Modern Indian History: Concise Notes for UPSC


1. Advent of Europeans in India

  • Portuguese (1498): Vasco da Gama arrived in Calicut. Established first factory in Cochin (1500) and later Goa (1510). Introduced the Cartaz system (naval trade license).

  • Dutch (1602): Set up factories at Masulipatnam, Pulicat, Cochin. Lost influence after Battle of Colachel (1741) against Travancore.

  • British East India Company (1600): Received farman from Jahangir (1617). Established factories at Surat, Madras, Bombay, Calcutta.

  • French (1664): Founded French East India Company. Settlements in Pondicherry, Chandernagore. Competed in Carnatic Wars.

  • Danish: Limited presence, trading posts at Tranquebar and Serampore.

2. Establishment of British Rule in India

  • Battle of Plassey (1757): Victory over Siraj-ud-Daulah marked British dominance.

  • Battle of Buxar (1764): Defeated Mughal emperor and Nawab of Awadh; gained Diwani rights in Bengal.

  • Dual Government (1765-72): Clive’s system—British control with Nawab as nominal head.

3. Expansion of British Power

  • Anglo-Mysore Wars: Fought with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan (4 wars; Tipu died in 1799).

  • Anglo-Maratha Wars: Ended with Maratha defeat in Third War (1817-18).

  • Third Battle of Panipat (1761): Marathas vs Ahmad Shah Abdali.

  • Anglo-Sikh Wars: Led to annexation of Punjab (1849).

  • Anglo-Nepal War (1814-16): Treaty of Sugauli.

  • Anglo-Burmese Wars: British annexed Burma.

  • Anglo-Afghan Wars: Multiple conflicts to secure NW frontier.

4. British Policies and Acts

  • Economic Exploitation: Drain of Wealth, ruin of handicrafts.

  • Land Revenue Systems: Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari, Mahalwari.

  • Education Policy: Macaulay’s Minute, Wood’s Despatch (1854).

  • Key Acts:

    • Regulating Act (1773), Pitt’s India Act (1784)

    • Charter Acts: 1813 (education), 1833 (centralisation), 1853

    • Government of India Act (1858): Crown rule

    • Councils Acts: 1861, 1892

    • Indian Councils Act (1909) – Morley-Minto Reforms

    • Government of India Act (1919) – Dyarchy

    • Government of India Act (1935) – Provincial autonomy

    • Indian Independence Act (1947)

5. Governor-Generals and Viceroys

  • Warren Hastings: Regulating Act; abolished dual govt.

  • Cornwallis: Permanent Settlement

  • Wellesley: Subsidiary Alliance

  • Bentinck: Social reforms

  • Dalhousie: Doctrine of Lapse, Railways, Post

  • Canning: First Viceroy, Widow Remarriage Act

  • Ripon: Local self-government, Ilbert Bill

  • Curzon: Partition of Bengal (1905)

6. Uprisings Before 1857

  • Civil Uprisings: Sanyasi, Moplah, Ramosi, Poligar

  • Tribal Movements: Santhal, Kol, Munda (Birsa Munda), Rampa (Alluri Sitarama Raju)

7. Revolt of 1857

  • First War of Independence. Causes: Political, Economic, Religious.

  • Leaders: Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Tantia Tope, Bahadur Shah Zafar.

8. Rise of Indian Nationalism

  • INC Foundation (1885): A.O. Hume.

  • Moderates vs Extremists: Surat Split (1907)

  • Extremists: Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai

  • Revolutionaries: Chapekar Brothers, Bhagat Singh, HSRA, Kakori, Ghadar Party

9. Peasant and Tribal Movements

  • Indigo Revolt, Pabna Revolt, Deccan Riots

  • Eka Movement, Bardoli Satyagraha, Tebhaga, Telangana

10. Socio-Religious Reform Movements

  • Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Brahmo Samaj

  • Dayanand Saraswati: Arya Samaj

  • Swami Vivekananda: Ramakrishna Mission

  • Others: Prarthana Samaj, Aligarh Movement, Wahabi, Faraizi, Deoband, Jyotiba & Savitribai Phule, SNDP, Ambedkar’s Mahad Satyagraha

11. Gandhian Phase

  • Champaran (1917), Ahmedabad (1918), Kheda (1918)

  • Non-Cooperation Movement (1920): Jallianwala Bagh, Khilafat, Chauri Chaura

  • Civil Disobedience Movement (1930): Salt March, Gandhi-Irwin Pact

  • Quit India Movement (1942): ‘Do or Die’, suppression

12. Other Important Developments

  • Home Rule Movement (1916): Tilak, Annie Besant

  • Simon Commission (1927), Nehru Report, Jinnah’s 14 Points

  • Round Table Conferences (1930-32)

  • Communal Award, Poona Pact

  • 1937 Elections

13. Towards Independence

  • Cripps Mission (1942)

  • Wavell Plan & Shimla Conference (1945)

  • Cabinet Mission (1946)

  • RIN Mutiny (1946)

  • Mountbatten Plan (1947)

  • Partition and Independence

14. Freedom Fighters and Contributions

  • Subhash Chandra Bose: INA, Forward Bloc

  • Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Sarojini Naidu, Bhikaji Cama, Gokhale, Dadabhai Naoroji, Rabindranath Tagore, Ambedkar

15. Role of Social Groups

  • Women: Rani Gaidinliu, Sarojini Naidu, Savitribai Phule

  • Working Class & Capitalists: AITUC, Indian businesses

  • Press: Played key role in spreading nationalist ideas