Congress Sessions — Set 1
Indian History · कांग्रेस अधिवेशन · Questions 1–10 of 80
Where was the first session of the Indian National Congress held in 1885?
Correct Answer: C. Bombay
• **First INC session (1885)** = held at **Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay** — shifted from Poona. • Shifted from Poona due to **cholera outbreak** — **72 delegates** attended from across India. • Presided by W.C. Bonnerjee; A.O. Hume was General Secretary — formal founding of INC. • 💡 Madras = 3rd session (1887, Badruddin Tyabji); Poona = original venue, not held; Calcutta = 2nd session (1886) — first session was in Bombay.
Who was the Viceroy of India when the Indian National Congress was formed?
Correct Answer: C. Lord Dufferin
• **Lord Dufferin** = Viceroy (1884–1888) during INC formation in **December 1885**. • Initially dismissed Congress as a **'microscopic minority'** — later worried as it grew. • INC was founded by A.O. Hume, a retired British ICS officer — first session in Bombay. • 💡 Lord Lytton = Viceroy before Dufferin (Vernacular Press Act); Lord Curzon = 1899–1905 (Partition of Bengal); Lord Ripon = Viceroy before Dufferin (Ilbert Bill) — Dufferin was Viceroy when INC was founded.
Who presided over the Banaras session of the Congress in 1905?
Correct Answer: D. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• **Gopal Krishna Gokhale** = presided over **Banaras session (1905)** — proclaimed Swadeshi Movement. • Session formally opposed **Partition of Bengal** (announced by Lord Curzon) — launched boycott. • Gokhale = political guru of Mahatma Gandhi; founder of Servants of India Society (1905). • 💡 Surendranath Banerjee = presided 1895 Poona; Dadabhai Naoroji = 1906 Calcutta (Swaraj); Tilak = extremist, not the 1905 president — Gokhale presided Banaras 1905.
In which session was the word 'Swaraj' first mentioned from the Congress platform?
Correct Answer: D. Calcutta, 1906
• **'Swaraj'** first used on Congress platform = **1906 Calcutta session**, presided by Dadabhai Naoroji. • **4 resolutions** passed: Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott, and National Education — landmark session. • Dadabhai Naoroji = 'Grand Old Man of India'; 3-time Congress President (1886, 1893, 1906). • 💡 Madras 1908 = Congress constitution adopted; Banaras 1905 = Swadeshi proclaimed; Surat 1907 = split occurred — 'Swaraj' word first used in Calcutta 1906.
Who presided over the Special Session of Congress in Calcutta in September 1920?
Correct Answer: D. Lala Lajpat Rai
• **Lala Lajpat Rai** = presided over **Special Session, Calcutta, September 1920** for Non-Cooperation Movement. • Session called to approve Gandhi's **Non-Cooperation Movement** — passed despite initial opposition. • The regular 1920 Nagpur session (December) reorganized Congress on linguistic lines — two separate sessions. • 💡 Motilal Nehru = presided 1919 Amritsar; C.R. Das = elected 1921 Ahmedabad but was in prison; C. Vijayaraghavachariar = presided 1920 Nagpur — Lala Lajpat Rai presided Special Session Sept 1920.
Which session of the Congress saw the reorganization of Congress committees on a linguistic basis?
Correct Answer: A. Nagpur, 1920
• **Nagpur session (1920)** = reorganized Congress Provincial Committees on **linguistic lines** — major reform. • **C. Vijayaraghavachariar** presided — constitution changed, Hindi adopted as Congress language. • Also passed Non-Cooperation Movement resolution and changed Congress goal to 'Swaraj by peaceful means'. • 💡 Ahmedabad 1921 = Hakim Ajmal Khan presided (C.R. Das in prison); Calcutta 1920 = Special Session (Lala Lajpat Rai); Gaya 1922 = C.R. Das presided — linguistic reorganization was Nagpur 1920.
Who acted as the President of the 1921 Ahmedabad session since C.R. Das was in prison?
Correct Answer: C. Hakim Ajmal Khan
• **Hakim Ajmal Khan** = Acting President, **1921 Ahmedabad session** — C.R. Das was in jail. • **Hasrat Mohani** first proposed 'Complete Independence' (Poorna Azadi) at this session — years before 1929 Lahore. • Hakim Ajmal Khan = prominent Unani physician and nationalist from Delhi. • 💡 Motilal Nehru = presided 1919 Amritsar and 1928 Calcutta; Sarojini Naidu = presided 1925 Kanpur; Vallabhbhai Patel = presided 1931 Karachi — Hakim Ajmal Khan was the acting president at Ahmedabad 1921.
The Swaraj Party was formed following the disagreement at which Congress session?
Correct Answer: D. Gaya, 1922
• **Gaya session (1922)** = presided by C.R. Das — split led to formation of **Swaraj Party**. • C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru wanted to **enter legislative councils** — 'No-Changers' led by Gandhi opposed. • Swaraj Party founded **January 1923** by C.R. Das (President) and Motilal Nehru (Secretary). • 💡 Belgaum 1924 = Gandhi presided; Ahmedabad 1921 = Hakim Ajmal Khan presided; Kanpur 1925 = Sarojini Naidu presided — Swaraj Party formed after Gaya 1922.
Who was the youngest person to become the President of the Indian National Congress?
Correct Answer: D. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
• **Maulana Abul Kalam Azad** = youngest Congress President at age **35** (Special Session, Delhi 1923). • Also the **longest-serving** Congress President — 1940–1946 (6 years) due to WWII halting sessions. • He later became India's first Education Minister after independence. • 💡 Subhash Chandra Bose = youngest at Haripura 1938 (age 41); Rajendra Prasad = took over after Bose resigned; Jawaharlal Nehru = presided 1929 Lahore and 1936 Lucknow — Azad was youngest at age 35.
At which session was the wearing of Khadi made compulsory for Congress workers?
Correct Answer: A. Guwahati, 1926
• **Guwahati session (1926)** = made **Khadi compulsory** for Congress office bearers. • Presided by **S. Srinivasa Iyengar** — reinforced Swadeshi agenda and Gandhi's constructive program. • This was part of Gandhi's strategy to make Congress a mass movement via Khadi and village industries. • 💡 Madras 1927 = Simon Commission boycott; Kanpur 1925 = Sarojini Naidu presided; Belgaum 1924 = Gandhi presided — Khadi made compulsory specifically at Guwahati 1926.