UPSC Prelims 2011 Q63: Modern History – Early Nationalism & Indian National Congress (1885 - 1915)
- (a) To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons
- (b) To campaign for the entry of Indians into the Imperial Judiciary
- (c) To facilitate a discussion on India's Independence in the British Parliament
- (d) To agitate for the entry of eminent Indians into the British Parliament
Answer: (a) To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons
Explanation
Purpose of the Indian Parliamentary Committee (1893)
Sir William Wedderburn and W. S. Caine set up this committee to advance Indian political demands within the British system.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons | Correct | The committee was formed to press for political reforms for India by lobbying British MPs in the House of Commons |
| (b) Campaign for Indians' entry into the Imperial Judiciary | Incorrect | This is not the committee's stated purpose; it concerned broader political reform, not judicial appointments |
| (c) Facilitate discussion on India's Independence in Parliament | Incorrect | 'Independence' was not yet the demand in 1893; this is anachronistic for the period |
| (d) Agitate for Indians' entry into the British Parliament | Incorrect | This narrower goal is not what the committee was created for; it aimed at reform advocacy broadly |
Indian Parliamentary Committee, 1893:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founders | Wedderburn and Caine, British sympathizers of Indian causes |
| Goal | Political reform advocacy in the House of Commons |
| Context | Linked to the early Indian National Congress's moderate-phase strategy of petitioning Britain |
Answer: (a) To agitate for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. The committee aimed to agitate for Indian political reforms directly within the House of Commons.
- (b) Incorrect. Judicial appointments were not the committee's defined purpose.
- (c) Incorrect. Full independence was not yet the Congress's demand in 1893; this is anachronistic.
- (d) Incorrect. The goal was broader reform advocacy, not specifically getting Indians elected to the British Parliament.
Key point
The Indian Parliamentary Committee (1893, by Wedderburn and Caine) was set up to agitate for Indian political reforms within the British House of Commons — part of the Congress's early moderate-phase strategy.
Remember
Indian Parliamentary Committee (1893, Wedderburn & Caine): agitated for Indian political reforms in the House of Commons.
Common mistakes
- Confusing this committee's goal with narrower aims like judicial entry or parliamentary representation.
- Projecting the later demand for full independence onto this 1893 moderate-era initiative.
- Not recognising British sympathizers like Wedderburn and Caine as allies of the early Congress.
Exam tip
Early moderate-phase Congress (pre-1905) strategy = petitioning and lobbying the British Parliament for reform, not demanding independence.
Sources
- William Wedderburn — Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.: Father of the Indian National Congress, 1829–1912 (T. Fisher Unwin, 1913)
- Bipan Chandra — Modern India (NCERT textbook for Class XII)