The Quit India Movement, calling for an immediate end to British rule in India with the slogan ‘‘Do or Die’’, was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in which year?

Introduction / Context:
This question concerns one of the final mass movements of the Indian freedom struggle. The Quit India Movement was a nationwide call for British withdrawal, launched by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress during the Second World War. It is remembered for the powerful slogan "Do or Die". Knowing the year of its launch is a basic but important detail in modern Indian history.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The movement is the Quit India Movement.
• It was led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress.
• The question asks for the year in which it was launched.
• The options are 1885, 1942, 1947 and 1939.
• We assume knowledge of the broad timeline of the national movement and World War II.

Concept / Approach:
The Quit India Resolution was passed by the Congress at Bombay in August 1942, specifically on 8 August, and Gandhi gave the "Do or Die" call. This occurred during World War II, after the failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942. The year 1885 is associated with the founding of the Indian National Congress; 1939 marks the beginning of World War II and some internal political changes; 1947 is the year of Indian independence. Thus, among the options, 1942 is the correct year for the launch of the Quit India Movement.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Quit India was a wartime movement and took place during World War II. Step 2: Note that Gandhi called for "Do or Die" and the British responded with mass arrests, especially in August 1942. Step 3: Remember that 1947 is when India actually achieved independence, not when Quit India was launched. Step 4: Recognise that 1885 is the year the Indian National Congress was founded, and 1939 marks the beginning of World War II rather than this particular movement. Step 5: Therefore, choose 1942 as the year of the Quit India Movement.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical accounts of the Indian national movement clearly state that the Quit India Resolution was adopted in August 1942 at the Bombay session of the Congress and that it led to widespread protests, strikes and underground activities. Many leaders were arrested, and the movement continued in various forms despite severe repression. Chronologies of the freedom struggle list 1942 as the key date for Quit India, confirming that this is the correct year among those given.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1885: This is the year in which the Indian National Congress was formed in Bombay, long before the Quit India Movement.
1947: Marks Indian independence and partition, but by then the Quit India Movement had already peaked and subsided.
1939: The year World War II began; it is associated with political developments like the resignation of some Congress ministries, but not the launch of Quit India.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse various milestones of the freedom struggle, such as the Non Cooperation Movement (1920), Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), Quit India (1942) and Independence (1947). Others may mix up the dates of World War II with those of national movements. To avoid this, it is useful to remember a simple sequence: Non Cooperation (early 1920s), Civil Disobedience (1930), Quit India (1942) and Independence (1947), each tied to its own key events and slogans.

Final Answer:
The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1942.