CDS 2019 (I)

Modern Indian Historiography

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below. **List I (Author)** A. Sekhar Bandyopadhyay B. Sarvepalli Gopal C. David Hardiman D. Gyanendra Pandey **List II (Book)** 1. Jawaharlal Nehru : A Biography, Vol-1, 1889-1947 2. From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India 3. The Ascendancy of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, 1926-1934 4. Gandhi in His Time and Ours

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept Modern Indian history is interpreted through various schools—Nationalist, Marxist, Cambridge, and Subaltern—each with its own foundational texts.

Explanation
Sekhar Bandyopadhyay: Author of the widely used textbook *From Plassey to Partition*.
Sarvepalli Gopal: Known for his definitive biography of Jawaharlal Nehru.
David Hardiman: Noted for *Gandhi in His Time and Ours*, providing a balanced view of the Mahatma.
Gyanendra Pandey: A subaltern historian who wrote about Congress in UP.

Logical Breakup
A-2: Bandyopadhyay provides a comprehensive survey of the colonial period.
B-1: Gopal was the official biographer of Nehru and a key figure in Nehruvian historiography.
C-4: Hardiman analyzes Gandhi’s legacy in contemporary contexts.
D-3: Pandey’s work focuses on regional dynamics and mass mobilization in the United Provinces.

Active Recall

Question

Which of these books is a primary textbook for students of modern Indian history?

Answer

'From Plassey to Partition' by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay is considered one of the most balanced and comprehensive introductory texts.

Core Insight

The diversity of these authors represents the shift in Indian history from pure elite biography (Gopal) to complex social analysis (Pandey and Hardiman).