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

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

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi tried to connect deeply with the common people of India through his simple lifestyle and actions.

(a) He began to live very simply, wearing plain clothes made from homespun cloth, similar to what poor Indians wore.

(b) He spoke in the local languages so that ordinary people could easily understand him.

(c) Gandhi strongly opposed the caste system and worked against untouchability. He even lived among the Harijans (people from lower castes) to promote equality.

(d) He gave respect and dignity to all kinds of work, including manual labour. Gandhi spun cotton on the charkha and personally cleaned toilets to set an example.

(e) He opposed the idea of dividing people into “high” and “low” classes, promoting equality and unity among all Indians.

2. How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants? 

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi was deeply admired by the peasants, who saw him as a protector and guide. The farmers believed that he had been sent by the King to solve their problems and that he had the power to overrule local officials. Many even thought Gandhiji’s authority was greater than that of the British monarch and that his presence would drive the colonial rulers away. 

Rumours also spread that anyone who spoke against him would suffer misfortune — their houses might collapse or their crops might fail. People lovingly called him “Gandhi Baba,” “Gandhi Maharaj,” or “Mahatma.” To the peasants, he was a saviour who would free them from heavy taxes and unjust officials. His simple and humble lifestyle — wearing a dhoti, spinning cotton on the charkha, and living like an ordinary Indian — made him even more respected and strengthened his bond with the common people.

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

Answer: The poorest people in India depended heavily on salt as an essential part of their diet. The British government imposed a tax on salt and made it illegal to produce salt locally, which became a serious burden on the poor.

The Salt Law had several unfair aspects:

• It gave the British government a monopoly over salt production and distribution.

• This raised prices, and the tax added to the suffering of the people.

• Ordinary Indians were denied access to natural salt, and large quantities of locally made salt were destroyed.

• The law also damaged village industries, where salt-making had been a traditional livelihood.

Because of these reasons, the Salt Law became extremely unpopular among the people and turned into a major symbol of injustice. It later became one of the key issues in India’s freedom struggle, especially during Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt March (Dandi March).

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

Answer: Contemporary newspapers play a very important role in studying the Indian National Movement. They serve as valuable historical sources for understanding events, leaders, and public opinion during the freedom struggle.

(a) Many newspapers were published by people who were directly involved in the freedom movement. For example, National Herald was started by Motilal Nehru, and Dawn was issued by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. These newspapers acted as the voice of the movement, spreading nationalist ideas and reporting on major developments. Therefore, they are key sources of information about India’s struggle for independence.

(b) Newspapers reported events daily, which made their accounts very detailed and timely. Since they covered recent happenings, the chances of factual errors were lower. Reading multiple newspapers helped provide a balanced and unbiased view of events.

(c) Many newspapers were published in vernacular (local) languages, such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Marathi. Their limited circulation among regional audiences gave them a local perspective, which other historical sources often missed.

(d) Newspapers also reflected the mood of the people. They showed how different groups in society felt about events and leaders. Reports published in a London-based newspaper would naturally differ from those in an Indian nationalist paper, highlighting the contrasting viewpoints between the colonizers and the Indian public.

Thus, contemporary newspapers not only recorded events but also shaped public opinion, making them one of the most reliable and dynamic sources for studying India’s freedom movement.

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

Answer: The charkha (spinning wheel) was chosen as a powerful symbol of nationalism for several important reasons:

Mahatma Gandhi saw the charkha as a symbol of a simple and self-reliant society — one that valued human effort over machines and industrialization. He believed that true progress should not glorify modern technology at the cost of human dignity and livelihood.

The spinning wheel gave the poor a means of earning supplementary income, helping them become self-sufficient and reducing their dependence on foreign goods. It also encouraged the equal distribution of wealth, preventing it from being concentrated in the hands of a few.

Gandhiji described the charkha as a machine that served the poorest people, allowing them to work within their own homes and contribute to the nation’s growth.

He personally spun cotton on the charkha every day and urged others in the freedom movement to do the same. By doing this, he broke the social barriers that separated manual labour from mental work and challenged caste-based distinctions.

Thus, the charkha became not just a tool for making cloth but a symbol of India’s unity, self-reliance, and resistance against British economic exploitation.

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

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi believed that the British Empire in India survived only because Indians cooperated with it. If the people stopped cooperating, British rule would naturally weaken and eventually collapse. Therefore, non-cooperation became both a peaceful method and a powerful form of protest.

1. The Non-Cooperation Movement began alongside the Khilafat Movement, bringing together Hindus and Muslims in a rare show of unity. This joint protest was one of the largest mass movements in Indian history, cutting across religion, region, and class.

2. People boycotted all major symbols of British rule such as government schools, colleges, law courts, and offices. Lawyers refused to attend courts, and students left government institutions. In response, leaders of the freedom movement started national institutions to provide education—one famous example is Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi, which continues today as a respected university. Local communities even set up alternative systems for dispute resolution outside the colonial courts.

3. Many Indians also refused to pay taxes, rejecting the authority of the British government over their lives and land.

Through these acts, non-cooperation became a strong and disciplined protest—not through violence, but by withdrawing support from the British system and asserting India’s right to self-rule.

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

Answer: The British government followed a policy of reviewing India’s progress toward self-rule every ten years and introducing new reforms. This process began with the Morley-Minto Reforms (1910), followed by the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1920). Ten years later, the British invited Indian leaders to London for a series of meetings known as the Round Table Conferences to discuss India’s constitutional future.

The First Round Table Conference was held in November 1930, but it failed because the Indian National Congress, the main voice of the freedom movement, did not participate.

Most Congress leaders were in jail due to the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The Second Round Table Conference took place in February 1931, soon after Mahatma Gandhi’s release from prison. Gandhi attended the conference after signing the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, under which the British government agreed to partly withdraw the Salt Law and release political prisoners. However, this agreement was criticized because it did not address the demand for complete independence.

The Third Round Table Conference, held later in 1931, also failed. There was no agreement on new constitutional reforms. Other participants questioned the Congress’s authority, claiming it represented only a small section of Indians. The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, declared itself the only representative of Muslims. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar claimed to represent the Depressed Classes (lower castes), and the princely states insisted on dealing directly with the British, rejecting Congress’s role in their affairs.

In conclusion, the divisive politics of the Muslim League, Dr. Ambedkar, and the attitude of the princely states were the main reasons behind the failure of the Round Table Conferences.

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

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915. Two years later, in 1917, he went to Champaran in Bihar to support farmers who were being forced by the British to grow indigo. The movement was successful as the British government agreed to the farmers’ demands. From that moment until his assassination in 1948, Gandhi became the central figure in India’s freedom struggle, and is rightly regarded as its chief leader and moral force.

Gandhiji transformed the nature of India’s freedom movement in several important ways:

1. Making the Movement a Mass Struggle: 

When Gandhi entered Indian politics, the freedom movement was mainly led by educated, middle-class people influenced by Western education. Gandhi brought the struggle to the masses—including villagers, peasants, labourers, workers, and students. For the first time, India’s poor and rural population actively joined the national movement. However, some critics argued that Gandhi’s use of religious symbols to unite people later encouraged communal divisions. Notably, the rise of the Muslim League occurred during this same period. Writer Nirad C. Chaudhuri also criticised Gandhi for turning the freedom movement into a mass struggle through what he called “shortcuts.”

2. Empowerment of Women: 

Gandhi helped women step into public life on a scale never seen before in Indian history. Many women actively took part in protests, picketing foreign goods shops, and participating in marches. The movement produced several women leaders, including Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, and others who became icons of courage and leadership.

3. Freedom as Social Reform:

For Gandhi, political freedom was incomplete without social reform. He worked to promote dignity and equality for the oppressed castes and made the abolition of untouchability one of his key missions.

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi transformed India’s freedom movement into a mass, inclusive, and moral struggle that went far beyond politics. He connected political independence with social justice, equality, and self-reliance, shaping the very soul of modern India.

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

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915. Two years later, in 1917, he went to Champaran in Bihar to support farmers who were being forced by the British to grow indigo. The movement was successful as the British government agreed to the farmers’ demands. From that moment until his assassination in 1948, Gandhi became the central figure in India’s freedom struggle, and is rightly regarded as its chief leader and moral force.

Gandhiji transformed the nature of India’s freedom movement in several important ways:

1. Making the Movement a Mass Struggle:

When Gandhi entered Indian politics, the freedom movement was mainly led by educated, middle-class people influenced by Western education. Gandhi brought the struggle to the masses—including villagers, peasants, labourers, workers, and students. For the first time, India’s poor and rural population actively joined the national movement.

However, some critics argued that Gandhi’s use of religious symbols to unite people later encouraged communal divisions. Notably, the rise of the Muslim League occurred during this same period. Writer Nirad C. Chaudhuri also criticised Gandhi for turning the freedom movement into a mass struggle through what he called “shortcuts.”

2. Empowerment of Women:

Gandhi helped women step into public life on a scale never seen before in Indian history. Many women actively took part in protests, picketing foreign goods shops, and participating in marches. The movement produced several women leaders, including Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, and others who became icons of courage and leadership.

3. Freedom as Social Reform:

For Gandhi, political freedom was incomplete without social reform. He worked to promote dignity and equality for the oppressed castes and made the abolition of untouchability one of his key missions.

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi transformed India’s freedom movement into a mass, inclusive, and moral struggle that went far beyond politics. He connected political independence with social justice, equality, and self-reliance, shaping the very soul of modern India.

Map Work

10. 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 began from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and was one of the most significant events in India’s freedom struggle. The march followed a route from Ahmedabad to Vadodara and then onward to Surat, finally reaching the coastal village of Dandi.

To represent this route on a map, we can imagine a triangle formed by three main points:

• Point A – Ahmedabad (Sabarmati Ashram): The starting point of the march.

• Point B – Vadodara: The intermediate route Gandhi and his followers passed through.

• Point C – Surat (leading toward Dandi): The final leg of the journey before reaching the sea coast.

This triangle (A–B–C) symbolizes the path of the Dandi March, highlighting the regions Gandhi and his volunteers walked through during their historic 390-kilometre journey from 12 March to 6 April 1930.

At Dandi, Gandhi broke the Salt Law by making salt from seawater, marking a powerful act of non-violent civil disobedience against British rule.

Project Work (Choose One)

11. Read any two autobiographies of nationalist leaders. Look at the different ways in which the authors represent their own life and times, and interpret the national movement. See how their views differ. Write an account based on your studies. 

12. Choose any event that took place during the national movement. Try and read the letters and speeches of the leaders of the time. Some of these are now published. He could be a local leader from the region where you live. Try and see how the local leaders viewed the activities of the national leadership at the top. Write about the movement based on your reading

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.

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