National Movement (1935–1947): Smart Notes for UPSC

🧭 OVERVIEW & STRUCTURAL WATERSHED

The final decade of the Indian National Movement (1935–1947) was marked by rapid constitutional maneuvers, explosive mass insurrections, armed external resistance, and intense communal polarization. Starting with the landmark Government of India Act 1935, the period saw the outbreak of WWII, the launching of the revolutionary Quit India Movement (1942), the armed struggle of Subhas Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj (INA), widespread military mutinies (RIN Revolt), and the tragic inevitability of Partition alongside Independence in August 1947.

I. 📜 GOI ACT 1935 & CONGRESS MINISTRIES

1. Government of India Act, 1935

All-India Federation: Proposed federation of British Indian provinces and princely states (never came into force as princely states refused to join).
Provincial Autonomy: Abolished Dyarchy in provinces; introduced full Provincial Autonomy.
Dyarchy at Center: Transferred and Reserved subjects at the federal level (never implemented).
Division of powers into 3 lists: Federal, Provincial, and Concurrent. Residuary powers vested in Viceroy.

2. 1937 Elections & Congress Ministries

Elections held in early 1937. Congress formed absolute majority in 5 provinces (Madras, UP, CP, Bihar, Orissa) and coalition ministries in Bombay, Assam, and NWFP.
Resigned in October 1939 in protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow dragging India into WWII without consulting Indian representatives. Muslim League celebrated "Day of Deliverance" on Dec 22, 1939.

II. 🌍 WWII, AUGUST OFFER & CRIPPS MISSION

Event / Offer	Year	Key Proposals	Nationalist Response
August Offer	1940	Viceroy Linlithgow offered Dominion Status post-war, expansion of Viceroy's Executive Council, and a Constituent Assembly. Veto given to minorities.	Rejected by Congress (demanded complete independence). Led Gandhi to launch Individual Satyagraha (1940–41) (Acharya Vinoba Bhave 1st, Nehru 2nd).
Cripps Mission	1942	Sir Stafford Cripps offered Dominion Status post-war, Constituent Assembly, and freedom for any province to opt out of Indian Union.	Rejected by Congress. Gandhi famously called it a "Post-dated cheque on a crashing bank." Muslim League rejected it for not granting Pakistan explicitly.

III. 🔥 QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT (1942)

1. Launch & Nature

Passed at Gowalia Tank, Bombay on August 8, 1942 (Quit India Resolution). Gandhi gave the historic slogan: "Do or Die" (Karo ya Maro).
Operation Zero Hour: Early on Aug 9, British police arrested all top leaders (Gandhi sent to Aga Khan Palace, others to Ahmednagar Fort).
Movement became leaderless and spontaneous—characterised by attacks on symbols of colonial authority (railway tracks, telegraph lines, post offices).

2. Parallel Governments (Jatiya Sarkar)

Balia (UP): Chittu Pandey formed first parallel government for a week.
Tamluk (Bengal): Tamluk Jatiya Sarkar formed Vidyut Vahini and armed forces; worked during 1943 Bengal famine.
Satara (Maharashtra): Prati Sarkar led by Y.B. Chavan and Nana Patil; lasted longest (1942–1945).
Underground Movement: Rammanohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, and Usha Mehta (operated secret Congress Radio).

IV. ⚔️ SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE & THE INA

Tripuri Crisis (1939): Bose elected Congress President defeating Gandhi’s candidate Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Resigned due to ideological rift and formed the Forward Bloc (1939).
Escaped from home arrest in 1941 to Germany (Azad Hind Radio in Berlin). Arrived at Singapore in 1943.
Took command of the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) (originally conceived by Mohan Singh and Niranjan Singh Gill). Established Provisional Government of Free India in Singapore with slogan "Chalo Delhi!".
Regiments named after Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, and Rani Jhansi Regiment (led by Capt. Lakshmi Swaminathan). Advance halted at Imphal-Kohima (1944).
INA Trials (1945–46): Held at Red Fort, Delhi against PK Sehgal, GS Dhillon, and Shah Nawaz Khan. Congress set up INA Defence Committee (Bhulabhai Desai, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Nehru). Led to mass anti-British riots across India.

V. 🏁 ROAD TO PARTITION & INDEPENDENCE (1945–1947)

1. Post-War Mass Upsurge & RIN Mutiny (1946)

Royal Indian Navy (RIN) ratings on HMIS Talwar mutinied in Bombay (Feb 1946) against racial discrimination and poor food. Spread across ports; ended via intervention of Sardar Patel and Jinnah.

2. Cabinet Mission (1946)

Members: Pethick-Lawrence (Secretary of State), Stafford Cripps, A.V. Alexander.
Rejected Pakistan; proposed a 3-tier grouping of provinces (Group A, B, C) and a Constituent Assembly. Formed Interim Government under Nehru (Sept 1946).
Muslim League called for "Direct Action Day" (Aug 16, 1946), leading to Great Calcutta Killings and widespread riots.

3. Mountbatten Plan & Indian Independence Act

Attlee’s Announcement (Feb 20, 1947): Fixed June 30, 1948 deadline for British withdrawal.
Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947 Plan): Proposed partition of India and Punjab/Bengal; princely states given choice to join India or Pakistan.
Indian Independence Act, 1947: Passed July 18, 1947. Created two independent Dominions—India and Pakistan—on August 15, 1947. Radcliff Commission drew international borders.

VI. 🎯 UPSC PRELIMS HIGH-YIELD FACTS

📌 Rapid Revision Checklist

First Individual Satyagrahi: Acharya Vinoba Bhave (1940); Second was Jawaharlal Nehru.
Day of Deliverance (Dec 22, 1939): Celebrated by Muslim League upon resignation of Congress Ministries.
Secret Congress Radio: Operated by Usha Mehta during Quit India Movement.
Rani Jhansi Regiment: First women's combat unit of INA led by Lakshmi Swaminathan (Sahgal).
Radcliffe Line: Border demarcation line between India and Pakistan drawn by Sir Cyril Radcliffe.

VII. 📝 PYQ THEMES & MAINS VALUE ADDITION

Previous Year Question Themes

Evaluation of the Quit India Movement: Was it a spontaneous outburst or a planned revolution?
Role of Subhas Chandra Bose and INA in accelerating British departure from India.
Impact of post-WWII popular upsurges (INA Trials, RIN Revolt) on the British Raj.
Analysis of factors leading to the tragic necessity of Partition in 1947.

🐦 FINAL REVISION FLOW

GOI Act 1935 ➔ 1937 Elections ➔ WWII Outbreak & Resignation (1939) ➔ August Offer (1940) ➔ Cripps Mission & Quit India (1942) ➔ INA Advance (1944) ➔ INA Trials & RIN Revolt (1945-46) ➔ Cabinet Mission (1946) ➔ Mountbatten Plan ➔ Partition & Independence (Aug 15, 1947).

🇮🇳 NATIONAL MOVEMENT: 1935–1947