Question

What were the main objectives of the 19th century social reform movements?

• A. Eradicating evils and superstitions prevalent in Indian society
• B. Securing dominion status for India under the British Crown
• C. Securing equal civil rights for all Indians
• D. Dismantling the recently established 'Oriental' institutes

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (C)

Securing equal civil rights for all Indians

The social reform movements of the 19th century aimed at securing two main objectives: first, they aimed to eradicate social evils and superstitions prevailing in Indian society, and second, they sought to secure equal civil rights for all. While some of these movements were considered 'reformist' because they stressed on modernisation, others were seen as more 'revivalist', since they emphasised the importance of bringing back 'authentic' religious traditions.