NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 11 Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

NCERT Solutions Class 12 History Chapter 11 Mahatma Gandhi And The Nationalist Movement (2025-26)

2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

1. How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi identified with the common people by adopting simple attire like dhoti, living an austere lifestyle, speaking the local language, and advocating issues relevant to ordinary Indians such as rural distress, peasants’ rights, and self-reliance. He travelled widely to understand their problems and championed their causes.

2. How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?

Answer: Peasants perceived Gandhi as a messiah sent to relieve them from oppression. Many believed he had miraculous powers and saw him as someone who could challenge British authority and officials, bring justice, and restore their dignity and autonomy over their livelihood.

3. Why did the salt laws become an important issue of struggle?

Answer: The salt laws became an important issue because they affected all sections of society. The tax on salt was unjust and burdened the poor. By breaking these laws, Gandhi highlighted colonial exploitation and mobilised mass support for civil disobedience against British rule.

4. Why are newspapers an important source for the study of the national movement?

Answer: Newspapers provide detailed daily reporting of events. They offer insight into public opinion, describe leaders’ activities, and reflect diverse perspectives. Vernacular newspapers also present regional viewpoints, making them a vital source for understanding the spread and impact of the national movement.

5. Why was the charkha chosen as a symbol of nationalism?

Answer: The charkha symbolised self-reliance, simplicity, and the dignity of manual labour. Gandhi chose it as it represented rural India’s economic independence from foreign cloth, bridged social divides, and became a visual tool to unite people in the freedom movement.

6. How was non-cooperation a form of protest?

Answer: Non-cooperation involved boycotting British institutions, law courts, schools, and goods. This mass withdrawal deprived colonial authority of its legitimacy and resources, making it a powerful and peaceful method to protest against foreign rule and assert national self-respect.

7. Why were the dialogues at the Round Table Conference inconclusive?

Answer: The Round Table Conference dialogues were inconclusive because different groups claimed to represent various Indian communities. The Muslim League, Dr. Ambedkar for Dalits, and princely states disagreed with Congress representation, leading to divisions and lack of consensus on constitutional reforms.

8. In what way did Mahatma Gandhi transform the nature of the national movement?

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi transformed the national movement from an elite-driven activity to a mass movement. He involved peasants, women, workers, and those from diverse backgrounds, promoted non-violent methods, and linked political struggles to social and economic issues of common people.

9. What do private letters and autobiographies tell us about an individual? How are these sources different from official accounts?

Answer: Private letters and autobiographies offer personal insights, motivations, and subjective experiences of individuals. They reveal private thoughts not always present in official records, which tend to be formal, impersonal, and focus on administrative facts rather than personal feelings or internal conflicts.

10. Map work: Find out about the route of the Dandi March. On a map of Gujarat plot the line of the march and mark the major towns and villages that it passed along the route.

Answer: The Dandi March started from Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad and ended at Dandi on the coast of Gujarat. The march passed through places like Aslali, Nadiad, Anand, Borsad, Navsari, and other towns. Students should mark these on the Gujarat map for practice.

11. Read any two autobiographies of nationalist leaders. Write an account based on your studies.

Answer: (Students should read autobiographies like Mohandas Gandhi’s "My Experiments with Truth" and Jawaharlal Nehru’s "An Autobiography" and write a brief account based on the personal journeys, struggles, and insights presented in these works.)

12. Choose any event that took place during the national movement. Try and read the letters and speeches of the leaders of the time. Write about the movement based on your reading.

Answer: (Students can select, for example, the Salt March, and refer to Gandhi’s speeches and letters. An answer should highlight how these sources reveal strategies, public responses, and leader’s emotions during the event.)

Mahatma Gandhi and the Rise of Indian Nationalism: NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 11

Study of Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement is crucial for understanding modern Indian history. This chapter covers the journey from Gandhi’s return in 1915 to the Quit India Movement and independence, highlighting the transformation of the national movement into a mass struggle.

Choosing Class 12 History NCERT Solutions 2025-26 for Chapter 11 will strengthen your analytical skills. Focus on Gandhi’s strategies such as satyagraha and non-cooperation. Practice writing short and long answers to improve your exam preparation and confidence.

Regular revision of key events like the Salt Satyagraha and Dandi March will help you score higher. Remember, connecting social, political, and economic aspects is vital for comprehensive understanding in history exams.