Module 2: Student Agitations and the Political Shift of 1967

📖 Chapter 28 of 28 🧩 Module 2 of 8 ⏱️ ~3 min read 💡 9 MCQs

Topic Part 1 of 2

Concept

Subtopic 2.1: From the 1955 student movement to the first non-Congress ministry

Independent India's first student movement took place in Patna in 1955. It opened the phase of organised, aggressive student protest in post-independence Bihar.
In late 1966 and early 1967, high food prices, economic distress and complaints of misrule produced large anti-government demonstrations led by students. In early 1967 a police firing near Gandhi Maidan, Patna, killed 35 students according to the organisers. The official count was 9.
The anger showed in the fourth general election of 1967. Congress lost its majority. Bihar's first non-Congress coalition, the Samyukta Vidhayak Dal, took office in 1967 with Mahamaya Prasad Sinha as Chief Minister. He called the students his jigar ka tukda.
Education Minister Karpoori Thakur ended, in 1967, the rule that a student must pass English to clear the matriculation examination. That opened the exam to vernacular and rural students.
On 1 October 1967 the Mahamaya Prasad government set up the country's first political commission of inquiry. Retired Supreme Court judge T. L. Venkatarama Ayyar chaired the Ayyar Commission. It indicted six leaders for high-level corruption: K. B. Sahay, Mahesh Prasad Sinha, Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav, Raghvendra Narayan Singh, Satyendra Narayan Sinha and Ambika Sharan Singh.

⭐ Key Points

Bihar's first coalition government was formed after the 1967 general elections, when Congress lost its majority.
On 1 October 1967 the Mahamaya Prasad government set up the Ayyar Commission, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge T. L. Venkatarama Ayyar. It indicted six politicians.
Bihar's first non-Congress government took office in 1967.
Mahamaya Prasad Sinha headed the Samyukta Vidhayak Dal coalition in 1967.
In 1967, under the Mahamaya Prasad ministry, Education Minister Karpoori Thakur made a pass in English unnecessary for clearing matriculation.
Organised and intense student protests began in Bihar in 1955.
The first student movement of post-independence India was organised at Patna in 1955.
In 1967, clashes near Gandhi Maidan in Patna led to police firing. Organisers counted 35 student deaths; the official figure was 9.
Chief Minister Mahamaya Prasad called the students his jigar ka tukda.

📌 One-line Q&A

Question: When was the first coalition government formed in Bihar? Answer: 1967.
Question: In which state was a political inquiry commission formed for the first time in the country? Answer: Bihar.
Question: When was the first non-Congress government formed in Bihar? Answer: 1967.
Question: Who was the Chief Minister of the first non-Congress government in Bihar? Answer: Mahamaya Prasad.
Question: Which government in Bihar first abolished the compulsory requirement of studying and passing English in schools? Answer: Mahamaya Prasad government.
Question: When did aggressive student agitations begin in Bihar after independence? Answer: 1955.
Question: Where did independent India's first student movement take place? Answer: Patna.
Question: In which year did 35 students die in police firing during an anti-government protest in Bihar? Answer: 1967.
Question: In 1967 in Bihar, who were referred to as jigar ka tukda? Answer: Students.

Topic

Questions

MCQs

Answer this question, then use Next.

Question 10: When was the first coalition government formed in Bihar?

Bihar's first coalition government was formed after the 1967 general elections, when Congress lost its majority.

Question 21: In which state was a political inquiry commission formed for the first time in the country?

On 1 October 1967 the Mahamaya Prasad government set up the Ayyar Commission, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge T. L. Venkatarama Ayyar. It indicted six politicians.

Question 22: When was the first non-Congress government formed in Bihar?

Bihar's first non-Congress government took office in 1967.

Question 23: Who was the Chief Minister of the first non-Congress government in Bihar?

Mahamaya Prasad Sinha headed the Samyukta Vidhayak Dal coalition in 1967.

Question 24: Which government in Bihar first abolished the compulsory requirement of studying and passing English in schools?

In 1967, under the Mahamaya Prasad ministry, Education Minister Karpoori Thakur made a pass in English unnecessary for clearing matriculation.

Question 31: When did aggressive student agitations begin in Bihar after independence?

Organised and intense student protests began in Bihar in 1955.

Question 32: Where did independent India's first student movement take place?

The first student movement of post-independence India was organised at Patna in 1955.

Question 34: In which year did 35 students die in police firing during an anti-government protest in Bihar?

In 1967, clashes near Gandhi Maidan in Patna led to police firing. Organisers counted 35 student deaths; the official figure was 9.

Question 35: In 1967 in Bihar, who were referred to as jigar ka tukda?

Chief Minister Mahamaya Prasad called the students his jigar ka tukda.

Question 1 of 9

One-liners

Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.

When was the first coalition government formed in Bihar?

1967.

In which state was a political inquiry commission formed for the first time in the country?

Bihar.

When was the first non-Congress government formed in Bihar?

1967.

Who was the Chief Minister of the first non-Congress government in Bihar?

Mahamaya Prasad.

Which government in Bihar first abolished the compulsory requirement of studying and passing English in schools?

Mahamaya Prasad government.

When did aggressive student agitations begin in Bihar after independence?

1955.

Where did independent India's first student movement take place?

Patna.

In which year did 35 students die in police firing during an anti-government protest in Bihar?

1967.

In 1967 in Bihar, who were referred to as jigar ka tukda?

Students.

Question 1 of 9