2017 · GS Paper 1 · Q13 · 15 marks

Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian independence since twenties of the last century.

In short

From the 1920s the vision of independence expanded from self-rule to Purna Swaraj, civil liberties, economic justice, social equality and anti-imperialism, giving the masses a stake in freedom. The Karachi Resolution of 1931 on fundamental rights and economic policy became the blueprint for the Constitution's Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles.

Model answer

Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026

Introduction
Until 1919 independence meant mainly self-rule and Indian officials. From the 1920s, the Congress added objectives that turned freedom into a programme for remaking Indian society, later written into the Constitution.
New Objectives Added to the Vision of Freedom
•

Complete independence and rights

The Lahore Congress (1929) adopted Purna Swaraj, and the Karachi Resolution (1931) listed free speech, equality and universal adult franchise.

•

Economic justice

Karachi promised a living wage and state control of key industries, Faizpur (1936) adopted an agrarian programme, and the National Planning Committee (1938) made planning a goal.

•

Social equality

The fight against untouchability, equal rights for women and a religiously neutral state widened freedom to dignity for all.

•

Federal and global vision

Linguistic provincial committees (Nagpur, 1920), Purna Swaraj for princely states (Haripura, 1938) and solidarity with colonised peoples (Brussels, 1927) broadened the goal.

Why These Objectives Mattered
•

Mass appeal

Land, wages and dignity gave peasants, workers, women and Dalits a stake in freedom.

•

Answer to critics

A social programme undercut the colonial claim that the Congress spoke only for the elite, and drew socialists and youth in.

•

Blueprint for the nation

These goals passed almost directly into the Constituent Assembly's work.

Way Forward
•

Unfinished agenda

Persisting caste discrimination keeps Ambedkar's call for social democracy relevant, and the Karachi pairing of liberty with livelihood still guides policy.

Conclusion
The new objectives turned self-rule into a promise of political, economic and social democracy, the soul of the Constitution and the Republic's unfinished agenda.

This model answer is indicative and the model can make mistakes; please verify key facts independently.

Hand-drawn diagram: From freedom-struggle goal to Constitution. From freedom-struggle goal to Constitution. Comparison of Objective adopted and Constitutional outcome
Diagram: From freedom-struggle goal to Constitution

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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2017 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.

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