The Non-cooperation Movement was Gandhi’s first mass-based political movement. This movement was launched as per the resolution taken by the Indian National Congress at the Calcutta session but ratified in the Nagpur session in December 1920. August 01, 1920 was fixed as the date of starting the movement.

Non- Cooperation Movement and Mahatma Gandhi

• In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi spent most of his time in Champaran fighting for the rights of peasants. He was seeking to obtain the security of tenure as well as freedom in farmer’s choice for the cultivation of crops.
• Then again in 1918, in his home state Gujarat, he was involved in two campaigns. The first campaign is about demanding better conditions for textile mill workers. Then in Kheda, he joined peasants against the state for the remission of taxes at the times of failure of their harvest.
• These initiatives taken in the Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda put Gandhi as a nationalist among the people who fought for the poor. But all of these were small localized struggles.

• During world war 1914-18, the British had put censorship of the press and permitted detention without trial. These measures are continued under the recommendation of the committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.
• In response, a campaign was called by Gandhi against the "Rowlatt act”. In towns of North and West India, schools are closed and shops are shut down in response to the bandh call.
• Rowlatt Satyagraha made Gandhi a prominent leader among the people.
• There were also intense protests started in Punjab against the Rowlatt Act. Because many men had served on the side British Government in the War, and instead of getting rewarded they were given the Rowlatt Act.
• Gandhi was also detained while protesting in Punjab.
• This situation became more aggressive when a British Brigadier ordered his troops to open fire in a nationalist meeting at Jallianwala Bagh. More than four hundred people were killed in this incident known as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
• Due to these happenings, Gandhi called out a campaign of “Non-Cooperation” against the British Government.
• Those who wanted freedom from the colonial rule were asked to stop attending schools, colleges, and courts and not to pay taxes.
• They were asked to renounce all association with the British government.
• According to Gandhi, if non-cooperation was effectively carried out without violence, India would get its freedom within a year.
• To increase the momentum of the movement Gandhi further joined hands with the Khilafat Movement. This would collectively bring the two major religious communities of India, Hindu, and Muslims.

• Gandhi along with the Ali Brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) did a nationwide tour to promote the non-cooperation Movement along with addressing the meetings.
• The boycott related to education was successful in Bengal and Punjab too which operated under the leadership of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Apart from this educational boycott, some of the most important lawyers also gave up their lucrative practices in their fields.

Features of the Non-Cooperation Movement

• The main focus of the movement was to boycott schools, colleges, law courts and increase the use of Charkha and using items made in the country.
• Students stopped going to schools and colleges which were run by the British government.
• The working class of the society also went on strike in many towns and cities.
• According to the official data, in 1921, there were 396 strikes all over India, involving 600,000 workers in the strikes and a loss of 7 million workdays.
• Effects of the movement are also seen in the countryside. In northern Andhra, hill tribes violated the forest laws.

• In Awadh, farmers there did not pay taxes to the government.
• In Kumaun, peasants refused to carry loads of the British officials.
• Student movements were in full swing and major lawyers like C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, M.R. Jayakar, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel gave up their practices.
• Thereafter, the next step is to boycott foreign clothes and boycott of the forthcoming visit of The Prince of Wales in November 1921.
• Jail Bharo Andolan by Congress volunteers and Charkha and Khadi clothes were also popularized.
• The Non-Cooperation movement was financed by the Tilak Swaraj Fund.
• Swaraj, Redressal of Punjab wrongs, and Khilafat issues were demanded through this movement.
• The Non- Cooperation movement started in January 1920 and successfully ran till February 1922.

Causes of the Non- Cooperation Movement

Home Rule Movement

Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar had started a Home Rule Movement which eventually set the tone for the Non-cooperation Movement. With this, the Lucknow Pact has also resulted in the unity of the Congress and the Muslim League along with the unity of the extremists and moderates of INC.

Resentment towards the British after World War I

The Indians were expecting rewards and Autonomy for their efforts and support to the British in World War 1, but instead the British passed the Rowlatt Act and the Government of India Act, 1919 which were very disappointing and disheartening for the Indians.

Rowlatt Act Agitation among the Indians

This was an act passed by the legislation of India during World War I, to allow the government to perform trials on some political parties without the juries and to put indefinite detention to them. Gandhi protested against this act, and it became one of the main reasons for the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Economic Distress During and After the War

Due to the First World War, defence expenditures of the government climbed higher which increased the tax on individuals. Also, the increase in military expenses and demands for war supplies led to a sharp price hike in the country which badly affected the economy and common people.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

In April 1919, a general, Reginald Dyer, ordered the British Indian army to open fire on the crowd of unarmed civilians in Jallianwala Bagh. Over 379 people were killed and more than 1200 people were injured. After this incident, the anger of the people increased towards the British and they started joining the non-cooperation movement.

Khilafat Movement

In 1919-20, a movement led by Indian Muslims, Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, was known as Khilafat Movement. Their demands were:

1. The Khalifa must retain control over the Muslim sacred places in the Ottoman empire,
2. Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine must remain under Muslim sovereignty,

III. The Khalifa must be given some territory to defend the Islamic faith.

Congress supported this movement and Gandhi sought to conjoin this movement in the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Why was the Non-Cooperation Movement Suspended?

• Angry peasants attacked a local police station on 5th February 1922 at Chauri-Chaura, in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
• The whole situation changed by this incident.
• Gandhi, who was shocked by this incident, withdrew the Non- Cooperation Movement.
• However, leaders like Motilal Nehru and C. R. Das was against the withdrawal of the movement just because of a few violent episodes.

Significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement

• This movement aims to stop all the cooperation with the British government.
• Peasants, workers, and others wanted to get freedom from the government, so they "non-cooperate" in the ways that best suited them.
• They surrendered all the titles given to the Indians by the British government.
• They also surrendered honorary offices and gave resignation from the offices.
• People refused to attend government darbars and official functions.
• They stopped offering themselves in the military and other government jobs.
• Boycott of foreign goods.
• Non-payment of taxes to the government.

Facts about Non-Cooperation Movement for UPSC

• Mahatma Gandhi was the one who started Non-Cooperation in India during British rule and who announced the manifesto in 1920.
• Lord Chelmsford was the viceroy of British India during the Non-Cooperation Movement.
• J.M. Sengupta was the prominent leader of the Non-Cooperation Movement that took place in Assam against the tea plantations.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the movement to Gujarat and spread it there.
• The Indian National Congress supported the Khilafat Andolan led by two Indian Muslim brothers, Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali declared that it was religiously against the Muslims to continue supporting the British Army.
• Gandhi was arrested in March 1922.
• C.R.Das presented the main resolution on the Non-Cooperation Movement during the annual session of the Congress at Nagpur in 1920. He had three subordinates (J. M. Sengupta, Subhas Bose, and Birendranath Samsal) who led the movement at Chittagong, Calcutta, and Midnapore and united the Hindus and Muslims.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and Annie Besant were the ones who opposed the movement.
• Lala Lajpat Rai who was initially against the movement had eventually protested its withdrawal.

• The major lawyers who gave up their lucrative practices for the Non- cooperation movement were - C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, M.R. Jayakar, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who launched the Non-Cooperation Movement?

A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) Mahatma Gandhi
D) Jawaharlal Nehru

2. The Non-Cooperation Movement was suspended due to which incident?

A) Dandi March
B) Rowlatt Act protests
C) Chauri Chaura incident
D) Simon Commission protests

3. What was a primary goal of the Non-Cooperation Movement?

A) Formation of a separate nation
B) Attaining Swaraj
C) Industrialization
D) Promotion of British goods

4. Which of the following was boycotted during the Non-Cooperation Movement?

A) British goods
B) Indian textiles
C) Local administration
D) Religious ceremonies

5. Who among the following was closely associated with the Non-Cooperation Movement?

A) Lord Curzon
B) Bhagat Singh
C) Mahatma Gandhi
D) Rabindranath Tagore

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Explain the causes and significance of the Non-Cooperation Movement in India's independence struggle.

Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement emerged as a response to British oppression, marked by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and repressive laws like the Rowlatt Act. Gandhi mobilized Indians to boycott British institutions, promoting Swaraj through peaceful defiance. This movement unified Indians across social and religious lines, demonstrating the potential of mass mobilization and sowing the seeds for future resistance movements. Though it was suspended, its impact on nationalism was profound, laying the foundation for subsequent campaigns.

Q2: How did the Non-Cooperation Movement impact Indian society and economy?

Answer: The movement led to a surge in nationalist sentiments, inspiring Indians to boycott British goods and institutions. Indigenous industries, especially textiles, saw growth as people turned to local products. Socially, the movement encouraged unity, challenging caste and religious divides. Economically, British imports suffered as swadeshi goods gained popularity. The movement showed the collective power of economic non-cooperation as a tool for political protest, instilling a sense of self-reliance and pride among Indians.

Q3: Discuss the reasons behind the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement and its consequences.

Answer: Gandhi suspended the Non-Cooperation Movement after the Chauri Chaura incident, where violent clashes resulted in the death of 22 policemen. He believed the movement was deviating from nonviolence, fearing that continued aggression would discredit its purpose. This suspension disappointed many followers but underscored Gandhi's commitment to nonviolence. While some criticized the decision, it ultimately reinforced Gandhi’s principles, preserving the moral high ground and preparing India’s populace for disciplined, future struggles.

Previous Year Questions on the Non-Cooperation Movement

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2019:

Question: Which of the following movements is associated with Mahatma Gandhi and aimed to boycott British goods and institutions?

A) Quit India Movement
B) Non-Cooperation Movement
C) Civil Disobedience Movement
D) Khilafat Movement

Answer: (B)

Explanation: The Non-Cooperation Movement, led by Gandhi, encouraged Indians to boycott British goods and institutions as a form of peaceful protest against British rule.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2018 (GS Paper 1):

Question: "Evaluate the impact of the Non-Cooperation Movement on the Indian freedom struggle."

Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement was a turning point in India's freedom struggle, as it unified people across caste, religion, and region under a common cause. By boycotting British goods, courts, and schools, Indians displayed an unprecedented level of defiance. Although the movement ended prematurely after the Chauri Chaura incident, it sparked future campaigns like the Civil Disobedience Movement. It also marked Gandhi's emergence as a central figure, defining the ethos of peaceful resistance that continued to guide the independence struggle.

But the younger generation of Indian Nationalists backed Gandhi. Due to the Chauri-Chaura incident, Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the non-cooperation movement. Subhas Chandra Bose had resigned from the Civil Service and was later appointed as the Principal of the National College at Calcutta.