Modern History — State History

Q.1

WBCS Prelims 2019

West Bengal Land Reform Act came into force in

A. 1956

B. 1958

C. 1955

D. 1959

Explanation

Why Correct: The West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955 received the Governor's assent on March 12, 1955, and came into force on that date, marking a key legislative intervention in land redistribution and tenancy rights.
Distractor Analysis: 1956 saw the implementation of the States Reorganisation Act. 1958 witnessed the establishment of the Damodar Valley Corporation as a major regional development body. 1959 marked the beginning of the Second Five-Year Plan period in India.
Takeaway: The Act's 1955 enactment preceded the major land ceiling amendments of the 1970s, which further limited individual landholdings to address rural inequality.

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Q.2

WBCS Prelims 2019

First railway line was started in West Bengal between

A. Howrah to Hooghly

B. Howrah to Ranigunge

C. Howrah to Burdwan

D. Sealdah to Naihati

Explanation

Why Correct: The first railway line in West Bengal opened on August 15, 1854, running 38 kilometers from Howrah to Hooghly (now Hugli-Chinsurah).
Distractor Analysis: Howrah to Ranigunge was a later coal-carrying line opened in 1855. Howrah to Burdwan opened in 1859 as part of the East Indian Railway extension. Sealdah to Naihati opened in 1862 as part of the Eastern Bengal Railway.
Takeaway: The first passenger train in India ran from Bombay to Thane on April 16, 1853, while the first in Eastern India was the Howrah-Hooghly line.

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Q.3

WBCS Prelims 2019

Which of the following district was not in West Bengal at the time of Independence of India ?

A. Coochbehar

B. Howrah

C. Darjeeling

D. Murshidabad

Explanation

Why Correct: Coochbehar was a princely state that acceded to India on August 28, 1949, and merged with West Bengal on January 1, 1950, making it not part of West Bengal at Independence (August 15, 1947).
Distractor Analysis: Howrah was a district in Bengal Presidency since 1843 and remained in West Bengal after partition. Darjeeling was part of Bengal Presidency since 1866 and remained in West Bengal. Murshidabad was a district of Bengal that was controversially assigned to West Bengal despite Muslim majority during the 1947 Radcliffe Line partition.
Takeaway: The princely states of Coochbehar, Tripura, and Manipur acceded to India after Independence and were later integrated into states through mergers in 1949-1950.

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Q.4

WBCS Prelims 2003

The first Chief Minister of post-independence West Bengal is

A. Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh

B. Dr. B.C. Roy

C. Shri Haren Mukherjee

D. Fazlul Haq

Explanation

Why Correct: Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh became the first Chief Minister of West Bengal on August 15, 1947, leading a coalition government.
Distractor Analysis: Dr. B.C. Roy served as the second Chief Minister from 1948 to 1962. Shri Haren Mukherjee was a prominent Congress leader and later served as Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Fazlul Haq was the first Prime Minister of undivided Bengal (1937-1943) under British rule.
Takeaway: Dr. B.C. Roy's tenure saw the establishment of major institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata.

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