- Question for UPSC Mains: Freedom Struggle
- Introduction: Origin of Democratic Awakening
- Conclude with Positive & Bright Mood
- Avoid Conclusion with Negative Tone
- Self-Assessment Benchmarks & Common Mistakes
Question for UPSC Mains: History & Culture
- Discuss the ways in which the national democratic awakening of the Indians found expression in the religious sphere during the British raj. (250 words, 15m)
- ब्रिटिश राज में भारतीयों की राष्ट्रिय लोकतांत्रिक जागरूकता किन तरीको से धार्मिक क्षेत्रमें अभिव्यकत हुई? चर्चा कीजिए.
Approach to the Answer
- First, Self Study the topic of Socio-Religious reforms from any book of your choice: Spectrum, TN Textbook Class12 Ch.5, OR Plassey to Partition.
- Then write the answer on a blank page with 1” margins on each side.
- Then, Watch my Youtube video to study the model Answer structure & list of common mistakes in this question, including benchmarks for self-assessment of your answer.
Introduction: Origin of Democratic Awakening
- During the British rule, Western education led to spread of the democratic concepts of justice, equality, openness, freedom and planted the seeds of nationalism among educated Indians.
- This democratic awakening found expressions in the religious spheres in following manner….: <… body>
Body: Democratic elements in Religious Sphere
- Democracy: Rule of people, not rule of Monarchs
- Democratic awakening that neither British Queen nor a Mughal emperor could be entrusted with the safety & welfare of Indians.
- Dayanand Saraswati & Derozio to Periyar: idolatry, Brahmanical rituals can’t ensure safety and welfare of devotees.
- Democracy: “Freedom” from misrule, power to elect your representatives
- On one hand, we were fighting against the misrule of the British, but till 1900s, the Sikh gurdwaras were under control of Udasi Mahants (clergymen)- many of them were accused of embezzlement & promiscuity, while they prohibited the entry of lower castes. Akali leaders fought to have Gurdwara management to democratically elected committees and allow entry for all Sikhs in the shrine.
- Democracy: Tolerance, Openness to new ideas, Listening to opposing ideas, Freedom of Press.
- Emperor Akbar practiced religious tolerance but by 18th century, religious intolerance, ignorance and irrationalism had crept in Islam. Purdah, polygamy and easy divorce were justified through mis-quoting the religious text.
- Sir Syed Ahmad Khan started Aligarh movement to promote rationalism & liberal ideas among Muslims through Western Education at Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College.
- Democracy: Equality for scheduled castes in religion
- On one hand, Indians were fighting for entry in higher civil services & legislature.
- On the other hand, Scheduled castes were prevented from entering in Temples.
- Thus, while we fought to against the ‘racial supremacy of the white men’, our own society was in the shackles of Brahmanical supremacy.
- Jyotiba Phule, Periyar E.V.Ramaswamy Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar and others fought to achieve equality for the downtrodden.
- Democracy: Equality for scheduled castes in religion
- On one hand, Indians were fighting for entry in higher civil services & legislature.
- On the other hand, Scheduled castes were prevented from entering in Temples.
- Thus, while we fought to against the ‘racial supremacy of the white men’, our own society was in the shackles of Brahmanical supremacy.
- Jyotiba Phule, Periyar E.V.Ramaswamy Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar and others fought to achieve equality for the downtrodden.
- Democracy: Equality before Law, Equal protection for all
- Widowed males were allowed to re-marry but widowed ladies were prohibited from remarrying, by mis-quoting religious texts.
- Sati system, child marriage & female infanticide were also justified in similar fashion.
- Raja Rammohan Roy, Maharishi Debendranath Tagore, Kesab Chandra Sen, Dayanand Saraswati and Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar et.al. fought against these evils.
- Misc: Democratic awakening-> religious awakening
- Justice Ranade was both the member of INC and Prathna Samaj. He fought for social reforms like inter-dining, inter-caste-marriage, widow remarriage and uplift of women and depressed classes.
- Gandhian movement: Prabhat feri- religious songs, and nationalist songs. “Vaishnava Jan toh…” : Devotee of Vishnu respects women, understands the pain of others.
Conclude with Positive & Bright Mood
- Thus, our founding fathers fought for justice, freedom and equality for all in both the political and religious domains.
- The same spirit was also included in our Constitution under the preamble, fundamental rights, duties and directive principles.
Avoid Conclusion with Negative Tone
- Unfortunately, the same Syed Ahmad Khan, in his later years, encouraged the Indian Muslims not to join the National Movement. Hindu Mahasabha & Muslim league distanced themselves from INC.
- Thus, during the later period of British-raj, religious identities became more rigid and ultimately led to partition of the country. … Present day events such as mob-lynching & cow-vigilantism point that this type of democratic religious awakening is missing today. (=70 w/250: one fourth Ans.is negative)
Self-Assessment Benchmarks & Common Mistakes
Parameter | Marks | Benchmarks |
---|---|---|
Introduction and conclusion | 0-2 |
|
Conclusion | 0-2 |
|
Body | 1 to 4 marks |
|
Logical structure | -1 to 1 |
|
Concise expression | -1 to 1 |
|
Language | -1 to 0 |
|
Total Marks out of 15 | 0 to 8 |
|
Subscribe to Youtube.com/c/TheMrunalPatel for more videos on UPSC. Visit Mrunal.org/Mains for more on the Art of Answer-Writing.
Sir do a question on Indian diaspora… diaspora ka qsn dharashahi kr deta h.
Sir, is there any way that I can share my answer for you evaluation for initial days till I get confidence! It would be a great help.
Sir, Main IPS preparation karna chahanta hun UPSC preliminary exam ka Hindi Main note mil sakta he kiya
Sir,
I am needy for the right guidance and the best subject matter for the examination of PCS ( J ) of Uttar Pradesh. Because of I am a new aspirant in this field this is why I have no idea and any resource for a better preparation . And it will be my first attempt also .
So , my humble question is very simple that , can you help me any type of in hindi language , SIR ?
Sir,main IPS preparation karna chahanta hun to mujhe preliminary exam kelia both Hindi or English ka question paper note mil sakata he kiya