)
- Total Revolution was non-violent→ India after 1947
- Rabindranath founded the school, Debendranath the ashram→ Writers, newspapers and music
- Anandamath is Bankim's, not Rabindranath's→ Writers, newspapers and music
- Gothic features are European, not new→ Colonial architecture
PYQ weightage by concept
25 concepts · 207 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
PYQ weightage by concept
25 concepts · 207 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battles and annexation policies | 11 | 5% |
| The drain of wealth and early industry | 5 | 2% |
| Land revenue settlements | 4 | 2% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The revolt of 1857: dates and leaders | 7 | 3% |
| Tribal and peasant risings | 7 | 3% |
| Resistance in Manipur and the Naga hills | 4 | 2% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Acts of the Company era (1765 to 1858) | 15 | 7% |
| Governors-General and Viceroys: what each did | 13 | 6% |
| Acts under the Crown (1861 to 1935) | 8 | 4% |
| Education policy and institutions | 6 | 3% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ram Mohan Roy, the Brahmo Samaj and Vidyasagar | 13 | 6% |
| Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj and reform in western India | 12 | 6% |
| Theosophy, Vivekananda, and the Muslim, Sikh and caste reformers | 12 | 6% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The early Congress and the Swadeshi years | 10 | 5% |
| Revolutionaries at home and abroad (1897 to 1915) | 10 | 5% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| From the Simon Commission to the Poona Pact (1927 to 1932) | 13 | 6% |
| Gandhi's early life and first satyagrahas | 9 | 4% |
| Rowlatt, Jallianwala and Non-Cooperation (1919 to 1924) | 9 | 4% |
| Red Shirts, kisan sabhas and the revolutionaries of 1930 | 7 | 3% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Quit India and its martyrs | 5 | 2% |
| New parties of 1936 and the missions to 1947 | 5 | 2% |
| Subhas Chandra Bose, the Forward Bloc and the INA | 4 | 2% |
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| India after 1947 | 8 | 4% |
| Writers, newspapers and music | 8 | 4% |
| Colonial architecture | 2 | 1% |
Test yourself on Modern India
20 past SSC CGL questions from this chapter, timed at 12 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.