Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists : List-I (Movement) A. Bardoli Satyagraha B. Tebhaga C. Satyasodhak Samaj D. Ulgulan Code: List-II (Mass base/ Following) 1. Bargadars 2. Kaliparaj 3. Mundas 4. Kunbi peasantry A B C D

1. Nature of Civil and Tribal Uprisings (basic)

To understand the history of Indian resistance, we must look beyond the 1857 Revolt. Resistance to British rule was a continuous process that began almost as soon as the East India Company established its foothold. These early protests can be broadly categorized into three forms: civil rebellions, tribal uprisings, and peasant movements Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.137. While each group had unique grievances, they often shared a common goal: the removal of an alien administration that disrupted their traditional way of life. Civil Rebellions were typically led by the traditional elite—deposed kings, displaced zamindars, and former military officials—who had lost their power, land, and social prestige under British policies. In contrast, Tribal Uprisings were intensely community-driven. Tribal societies were fiercely independent, and their anger was directed at the British land settlements that broke their joint land-ownership systems and the introduction of 'outsiders' (like moneylenders and traders) into their secluded territories Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.153. We can further distinguish tribal movements based on their geography, as the nature of their struggles often depended on their location:

Feature	Mainland Tribal Revolts	Frontier Tribal Revolts
Region	Central India, West-Central, and South India Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.155.	North-Eastern frontier regions (e.g., Manipur, Assam, Tripura).
Key Triggers	New land revenue systems, loss of forest rights, and exploitation by 'dikus' (outsiders).	Recruitment of labor during wars, hike in house taxes, and political autonomy Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.161.
Objective	Protection of traditional land and social structures.	Often aimed at establishing independent tribal 'Raj' or protecting ethnic identity.

While these movements were often localized and lacked a pan-Indian coordination, they were characterized by immense bravery and a total rejection of foreign authority. The British often responded with extreme violence, executing leaders and disbanding entire insurgent units to maintain control Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.163.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857, p.137; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857, p.153; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857, p.155; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857, p.161; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857, p.163

2. Major Tribal Revolts: Santhal and Munda (intermediate)

To understand the tribal revolts of the 19th century, we must first recognize that these were not random acts of violence, but organized responses to a systemic breakdown of tribal life. For centuries, tribes like the Santhals and Mundas lived in relative isolation with their own social and land systems. The British colonial entry disrupted this by introducing private property, high land taxes, and a new class of exploitative outsiders known as Dikus (moneylenders, zamindars, and traders).

The Santhal Rebellion (1855-56), also known as the Santhal Hool, originated in the Rajmahal Hills (modern-day Jharkhand). The Santhals had cleared forests to settle in the Damin-i-Koh region, only to find the land being seized by zamindars and moneylenders who charged exorbitant interest rates Themes in Indian History Part III, History Class XII (NCERT), Colonialism and the Countryside, p. 242. Led by four brothers—Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand, and Bhairav—the Santhals declared an end to Company rule. They fought with traditional bows and arrows against the British army. Though the rebellion was suppressed by 1856, it forced the government to create the Santhal Pargana, a separate administrative unit where special laws were enacted to protect tribal land Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p. 157.

A few decades later, the Munda Rebellion (1899-1900), famously called the Ulgulan (the Great Tumult), erupted in the Chota Nagpur region. This movement was led by Birsa Munda, a charismatic leader who combined tribal traditions with a vision of a "Golden Age." The primary grievance was the destruction of the Khuntkatti system (joint land ownership) by the British, who replaced it with the Zamidari system History Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Early Resistance to British Rule, p. 292. Birsa Munda urged his followers to stop paying rent and to drive out the British to establish Munda Raj. Following his capture and death in prison, the British passed the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (1908) to safeguard tribal land rights.

Feature	Santhal Rebellion	Munda Rebellion
Key Leader(s)	Sidhu and Kanhu	Birsa Munda
Key Term	Hool (Rebellion)	Ulgulan (Great Tumult)
Primary Target	Dikus (Outsiders) & Zamindars	Destruction of Khuntkatti system
Legislative Result	Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act	Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (1908)

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857, p.157; History Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p.292; Themes in Indian History Part III (NCERT), Colonialism and the Countryside, p.242

3. 19th Century Peasant Struggles (basic)

After the massive upheaval of 1857, peasant resistance in India entered a more organized and legally-aware phase. These 19th-century struggles were not aimed at ending British rule; instead, they were focused on specific economic grievances like high rents, eviction by landlords (Zamindars), and exploitation by European planters. Unlike earlier tribal uprisings, these movements often operated within the framework of the law, using petitions and court cases as weapons.

The Indigo Revolt (1859-60) in Bengal remains the most iconic of these struggles. European planters forced peasants to grow indigo—a dye in high demand in Europe—instead of food crops like rice. Peasants were trapped through fraudulent contracts and meager advance payments History, Class XII (Tamil Nadu State Board), Rise of Nationalism in India, p.3. Led by Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Biswas, the peasants organized a massive 'non-cultivation' strike. A unique feature here was the support from the urban intelligentsia; journalists like Harish Chandra Mukherjee and playwrights like Dinabandhu Mitra (author of Neel Darpan) brought the peasants' plight to the national stage Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 31, p.575.

Another significant movement was the Pabna Agrarian Unrest (1870s-80s) in Eastern Bengal. Here, Zamindars used forceful evictions and enhanced rents to bypass the Rent Act of 1859, which granted occupancy rights to long-term tenants. Peasants formed 'Agrarian Leagues' to raise funds for legal battles, famously declaring they wanted to be "ryots of Her Majesty the Queen" to escape Zamindari oppression Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 31, p.575. This shift toward institutional and legal resistance highlights the maturing political consciousness of the Indian peasantry during this era.

Movement	Primary Target	Key Characteristics
Indigo Revolt	European Planters	Strike against forced indigo cultivation; support from urban middle class.
Pabna Unrest	Native Zamindars	Legalistic approach; formation of Agrarian Leagues to fight in courts.
Deccan Riots	Moneylenders	Social boycott of 'sahukars'; burning of debt bonds and account books.

Sources: History, Class XII (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024 ed.), Rise of Nationalism in India, p.3; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum 2019 ed.), Peasant Movements 1857-1947, p.575

4. Social Reform and Caste Movements in Western India (intermediate)

In Western India, particularly Maharashtra, the 19th-century social reform movement was unique because it directly linked caste liberation with the economic grievances of the peasantry. The most transformative figure was Jyotirao Phule (1827–1890). Unlike many contemporary reformers who sought to 'purify' Hinduism from within, Phule launched a radical critique of the entire caste hierarchy, which he viewed as an instrument of slavery. In 1873, he founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth Seekers' Society), which drew its leadership not from the intelligentsia, but from the backward classes—including the Malis, Telis, Kunbis, and Dhangars Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.215. Phule’s seminal work, Gulamgiri (Slavery), and his use of the symbol of Rajah Bali to counter the traditional narrative of Rama, served to unite the non-Brahmin masses against social degradation History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), p.302. While Phule represented the radical grassroots, another significant pillar of reform was the Prarthana Samaj. Joined in 1870 by Mahadeo Govind Ranade, this organization was more moderate but equally vital. It focused on monotheism and social service, drawing deep inspiration from the Bhakti cult of Maharashtra to encourage the breakdown of caste barriers Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 6, p.212. The movement in Western India was characterized by this dual approach: intellectual reform from the top and a powerful, education-focused revolt from the bottom.

To understand the different flavors of reform in this region, consider this comparison:

Feature	Satyashodhak Samaj	Prarthana Samaj
Key Leader	Jyotirao Phule	M.G. Ranade, R.G. Bhandarkar
Core Philosophy	Radical social equality; Anti-Brahminical revolt	Liberal reform; Monotheism; Bhakti-influenced
Primary Tool	Mass education and vernacular literature (e.g., Gulamgiri)	Social service and secret societies (Paramahansa Sabha origins)

Phule argued that women's liberation was inextricably linked with the liberation of the lower castes, as both groups were the primary victims of the existing social order History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), p.302. By the late 19th century, cheap printed tracts helped these ideas spread beyond cities into prosperous villages, creating a fertile ground for the peasant movements that would follow in the 20th century India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X, Chapter 5, p.126.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 6: People’s Resistance Against British Before 1857 (Note: Source references indicate p. 215 is in Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform), p.212, 215; History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Towards Modernity, p.302; India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025), Print Culture and the Modern World, p.126

5. British Land Tenure and Agrarian Classes (intermediate)

To understand the peasant movements in India, we must first look at how the British fundamentally altered the way land was owned and taxed. Before the British, land revenue was a share of the actual produce, which fluctuated with the harvest. The British, however, needed a fixed and steady income to fund their wars and trade. This led to the creation of three major land tenure systems that reordered rural society into new, often conflicting, agrarian classes.

The first major experiment was the Permanent Settlement (1793) in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. Here, the British turned Zamindars (who were originally just tax collectors) into hereditary owners of the land History, Class XI (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024), Chapter 18, p. 266. The revenue demand was fixed forever. While this gave the British a stable income, it backfired when agricultural prices rose after 1810. The Zamindars' rental income increased, but the British could not claim a share of this 'surplus' because the rate was fixed Themes in Indian History Part III, History Class XII (NCERT 2025), Colonialism and the Countryside, p. 247. This created a wealthy rentier class of Zamindars who lived off the labor of exploited tenants.

To avoid the 'loss' of potential revenue seen in Bengal, the British introduced the Ryotwari System in South and West India (Madras and Bombay). Here, they bypassed the middlemen and settled directly with the Ryot (the individual cultivator) History, Class XII (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024), Envisioning a New Socio-Economic Order, p. 117. While this sounded fairer, the revenue demands were often so high that peasants were forced into the hands of moneylenders, leading to massive indebtedness and the loss of land. These systems collectively gave rise to a complex hierarchy: the big landlords at the top, followed by rich peasants, then sharecroppers (bargadars), and finally landless laborers at the bottom.

Feature	Permanent Settlement (Zamindari)	Ryotwari System
Primary Region	Bengal, Bihar, Odisha	Madras, Bombay, Assam
Revenue Payee	Zamindar (Landlord)	Ryot (Individual Cultivator)
Nature of Demand	Fixed permanently	Revised periodically (Temporary)
Social Impact	Created a loyal rentier class; peasants lost land rights.	Direct state-peasant link; led to high peasant indebtedness.

Sources: History, Class XI (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024), Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule, p.266; Themes in Indian History Part III, History Class XII (NCERT 2025), Colonialism and the Countryside, p.247; History, Class XII (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024), Envisioning a New Socio-Economic Order, p.117

6. Gandhian Peasant Movements: Bardoli Satyagraha (exam-level)

The Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 stands as a landmark in the Indian national movement, representing the peak of organized, non-violent peasant resistance. Located in the Surat district of Gujarat, the movement was triggered by the Bombay Presidency government's decision to increase land revenue by 30 percent in January 1926. Despite protests from the Congress and an inquiry committee finding the hike unjustified, the government remained adamant. In February 1928, the local peasants invited Vallabhbhai Patel to lead their struggle, marking a transformative moment in his political career Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 31, p. 580.

Under Patel’s leadership, the movement was organized with military-like precision. He divided the taluka into several chhavanis (workers' camps) to maintain constant contact with the peasantry. To ensure unity, a Bardoli Satyagraha Patrika was published, and an intelligence wing was established to monitor compliance with the movement's resolutions. A unique feature of Bardoli was the massive mobilization of women; it was the women of Bardoli who conferred the title 'Sardar' upon Vallabhbhai Patel in recognition of his leadership NCERT Class X, Nationalism in India, p. 35.

The social base of the movement was remarkably broad, involving two distinct groups: the Ujliparaj (higher-caste, literate landholders) and the Kaliparaj (meaning 'black-skinned' people, largely landless laborers and tribals). Patel worked specifically on the social upliftment of the Kaliparaj to ensure they weren't used as strike-breakers by the government. Resistance methods included the refusal to pay the revised assessment and a strict social boycott of any official or local person who collaborated with the authorities Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 31, p. 580.

As tensions escalated and prominent leaders like K.M. Munshi resigned from the Legislative Council in support, the British government finally relented. An independent inquiry by the Broomfield and Maxwell committee was appointed, which concluded that the revenue hike was indeed unjustified and reduced it to a mere 6.03 percent. The success of Bardoli proved that organized non-violent resistance could humble the colonial state, significantly boosting the morale of the national movement just before the Civil Disobedience era.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Peasant Movements 1857-1947, p.580; NCERT Class X, Nationalism in India, Nationalism in India, p.35

7. Radical Peasant Movements: The Tebhaga Struggle (exam-level)

The Tebhaga Movement (1946–47) represents one of the most significant and radical peasant struggles in Indian history, erupting in the twilight of British rule. Unlike many earlier movements that targeted the British directly, this was an internal class struggle within the agrarian structure of Bengal. The conflict pitted the bargardars (sharecroppers, also known as bagchasi or adhyar) against the jotedars (rich peasants who owned large tracts of land and controlled local moneylending). Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 31, p. 583. Traditionally, the harvest was split 50-50, but the sharecroppers, inspired by the Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha (the peasant wing of the Communist Party), demanded a two-thirds share (hence 'Tebhaga') for themselves, leaving only one-third for the landlord.

The movement gained momentum following the recommendations of the Floud Commission (the Bengal Land Revenue Commission), which had officially suggested that two-thirds of the share should go to the cultivator. The struggle was not just about the ratio, but also about control. The central slogan of the movement was "nij khamare dhan tolo" (stack the paddy in your own threshing floor). Traditionally, sharecroppers were forced to take the harvest to the jotedar's house, where the landlord could easily manipulate the accounts and seize a larger share. By moving the threshing to their own yards, the peasants asserted their dignity and economic autonomy. Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22). Chapter 10, p. 338.

The social base of the movement was incredibly diverse, involving poor Muslims, Dalits, and tribal groups. The storm center was North Bengal, particularly among the Rajbanshis, a community of tribal origin. Despite the communal tensions of the time (like the Great Calcutta Killings of 1946), the Tebhaga movement stood out as a remarkable example of class solidarity across religious lines. Although the movement faced severe state repression and was eventually suppressed, it paved the way for future land reforms in West Bengal, such as 'Operation Barga' in the late 1970s.

Feature	Details of the Tebhaga Struggle
Primary Actors	Bargardars (Sharecroppers) vs. Jotedars (Rich Landlords)
Key Demand	Increase share from 1/2 to 2/3 of the produce
Leadership	Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha / Communist Party (CPI)
Geography	North Bengal (Dinajpur, Rangpur, Jalpaiguri) and Mymensingh

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 31: Peasant Movements 1857-1947, p.583; Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22), Chapter 10: Land Reforms in India, p.338

8. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

This question serves as a comprehensive test of your ability to link peasant movements, tribal uprisings, and social reforms to their specific regional and social demographics. To solve this, you must synthesize the individual building blocks of modern history: the geography of the protest, the leadership, and most importantly, the specific terminology used for the participants. For instance, you have learned that the Ulgulan (Great Tumult) is the specific term for the rebellion led by Birsa Munda, making the D-3 connection your strongest starting point. Similarly, as detailed in Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (SPECTRUM), the Tebhaga movement in Bengal was defined by the struggle of Bargadars (sharecroppers) against the Jotedars (B-1).

To finalize the match, look at the socio-religious and regional contexts of the remaining movements. Jyotirao Phule’s Satyashodhak Samaj in Maharashtra was established to liberate the Kunbi peasantry and other non-Brahmin castes from systemic oppression (C-4). Meanwhile, the Bardoli Satyagraha in Gujarat saw Sardar Patel mobilizing the Kaliparaj—a term for landless laborers—to resist unfair revenue increases (A-2). By systematically connecting these social groups to their respective movements, the logical sequence confirms the correct answer: (B) 2 1 4 3. This approach demonstrates how mastery of regional vocabulary is often the key to unlocking complex match-the-following questions.

UPSC frequently uses geographical and terminology traps to mislead students. For example, options (C) and (D) incorrectly pair the Bardoli Satyagraha (Gujarat) with the Mundas (Chotanagpur), a clear mismatch of tribal vs. peasant movement regions. Another common trap is confusing the Kaliparaj of Western India with the Bargadars of Eastern India. Elimination is your best friend here: if you knew that Ulgulan belonged to the Mundas and Tebhaga belonged to the Bargadars, you could have immediately identified the correct sequence even if you were unsure about the specific mass base of the Satyashodhak Samaj.