Q1
1 markMCQSection A

Arrange the following in chronological order and choose the correct option :

I. Gandhi-Irwin Pact

II. Rowlatt Act

III. Poona Pact

IV. Khilafat Movement

Nationalism in India
Chronology of key events in the Indian national movement

Options

(A)I, III, IV and II
(B)II, IV, III and I
(C)II, IV, I and III
(D)I, III, II and IV
Official Answer

Option (C): II, IV, I, III — Rowlatt Act (1919) → Khilafat Movement (1919–24) → Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) → Poona Pact (1932) is the only chronologically correct order.

Rowlatt Act 1919Khilafat Movement 1919-1924Gandhi-Irwin Pact 1931Poona Pact 1932chronologycivil disobedience movement

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark: selecting option (C) — the only chronologically correct sequence II, IV, I, III (Rowlatt Act, Khilafat Movement, Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Poona Pact). No partial marks for MCQs.

Hint

Recall the key years: Rowlatt Act 1919, Khilafat Movement 1919-24, Gandhi-Irwin Pact 1931, Poona Pact 1932.

Quick Oral Answer

The correct order is Rowlatt Act (1919), Khilafat Movement (1919-24), Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931), and Poona Pact (1932) — that is option (C).

Analysis & Explanation

Tests recall of the chronological sequence of key events in India's freedom struggle from 'Nationalism in India'.


Concept

  • Rowlatt Act (1919): gave the colonial government power to detain political prisoners without trial; triggered the Rowlatt Satyagraha.
  • Khilafat Movement (1919–1924): led by the Ali brothers, merged by Gandhi with the Non-Cooperation Movement.
  • Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931): signed after the Civil Disobedience Movement/Dandi March (1930), leading to Congress joining the Second Round Table Conference.
  • Poona Pact (September 1932): followed Gandhi's fast against separate electorates in the Communal Award, resulting in an agreement with B.R. Ambedkar.

Key point

  • Correct sequence: II (Rowlatt Act) → IV (Khilafat) → I (Gandhi-Irwin Pact) → III (Poona Pact), i.e., Option (C).

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 1931 and 1932 for the last two events and mis-ordering the Gandhi-Irwin Pact and Poona Pact.
  • Placing the Gandhi-Irwin Pact before the Khilafat Movement (as in wrong option A) or reversing the last two events (as in wrong option D).

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Placing the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) before the Khilafat Movement (1919-24) due to not recalling exact years.
  2. 2Assuming the Poona Pact came before the Gandhi-Irwin Pact since both are constitutional-negotiation events of the early 1930s.
  3. 3Guessing based on the order events are listed in the question rather than reasoning out the actual years.

Interesting Facts

The Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed detention of political suspects for up to two years without trial and directly led to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April 1919.

The Poona Pact (24 September 1932) was signed after Gandhi's six-day fast in Yerawada Jail against the Communal Award's separate electorates for the Depressed Classes.

The Gandhi-Irwin Pact (5 March 1931) led Congress to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement and attend the Second Round Table Conference in London later that year.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Rowlatt Act placed first in the sequence?

Because it was enacted in 1919, before the other three events, and directly triggered the Rowlatt Satyagraha that intensified the freedom movement.

Why does the Khilafat Movement come before the Gandhi-Irwin Pact?

The Khilafat Movement ran from 1919 to 1924 and was merged with the Non-Cooperation Movement, while the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed later in 1931 after the Civil Disobedience Movement.