Day-631 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | HISTORY

Answer: B
Explanation:
Mula Sangh and Terapantha are the sects of Jainism.
Sects of Buddhism:
1) Thervadins
2) Mahasanghika
3) Sarvastivada
Additional information:
Staviravadin or Thervadins
● It is the earliest school from which all other schools of Buddhism originated.
● They follow the original doctrines of Buddha closely. They believe only in the three Pitakas: Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka.
Sarvastivada
● This is one of the early Buddhist schools which originated during the time of Ashoka (Separated from Sthaviravadins). This school is popular in Kashmir and Central Asia. This school has been broadly divided into
⮚ Vaibhasika: They hold that objects (Reality) are directly perceived. They follow the Mahavibhasa Sutra.
⮚ Sautantrika: They hold that objects (reality) are indirectly perceived. They did not uphold the Mahavibhasa Sutra.
Mahasanghika
● It is a school which came into existence after the 2nd Buddhist Council. It separated from the Staviravadis over the differences in following monastic practices.
Famous caves of Ellora, Ajanta and Karla in India, intricately carved and painted with images of Buddha and his teachings are associated with this sect.
This sect is considered the origin of Mahayana School.
Sub-sects of Mahasanghika school are:
⮚ Lokottarvada: This school wrote a Biography of Buddha in Sanskrit.
⮚ Kukkutika: Set down an early chronology of the Buddha’s life.
⮚ Caitika: Paintings of Ajanta and Ellora are associated with this school.
Sammitiya
● A subsect of Hinayana tradition which believes that though an individual does not exist independently from the five skandhas, or components that make up his personality, he is at the same time something greater than the mere sum of his parts.
● The Sammatīya were severely criticized by other Buddhists who considered the theory close to the rejected theory of atman—i.e., the supreme universal self.
● It was popular in Gujarat and Sindh during 7th Century. Their important centre of learning was at Valabhi, Gujarat. When Heun-Tsang visited India, this school was the most popular non-Mahayana sect in India.

Answer: B
Explanation:
Indian Councils Act 1909 or Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909 introduced separate electorates for the Muslims. Indians were given membership to the Imperial Legislative Council for the first time. Satyendra P Sinha became the first Indian member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council under this act.
The Indian Councils Act 1909 was an act of the British Parliament that introduced a few reforms in the legislative councils and increased the involvement of Indians (limited) in the governance of British India. It was more commonly called the Morley-Minto Reforms after the Secretary of State for India John Morley and the Viceroy of India, the 4th Earl of Minto.
Additional information:
● Indian Councils Act 1892: The British Parliament suggested several changes to the makeup and operation of Legislative councils and British India in the Indian council act of 1892. The legislation included regulations for the number of new members to be represented in the national and provincial council, which were its most notable aspect.
● The Government of India Act 1919 was an act of the British Parliament that sought to increase the participation of Indians in the administration of their country. The act was based on the recommendations of a report by Edwin Montagu, the then Secretary of State for India, and Lord Chelmsford, India’s Viceroy between 1916 and 1921. Hence the constitutional reforms set forth by this act are known as Montagu-Chelmsford reforms or Montford reforms.
● The Government of India Act 1935 was the longest act enacted by the British Parliament at that time. It was divided into two separate acts namely, the Government of India Act 1935 and the Government of Burma Act 1935. The Act was based on:
a) Simon Commission Report
b) The recommendations of the Round Table Conferences
c) The White Paper published by the British government in 1933 (based on the Third Round Table Conference)
d) Report of the Joint Select Committees.

Answer: D
Explanation:
● Deepavali Declaration or Irwin Declaration was a statement made by Lord Irwin, then Viceroy of India, on 31 October 1929 regarding the status of India in the British empire. It was a five-line statement in simple non-legal language.
● It attempted to clarify to its British and Indian audiences that the intention of the British government was to facilitate India attaining a dominion status in the future and a round table conference would be held in London. However, there was no mention of any timeline for the dominion status.
● The Declaration triggered political developments both in Britain and India. In Britain, there was a backlash: significant parts of the political class and the general public were against India attaining dominion status.
● In India, nationalist leaders welcomed the Declaration and radically changed their mode of engagement with the British government: they now wanted all negotiations between Indian political leaders and Britain to be about the formalisation of dominion status for India and the framing of a new Constitution.

Answer: D
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: The military administration was efficiently organized during the sangam age and a regular army was associated with each ruler.
Statement 2 is correct: The chief source of state’s income was land revenue while a custom duty was also imposed on foreign trade. One of the major sources of fulfilling the royal treasury during the Sangam age was the booty captured in wars.
Additional information:
● The period roughly between the 3rd century B.C. and 3rd century A.D. in South India (the area lying to the south of river Krishna and Tungabhadra) is known as Sangam Period.
● It has been named after the Sangam academies held during that period that flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandya kings of Madurai.
● At the sangams eminent scholars assembled and functioned as the board of censors and the choicest literature was rendered in the nature of anthologies.
Sangam Polity and Administration
● During the Sangam period hereditary monarchy was the form of government.
● Each of the dynasties of Sangam age had a royal emblem – tiger for the Cholas, carp/Fish for the Pandyas, and bow for the Cheras.
● The king was assisted by a wide body of officials who were categorised into five councils.
● They were ministers (amaichar), priests (anthanar), envoys (thuthar), military commanders (senapathi), and spies (orrar).

Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Lord Cornwallis established the division of the three service branches commercial, judicial, and revenue.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Charles Metcalfe relaxed restrictions on journalists’ freedom and earned the title of “Liberator of the Indian Press.
Statement 3 is correct: Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement of land revenue in Bengal and other parts of India.
Statement 4 is correct: Lord Cornwallis established rules which allowed only qualified persons to get into the services irrespective of their connections with higher authorities.
Additional information:
Lord Cornwallis reforms:
Service Reforms
● To reduce corruption in the country, Cornwallis was given the authority related to services offered by the East India company.
● Top posts were reserved for the Europeans whereas Indians were offered lower grade posts such as Peons and clerks.
● Private trade of the company was abolished completely
Judiciary Reforms
● Cornwallis established courts in the districts, provinces and states. The highest court was the Supreme Court of Calcutta.
● There were separate courts for civil and criminal cases.
● Cornwallis abolished court fees and then lawyers were to prescribe their fees.
● Government servants could be sued by people for their mistakes.
● He also banned torturous punishments like the chopping off of limbs, nose and ears.

Police Reforms
● He took the control of the police from the hands of the landlords to the District Superintendent of Police.
● He established thanas to maintain law and order.
● In 1789, he proclaimed that people practising slavery would be prosecuted by law.