Correct Option (b):
Surendranath Banerjee qualified for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination in 1869. He was subsequently dismissed from service in 1874. The official reasons cited for his dismissal included a dispute over his age and alleged procedural misconduct. This incident is widely considered to have been influenced by racial discrimination and significantly contributed to his nationalist sentiments and political activism. He later became a prominent leader and a founder of the Indian National Association.
Incorrect Options:
- Satyendranath Tagore: He was the first Indian to successfully qualify for the ICS in 1863. He served in the service and was not dismissed.
- R.C. Dutt (Romesh Chunder Dutt): He qualified for the ICS in 1869 and served in various capacities. He later became a distinguished economic historian and a prominent nationalist, but he was not dismissed from the service.
- Subhash Chandra Bose: He qualified for the ICS in 1920 but voluntarily resigned from the service in 1921 to dedicate himself to the Indian freedom struggle. He was not dismissed.