Who were the main carriers of nationalism during colonial period?

The correct answer is Option (3) → urban middle class

Note 1: The given answer is as per the official NTA Answer Key. However, Option (2) can also be considered correct, as explained below.

Option (1) lower class — Incorrect. Nationalism took shape among those who had gained western style education and could challenge colonialism on its own ground; the lower classes are not named as its carriers.

Option (2) middle class — Can also be considered correct. The urban middle class is part of the middle class, and the same passage says that the emerging middle classes began, with the aid of western education, to challenge colonialism on its own ground. But the sentence that names the main carriers of nationalism is narrower: it names the middle classes of the towns and cities.

Option (3) urban middle class — Correct as per NTA. Colonialism created new classes and communities that came to play significant roles in later history. The urban middle classes were the main carriers of nationalism, and they led the campaign for freedom.

Option (4) upper class — Incorrect. The campaign for freedom was led by the new urban middle classes created under colonial rule, not by the upper class.

Note 2: The section ‘Introducing an Introduction’ of the chapter ‘Introducing Indian Society’ was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023; this portion, with its lines on colonialism and nationalism, has been deleted from the NCERT book (2025-26), though the chapter is still there.