Top 50 Must-Know Modern Indian History Topics/Facts for UPSC & UPPCS – Quick Revision Notes
Are you preparing for UPSC, UPPCS, BPSC or other state exams? This is your one-stop revision list of Top 50 Modern Indian History Topics, filtered using the 80-20 principle – where just 20% of topics give you 80% of the exam impact. Perfect for quick recall, mock test prep, and MCQs solving.
Why These Topics?
These are the most frequently asked, most misunderstood, or highest-yield facts – curated for both Prelims and Mains.
📘 Table of Contents
- Revolts & Resistance
- Reform Movements
- Revolutionary Activities
- British Policies & Acts
- Indian National Movement Milestones
- Famous Trials, Committees & Conferences
- Social & Educational Reforms
- Important Personalities
- Frequently Misquoted Facts
- UPPCS-Worthy Bonus Picks
📜 1. Revolts & Resistance
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|
| 1857 Revolt – Bareilly | Led by Khan Bahadur Khan; declared independent on 31 May 1857 |
| 1857 Revolt – Jhansi | Actually began on 4 June, not 11 May |
| Moplah Rebellion (1921) | Happened after Khilafat/Home Rule/Jallianwala movements |
| Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930) | Led by Surya Sen – bold revolutionary act |
✊ 2. Reform Movements
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|
| Widow Remarriage Movement | D.K. Karve = key leader + founder of Widows' Ashram |
| Satyashodhak Samaj (1873) | Founded by Jyotiba Phule – anti-caste, Dalit education |
| Self-Respect Movement | Led by Periyar after leaving Congress (1925) |
| Sanatan Dharm Rakshini Sabha | Founded in 1873, Calcutta |
🧨 3. Revolutionary Activities
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|
| Anushilan Samiti | Linked to bomb attack on Viceroy Hardinge (1912); Barindra Ghosh & Rashbehari Bose |
| Abhinav Bharat Society | Founded in 1904 by V.D. Savarkar |
| Indian Independence Committee – Berlin | Founded in 1915 by Chattopadhyay, Hardayal, Dutta |
| INA Rani Jhansi Regiment | Formed by Subhash Chandra Bose – women’s unit of INA |
📜 4. British Policies & Acts
| Policy/Act | Insight |
|---|
| Indian Arms Act, 1878 | Disarmed Indians without licenses |
| Annexation of Sikkim | In 1850, Lord Dalhousie took punitive action against Sikkim, reducing its autonomy, but Sikkim was merged with India only in 1975.
|
| Indian Navy Act | Actually passed in 1957 (not 1927) |
| Native Marriage Act, 1872 | Set minimum age for civil marriage at 14 (girls), 18 (boys); did not ban all marriages below 14. it only applied to those marrying under this Act.
|
🇮🇳 5. Indian National Movement Milestones
| Event | Important Details |
|---|
| Chamber of Princes | Created by Govt. of India Act 1919 |
| Interim Government (1946) | Announced on 25 Aug; formed on 2 Sept 1946 |
| Nehru Report (1928) | Congress response to Simon Commission; led by Motilal Nehru |
| Quit India Movement & Women | Shanti Ghosh not involved; She was linked to Yugantar |
⚖️ 6. Trials, Committees & Conferences
| Topic | Insight |
|---|
| INA Trials | Held at Red Fort (1945–46) |
| INA Defence Team | Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai, Asaf Ali, Katju |
| Second Round Table Conf. | Rajendra Prasad didn’t attend; Gandhi, Naidu, Malviya did |
| CR Formula (1944) | Proposed by Rajagopalachari for Muslim League talks |
🎓 7. Social & Educational Reforms
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|
| Gokhale & Congress | Presided over 1905 Banaras session |
| First Census in India | Conducted in 1871 under Lord Mayo |
| Sargent Plan (1944) | Universal literacy goal in 40 years |
| Asiatic Society (1784) | Founded by William Jones, Calcutta |
👤 8. Important Personalities
| Name | Contribution |
|---|
| Dadabhai Naoroji | Book: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901) |
| N.M. Joshi | Represented Indian labour in ILO 1919 |
| Bal Gangadhar Tilak | Book: Gita Rahasya |
| Rabindranath Tagore | Returned knighthood post Jallianwala Bagh massacre |
❗ 9. Frequently Misquoted or Confusing Facts
| Statement | Correction |
|---|
| Tilak was a Congress President | False. Never presided any session |
| Separate Electorates | Introduced by Morley-Minto (1909) – widely opposed |
| Planning & Gandhi | Gandhi rejected centralized planning; favored village-centric growth |
| Vallabhbhai Patel | Strongly opposed separate electorates in Assembly |
🎯 10. UPPCS-Worthy Bonus Picks
| Topic | Insight |
|---|
| Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) | Ended First Carnatic War; Madras returned to British |
| Pabna & Eka Movements | Anti-zamindari agitations (Pabna: 1873–76, Eka: 1922) |
| Modern Armoury at Dindigul | Set up by Haider Ali in 1755 with French help |
| Economic Nationalism | Book by Bipin Chandra – early nationalist strategies |
Mastering Modern Indian History is crucial for your success in UPSC, UPPCS, BPSC and other state exams. These 50 Pareto-optimized notes help you revise key points smarter and faster. Focus on these high-impact facts to boost your accuracy, improve elimination skills, and score higher in Prelims and Mains.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Which is the best way to revise Modern History for UPSC, UPPCS and BPSC?
Ans: Use 80-20 notes like this list + solve 10 years of PYQs.
Q2. How to use these facts for elimination in Prelims?
Ans: Focus on confusing facts (e.g., INA Act date, Census year, who presided sessions) – they're common trap questions.
Reviewed by VK Singh
on
June 09, 2025
Rating: