Jharkhand is one of the newly formed states of India carved out of South Bihar in the year 2000. Behind the formation of this state lies more than a century of resistance. The social movement for Jharkhand had a charismatic leader in Birsa Munda, an adivasi who led a major uprising against the British. After his death Birsa became an important icon of the movement literate adivasis began to research and write about him. They disseminated information about tribal customs and cultural practices. This helped create a unified ethnic consciousness and a shared identity as Jharkhandis.
Read the passage given above and answer the question:
Choose the incorrect feature of a social movement.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Spontaneous and disorganized
Option (1) Sustained Collective Action — A feature of a social movement (Incorrect). A social movement requires sustained collective action over time; a protest that flares up and dies down is not a movement.
Option (2) Shared objectives and ideologies — A feature of a social movement (Incorrect). Those taking part have shared objectives and ideologies, a general orientation towards bringing about (or preventing) change.
Option (3) Leadership — A feature of a social movement (Incorrect). Collective action must have some organisation, which may include a leadership and a structure that defines how members relate to each other and take decisions.
Option (4) Spontaneous and disorganized — Not a feature of a social movement (Correct). Spontaneous, disorganised protest cannot be called a social movement, because a movement must be marked by some degree of organisation.
NCERT (2025-26): “8.1 Features of a Social Movement … A social movement requires sustained collective action over time. Such action is often directed against the state and takes the form of demanding changes in state policy or practice. Spontaneous, disorganised protest cannot be called a social movement either. Collective action must be marked by some degree of organisation. This organisation may include a leadership and a structure that defines how members relate to each other, make decisions and carry them out. Those participating in a social movement also have shared objectives and ideologies. A social movement has a general orientation or way of approaching to bring about (or to prevent) change. These defining features are not constant. They may change over the course of a social movement’s life.…” |