Q31. Under the Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947, the decision regarding the partition of which province was to be made by a referendum?
Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition: RAS Prelims MCQs
47 RAS Prelims MCQs on the revolutionary and regional movements and Partition cover early armed struggle, the Bengal revolutionaries, Subhas Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind movement, the Lahore Resolution and the Mountbatten Plan. The questions ask who led what, where it happened and in which order the final events of 1947 occurred.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 31–40 of 47 questions
Q32. The boundary commissions tasked with demarcating the borders between India and Pakistan in Punjab and Bengal were chaired by:
Explanation
Sir Cyril Radcliffe was appointed as the chairman of two boundary commissions responsible for demarcating the borders in Punjab and Bengal. He had never visited India before and was given only a few weeks to complete this monumental task. The resulting Radcliffe Line divided the provinces based on religious majorities, leading to significant displacement and violence as the new borders were announced.
Q33. Consider the following statements regarding the provisions of the Mountbatten Plan:
I. The Legislative Assemblies of Punjab and Bengal would vote on whether their provinces should be partitioned.
II. Sindh would take its own decision on whether to join India or Pakistan.
III. Sylhet district in Assam would be automatically allocated to India without any voting.
IV. Hyderabad was strictly forbidden from joining Pakistan.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are incorrect?
I. The Legislative Assemblies of Punjab and Bengal would vote on whether their provinces should be partitioned.
II. Sindh would take its own decision on whether to join India or Pakistan.
III. Sylhet district in Assam would be automatically allocated to India without any voting.
IV. Hyderabad was strictly forbidden from joining Pakistan.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are incorrect?
Explanation
The Mountbatten Plan included various provisions for the partition of India. While Punjab and Bengal assemblies were to vote on partition and Sindh was to make its own choice, some claims about other regions were inaccurate. For instance, a referendum was actually held in the Sylhet district of Assam. Additionally, the plan did not strictly forbid Hyderabad from considering its own options.
Q34. Which of the following accurately describes a provision of the Indian Independence Act, 1947?
Explanation
The Indian Independence Act of 1947 provided a legal framework for the transition to self-rule. It designated the existing Constituent Assemblies of India and Pakistan as the supreme legislative bodies for their respective dominions. These assemblies were empowered to enact laws and frame new constitutions, ensuring that the two nations could function as independent entities immediately after the formal transfer of power.
Q35. Match the provinces/regions in List I with the method used to determine their accession/ partition in 1947 in List II:
Which of the following is the correct matching?
| Province/Region | Method of Decision |
|---|---|
| A. Sindh | i. Referendum leading to joining East Bengal |
| B. North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) | ii. Vote by the Provincial Legislative Assembly |
| C. Sylhet (Assam) | iii. Partition decided by a vote of divided legislative assembly members |
| D. Punjab | iv. Referendum leading to joining Pakistan |
Explanation
The partition process utilized different methods for various regions. Sindh’s decision was made through a vote in its provincial assembly. In the North-West Frontier Province and the Sylhet district of Assam, the choice was determined by public referendums. Meanwhile, the partition of Punjab and Bengal was decided by the members of their respective legislative assemblies, voting separately in groups based on religious identity.
Q36. In the context of the Indian Independence Act 1947, what did the term ‘Dominion Status’ temporarily imply for India and Pakistan before they adopted their constitutions?
Explanation
Before adopting their own constitutions, both India and Pakistan held the status of dominions. This meant they were fully independent and sovereign nations in terms of internal and external affairs. However, they symbolically retained the British monarch as the formal Head of State, represented locally by a Governor-General. This arrangement was a temporary constitutional phase during the transition from colonial rule.
Q37. Identify the region that did NOT experience large-scale partition-related massacres and massive two-way refugee migration in 1947.
Explanation
The partition of 1947 was accompanied by massive communal violence and displacement, particularly in northern and eastern India. Regions like Punjab, Bengal, and Delhi were severely affected by massacres and large-scale refugee movements. In contrast, the Madras Presidency in the south remained relatively peaceful and did not experience the demographic tragedies or the intense communal bloodshed seen in the partitioned provinces.
Q38. Consider the following statements regarding the human cost and migration during Partition:
I. The Partition triggered one of the largest forced migrations in human history.
II. The violence was strictly one-sided, with only minority communities in Pakistan being targeted.
III. Women were frequently subjected to abduction, sexual violence, and forced conversions on both sides of the border.
IV. Refugee camps like Kingsway Camp in Delhi were established to accommodate the massive influx of displaced persons.
V. The exact borders were announced only after August 15, adding to the confusion and panic among the masses.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. The Partition triggered one of the largest forced migrations in human history.
II. The violence was strictly one-sided, with only minority communities in Pakistan being targeted.
III. Women were frequently subjected to abduction, sexual violence, and forced conversions on both sides of the border.
IV. Refugee camps like Kingsway Camp in Delhi were established to accommodate the massive influx of displaced persons.
V. The exact borders were announced only after August 15, adding to the confusion and panic among the masses.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
The partition of India led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale, involving massive forced migrations and horrific violence against both communities. Women were particularly vulnerable, facing abduction and assault on both sides of the border. The delay in announcing the exact Radcliffe Line added to the chaos, while the government established numerous refugee camps to manage the millions of displaced persons.
Q39. Where was Mahatma Gandhi on August 15, 1947, trying to quell communal violence rather than participating in the independence celebrations in Delhi?
Explanation
On August 15, 1947, while the rest of the nation celebrated independence, Mahatma Gandhi was in Calcutta. He stayed there to use his moral influence to end the communal riots plaguing the city. Through his presence and fasting, he successfully brought peace to the region, an achievement described by Lord Mountbatten as the work of a one-man boundary force.
Q40. Select the correct chronological order of the following events related to the final phase of India’s partition:
A. Announcement of the Mountbatten Plan
B. Arrival of Lord Mountbatten as Viceroy
C. Passage of the Indian Independence Act in the British Parliament
D. Publication of the Radcliffe Line Award
A. Announcement of the Mountbatten Plan
B. Arrival of Lord Mountbatten as Viceroy
C. Passage of the Indian Independence Act in the British Parliament
D. Publication of the Radcliffe Line Award
Explanation
The final steps toward independence began with the arrival of Lord Mountbatten as Viceroy in early 1947. He soon announced his plan for partition in June, which was followed by the British Parliament passing the Indian Independence Act in July. The process concluded with the publication of the Radcliffe Line Award in August, which defined the borders for the two new nations.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 31 | (a) North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) |
| 32 | (d) Sir Cyril Radcliffe |
| 33 | (b) III and IV only |
| 34 | (c) It designated the existing Constituent Assemblies of the two new dominions as their respective central legislatures. |
| 35 | (a) A-ii, B-iv, C-i, D-iii |
| 36 | (a) They were entirely independent nations but symbolically retained the British monarch as the Head of State. |
| 37 | (b) Madras |
| 38 | (b) I, III, IV and V |
| 39 | (a) Calcutta |
| 40 | (a) B, A, C, D |
Key facts from Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition
- Vasudev Balwant Phadke is called the Father of the Armed Struggle; the journal Yugantar was founded by Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath Datta.
- Subhas Chandra Bose won the Congress presidency over Pattabhi Sitaramayya in 1939 and earned the title Netaji in Germany.
- The Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) had its headquarters in Singapore and Rangoon.
- The Lahore Resolution of 1940 was moved by A. K. Fazlul Huq.
- Under the Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947, the NWFP decision was left to a referendum; Sir Cyril Radcliffe headed the boundary commissions.
- On 15 August 1947 Gandhi was in Calcutta trying to stop communal violence; Potti Sreeramulu’s death spurred the Andhra movement.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition?
This page has 47 practice MCQs on Revolutionary and Regional Movements and Partition (Modern Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Who presented the Lahore Resolution?
A. K. Fazlul Huq, the Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the resolution at the Muslim League session in Lahore in March 1940. It is also called the Pakistan Resolution, as it demanded autonomous Muslim-majority areas.
Who headed the boundary commissions in 1947?
Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who chaired the commissions that drew the borders between India and Pakistan in Punjab and Bengal. The award was announced just after independence, and the boundaries it fixed caused great disorder.
Where were Azad Hind’s headquarters?
The Provisional Government of Free India, set up by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943, had its headquarters in Singapore and Rangoon. It was supported by the Indian National Army, which fought alongside the Japanese.