Post-Independence India — TNPSC Group II/IIA History
Overview
Post-independence India (1947 onwards) faced the challenges of integrating 562 princely states, drafting a constitution, building the economy, and maintaining democracy. For TNPSC Group 2/2A, key topics are: integration of princely states, Constitution making, Five Year Plans, Green Revolution, Emergency period, and major Prime Ministers.
Integration of Princely States (1947–1950)
At independence, British India had 562 princely states that technically became independent when British paramountcy lapsed.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — "Iron Man of India"
- As Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, led the integration effort
- V.P. Menon served as Secretary in the States Ministry
- Used a combination of diplomacy, incentives (privy purse), and pressure
Methods of Integration
| State | Method | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Most States (500+) | Signed Instrument of Accession | Voluntarily joined India |
| Junagarh | Referendum | Nawab wanted to join Pakistan; majority Hindu population chose India |
| Hyderabad | Police Action (Operation Polo) | Nizam refused; Indian army action September 1948; Hyderabad surrendered |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Conditional Accession | Maharaja Hari Singh signed on October 26, 1947 after Pakistani tribal invasion; dispute continues |
States Reorganisation
- States Reorganisation Act 1956: States reorganised on linguistic basis
- Based on recommendations of States Reorganisation Commission (Fazl Ali Commission, 1953)
- Tamil Nadu (then Madras State) formally renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969
Making of the Indian Constitution
Constituent Assembly
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1946 (under Cabinet Mission Plan) |
| First meeting | December 9, 1946 |
| Members | 389 (later 299 after partition) |
| President | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Drafting Committee Chairman | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar |
Key dates:
- November 26, 1949: Constitution adopted — Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas)
- January 26, 1950: Constitution came into force — Republic Day
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad became first President of India
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar:
- Chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constitution
- Called "Father of the Indian Constitution"
- Resigned from Cabinet in 1951; converted to Buddhism in 1956
Key Prime Ministers of India
Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964) — First PM
| Achievement | Details |
|---|---|
| Industrial policy | Public sector PSUs; Heavy industries; Bhilai, Durgapur Steel Plants |
| Five Year Plans | Initiated centrally planned economy; Planning Commission |
| Non-Alignment | Founded Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) with Nasser and Tito |
| Science/Technology | IITs, IIMs, AIIMS established |
| Panchsheel | Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (1954) with China |
- Sino-Indian War (1962): China attacked India; India defeated; Nehru's image damaged
- Died in office: May 27, 1964
- Discovery of India, Glimpses of World History, An Autobiography — major books
Lal Bahadur Shastri (1964–1966)
- Slogan: "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan"
- Led India during Indo-Pakistan War (1965)
- India successfully defended against Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar
- Signed Tashkent Agreement (January 10, 1966) with Pakistan's Ayub Khan
- Died in Tashkent on January 11, 1966 — still mysterious circumstances
Indira Gandhi (1966–1977 and 1980–1984)
| Achievement | Year |
|---|---|
| Bank Nationalisation | 1969 (14 major banks) |
| Abolition of Privy Purses | 1971 |
| Liberation of Bangladesh | 1971 (Indo-Pak War) |
| Pokhran Nuclear Test (Smiling Buddha) | May 18, 1974 |
| Emergency Declaration | June 25–26, 1975 |
| Operation Blue Star | June 1984 |
| Assassinated | October 31, 1984 |
Emergency (1975–1977):
- Allahabad High Court judgment (June 12, 1975) convicted Indira Gandhi for election malpractice
- Declared National Emergency (Article 352) on June 25, 1975 — grounds of "internal disturbance"
- Fundamental Rights suspended; press censored; thousands (including Jayaprakash Narayan) arrested
- Twenty-Point Programme announced
- 42nd Amendment (1976): Called "Mini Constitution" — added Fundamental Duties, Preamble words "Socialist" and "Secular"
- Emergency lifted March 21, 1977
- 1977 elections: Janata Party won; Morarji Desai became PM
Rajiv Gandhi (1984–1989)
- Youngest PM of India (age 40)
- IT revolution initiated; computerisation of railways
- Anti-Defection Law (52nd Amendment, 1985)
- Pushed for Panchayati Raj reforms (73rd/74th Amendments later passed)
- Bofors scandal tarnished image
- Assassinated May 21, 1991 in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu by LTTE suicide bomber
P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991–1996)
- Economic Liberalisation (1991): LPG — Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation
- Finance Minister Manmohan Singh implemented reforms
- India opened to FDI; rupee made partially convertible
- Avoided bankruptcy — IMF bailout not required
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999–2004)
- Pokhran II Nuclear Tests (May 11–13, 1998): "Operation Shakti" — India became declared nuclear power
- Kargil War (1999): Pakistan infiltration; India recaptured peaks
- Golden Quadrilateral Highway Project: National highway connectivity
- First non-Congress PM to complete full term
Dr. Manmohan Singh (2004–2014)
- Father of 1991 economic reforms
- MGNREGA (2005): Rural employment guarantee
- Right to Information Act (2005)
- Indo-US Nuclear Deal (2008): 123 Agreement
Green Revolution
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Period | Late 1960s–1970s |
| Father of Indian Green Revolution | M.S. Swaminathan |
| Key crops | Wheat (Punjab, Haryana), Rice (AP, Tamil Nadu) |
| Technologies | HYV seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation |
| Impact | India became self-sufficient in food grains |
Main achievements:
- Wheat production tripled in a decade
- India stopped food imports and became food exporter
- Criticism: Environmental degradation, rich farmer bias, regional inequality
White Revolution (Operation Flood)
- Father: Verghese Kurien (Amul cooperatives)
- India became world's largest milk producer
- NDDB (National Dairy Development Board) promoted cooperative model
- Anand Milk Union (AMUL) in Gujarat was the model
Key Events in Post-Independence Tamil Nadu
| Event | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Madras renamed Tamil Nadu | 1969 | Under C.N. Annadurai (Anna) |
| Anti-Hindi Agitation | 1965 | Protest against Hindi imposition; 69 deaths |
| DMK comes to power | 1967 | First non-Congress state government in Tamil Nadu |
| Jayalalithaa first CM | 1991 | First woman CM of Tamil Nadu |
| Kaveri Water Dispute | Ongoing since 1974 | Tamil Nadu vs Karnataka |
Key Facts for TNPSC Group II/IIA
- Sardar Patel integrated 562 princely states; V.P. Menon was his key aide
- Operation Polo (1948): Indian military action against Hyderabad Nizam
- B.R. Ambedkar chaired Drafting Committee of Constitution
- Constitution adopted: November 26, 1949; effective: January 26, 1950
- Green Revolution: M.S. Swaminathan; HYV seeds; wheat revolution in Punjab-Haryana
- Emergency (1975–1977): Article 352; all fundamental rights suspended; press censored
- 42nd Amendment (1976): Added "Socialist" and "Secular" to Preamble; Fundamental Duties added
- 1991 Reforms: LPG reforms by Narasimha Rao-Manmohan Singh; opened Indian economy
- Kargil War (1999): Vajpayee government; Operation Vijay — India recaptured all peaks
- Rajiv Gandhi assassinated at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu (May 21, 1991) — LTTE bombing
Previous Year MCQ Patterns
Q: Who was the chief architect of the integration of princely states into independent India? a) Jawaharlal Nehru b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel c) B.R. Ambedkar d) Rajendra Prasad
Q: The Emergency in India was declared in: a) 1971 b) 1973 c) 1975 d) 1977
Q: Who is called the "Father of India's Green Revolution"? a) Verghese Kurien b) M.S. Swaminathan c) Norman Borlaug d) C. Subramaniam
Frequently Asked Questions
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, as Home Minister, was the chief architect of integration. Most states signed the Instrument of Accession voluntarily. Problematic cases: Hyderabad (police action Operation Polo, 1948), Junagadh (referendum), and Jammu & Kashmir (acceded after Pakistani invasion, October 1947). By 1950, all states were integrated.