UPSC Prelims 2012 · Question 28 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2012 question on National Social Conference
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2012
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectModern History
- TopicSocio-Religious Movements
- DifficultyMedium
- TypeDirect
During Indian freedom struggle, the National Social Conference was formed. What was the reason for its formation?
Show answer
Answer: B. INC did not want to include social reforms in deliberations and formed a separate body.
Verdict
Correct Answer: INC did not want to include social reforms in its deliberations and formed a separate body
Analysis
In the early phase of the Indian National Congress, there was a debate over whether social reform issues should be discussed along with political issues. To avoid division within the Congress, a separate platform was created for social reforms.
1. INC did not want to include social reforms in its deliberations and formed a separate body — Correct
Many Congress leaders wanted the INC to focus mainly on political and economic issues against colonial rule.
Social issues like child marriage, caste restrictions, widow remarriage and women’s education were sensitive and could divide members. Therefore, the National Social Conference was formed separately in 1887.
2. INC fully rejected social reforms — Incorrect
The INC did not reject social reforms completely.
Many Congress leaders personally supported reform, but they preferred keeping social reform debates outside official Congress political sessions.
3. National Social Conference was unrelated to INC — Incorrect
The National Social Conference was closely linked with the Congress environment.
It often met at the same venue as the INC, after the Congress session, but maintained a separate identity.
4. It was formed only for religious reform — Incorrect
Its focus was broader social reform, not merely religious reform.
It worked on issues like child marriage, polygamy, inter-caste marriage, widow remarriage and women’s education.
Extra UPSC info
* National Social Conference was founded in 1887.
* M.G. Ranade and Raghunath Rao were associated with its formation.
* It advocated social reforms such as widow remarriage, women’s education and opposition to child marriage.
* It functioned as a separate platform from the INC to avoid weakening political unity.
* M.G. Ranade was a major moderate leader and social reformer.
* The issue shows the early nationalist tension between political reform and social reform.
How to crack it
The National Social Conference was formed because the INC wanted to keep controversial social reform debates separate from its political deliberations to preserve unity in the national movement.