Model Question and Answers for APSC | Critically assess the moderate phase of India National Congress.

Ans : Indian nationalism arose in the latter half of the 19th century as a result of various factors like western education, socio-religious reforms, British policies and so on. In 1885, the Indian National Congress was formed which played a significant role in India’s freedom movement. The time period from 1885 to 1905 can be called the ‘Moderate Phase’. The leaders of this phase are called moderates.
Objectives of INC
1. A Pan India Organization
2. Politicize and politically educate people
3. Strengthen the anti-colonial sentiment
4. Formulate and present popular demands before the government
5. unifying the people over a common economic and political programme
6. Develop and consolidate a feeling of national unity among people irrespective of religion, caste or province
Assessment of the moderate phase of India National Congress

Successes of the moderates
1. The major success of moderates lies in the fact that they exposed many draining economic policies of the British 

2. Indian Councils Act of 1892 was the first achievement of the INC. This Act increased the size of the legislative councils and also increased the proportion of non-officials in them
3. They were able to sow the seeds of nationalism in the people
4. They popularised ideals like democracy, liberty and equality
5. Leaders were social reformers too and opposed child marriage and imposed widowhood
Limitations of the moderates
1. They did not demand complete independence from foreign rule
2. They did not understand the power of a mass movement of people, unlike Gandhi who used this power
3. Drew most of their ideas from western political thinking which further alienated them from the people