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Communalism & Partition
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Q.1
WBCS Prelims 2021
Pakistan Resolution was taken on
A. 16th August 1946
B. 26th January 1935
C. 14th April 1942
D. 23rd March 1940
Explanation
Why Correct: The Lahore Resolution, demanding separate Muslim states in British India, passed on 23 March 1940 at the All-India Muslim League session.
Distractor Analysis: 16 August 1946 marks Direct Action Day, a Muslim League call for violence. 26 January 1935 is the Government of India Act 1935 commencement. 14 April 1942 is the Cripps Mission arrival date.
Takeaway: The Lahore Resolution is also called the Pakistan Resolution, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah delivered his historic presidential address at that session.
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Q.2
WBCS Prelims 2019
The famous Pakistan resolution was passed at
A. Lahore
B. Delhi
C. Bombay
D. Lucknow
Explanation
Why Correct: The Lahore Resolution passed on 23 March 1940 at the All-India Muslim League session in Lahore demanded separate Muslim-majority states in northwestern and eastern India, later becoming known as the Pakistan Resolution.
Distractor Analysis: Delhi hosted the 1916 Lucknow Pact negotiations between the Indian National Congress and Muslim League. Bombay (now Mumbai) was the site of the 1942 Quit India Movement resolution. Lucknow hosted the 1916 Lucknow Pact that established Hindu-Muslim unity on constitutional reforms.
Takeaway: Muhammad Ali Jinnah presided over the Lahore session where the resolution was moved by A.K. Fazlul Haq, marking the formal demand for Pakistan that would lead to the 1947 partition of India.
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Q.3
WBCS Prelims 2019
Who conceived the idea of Pakistan ?
A. Asaf Ali
B. Mohammed Ali Jinnah
C. H. S. Suhrawardy
D. Choudhury Rahmat Ali
Explanation
Why Correct: Choudhury Rahmat Ali coined the name 'Pakistan' in his 1933 pamphlet 'Now or Never' and first articulated the idea of a separate Muslim state.
Distractor Analysis: Mohammed Ali Jinnah led the Muslim League and became Pakistan's first Governor-General, but did not originally conceive the idea. Asaf Ali was an Indian independence activist and diplomat. H. S. Suhrawardy served as Prime Minister of Bengal and later Pakistan.
Takeaway: The term 'Pakistan' is an acronym formed from Punjab, Afghania (North-West Frontier Province), Kashmir, Sindh, and Baluchistan, with the suffix '-stan' meaning 'land of.'
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Q.4
WBCS Prelims 2019
Who once remarked — ‘Nehru is a patriot while Jinnah is a politician’ ?
A. Maulana Azad
B. Mahatma Gandhi
C. Sir Muhammad Iqbal
D. Abdul Gaffar Khan
Explanation
Why Correct: Sir Muhammad Iqbal made this statement in his presidential address at the Muslim League session in Lahore on December 29, 1930, criticizing Jinnah's political approach while praising Nehru's nationalist commitment.
Distractor Analysis: Maulana Azad was a Congress leader and India's first education minister. Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian independence movement through non-violent means. Abdul Gaffar Khan, known as 'Frontier Gandhi,' was a Pashtun independence activist and close associate of Gandhi.
Takeaway: Muhammad Iqbal first proposed the idea of a separate Muslim state in northwestern India in his 1930 address, which later evolved into the Pakistan demand.
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Q.5
WBCS Prelims 2019
The boundary between India and Pakistan was demarcated by
A. Lord Mountbatten
B. Sir Cyril Radcliffe
C. Sir Stafford Cripps
D. Sir Pethick Lawrence
Explanation
Why Correct: Sir Cyril Radcliffe chaired the two boundary commissions that drew the Radcliffe Line, which demarcated the borders between India and Pakistan during the 1947 Partition.
Distractor Analysis: Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India who oversaw the transfer of power but did not draw the boundary. Sir Stafford Cripps led the 1942 Cripps Mission that offered dominion status to India. Sir Pethick Lawrence was the Secretary of State for India in 1946-47 and part of the Cabinet Mission.
Takeaway: The Radcliffe Line was announced on August 17, 1947, two days after independence, and divided the provinces of Punjab and Bengal.
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Q.6
WBCS Prelims 2019
The idea of Pakistan was first conceived by
A. Muhammad Iqbal
B. M.A. Jinnah
C. Choudhry Rahmat Ali
D. Aga khan
Explanation
Why Correct: Choudhry Rahmat Ali coined the name 'Pakistan' in his 1933 pamphlet 'Now or Never' and first articulated the concept of a separate Muslim state in northwestern India.
Distractor Analysis: Muhammad Iqbal proposed the idea of a separate Muslim state within a federation in his 1930 Allahabad address, but did not coin the name 'Pakistan'. M.A. Jinnah led the Pakistan movement and became its first Governor-General, but adopted the idea later. Aga Khan III was a Muslim leader and president of the All-India Muslim League, but not the originator of the Pakistan concept.
Takeaway: While Rahmat Ali conceived the idea, Muhammad Iqbal is called the 'spiritual father of Pakistan' for his philosophical foundation, and Jinnah is the 'Quaid-e-Azam' (Great Leader) who achieved its creation.
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Q.7
WBCS Prelims 2019
Which day was declared as the Direct Action Day by the Muslim League ?
A. 3rd September, 1946
B. 16th August, 1946
C. 16th May, 1946
D. 4th December, 1946
Explanation
Why Correct: The Muslim League declared 16th August 1946 as Direct Action Day, which triggered the Great Calcutta Killings.
Distractor Analysis: 3rd September 1946 marks the formation of the Interim Government of India. 16th May 1946 saw the Cabinet Mission Plan proposals. 4th December 1946 is when the Constituent Assembly first met.
Takeaway: Direct Action Day was called by Muhammad Ali Jinnah to protest against the Cabinet Mission Plan and demand a separate Pakistan.
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Q.8
WBCS Prelims 2019WBCS Prelims 2013
Who was one of the advocates of 'United Sovereign Bengal' ?
A. H.S. Surhawardi
B. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee
C. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad
D. None of them
Asked 2 times in WBCS. High priority question.
Explanation
Why Correct: Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the Prime Minister of Bengal in 1946-47, proposed the United Sovereign Bengal plan to keep Bengal undivided as an independent state separate from India and Pakistan.
Distractor Analysis: Shyamaprasad Mukherjee strongly opposed the plan and advocated for Bengal's partition. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, as Congress President, supported Bengal's unity within India but not as a sovereign state separate from India.
Takeaway: The United Sovereign Bengal proposal emerged in April 1947 as a last-minute attempt to prevent partition, supported by some Bengali leaders including Sarat Chandra Bose.
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Q.9
WBCS Prelims 2018
Significance of Lahore Resolution (1940) of the Muslim League was
A. To cooperate with National Congress
B. To create a constitution for the Muslim League
C. To cooperate with the British
D. Pakistan resolution was taken
Explanation
Why Correct: The Lahore Resolution formally demanded separate Muslim-majority states in northwestern and eastern India, establishing the political objective that became Pakistan.
Distractor Analysis: To cooperate with National Congress describes the Lucknow Pact of 1916 between the Indian National Congress and Muslim League. To create a constitution for the Muslim League refers to internal organizational matters, not the resolution's historical significance. To cooperate with the British characterized the Muslim League's stance during World War II, not the Lahore Resolution's purpose.
Takeaway: The Lahore Resolution is also called the Pakistan Resolution, and it was passed at Minto Park (now Iqbal Park) in Lahore during the Muslim League's annual session.
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Q.10
WBCS Prelims 2017
In which year the Pakistan resolution was adopted by the Muslim League and where?
A. 1929, Lahore
B. 1930, Allahabad
C. 1940, Lahore
D. 1940, Dhaka
Explanation
Why Correct: The Muslim League adopted the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940 at its annual session in Lahore, demanding separate Muslim-majority states in northwestern and eastern India.
Distractor Analysis: The 1929 Lahore session featured Jawaharlal Nehru's 'Poorna Swaraj' declaration by the Indian National Congress. The 1930 Allahabad session included Muhammad Iqbal's presidential address suggesting a separate Muslim state. The 1940 Dhaka option incorrectly places the resolution in East Bengal, though Dhaka later became the capital of East Pakistan.
Takeaway: The Lahore Resolution is also called the 'Pakistan Resolution' and marked the formal demand for Pakistan, though the name 'Pakistan' wasn't used in the resolution text itself.
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Q.11
WBCS Prelims 2017
Which Party gave a call for ‘Direct Action’ and which date was chosen as the ‘Direct Action Day‘?
A. Muslim League, 16th August, 1946
B. Indian National Congress; 8th August, 1942
C. The Hindu Mahasabha; 3rd June1946
D. Indian National Army; 18th August 1945
Explanation
Why Correct: The Muslim League called for Direct Action on 16 August 1946 after rejecting the Cabinet Mission Plan, leading to widespread communal violence known as the Great Calcutta Killings.
Distractor Analysis: 8 August 1942 marks the Quit India Movement launch by the Indian National Congress. 3 June 1946 was the Cabinet Mission Plan announcement date. 18 August 1945 relates to Subhas Chandra Bose's death, not a Direct Action call.
Takeaway: Direct Action Day violence accelerated partition, with over 4,000 killed in Calcutta and sparking further riots across northern India.
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Q.12
WBCS Prelims 2016
Who characterised the partition of India as “a surrender of nationalism in favour of communalism” ?
A. Saifuddin Kitchlew
B. M. N. Roy
C. C. Rajagopalachari
D. Moulana Md. Ali
Explanation
Why Correct: M. N. Roy, founder of the Radical Democratic Party, criticized the 1947 partition as a surrender of nationalism to communalism in his writings and speeches.
Distractor Analysis: Saifuddin Kitchlew was a Kashmiri freedom fighter who opposed partition but didn't coin this specific phrase. C. Rajagopalachari reluctantly accepted partition as inevitable but didn't use this characterization. Moulana Md. Ali died in 1931 before partition discussions began.
Takeaway: M. N. Roy also founded the Mexican Communist Party and developed the philosophy of Radical Humanism after breaking with orthodox Marxism.
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Q.13
WBCS Prelims 2016
Who declared the Communal Award in 1932 ?
A. Jinnah
B. Syed Ahmed
C. Ramsay Macdonald
D. Lord Curzon
Explanation
Why Correct: British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald announced the Communal Award on August 16, 1932, to allocate separate electorates for different religious communities in British India.
Distractor Analysis: Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim League leader who advocated for separate electorates but did not issue the award. Syed Ahmed Khan was a 19th-century Muslim reformer who died in 1898. Lord Curzon served as Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905 and partitioned Bengal in 1905.
Takeaway: The Communal Award led to the Poona Pact between B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi in September 1932, which replaced separate electorates for depressed classes with reserved seats.
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Q.14
WBCS Prelims 2010WBCS Prelims 2006WBCS Prelims 2015
The Muslim League joined the Interim Government in
A. October, 1946
B. November, 1946
C. December, 1946
D. January, 1947
Asked 3 times in WBCS. High priority question.
Explanation
Why Correct: The Muslim League initially boycotted the Interim Government formed on September 2, 1946, but reversed its decision and joined on October 26, 1946, after the British government assured it would not be treated as a minority.
Distractor Analysis: November 1946 saw the Constituent Assembly's first session without League participation. December 1946 marked the London Conference to resolve deadlock. January 1947 preceded the final push for partition.
Takeaway: The Interim Government, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, functioned as a provisional executive council under the Viceroy until independence, with key portfolios like Finance held by Liaquat Ali Khan of the League.
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Q.15
WBCS Prelims 2015
When the Pakistan Resolution was formally passed ?
A. 1906
B. 1909
C. 1916
D. 1940
Explanation
Why Correct: The Lahore Resolution (commonly called Pakistan Resolution) was formally adopted on 23 March 1940 during the All-India Muslim League session held from 22-24 March in Lahore.
Distractor Analysis: 1906 marks the founding year of the All-India Muslim League in Dhaka. 1909 refers to the Morley-Minto Reforms that introduced separate electorates for Muslims. 1916 is the year of the Lucknow Pact between the Indian National Congress and Muslim League.
Takeaway: The resolution demanded independent states for Muslims in northwest and eastern zones of British India, which later became Pakistan and Bangladesh.
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Q.16
WBCS Prelims 2013
Which session of Muslim League formally proclaimed Muslims as a nation in 1940 ?
A. Karachi
B. Sindh
C. Lahore
D. Patna
Explanation
Why Correct: The Lahore Session of the Muslim League (22–24 March 1940) passed the Lahore Resolution, which demanded separate Muslim-majority states and is widely seen as the formal proclamation of Muslims as a nation.
Distractor Analysis: Karachi hosted the Muslim League session in 1931 where the 'Fourteen Points' were formulated. Sindh is a province, not a session location for this 1940 event. Patna hosted the Muslim League session in 1938 where the Pirpur Report was presented.
Takeaway: The Lahore Resolution is also called the 'Pakistan Resolution' and laid the ideological foundation for the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
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Q.17
WBCS Prelims 2012
In which year did the Muslim League pass the Pakistan resolution ?
A. 1916 AD
B. 1929 AD
C. 1940 AD
D. 1946 AD
Explanation
Why Correct: The Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution on March 22-24, 1940, demanding separate Muslim-majority states in northwestern and eastern India.
Distractor Analysis: 1916 marks the Lucknow Pact between the Congress and Muslim League. 1929 saw the Nehru Report and Jinnah's Fourteen Points. 1946 featured the Cabinet Mission Plan and Direct Action Day.
Takeaway: The resolution did not explicitly use the word 'Pakistan' but called for 'independent states'—later interpreted as the foundation for Pakistan's creation in 1947.
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Q.18
WBCS Prelims 2012
Who demarcated the boundaries between India and Pakistan as the Chairman of Boundary Commission ?
A. V.P Menon
B. Sir Cyril Radecliffe
C. Stafford Crips
D. Lord Pethick-Lawrence
Explanation
Why Correct: Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer with no prior experience in India, chaired both the Punjab and Bengal Boundary Commissions that drew the Radcliffe Line dividing India and Pakistan.
Distractor Analysis: V.P. Menon served as constitutional advisor to Lord Mountbatten and drafted the Instrument of Accession for princely states. Stafford Cripps led the 1942 Cripps Mission offering dominion status to India. Lord Pethick-Lawrence was Secretary of State for India during the 1946 Cabinet Mission Plan.
Takeaway: The Radcliffe Line awarded Muslim-majority areas to Pakistan but created the Kashmir conflict by leaving the princely state's accession ambiguous, and awarded the Chittagong Hill Tracts to Pakistan despite Buddhist majority.
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Q.19
WBCS Prelims 2012
Who led the Muslim deputation that met Lord Minto at Simla in October 1906, a key event preceding the formation of the All-India Muslim League?
A. Nawab Salimullah of Dacca
B. Aga Khan III
C. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
D. Maulana Saukat Ali
Explanation
Why Correct: Aga Khan III led the Simla Deputation of 35 prominent Muslims that presented demands for separate electorates to Viceroy Lord Minto on 1 October 1906.
Distractor Analysis: Nawab Salimullah of Dacca was instrumental in founding the Muslim League in Dacca later that year. Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the League in 1913 and became its prominent leader later. Maulana Saukat Ali was a Khilafat Movement leader, not part of this 1906 deputation.
Takeaway: The Simla Deputation's success led to the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, which first introduced separate electorates for Muslims in India.
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Q.20
WBCS Prelims 2011
Who said, “If Congress wishes to accept partition, it would be over my dead body” ?
A. J. L. Nehru
B. M. K. Gandhi
C. Ballavbhai Patel
D. Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Explanation
Why Correct: Mahatma Gandhi made this statement in March 1947, vehemently opposing the partition of India even as Congress leadership was moving toward acceptance.
Distractor Analysis: Jawaharlal Nehru, as Congress President, ultimately accepted partition as a political necessity. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Ballavbhai Patel is a misspelling) also reluctantly accepted partition to avoid civil war. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, while opposed, did not make this specific dramatic declaration.
Takeaway: Gandhi's last major fast in January 1948 was to pressure the Indian government to release Pakistan's share of cash assets, showing his continued commitment to Hindu-Muslim unity even after partition.
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Q.21
WBCS Prelims 2007
The Muslim League first gave the call for a separate State of Pakistan in
A. 1939
B. 1940
C. 1941
D. 1942
Explanation
Why Correct: The Lahore Resolution, passed on 23 March 1940, demanded separate Muslim-majority states in northwest and eastern India, later termed Pakistan.
Distractor Analysis: 1939 saw the start of World War II and the resignation of Congress ministries. 1941 marked the Atlantic Charter and expansion of World War II. 1942 witnessed the Quit India Movement and Cripps Mission.
Takeaway: The Lahore Resolution was moved by Fazlul Haq and drafted by Sikandar Hayat Khan, not Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
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Q.22
WBCS Prelims 2005
Who first articulated the two-nation theory in a public address at Patna in January 1883?
A. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
B. M. A. Jinnah
C. Muhammad Iqbal
D. A. K. Fazlul Haq
Explanation
Why Correct: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan delivered the Patna address on January 26, 1883, arguing that Hindus and Muslims constituted two distinct nations with separate interests.
Distractor Analysis: M. A. Jinnah formally adopted the two-nation theory as the basis for Pakistan's creation in the 1940 Lahore Resolution. Muhammad Iqbal proposed a separate Muslim state in northwestern India in his 1930 Allahabad address. A. K. Fazlul Haq moved the Lahore Resolution in 1940 but did not originate the theory.
Takeaway: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875, which later became Aligarh Muslim University.
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Q.23
WBCS Prelims 2002
‘The partition of India is the only solution’ – said by
A. Fazlul Haque
B. Muhammad Iqbal
C. Chowdhury Rahmat Ali
D. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Explanation
Why Correct: Muhammad Ali Jinnah declared partition as the only solution during the 1940 Lahore Resolution, demanding a separate Muslim state.
Distractor Analysis: Muhammad Iqbal first proposed the idea of a separate Muslim state in 1930 but didn't use this exact phrase. Chowdhury Rahmat Ali coined the name 'Pakistan' in 1933. Fazlul Haque moved the Lahore Resolution but didn't originate the partition demand.
Takeaway: Jinnah's 'two-nation theory' argued Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations needing separate homelands, formalized in the 1940 Lahore Resolution.
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Q.24
WBCS Prelims 2002
Which of the following Muslim leaders was NOT associated with the Boycott Movement of 1905?
A. Abdul Rasul
B. Hiakat Hussein
C. Abdul Halim Gajnavi
D. Nawab Salimullah
Explanation
Why Correct: Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka supported the Partition of Bengal in 1905 and opposed the Boycott Movement, instead advocating for separate Muslim political interests through the All-India Muslim League.
Distractor Analysis: Abdul Rasul was a key organizer and speaker for the Boycott Movement in Bengal. Hiakat Hussein actively participated in Swadeshi and boycott activities as a Muslim leader. Abdul Halim Gajnavi was a Congress leader who supported the movement and later served as president of the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee.
Takeaway: The Boycott Movement (1905-1908) emerged as part of the Swadeshi Movement against Lord Curzon's Partition of Bengal, with prominent leaders including Surendranath Banerjee, Rabindranath Tagore, and Aurobindo Ghosh.
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Q.25
WBCS Prelims 2002
Which was the date of the ‘Direct Action’ of the Muslim League?
A. August 12, 1946
B. August 14, 1946
C. August 15, 1946
D. August 16, 1946
Explanation
Why Correct: The Muslim League called for Direct Action Day on August 16, 1946, triggering the Great Calcutta Killings that left thousands dead.
Distractor Analysis: August 15, 1946 marks the first anniversary of Japan's surrender in WWII. August 14, 1947 became Pakistan's Independence Day. August 12, 1946 saw no major political action related to partition.
Takeaway: Direct Action Day aimed to pressure the British and Congress by demonstrating Muslim League's strength, but escalated into one of India's worst communal riots.
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