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Modern Indian History

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Congress, Moderates & Extremists (1885–1916)

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⏱ 6 min read🧩 8 question types🎯 15 practice Q
The idea in one minute

The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. Its first leaders, the Moderates, asked the British for reforms through petitions. The Extremists wanted self-rule and used mass protest. From 1905 to 1916 came the Bengal partition, a Congress split, separate electorates and Home Rule.

01

The Congress is born (1885)

A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, called 72 Indian delegates to Bombay. They met at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College on 28 December 1885. This was the first session of the Indian National Congress (INC). The first president was W.C. Bonnerjee. The Viceroy was Dufferin.

Some said Hume wanted a "safety valve" to let out Indian anger. Lala Lajpat Rai argued this in his book Young India. Modern historians see the Congress as the first all-India political platform.

Watch: The founder-organiser (Hume) was British. The first president (Bonnerjee) was Indian.

02

The Moderates (1885–1905)

Moderates used petitions, prayers and protests, the "3P" method. They trusted British justice.

LeaderRemember for
Dadabhai Naoroji"Grand Old Man of India"; president three times; first Indian MP in the British House of Commons (1892); Drain of Wealth theory in Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901)
Gopal Krishna GokhaleServants of India Society (1905); Gandhi's political guru
Surendranath BanerjeaIndian Association (1876); paper Bengalee
Pherozeshah Mehta"Lion of Bombay"
R.C. DuttEconomic History of India

The drain of wealth means India's money flowed to Britain as salaries, pensions and profits.

03

The Extremists (1905–1919)

Extremists wanted self-rule (swaraj), not petitions. They used mass action, swadeshi and national education.

  • Lal-Bal-Pal: Lala Lajpat Rai ("Punjab Kesari"), Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal). Aurobindo Ghosh joined them.
  • Tilak: papers Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English). Started the Ganapati (1893) and Shivaji (1895) festivals.
  • Tilak's slogan: "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it."
  • Tilak was jailed in Mandalay (1908–14), where he wrote Gita Rahasya.
04

Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi

Lord Curzon split Bengal. It took effect on 16 October 1905. The stated reason was easier administration. The real aim was to weaken Bengali nationalism.

  • East: East Bengal and Assam, Muslim-majority.
  • West: Bengal, Hindu-majority.

The reply was the Swadeshi and Boycott movement:

  • boycott of foreign cloth and salt;
  • Raksha Bandhan as a sign of unity (Tagore's idea); Amar Sonar Bangla as the marching song;
  • national schools (National Council of Education, 1906) and volunteer groups (samitis).

The partition was annulled in 1911 at the Delhi Durbar, under Hardinge. The capital was to shift from Calcutta to Delhi.

05

Year by year, 1906 to 1916

YearEventKey fact
1906Muslim LeagueFounded at Dacca (Nawab Salimullah). Backed the partition; soon asked for separate electorates.
1906Calcutta sessionPresident Naoroji; the word Swaraj first used in a Congress resolution
1907Surat splitModerates (president Rash Behari Ghosh) against Extremists (Tilak)
1909Morley–Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act)Separate electorates for Muslims; Satyendra P. Sinha became the first Indian in the Viceroy's executive council. Minto: "father of communal electorates".
1911Delhi DurbarPartition annulled; capital to Delhi
1916Lucknow PactCongress–League pact; Moderates and Extremists reunite; Congress accepted separate electorates
1916Home Rule LeaguesTilak (April, Belgaum; Maharashtra, Karnataka, Central Provinces, Berar) and Annie Besant (September, Madras; rest of India)

Besant ran the papers New India and Commonweal. She became Congress president in 1917.

Tip: 1905 split of Bengal → 1906 League → 1907 split of Congress → 1909 separate electorates.

06

Early revolutionaries

  • Chapekar brothers: Poona, 1897.
  • Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki: Muzaffarpur, 1908.
  • India House, London: Shyamji Krishna Varma.
  • Ghadar Party (1913): Lala Har Dayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna; headquarters Yugantar Ashram, San Francisco.
  • Komagata Maru incident: 1914.
07

Question types you will see

Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.

Type 1very common2 practice Q

Founding of the Congress

How to spot it:

"The first session of the INC was held at", founder, first president, number of delegates.

Method

  1. Place and date: Bombay, 28 December 1885.

  2. Organiser: A.O. Hume. First president: W.C. Bonnerjee.

  3. Delegates: 72. Viceroy: Dufferin.

Why it works:

The same five facts cover every question on the founding.

Try this

The first session of the Indian National Congress (1885) was presided over by: (a) A.O. Hume (b) W.C. Bonnerjee (c) Dadabhai Naoroji (d) Surendranath Banerjea

Show solution

  1. Hume organised it but did not preside; cut (a).

  2. The first president was Bonnerjee.

Answer

(b) W.C. Bonnerjee

Type 2very common2 practice Q

Moderate leader ↔ work or title

How to spot it:

"Drain of Wealth theory", "Grand Old Man of India", "Gandhi's political guru", "Lion of Bombay".

Method

  1. Naoroji = drain theory, Grand Old Man, first Indian MP (1892).

  2. Gokhale = Servants of India Society, Gandhi's guru.

  3. Banerjea = Indian Association, Bengalee; Mehta = Lion of Bombay; R.C. Dutt = Economic History of India.

Why it works:

Each Moderate has one title or book that the question uses as the clue.

Try this

The Drain of Wealth theory was put forward by:

Show solution

  1. Drain of wealth = India's money flowing out as salaries, pensions and profits.

  2. It is in Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901).

Answer

Dadabhai Naoroji

Type 3very common2 practice Q

Extremist ↔ slogan, paper or festival

How to spot it:

"Swaraj is my birthright", Kesari, Ganapati festival, Lal-Bal-Pal, Punjab Kesari.

Method

  1. Tilak = Kesari + Mahratta, Ganapati 1893, Shivaji 1895, the Swaraj slogan.

  2. Lajpat Rai = Punjab Kesari; Pal = Bengal; Aurobindo = Bande Mataram.

  3. Check the language: Kesari Marathi, Mahratta English.

Why it works:

Tilak owns most of the clues, so first test whether the answer is Tilak.

Try this

The slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it" was given by:

Show solution

  1. Swaraj slogan + Kesari editor = one leader.

  2. He was jailed in Mandalay.

Answer

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Type 4very common2 practice Q

Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi

How to spot it:

"Partition of Bengal was annulled in", which Viceroy, the two new provinces, Swadeshi methods.

Method

  1. Curzon; effective 16 October 1905.

  2. East Bengal and Assam (Muslim-majority) + West Bengal (Hindu-majority).

  3. Reply: Swadeshi, boycott, Raksha Bandhan, National Council of Education 1906.

  4. Annulled 1911 under Hardinge at the Delhi Durbar.

Why it works:

The partition story has a fixed start (Curzon 1905) and end (Hardinge 1911).

Try this

The partition of Bengal (1905) was annulled in:

Show solution

  1. Curzon made it; Hardinge undid it.

  2. The Delhi Durbar also announced the capital shift.

Answer

1911

Type 5common2 practice Q

Surat split, Muslim League and Lucknow reunion

How to spot it:

"The Congress split at Surat in", League's founding place, Congress–League pact.

Method

  1. Surat 1907: Moderates (Rash Behari Ghosh) against Extremists (Tilak).

  2. Muslim League 1906 at Dacca, Nawab Salimullah.

  3. Lucknow 1916: reunion + Congress–League pact.

Why it works:

Split in 1907 and reunion in 1916 bracket this whole period.

Try this

The All India Muslim League was founded in 1906 at:

Show solution

  1. 1906 League + Nawab Salimullah.

  2. It was founded in East Bengal's main city.

Answer

Dacca

Type 6common2 practice Q

Morley–Minto 1909 and Home Rule Leagues

How to spot it:

"Separate electorates were introduced by", Home Rule Leagues — who, when, where.

Method

  1. Morley–Minto 1909 = separate electorates; S.P. Sinha in the council.

  2. Home Rule 1916: Tilak (April, Belgaum) and Besant (September, Madras).

  3. Besant's papers: New India, Commonweal.

Why it works:

Both are linked to one year each: 1909 and 1916.

Try this

Annie Besant started her Home Rule League in 1916 at:

Show solution

  1. Tilak started his first, in April, at Belgaum.

  2. Besant followed in September.

Answer

Madras

Type 7common

Arrange events of 1885–1916

How to spot it:

"Arrange in chronological order" with INC, partition, League, Surat, Morley–Minto, Lucknow.

Method

  1. Write the year beside each item.

  2. Use the memory chain: 1885 → 1905 → 1906 → 1907 → 1909 → 1911 → 1916.

  3. Check first and last items against the options.

Why it works:

Every event here has a different year, so sorting is exact.

Try this

Arrange in order: 1. Surat split 2. Morley–Minto Reforms 3. Partition of Bengal 4. Lucknow Pact

Show solution

  1. Partition 1905, Surat 1907, Morley–Minto 1909, Lucknow 1916.

  2. So 3, 1, 2, 4.

Answer

3, 1, 2, 4

Type 8occasional

Early revolutionaries ↔ event

How to spot it:

Khudiram Bose, Chapekar brothers, Ghadar Party, India House, Komagata Maru.

Method

  1. Chapekar brothers = Poona, 1897.

  2. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki = Muzaffarpur, 1908.

  3. Ghadar Party 1913 = Har Dayal, Yugantar Ashram, San Francisco.

  4. India House, London = Shyamji Krishna Varma.

Why it works:

Each revolutionary group has one place, which is the usual clue.

Try this

The Ghadar Party (1913) had its headquarters at:

Show solution

  1. Ghadar = Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna.

  2. Headquarters: Yugantar Ashram in the USA.

Answer

San Francisco

08

Shortcuts that save time

⚡ Five-six-seven-nine: "Split, League, Split, Separate"

1905 Bengal split → 1906 Muslim League → 1907 Congress split (Surat) → 1909 separate electorates (Morley–Minto).

Example

Separate electorates for Muslims were first introduced by:

Show solution

  1. Separate electorates = the "9" in 5-6-7-9.

  2. 1909 = Morley–Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act).

Answer

Morley–Minto Reforms, 1909

⚡ Home Rule twins: "TAB then BSM"

Tilak first (April, Belgaum) → Besant next (September, Madras).

09

Mistakes to avoid

Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.

Mistake 01

Putting the Surat split in 1905.

Surat split = 1907. 1905 is the Bengal partition.

Mistake 02

Calling Tilak Gandhi's political guru.

Gandhi's political guru was the Moderate Gokhale.

Mistake 03

Saying the Lucknow Pact (1916) was between Moderates and Extremists only.

The pact was between the Congress and the Muslim League. The two Congress wings also reunited there.

Mistake 04

Naming A.O. Hume the first Congress president.

Hume organised it. The first president was W.C. Bonnerjee.

Mistake 05

Mixing Lajpat Rai's Young India with Gandhi's.

Lajpat Rai's Young India is a book. Gandhi's Young India is a journal.

Mistake 06

Saying Besant's Home Rule League came first.

Tilak's came first (April 1916). Besant's came in September 1916.

10

Quick revision

Read this the night before the exam.

  • INC: 28 Dec 1885, Bombay, 72 delegates; Hume organised; Bonnerjee presided; Viceroy Dufferin.

  • Moderates: Naoroji (drain theory, first Indian MP 1892), Gokhale, S.N. Banerjea, Mehta, R.C. Dutt.

  • Extremists: Lal-Bal-Pal + Aurobindo; Tilak = Kesari, Mahratta, Mandalay, Gita Rahasya.

  • Curzon's partition effective 16 Oct 1905 → Swadeshi → annulled 1911.

  • 1906 League (Dacca) and Swaraj at Calcutta; 1907 Surat split; 1909 Morley–Minto separate electorates.

  • 1916: Lucknow Pact + Home Rule (Tilak April, Besant September).

  • Ghadar Party 1913: Har Dayal, San Francisco; Komagata Maru 1914.

11

Practice: 15 questions

Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.

Topic test · 10 questions

Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.

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