UPSC Notes / Modern Indian History / Chapter 12
Chapter 12 of 29

Rise of Nationalism in India

The factors behind the emergence of a pan-Indian national consciousness in the late 19th century, and the early political associations that preceded the Congress.

📖 ~12 min read 🏛️ Modern Indian History

Introduction

By the 1870s and 80s, several factors converged to produce a sense of pan-Indian political identity for the first time — distinct from the earlier localised tribal/peasant resistance or the Revolt of 1857, which lacked a unifying national vision.

Factors Behind the Rise of Nationalism

Flowchart — Converging Factors
Rise of Indian Nationalism (c. 1870s-1885)
↓
Political-Administrative Unification (railways, telegraph, common law)
English Education & Western liberal ideas
Economic exploitation & Drain of Wealth awareness
↓
Racial discrimination by British officials/civil service
Growth of press & associational political activity

Key Triggering Events

EventYearSignificance
Vernacular Press Act1878Restricted vernacular press, provoking widespread resentment
Arms Act1878Restricted Indians (but not Europeans) from possessing arms without a licence — seen as racially discriminatory
Ilbert Bill Controversy1883Bill sought to allow Indian judges to try European offenders; fierce European opposition led to its dilution — exposed racial bias and galvanised Indian political opinion
Civil Service age-limit reduction1876Lord Lytton reduced the maximum age for the Indian Civil Service exam from 21 to 19, making it harder for Indians to qualify (exam was held only in England)

Early Political Associations (Pre-Congress)

AssociationFounder(s)YearBase
Landholders' SocietyDwarkanath Tagore & others1838Calcutta
British India AssociationMerger of Landholders' Society & Bengal British India Society1851Calcutta
Poona Sarvajanik SabhaM.G. Ranade and others1870Poona
Indian AssociationSurendranath Banerjee & Anandamohan Bose1876Calcutta
Madras Mahajana SabhaM. Viraraghavachariar and others1884Madras
Bombay Presidency AssociationPherozeshah Mehta, K.T. Telang, Badruddin Tyabji1885Bombay
📌 Note: The Indian Association (1876) under Surendranath Banerjee organised the first genuinely pan-Indian political gathering — the "National Conference" (1883 and 1885) — considered a direct precursor to the Indian National Congress.
✅ UPSC Focus: Ilbert Bill controversy and its role in galvanising nationalism · Chronology and location of pre-Congress associations · Link between the Indian Association's National Conferences and the founding of the INC in 1885.

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