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List of Indian National Congress Sessions & Their Presidents

Indian National Congress Sessions

The Indian National Congress (INC), which was established in 1885, went on to become one of the most significant political organizations in pre-independence India. The INC’s inaugural meeting took place in 1885. Starting out as a place that only employed the cream of India’s educated population. With great leaders like Lajpat Rai, Tilak, Gandhi, Nehru, Bose, and others, it developed into a party of citizens in the ensuing years. Understanding the times and the president of the Indian National Congress sessions is crucial. Additionally, decisions and demands made during these meetings are crucial for the Civil Service Exams.

The Indian National Congress Sessions is an important part of Indian Polity which is an important subject in UPSC Syllabus. Students can also go for UPSC Mock Test to get more accuracy in their preparations.

Read about: Quit India Movement

Indian National Congress Sessions History

The INC’s inaugural meeting was scheduled for Poona. The location was later changed to Bombay (current-day Mumbai), due to an outbreak of the epidemic in Poona. The lesson was held at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit Pathshala in Bombay. A few significant requests from the Indian party were made known to the British after the first meeting. Certain of them are:-

  • To appoint a committee to investigate how the Indian Administration is performing. In addition, the Indian Commission, which had its headquarters in London, ought to be disbanded.
  • Those who were regarded as moderates questioned the Secretary of State’s power to run India. They clamoured for the establishment of a legislative assembly for the NWFP, Sindh, and Awadh.
  • The assembly wanted to increase the number of Indian members so that it could better serve the needs of the Indian people. They desired to give Indians the authority to debate the budget and the freedom to criticise the governance.
  • The request to concurrently conduct the civil services examination in India and England and the modification of military expenditure.

Read about: Civil Disobedience Movement

Indian National Congress Sessions List

The need for an all-India organisation has been recognised by educated Indians since 1880, but the Ilbert Bill controversy heightened this desire. With the establishment of the Indian National Congress, one of the most important political organisations of the 20th century was formed (INC). Since then, the INC has played a significant part in the political landscape of the nation. All of the Indian National Congress’s Sessions from 1885 to 1947 are listed below.

Year Location President Importance
1885 Bombay W C Bonnerjee 1st session was attended by 72 delegates
1886 Calcutta Dadabhai Naoroji National Congress and National Conference
1887 Madras Syed Badruddin Tyabji An appeal was made to Muslims to join hands with other national leaders
1888 Allahabad George Yule First English president
1889 Bombay Sir William Wedderburn
1890 Calcutta Feroz Shah Mehta
1891 Nagpur P. Ananda Charlu
1892 Allahabad W C Bonnerjee
1893 Lahore Dadabhai Naoroji
1894 Madras Alfred Webb
1895 Poona Surendranath Banerjee
1896 Calcutta Rahimtullah M. Sayani The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ sung for the first time in this session.
1897 Amravati C. Sankaran Nair
1898 Madras Ananda Mohan Bose
1899 Lucknow Romesh Chandra Dutt
1900 Lahore N G Chandavarkar
1901 Calcutta Dinshaw E. Wacha
1902 Ahmedabad Surendranath Banerjee
1903 Madras Lal Mohan Ghosh
1904 Bombay Sir Henry Cotton
1905 Benares Gopal Krishna Gokhale Expressed anger at Bengal’s partition.
1906 Calcutta Dadabhai Naoroji The word ‘Swaraj’ was mentioned for the first time
1907 Surat Rash Behari Ghosh The party splits into extremists and moderates
1908 Madras Rash Behari Ghosh The previous session continued
1909 Lahore Madan Mohan Malaviya Indian Councils Act, 1909/Morley-Minto Reforms
1910 Allahabad Sir William Wedderburn
1911 Calcutta Bishan Narayan Dhar ‘Jana Gana Mana’ sung for the first time in this session
1912 Bankipore (Patna) Raghunath Narasinha Mudholkar
1913 Karachi Syed Mohammed
1914 Madras Bhupendra Nath Basu
1915 Bombay Satyendra Prasanna Sinha
1916 Lucknow Ambica Charan Mazumdar Lucknow Pact – joint session with the Muslim League
1917 Calcutta Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) The first woman president of the INC was announced in this session
1918 Bombay And Delhi Syed Hasan Imam (Bombay) And Madan Mohan Malaviya (Delhi) Two sessions were held. First in Bombay in August/September Second in Delhi in December
1919 Amritsar Motilal Nehru Jallianwala Bagh massacre was strongly condemned in this session
1920 Nagpur C Vijayaraghavachariar
1921 Ahmedabad Hakim Ajmal Khan (acting President For C R Das)
1922 Gaya C R Das
1923 Kakinada Maulana Mohammad Ali,
1924 Belgaum M K Gandhi
1925 Kanpur Sarojini Naidu (1879 – 1949) A first Indian woman president
1926 Guwahati S Srinivasa Iyengar
1927 Madras M A Ansari
1928 Calcutta Motilal Nehru All India Youth Congress formed
1929 Lahore Jawaharlal Nehru Resolution for “Poorna Swaraj.” Movement for full independence to be started through civil disobedience; 26 January to be observed as “Independence Day.”
1930 No Session
1931 Karachi  Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel resolution on national economic development and basic rights. Irwin-Gandhi Pact is approved. Gandhi is proposed as the INC representative at the second round table meeting.
1932 Delhi Amrit Ranchhorddas Seth
1933 Calcutta Malaviya Was Elected But Mrs Nellie Sengupta Presided
1934 Bombay Rajendra Prasad
1937 Lucknow Jawaharlal Nehru
1936 Faizpur Jawaharlal Nehru First rural session/first session to be held in a village
1938 Haripura Subhas Chandra Bose National planning committee set up under Nehru
1939 Tripuri Subhas Chandra Bose Despite being elected, Bose was forced to retire because Gandhi backed Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Rajendra Prasad was substituted for
1940 Ramgarh Abul Kalam Azad
1941-45 No session because of arrest
1946 Meerut Acharya Kripalani Last session before the independence
1948 Jaipur Pattabhi Sitaramayya The first session after the independence
1950 Nashik Purushottam Das Tandon Resigned in 1951; Nehru became President

Read about: Freedom Fighters of India

Indian National Congress Sessions UPSC

Additionally, A.O. Hume had a significant role in bringing together Indians from diverse places. The Indian National Congress was founded in an effort to advance the process of nation-building. It was planned to rotate the Congress session across the nation in order to reach all regions. The President’s region differed from the one where the Congress was convening. The Congress aided in the liberation of India from British rule and greatly influenced subsequent anti-colonial nationalist organisations around the British Empire. Due to its lengthy history, the Congress is referred to as the “great old party”. Students can read all the details related to UPSC by visiting the official website of StudyIQ UPSC Online Coaching.

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Indian National Congress Sessions FAQs

When and which session of Indian National Congress declared?

The Congress Party chose January 26 to be "Independence Day" for Indians, and a public announcement was made on that day. Purna Swaraj Diwas was proclaimed on January 26, 1930.

Who were the members of Indian National Congress first session?

The Indian National Congress was established when 72 delegates from all over the country met at Bombay in 1885.

At which place was the 27th session of the Indian National Congress held?

27th session of Indian National Congress was held at Bankipore (Patna) in 1912.

Which Congress session is Vande Mataram?

Vande Mataram' song was sung for the first time at the Indian National Congress session at Calcutta in 1896.

Which Congress session started Vande Mataram?

Calcutta Session started Vande Mataram.

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