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Civil Disobedience & Round Tables

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1

Learn the Concept

All

The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–34), begun with the Dandi Salt March, and the three Round Table Conferences (1930–32) dominated the national movement in the early 1930s. Fix the significance: after the Lahore Session (1929) declared Purna Swaraj (complete independence) and 26 January 1930 was observed as Independence Day, Gandhi launched Civil Disobedience by breaking the salt law at Dandi (1930) — actively disobeying unjust laws (not merely boycotting). It became a vast mass movement; the government responded with repression and with the Round Table Conferences and the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931). The Communal Award (1932) and the Poona Pact followed, and the movement petered out by 1934 — but it deepened mass nationalism and led toward the 1935 Act.

In One Line
  • Lahore Session (1929): Purna Swaraj resolution (Nehru president); 26 Jan 1930 = Independence Day.
  • Dandi Salt March (Mar–Apr 1930): Gandhi's 240-mile march to break the salt law — start of Civil Disobedience.
  • Round Table Conferences (1930–32): First (boycotted by Congress), Second (Gandhi attended after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact), Third (minor).
  • Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931): suspended Civil Disobedience; Congress to attend the 2nd RTC.
  • Communal Award (1932) & Poona Pact: separate electorates for the Depressed Classes → replaced by reserved seats (Gandhi–Ambedkar).
Glossary (define-on-first-use)
  • Civil disobedience: the deliberate, non-violent breaking of unjust laws (e.g. the salt law) to challenge the state.
  • Purna Swaraj: complete independence, declared the goal at Lahore (1929).
  • Round Table Conference: British-convened talks in London on Indian constitutional reform.
  • Communal Award (1932): MacDonald's scheme giving separate electorates to minorities, including the Depressed Classes.
  • Poona Pact (1932): the Gandhi–Ambedkar agreement replacing separate electorates for the Depressed Classes with reserved seats.

1. Purna Swaraj & the Dandi March

  • At the Lahore Session (1929), under Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress adopted the goal of Purna Swaraj (complete independence) and resolved to observe 26 January 1930 as Independence Day. Gandhi then launched Civil Disobedience with the famous Dandi Salt March (12 March – 6 April 1930), walking ~240 miles to make salt in defiance of the salt law — a simple, symbolic act that galvanised the nation.

2. The movement's spread

  • Civil Disobedience spread nationwide: salt laws broken, foreign cloth and liquor boycotted, taxes refused, forest laws defied. Women participated in huge numbers; the North-West Frontier saw the Khudai Khidmatgars under Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan ("Frontier Gandhi"). The government responded with mass arrests and repression.

3. Round Table Conferences & the Gandhi-Irwin Pact

  • The British convened the Round Table Conferences in London: the First (1930) was boycotted by the Congress; the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931) then suspended the movement and secured Congress participation in the Second RTC (1931), which Gandhi attended as the sole Congress representative but which failed over the communal question; the Third (1932) was insignificant. Civil Disobedience was resumed and finally called off by 1934.

4. Communal Award & Poona Pact

  • In 1932, British PM Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award, granting separate electorates to various minorities including the Depressed Classes. Gandhi fasted unto death against separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, leading to the Poona Pact (1932) with B.R. Ambedkar, which replaced separate electorates with reserved seats within the general electorate. These developments shaped the Government of India Act 1935.
EventYear
Lahore Session (Purna Swaraj)1929
Dandi Salt March1930
Gandhi-Irwin Pact1931
Communal Award & Poona Pact1932
Key Facts to Remember
  • Lahore (1929) = Purna Swaraj (Nehru); 26 Jan 1930 = Independence Day.
  • Dandi Salt March (1930) broke the salt law — start of Civil Disobedience.
  • Three Round Table Conferences (1930–32); 1st boycotted; 2nd after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931).
  • Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan ("Frontier Gandhi") & the Khudai Khidmatgars in the NWFP.
  • Communal Award (1932) → Gandhi's fast → Poona Pact (reserved seats, with Ambedkar).
Connect the Dots
  • Non-Cooperation & Khilafat: the earlier mass movement (previous leaf).
  • GoI Act 1935: the reform these events shaped (earlier leaf).
  • Caste & women reform: Ambedkar and the Poona Pact.
  • Congress ministries & WWII: the next phase (later leaf).
2

Prepare for the Exam — Prelims

Prelims

Tested on Lahore 1929/Purna Swaraj, Dandi (1930), the three RTCs, Gandhi-Irwin (1931), Communal Award/Poona Pact (1932).

High-probability areas
  • Lahore 1929 = Purna Swaraj (Nehru); 26 Jan 1930 = Independence Day.
  • Dandi Salt March 1930 (salt law) = start of Civil Disobedience.
  • 1st RTC boycotted; 2nd after Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931); 3rd minor.
  • Communal Award (MacDonald, 1932) → Poona Pact (Gandhi-Ambedkar).
  • Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan = Khudai Khidmatgars (NWFP).
Common traps
  • Civil disobedience = breaking laws; non-cooperation = boycott (distinct).
  • Poona Pact = reserved SEATS (not separate electorates) for Depressed Classes.
  • Gandhi attended only the 2nd RTC.
  • Purna Swaraj declared 1929, not 1930.
Revision tip: 1929 Lahore → 1930 Dandi → 1931 Gandhi-Irwin/2nd RTC → 1932 Communal Award/Poona Pact.
2

Prepare for the Exam — Mains

Mains

GS Paper I (national movement). The examiner rewards analysing Civil Disobedience's method and spread and the communal question.

Likely question types
  • Examine the Civil Disobedience Movement and the significance of the Salt March. (15)
  • Assess the Round Table Conferences and the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. (15)
  • Discuss the Communal Award and the Poona Pact. (10)
  • How did Civil Disobedience differ from Non-Cooperation? (10)
Dimensions to cover
  • Method: law-breaking vs. boycott.
  • Spread: salt, women, NWFP.
  • Negotiation: RTCs, Gandhi-Irwin.
  • Communal: Award & Poona Pact.
Value-additions
  • Cite the Salt March symbolism.
  • Note Ghaffar Khan & women.
  • Link to the 1935 Act.
3

How to Write the Answer

Mains
Worked example — decoding the question

"The Salt March was a masterstroke of political symbolism." Discuss. (15)
"Discuss" = explain why salt and the march mobilised the nation.

Introduction · ~20%
Introduce Dandi as the launch of Civil Disobedience and its symbolic genius.
Body · ~60%
Salt touched everyone (a universal necessity taxed by the state); the march dramatised defiance; it drew in women, peasants and the NWFP; it internationalised the cause. Then the RTCs, Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Communal Award and Poona Pact.
Conclusion · ~20%
A simple act of law-breaking became a powerful symbol of national defiance.
10-mark: ~150 words · ~7 min
15-mark: ~250 words · ~12 min
Common mistakes
  • Confusing civil disobedience with non-cooperation.
  • Saying Poona Pact kept separate electorates.
  • Getting the RTC that Gandhi attended wrong.
Model opening line: "By stooping to pick up a fistful of salt, Gandhi raised a whole nation in defiance of an empire."
4

Prelims Questions

Prelims

30 interactive MCQs — previous-year questions are included and tagged with their year. Select an answer for instant feedback and an explanation; your score is tracked and you can review wrong answers at the end.

Practice set
Question 1 of 30
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Score
5

Mains Questions

Mains

15 mains questions — previous-year questions are included and tagged. Write a full answer, then click Evaluate My Answer for paragraph-level feedback. Reveal the model structure after you attempt.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Examine the Civil Disobedience Movement and the significance of the Salt March.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Assess the Round Table Conferences and the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Discuss the Communal Award and the Poona Pact.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
How did Civil Disobedience differ from Non-Cooperation?
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
'The Salt March was a masterstroke of political symbolism.' Discuss.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Describe the spread and methods of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Examine the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Analyse the significance of the Lahore Session (1929).
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Discuss the role of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgars.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Why did the Second Round Table Conference fail?
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Evaluate the achievements and limitations of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Explain the significance of the Poona Pact for the Depressed Classes.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Describe the Gandhi-Irwin Pact and its terms.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
How did the events of 1929–34 shape the Government of India Act 1935?
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Assess the impact of the Communal Award on the national movement.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

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