WBBSE 10th Class Social Science Solutions History Chapter 8 Post-Colonial India : Second Half of the 20th Century (1947-1964)

1. The Indian Independence Act was passed in July, 1947. One of the provisions of the Act was that the native rulers would have the choice to accede to either India or Pakistan. However, there were some states who thought that they were entitled to declare their independence. Vallabhbhai Patel convinced the leaders of the advantages of joining the Indian Union. Consequently all the princely states of free India, except Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagadh, immediately joined the Indian Union.
2. The Indian troops invaded and occupied Junagadh. The Nizam of Hyderabad tried to act like an independent ruler but Indian police took action against him and Hyderabad was also merged with India. The state of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India. However, Pakistan refused to accept this merger. This led to several wars with Pakistan.
3. Refugee problem and communal riots became very big issues after Indian independence. To put an end to the communal riots, the Delhi Pact was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan, by which both agreed that each shall ensure to the minorities, complete equality of citizenship and a full sense of security.
4. The history of the partition of India and the condition of the refugees have been reconstructed with the help of autobiographies and reminiscences. Among these, mention may be made of ‘Chere Asa Gram’ ‘Udvastu’ ‘Atmakatha’ ‘Udbritter Itibritta’ by Ajoy Gupta, ‘Kichu Smriti Kichu Katha’ by Saibal Gupta etc.
5. Immediately after the independence of India, there was a demand for the reorganisation of states on the basis of language. The Dar Commission advised that the reorganisation of states on the basis of language might threaten the national unity. However, the public were not satisfied. So a committee was appointed in December, 1948, which advised against the creation of linguistic states for the time being. The popular movement for reorganisation continued. While on fast, Potti Sreeramulu died. Finally, the separate state of Andhra Pradesh was created in 1952. Simultaneously, Tamil Nadu emerged as a separate Tamil-speaking state.
6. The agitation for reorganisation of boundaries continued, a commission, known as the States Reorganisation Commission, was constituted to recom-mend the reorganisation of state boundaries. This commission recom-mended that India’s state boundaries should be reorganised to form 16 states and 3 union territories. All the states were reorganised accordingly, and they became integral parts of the Indian Union by 1956.
7. India is rich in languages. The constitution of India does not give any language the status of national language. The official languages recognised by the government of India are Hindi and English. The framers of the Constitution, decided to incorporate 14 languages in the Constitution. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India as of December 1, 2007, lists 22 languages. These are: [i] Assamese, [ii] Bengali, [iii] Gujarati, [iv] Hindi, [v] Kannada, [vi] Kashmiri, [vii] Malayalam, [viii] Marathi, [ix] Odia, [x] Punjabi, [xi] Sanskrit, [xii] Tamil, [xiii] Telugu, [xiv] Urdu, [xv] Sindhi, [xvi] Konkani, [xvii] Manipuri, [xviii] Nepali, [xix] Bodo, [xx] Dogri, [xxi] Maithili and [xxii] Santhali.

TOPIC – A

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1. Communal riots: Communal riots which had already spread throughout India in 1946, took a serious turn in several areas of eastern India, where Hindus and Muslims clashed with each other, and in parts of northwestern India, where Muslims clashed against Hindus and Sikhs. Even after India attained indenpedence, these riots did not die down.
2. Incorporation of the princely states: Prior to India’s attainment of independence, there existed about 600 princely states within the Indian subcontinent. Among them, some of the major princely states such as Kashmir, Junagadh, Hyderabad, etc., refused to join the Indian Union.
3. Partition of India and refugee problem: The refugee problem that arose due to the Partition of India posed a serios problem. The refugee problem was particularly severe in and around West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Punjab, etc.
4. Food shortage: The production of food in India was severely hampered in India due to the Partition. Thus, there was a shortage of food in the newly formed Indian Union.
5. Economic crisis: As the newly formed Indian Union was also very weak in the economic front, sectors of agriculture, industry, trade and commerce suffered severely.
6. Problems regarding national unity: Regional and cultural problems became acute in different parts of India. Movements were launched with demands for separate states on the basis of language and culture.

1. Attempts by Kashmir to maintain its independence: After India attained independence, both India and Pakistan asked Maharaja Hari Singh to accede into their respective nations. The Maharaja refused both offers and declared his wish to remain as an independent state.
2. Entry of the Pakistan army: The Pakistan government anticipated that the Hindu Maharaja might want to join India at some point of time. Consequently, on October 22, 1947, mercenaries supported by the Kashmir government infiltrated into Kashmir. The Maharaja became helpless and asked for military help from India. India, in this backdrop, agreed to help him only if he agreed to sign the Instrument of Accession to the Indian Union.
3. Signing the Instrument of Accession: The forces sent by Pakistan rapidly spread within Kashmir and moved towards Srinagar. This left Maharaja Hari Singh no choice but to sign the Instrument of Accession, and he signed it on October 26.
4. Setting up of government: With the aid of the Indian army, the leader of the National Conference party in Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, took the control of the state. In the meantime, acting against Sheikh Abdullah, the part of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan was named ‘Azad Kashmir’ by the Pakistan government. From here, a number of attacks were launched on the region of Kashmir under Indian control.
5. Appeal to the United Nations: India took up the Kashmir issue to the United Nations in order to protest against the infiltration by Pakistan.
6. Ceasefire: In the backdrop of the constant conflicts between India and Pakistan in Kashmir, the United Nations declared a ceasefire from January 01, 1949. Due to this, a part of Kashmir came under the Indian Union, but Azad Kashmir remained a part of Pakistan.

1. Direct Revolution of the Muslim League: Lord Wavell, the then Governor-General, invited the Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru to form an interim Government on August 12, 1946. This infuriated the Muslim League, and the League called for Direct Revolution, which resulted in massive riots, murders and rapes in Calcutta from August 16 for 3 days at a stretch.
2. Mountbatten Plan: The next Governor-General, Lord Mountbatten planned for the Partition of India on June 3, 1947. This plan is known as the Mountbatten Plan, which announced the partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan.
3. Indian Independence Act: The Indian Independence Act was passed on June 4, 1947 in the British Parliament. North-West Frontier Province, Sindh, Baluchistan, West Punjab, East Bengal, certain parts of Assam were integrated together to form Pakistan and the remaining parts of the Indian subcontinent were integrated to form India.

1. Massive exodus: Due to the Partition of India, millions of Hindus and Sikhs from the newly created Pakistan migrated to India in search of safety and shelter.
2. Refugee problem: Millions of Hindus from East Pakistan, and millions of Hindus and Sikhs from West Pakistan, took shelter in India as refugees. It became very hard for the Indian Government to arrange the basic amenities for these people as well as secure a future for them. States like West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Punjab witnessed the refugee problem at its highest level.
3. Transfer of wealth: As a result of the partition, a large part of the Indian subcontinent went to Pakistan, which resulted in the transfering of wealth and resources to Pakistan. This made India economically weak.
4. Lack of cultivable land: A large portion of cultivable land went to Pakistan as a result of the partition. This led to the shortage of cultivable land, which, in turn, led to an acute shortage of food.
5. Lack of raw materials for industries: Jute and cotton producing areas went to Pakistan as a result of Partition. This led to a shortage of raw materials for industrial purposes in India.

1. ‘A’ category states-States under Governors: Nine states belonged to this category. These were-[i] West Bengal, [ii] Assam, [iii] Bihar, [iv] Orissa, [v] Uttar Pradesh, [vi] Madhya Pradesh, [vii] Bombay, [viii] Madras and [ix] Punjab.
2. ‘B’ category states- States under native Princes: This division included eight states. These were-[i] Hyderabad, Central Province, [iii] Mysore, [iv] Patiala and East Punjab State Union (PEPSU), [v] Jammu and Kashmir, [vi] Rajasthan, [vii] Saurashtra, [viii] Travancore-Cochin.
3. ‘C’ category states- States under Commissioners: Ten states fell under this category. These included-[i] Ajmer, [ii] Bhopal, [iii] Bilaspur, [iv] Himachal Pradesh, [v] Kutch, [vi] Coorg, [vii] Delhi, [viii] Manipur, [ix] Tripura and [x] Vindhya Pradesh.
4. ‘D’ category states-Union Territories: This category included two states- [i] Andaman and [ii] Nicobar islands.

1. Haripura Congress Session: The Indian National Congress in its Haripura Session in the year 1938, declared that the princely states are an inseparable part of India.
2. Mahatma Gandhi’s Policy: According to Mahatma Gandhi, if any of the princely states wished to separate itself from India after independence, it would be considered as an act of declaration of war against India.
3. Jawaharlal Nehru’s policy: Jawaharlal Nehru declared that the princely states within the geographical boundary of India, would not be given the status of a separate state and would be considered as a part of India.
4. Declaration of Indian National Congress: Thje Indian National Congress declared on June 15, 1947, that after independence of India, the princely states would not be given the status of independent states.

1. Large number of princely states: Just before independence, the Indian subcontinent had about 600 princely states. These states were located in different parts of India.
2. Size of the princely states: Most of the princely states were very small in size. Some of the princely states were as small as Zamindari divisions. Only a minority of the princely states like Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Mysore and Baroda were large in size.
3. Autonomy of the princely states: The rulers of the princely states were very powerful and autonomous. They were not answerable to any law and exercised maximum power within the boundary of their own states.
4. Miserable condition of the subjects of the princely states: The condition of the subjects of the princely states were really miserable as they had to pay huge tax in cash and kind to their rulers.
5. Backwardness of the princely states: Most of the princely states were backward in economic, political, military and educational aspects.

1. Friendly relation with the rulers of the princely states: Lord Mountbatten had friendly relations with many of the rulers of the princely states. So, the rulers of the princely states thought that if they did not join India, their relation with Lord Mountbatten would decline, which would lead to huge problems on the part of the princely states.
2. Policy of the British Government: Lord Mountbatten declared that the British government would not recognise any of the princely states, and neither would it allow the joining of the princely states into the British Commonwealth. It meant that if the princely states would not join any of the two nations of India or Pakistan, they would loose all their connections with the British government.
3. Economic loss: Lord Mountbatten declared that the the two nations of India and Pakistan were united as the Indian subcontinent, and was considered as a distinct economic zone. If the princely states did not join India, the economic relations would suffer which would be a large drawback for the princely states.
4. Problems of Communalism: Lord Mountbatten informed the rulers of the princely states that if they themselves tried to maintain their independence, it would lead to riots and communal tensions.
5. Promises made by Mountbatten: Lord Mountbatten promised the rulers of the princely states that he would fulfil all the promises made by the local rulers as he himself would be working in India till 1947.

1. Nationalism: The people of British India as well as princely states had unitedly opposed the British rule. The Indian leaders also believed in integrated Indian nationalism. So they could never think of a divided post-independent India.
2. Tradition crisis: The British Indian states as well as the princely states existing within the geographical boundaries of India had borne the same history and tradition for ages. If these princely states became independent, their history and tradition would also be disrupted.
3. Movement by the subjects: The subjects in different princely states launched vehement movements on the issues of democracy and independence. This paved the way for the inclusion of these states into the Indian territory.
4. Backwardness: Most of the princely states were in the clutches of backwardness and superstitions. Autocratic rule and medieval mentality compelled the people to seek liberation from backwardness by becoming a part of the Indian population.

1. Attitude of Hanwant Singh: Hanwant Singh, the ruler of Jodhpur was a staunch opponent of the Congress. He thought that his joining of the indian territory would not be much profitable. So he signed a treaty with Jinnah along with the king of Jaisalmer.
2. Jinnah’s initiative: The Pakistani leader Jinnah made an unconditional offer to the rulers of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer to lure them to join Pakistan. Jaisalmer rejected the offer and later on, joined India.
3. Mountbatten’s effort: When Jodhpur had almost agreed to join Pakistan, Mountbatten was successful in making the ruler of Jodhpur- Hanwant Singh-understand that Pakistan had been created mainly for the Muslims, and Jodhpur, being a Hindu state, would face problems if he acceded to Pakistan.
4. Hanwant Singh’s decision: Hanwant Singh was influenced by Lord Mountbatten’s arguments, and consequently he joined India almost against his wish.

1. Annexation of the French colonies: In 1948, a treaty was signed between India and France where it was stated that whether the French colonies in the Indian subcontinent would become a part of India, would be decided through plebiscite. [i] As per the treaty, Chandannagar became a part of India in 1949. [ii] In 1954, the people of Yanam and Mahe, who were in support of becoming a part of India, captured power in these places through political uprisings, and cosequently these places became parts of the Indian Union. [iii] In October, 1954, Pondicherry and Karikol joined the Indian Union by plebiscite.
2. Annexation of the Portuguese colonies: [i] In 1954, the Gomantak party revolted and captured power in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Consequently, in 1961, India declared this region to be under its governance. [ii] The movements in Goa that were launched in favour of joining India, were suppressed using strict measures by the Portugese government. In 1961, under the leadership of General Jayanta Choudhury, the Indian army marched into Goa and forced the government there to sign a treaty, handing Goa over to the Indian Union. [iii] In the same year, Daman and Diu also acceded to India.

1. Annexation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli: The Gomantak party in Dadra and Nagar Haveli revolted and seized power in 1954. When the Portugese government tried to recapture this region, the Indian government resisted it. Later, in 1961, India formally declared Dadra and Nagar Haveli to be a part of the Indian Union.
2. Protest movements in Goa: On August 15, 1955, about 5000 Satyagrahis carried out a peaceful protest against the Portugese government. However, the Portugese government took strict measures and about 22 protestors were gunned down. Several leaders of the protest movements were also killed and imprisoned.
3. Measures taken by India: In protest of the steps taken by the Portugese in Goa, the Indian government declared an economic blockade against it. Besides, India made several petitions to the Portugese government to hand over Goa to the Indian government, and even took the matter to the international level.
4. Annexation of Goa: Under the leadership of General Jayanta Choudhury, the Indian army marched into Goa in December, 1961. The Portugese army was soon defeated, and was forced to surrender. As a result, Goa became a part of the Indian Union.

1. Abandoning the Motherland: Due to the partition of India, people of religious minority communities in East and West Pakistan- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc.-moved to India, and a large number of Muslims migrated to Pakistan from India. These people lost most of their valuables and possessions due to the Partition of India.
2. Massacre: After the Partition of India, communal riots spread rapidly across the states. A large number of Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists were slaughtered in Pakistan or while fleeing from Pakistan. Similarly, many Muslims were killed in India or while they were trying to move out of India. Besides these, dacoities, burning down of crops, etc., were common events during the partition of India.
3. Exploitation of women: Women of the minority communities in either of the two countries were probably the worst sufferers. Kidnapping and rapes became commonplace incidents. About 1 lakh women were raped, and consequently, at least 50 thousand illegitimate children were born.
4. Refugee problem: Refugee problem became a major issue in both India and Pakistan after the partition. A large number of refugees from Pakistan settled in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Punjab and several other states. Rehabilitating them and providing them with aid put India in a serious economic crisis.

1. Refugee problem: Millions of people from East Bengal took shelter at different districts of West Bengal as refugees. This led to an increase in the population of West Bengal. The West Bengal government had to undergo much hardships in order to arrange rehabilitational facilities for the refugees.
2. Lack of raw materials and resources: As a result of the partition of Bengal, the industies came to West Bengal but the cultivable lands for producing raw materials such as cotton, jute, etc., that are required for the working of those industries, went to East Bengal. This led to the downfall of the industries due to lack of raw materials.
3. Unemployment: The industries of West Bengal broke down due to lack of raw materials. This problem was doubled by the huge number of refugees coming to India, thus causing the problem of large scale unemployment.
4. Exodus of intellectuals from their respective motherlands: Due to the partition of Bengal, a huge inflow of Hindu intellectuals from East Bengal contributed to the cultural improvement of West Bengal. Similarly, a large number of Muslim intellectuals from West Bengal went to East Bengal and contributed to the cultural development of that country.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

Fill in the blanks

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

TOPIC – B

Refugee Problem After 1947

Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1.  Discuss the problems that the Bengali refugees had to go through.

Ans. After the Partition of India in 1947, the refugees in Bengal had to go through hardships.

1. Poverty: The central government did not provide any opportunity of exchange of wealth to the refugees of Bengal. As a result, most of the families had to come empty-handed.
2. Hurdles on the route: The refugees coming form East Bengal had to undergo numerous hurdles on the way. They had to walk continuously for long stretches. Many died due to hunger and fatigue on the way.
3. Life on the streets: The poverty-ridden Bengalee refugees were forced to live on the roadsides and railway stations. They went hungry most of the time, or were only half-fed.
4. Problems of refugee camps: In the refugee camps there was severe scarcity for even the basic needs like food, water, toilets, places to live, etc., and this caused the death of many of the refugees.
5. Rehabilitation: The arrangements made by the government for the rehabilitation of these refugees in Bengal were grossly insufficient. Besides, the refugees also had to suffer at the hands of local frauds.
6. Cultural separation: Many of the refugees in Bengal were sent away to distant places. As a result, they were separated from people of their own linguistic and cultural community.

2. Write about the autobiographies and memoirs as documents in the study of history of the Partition.

Ans. The history of the Pakistan, India and condition of the refugees has been reconstructed with the help of several autobiographies and reminiscences. Among these autobiographies and reminiscences, mention may be made of ‘Chhere Asa Gram’ (ed) by Dakshinaranjan Basu, ‘Atmakatha’ by Abul Mansoor Ahmed, ‘Deshbhager Dinguli’ by Atin Bandapadhyay, ‘Smritibhare’ by Janardan Chakrobarty, ‘Udbritter Itibritta’ by Ajoy Gupta, ‘Kichu Smriti Kichu Katha’ by Saibal Gupta, ‘Smriti Katha’ by Renuka Ray, ‘Jukto Ebong Mukta Bonger Smriti’ by Annadasankar Roy. Hiranmoy Bandopadhyay, the commissioner for Refugees Rehabilitation, in his reminiscence ‘Udvastu’, gives a vivid picture of the psychological, emotional and social trauma of the people who were separated from their relatives and friends and who looked at it as a holocaust.

3. Discuss about the refugee problem after the independence of India in 1947.

Ans. After the independence of India in 1947, millions of refugees from East and West Pakistan, who were victims of communal violence, came to India.

1. Problems faced by India: It was very difficult for India, a newly formed nation, to take the economic as well as other responsibilities of the millions of refugees coming to India. So the refugee problem created a huge drawback in India’s part.
2. Centres of crisis: The refugee problem was mostly prevalent in Punjab and West Bengal, because these were the two states where most of the refugees took shelter.
3. Condition of Punjab: Just after the partition of India, millions of people took refuge in Punjab. The Indian government took steps for the rehabilitation of the teeming millions which reduced the problem to a certain level.
4. Condition of West Bengal: From 1947 to 1971, a large number of refugees took shelter in West Bengal. But the central government could not arrange for adequate rehabilitation facilities for these refugees, and so most of the people, had to  take shelter on pavements, refugee colonies, railway colonies, etc. Some of the refugees were given lands in faraway places like Andaman, Dandakaranya, etc., to settle down.

4. How did the newly formed Indian government tackle the refugee problem?

Ans. After the partition in 1947, millions of people came to India as refugees and took shelter in different provinces like Punjab, West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, etc. So the newly formed Indian government had to take several steps for tackling the increasing refugee problem. The steps taken by the Indian Government were as follows-

1. Granting of asylum: The refugees coming into West Bengal initially took shelter in various railway stations, pavements or abandoned houses. The newly formed Indian government established several camps for the settlement of the refugees.
2. Arrangement of aids: The Indian government arranged for food, clothing, medicines, portable drinking water for the refugees. It also arranged for primary education centres for the children of the refugee camps.
3. Rehabilitation: The people of the refugee camps were rehabilitated to various areas for resettlement. They were also given monetary aids for constructing houses and reorganising their lives.
4. Condition of Punjab: The people taking refuge in Punjab were given ample financial and other aids by the central government. Colonies were established in different parts of Punjab for their rehabilitation.
5. Condition of West Bengal: The West Bengal government could not arrange for enough provisions for the refugees. Some of them were offered lands in faraway places like Andaman, Dandakaranya and these people got detached from the Bengalee culture.

5. Discuss the debates that tooks place regarding the steps for the rehabilitation of the refugees that were taken by the Indian government.

Ans. The teeming millions that came to India after the partition posed a threat for the newly formed Indian government. To cope up with this problem, the Indian government took various steps. But these steps initiated debates from many corners. The debates that took place are as follows-

1. India’s grievances against Pakistan: India argued that Pakistan has forced large number of Hindus and Sikhs to abandon their motherland (Pakistan) and come to India.
2. Nehru-Liaquat Pact: To tackle the increasing refugee problem, Jawaharlal Nehru the Prime Minister of India and Liaquat Ali Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, signed a treaty in 1950 known as the ‘Nehru-Liaquat Pact’ or the ‘Delhi Pact’. But even this treaty could not deter the refugees from entering into India.
3. Exchange of property: The central government facilitated the exchange of property and people between the refugees of Punjab and West Pakistan, and there was an exchange of refugees between these two regions. However, no such facilities were given for the refugees of West Bengal, and thus they had to undergo various hardships for a long time.
4. Aid and rehabilitation: Many historians are of the opinion that the central government was baised even while granting aids to the refugees of West Bengal and Punjab. While the refugees of Punjab received adequate aids, the refugees of West Bengal got insufficient funds and aids for rehabilitation,
5. Rehabilitation in far-off places: Many Dalit refugees from West Bengal were sent off to distant places for rehabilitation like the Andamans and Dandakaranya, which cut them off from Bengali language, culture, etc. The leftist parties of Bengal protested vehemently against this policy of rehabilitation by the central government.

6. What was the Indian reaction towards the refugee problem?

Or, What were the problems that India faced when a large number of refugees migrated from Pakistan to India?

Ans. It is not possible to determine the exact number of people who migrated from Pakistan to India during the Partition of India. But it is a confirmed fact that most of the refugees settled in and around West Bengal, Punjab, Tripura, Assam, etc. This influx of refugees created an issue of major concern in India. Some of the issues were-

1. Communal riots: The religious minorities in Pakistan faced attrocities at the hands of the Muslims residing there and fled to India. As a result of this, Muslims in India became victims of acts of violence as well. Thus, communal riots spread out in many parts of the country.
2. Assassination of Gandhi: In the backdrop of communal violence and riots, Mahatma Gandhi took the side of the Muslims and undertook a fast for their cause. This angered several Hindu activists, and on January 30, 1948, Gandhi was shot, dead by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fundamentalist.
3. Decline of Indo-Pak relations: When several thousands of refugees migrated to India, the Indian government held Pakistan responsible of communal attrocities, which had caused the people of religious minorites to flee from the country. The Pakistan government naturally denied these claims and this resulted in the decline of the relation between India and Pakistan.
4. Economic pressure: Rehabilitation of thousands of refugees and providing with aid created a serious economic pressure onthe government of independent India.
5. Political tension: The refugee problem gave rise to political tension in the country. In order to obtain adequate aid from the government, the refugees resorted to political agitations. In West Bengal, the leftist parties supported these refugees and stood by them.

7. What were the differences between the migration and settlement of refugees in West Bengal and Punjab?

Ans. After the Partition of India in 1947, a large number of refugees migrated from East Pakistan (East Bengal) to West Bengal, and another large number of refugees migrated from West Pakistan to Punjab. Several differences can be noticed between these two groups of refugees coming in and settling in West Bengal and Punjab. Some of the differences are as follows-

Points of difference	Refugees of Bengal	Refugees of Pakistan
Time period	Refugees from East Pakistan kept coming in and settling in West Bengal for about three decades after the Partition of India.	The refugees from West Pakistan came in only for a short period of time after the Partition of India.
Exchange	The refugees of East Pakistan did not get a chance of exchanging wealth or property with the Muslims of West Bengal.	The refugees coming from West Pakistan were able to exchange wealth and property with the Muslims of Punjab.
Abandonment of India by the Muslims	Most of the Muslims of West Bengal did not leave their motherland. Hence the refugees coming into Bengal did not get a chance to rehabilitate in the abandoned houses of the Muslims.	A large number of Muslims left Punjab and migrated to West Pakistan. Therefore, the refugees who came into Punjab got a chance to rehabilitate in the abandoned houses of the Muslims.
Aid andrehabilitation	The aids and facilities of rehabilitation provided by the central government for the refugees of West Bengal were inadequate.	The aids and facilities of rehabilitation provided by the central government for the refugees of Punjab were quite sufficient.
Linguistic problems	As most of the refugees coming from East Bengal were Bengali-speaking, they were more inclined to settle in and around West Bengal, Assam and Orissa.	The refugees coming from West Pakistan did not have any linguistic problems, and so, besides Punjab, they were able to settle down in Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, etc.

8. How much do we come to know about the Partition of 1947 from autobiographies and memoirs?

Ans. The Partition of 1947 is perhaps the most important event in modern Indian history. Many facts about this partition can be obtained from the memoirs and autobiographies written during this period.

1. Mention of acts of violence: Details of how the religious minorities had to suffer the atrocities of the religious majority groups-riots, murders, rapes-and how they were forced to abandon their motherland, come up vividly through several writings.
2. Memories of leaving the Motherland: Not just the physical hardships, but the emotional trauma, the pain of leaving behind one’s place of birth, etc., are portrayed clearly in several writings by different authors.
3. End of relationships: How the partition of 1947 separated friends and family members, and how individuals lost their loved ones forever, have been portrayed in many memoirs and autobiographies.
   
4. Love for the Motherland: The deep love for one’s motherland, the fond memories of one’s birthplace, and the longing to return to those places once again, can be seen in the writings of many authors.
5. Some writers: Several writers have written autobiographies, memoirs, novels, research papers, etc., relating to the Partition of India. Some of the significant writers in Bengali include Atin Bandopadhyay, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Prafulla Roy, Manik Bandyopadhyay, Debesh Roy, Prafulla Chakraborty, Debjyoti Roy, etc. Significant writers in Hindi include Sadat Hassan Manto, Krishan Chander, Yashpal, Rangeya Raghav, Bhisham Sahni and several others. Among the ones who wrote in English were Khuswant Singh, R.K Narayan, the ones who wrote in Urdu include Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and the writers in Punjabi were Bhisham Sahni, Kulwant Singh, etc.

9. Give a picture of the partition of India and the sufferings of a refugee as portrayed in a novel / autobiography /memoir.

Ans. Partition of India and the pains of the refugees have been described in many novels, autobiographies, memoirs, etc. A mentionable novel in this context is ‘Surjo Dighol Bari’ by Abu Ishaque. The topics dealt with in the novel are discussed below-

1. Dreams of the famine-stricken: ‘Surjo Dighol Bari’ opens with a depiction of the famine of 1943: The people such as Joygun, suffering from the famine, dream that after a few days when the nation would become independent, the price of rice will fall, and they will be able to live happily once again.
2. The Pakistan of dreams: While the Muslims were eagerly waiting for the formation of Pakistan, Abu Ishaque, in his novel, portrays that the formation of Pakistan might be a nightmare for some, instead of being a dream. He portrays this through a conversation between two people travelling by train, and the Muslim passenger says, “If Pakistan is going to be formed, the Hindu-based names of products need to be changed.”
3. Shattered dreams: The country became independent finally. But the condition of the Indians before and after independence in Pakistan became pathetic. Thus the dream of a new life of characters like Joygun was shattered. The author portrays this shattering of illusions in his writing – After the formation of Pakistan, a truck load of people shouting “Pakistan zindabad, Quaid-i-Azam zindabad” was moving forward. While going through a muddy road, the truck splashed mud on a passerby’s clothes, and the words uttered by the helpless man clearly portrayed the how the future days of Pakistan were going to be.
4. Lamentations of Joygun: The religious minorities of East Bengal were in despair when the good days did not come even after independence. This has been clearly portrayed in the book by the lamentations of Joygun in his mothertongue.

10. Give an account of the Partition and the problems of the refugees as portrayed in Bengali literature.

Ans. In 1947, Bengal was partitioned along with the Partition of India. East Bengal became a part of Pakistan and West Bengal became a part of India. Consequently, the Hindu minority of East Bengal migrated to West Bengal, and the Muslim minority of West Bengal moved to East Bengal. A vivid description of this partition and the story of individuals leaving their motherland, have been written in many pieces of Bengali literature.

1. Breaking apart of family life: The pain of dreams being shattered, love being lost, and family life being torn apart has been portrayed in the backdrop of the Partition in Raziya, Khan’s ‘Bottolar Uponyas’. The love relationship between Sumita and Moin is destroyed due to the Partition.
2. Riots: Communal riots broke out in East Bengal after the Partition of 1947. In this context, Sahidullah Kaiser, in his novel ‘Sangsaptak’, speaks out through the character of Sikandar Master, that religions are made for human beings, not the other way round.
3. Shattering of dreams: The poor people had dreamt that with freedom, food prices would decrease, and their living conditions would improve. But Abu Ishaque, in his novel ‘Surjo Dighol Bari’, portrays the shattering of this dream through the dialogues of his character- Joygun.
4. Ruminations: The memories of Partition, leaving one’s motherland, and the events in a refugee’s life can be seen in several novels. Among these, mention might be made of ‘Purbo-Poschim’, ‘Keyapatar Nouka’, ‘Nilkantha Pakhir Khoje’, and several others.
5. Lives of refugees: The painful stories of the lives of the refugees of West Bengal have been depicted in many Bengali novels, dramas, poems, etc. Examples of this can be cited from Mangalacharan Chattopadhyay’s poem ‘Sukno Mukh Uskokhusko Chul’.

11. Discuss how the partition of India and the sufferings of the refugees have been portrayed in films.

Ans. After the Partition of India, many films have been made in both East Bengal and West Bengal showing the pictures of the partition, the riots, people leaving their motherland and lives and suffering of the refugees. Some of the mentionable films in Bengali include Ritwik Ghatak’s ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, ‘Subarnarekha’, ‘Nagarik’, ‘Komal Gandhar’, Nimai Ghosh’s ‘Chinnamul’, Satyajit Ray’s ‘Mahanagar’, and several others. Srijit Mukherji’s recent film ‘Rajkahini’ too gives us a detailed picture of the times of Partition. The topics dealt with in these films are discussed below-

1. Establishment of colonies: The Partition of Bengal, the influx of a huge number of refugees from East Bengal, setting up of colonies by these refugees after much struggle and hardship, and such other topics have been dealt with in Ritwik Ghatak’s movies.
2. Pain and sufferings: Many films over time have portrayed the pains and sufferings that were caused during the Partition. The immense sufferings that the refugees had to go through, the experiences of a helpless child who has lost his mother, their reunion when the child has become a youth and his mother has become old, and such other instances from the lives of the refugees have found place in a lot of films.
3. Journey to Dandakaranya: The tragic  eviction of the Bengali refugees to Dandakaranya has found place in Bengali films as well. In one of his films, Ritwik Ghatak shows a scene of the Dandakaranya bound special train for the refugees being stopped at Dhalbhumgarh station and the dead body of an old lady being brought out from the train.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

1. What was the attitude of the Government of India with regard to the issue of refugee rehabilitation?

Ans. The policy taken by the Government of India with regard to the issue of refugee rehabilitation was discriminatory in nature. Regarding the rehabilitation of the refugees from West Pakistan, the Government of India took sincere efforts. The refugess settled in the deserted houses or fallow lands in Punjab, where about 200 camps and some suburban towns were built for them. Some of them also settled in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. But in case of West Bengal, attitude of the Government was somewhat different than that of the Central Government. The refugees had to take shelter in the improvised Government camps and suffer miserably.

2. What is depicted in the novel ‘Surjo Dighol Bari’?

Ans. After the partition of India the poor people dreamt that with freedom, food prices would decrease and their living conditions would improve. In his novel ‘Surjo Dighol Bari’ Abu Ishaque portrays the shattering of this dream.

3. When and between whom was the Delhi Pact signed? What were the features of the Pact?

Ans. The Delhi Pact (or Nehru-Liaquat Pact) was signed between the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in New Delhi on April 8, 1950.

The following are the important features of the Delhi Pact-[1] To lessen the threats faced by religious minorities; [2] To put an end to the communal riots and to elevate communal peace; [3] To create such an atmosphere that both countries could further solve their problems.

4. What were the provisions of the Delhi Pact (or Nehru-Liaquat Pact 1950)?

Ans. The Delhi Pact (or Nehru-Liaquat Pact) was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan on April 8, 1950. The provisions of the Pact were:

1. The governments of India and Pakistan solemnly agreed that each shall ensure its minorities throughout its territories-complete equality of citizenship irrespective of religion, full sense of security in respect of life, culture and property.
2. Both the governments decided to set up minority commissions in their countries with the aim of observing and reporting on the implementation of the Pact to ensure that no one breaches the pact.
3. Both the leaders emphasised that the loyalty of the minorities should be reserved for the state in which they were living and for the solution of their problems, they should look up to the government of the country they were living in.

5. Why did Nehru-Liaquat Pact (Delhi Pact) 1950 fail?

Ans. The Nehru-Liaquat Pact (Delhi Pact) was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan on April 8, 1950.

The Nehru-Liaquat Pact failed to satisfy many leaders. Two central ministers Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Dr. Khitish Chandra Neogy were firmly against Nehru’s invitation to the Pakistan Prime Minister. They criticised the joint Pact aiming at establishing a minority commission and guaranting minority rights in both countries. Dr. Mukherjee held Pakistan directly responsible for the influx of millions of Hindu refugees from Pakistan who had left the country fearing religious violence supported by Pakistan government. Shyama Prasad also condemned this pact as a disastrous policy of Muslim appeasement.

As a mark of protest against the Indian government’s policy of appeasement towards Pakistan, both the ministers resigned.

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

1. Who wrote ‘Gandhi’s Emissary’?

Ans. ‘Gandhi’s Emissary’ was written by Sudhir Ghosh.

2. Who was the author of ‘Wavell: The Viceroy’s Journal’?

Ans. The author of ‘Wavell: The Viceroy’s Journal’ was Penderel Moon.

3. Mention one book written by Khuswant Singh.

Ans. A book written by Khuswant Singh is ‘A Train to Pakistan’.

4. Name some important books written on the partition of India.

Ans. Some important books written on the partition of India were ‘Marginal Man’ by Prafulla Chakraborty, ‘Ekti Jiban’ by Buddhadev Basu, ‘Epar Ganga Opar Ganga’ by Jyotirmoyee Debi ‘Kolkata-Noakhali- Bihar’ by Bibhuti Bhusan Mukhopadhyay etc.

5. What is the full form of UCRC?

Ans. The full form of UCRC is United Central Refugee Council.

6. What were the two states where refugee problem was acute?

Ans. The two states where refugee problem was acute were Punjab and west Bengal.

7. Where in far away places refugees were given lands to settle down?

Ans. Refugees were given lands in far away places like Andaman, Dandakaranya etc. to settle down.

8. Who is the author of the book ‘Pakistan or Partition of India’?

Ans. The author of the book ‘Pakistan or Partition of India’ is Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.

9. Name some Hindi writers who wrote about partition of India.

Ans. Some Hindi writers who wrote about partition of India are Krishan Chander, Yash Pal, Rangeya Raghav, Bhisham Sahni etc.

10. Name some Urdu writers who wrote about partition of India.

Ans. Some Urdu writers who wrote about partition of India are Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Munshi Premchand, Sadat Hasan Manto.

Mark True or False

1. The Nehru-Liaquat Pact failed to solve the refugee problem.

Ans. True

2. Francis Tucker’s book ‘While Memory Serves’ is a book on the partition of India.

Ans. True

3. ‘The Princely India I knew’ was written by Conrad Cornfield.

Ans. True

4. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was a member of Central Ministry in India.

Ans. True

5. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Dr. Khitish Chandra Neogi resigned from Central Ministry in protest against the Delhi Pact.

Ans. True

6. Policy of refugee rehabilitation followed by the Government of India was discriminatory in nature.

Ans. False

7. After the partition of Bengal in 1947 East Bengal became a part of India.

Ans. True

8. After the partition of Bengal in 1947 West Bengal became a part of India.

Ans. True

Fill in the blanks

1. ‘Facts are Facts-The untold story of India’s Partition’ was written by ……….

Ans. Wali Khan

2. The capital of Punjab and Haryana is ………..

Ans. Chandigarh

3. The capital of Kashmir is ………..

Ans. Srinagar

4. The author of ‘Jukto Ebong Mukto Bonger Smriti’ was ………….

Ans. Annadasankar Ray

5. The Delhi Pact was signed in the year ……….

Ans. 1950

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. Hiranmoy Banerjee was-

A. the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner of West Bengal

B. a member of the Cabinet Mission

C. a member of Council of Ministers

D. a renouned journalist

Ans. A

2. Hartley Shawcross was-

A. the Attorney-General of England

B. the Prime Minister of England

C. the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner

D. a member of the Cabinet Mission.

Ans. A

3. ‘My Days with Gandhi’ was written by-

A. Sudhir Ghosh

B. Nirmal Kumar Bose

C. Nirod Chandra Chowdhury

D. Buddhadeb Basu

Ans. B

4. ‘Train to Pakistan’ was written by-

A. Jawaharlal Nehru

B. V P Menon

C. Khuswant Singh

D. Salman Rushdie

Ans. C

5. The author of ‘Bottolar Uponyas’ is-

A. Raziya Khan

B. Sahidullah Kaiser

C. Abu Ishaque

D. Mangalacharan Chattopadhyay

Ans. A

6. The Novel ‘Nilkantha Pakhir Khoje’ was written by-

A. Salil Sen

B. Atin Bandopadhyay

C. Sunanda Sikdar

D. Saukat Ali

Ans. B

7. The novel ‘Keyapatar Nauka’ was written by-

A. Mahesweta Devi

B. Hiranmoy Bandopadhyay

C. Atin Bandopadhyay

D. Prafulla Roy

Ans. D

8. The sufferings of the refugees are depicted in the film ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ by-

A. Ritwik Ghatak

B. Nimai Ghosh

C. Satyajit Roy

D. Srijit Mukherjee

Ans. A

TOPIC – C

Reorganisation of States in Independent India

Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1. Write a note on scheduled languages in the Indian constitution (upto 1964).

Ans. The framers of the Indian Constitution, while enacting the constitution, (January 26, 1950) decided to incorporate 14 languages into the constitution. These are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Till 1964, these languages were recognised by the government. The Eighth schedule and the 21st Amendment provided for the inclusion of Sindhi, Konkani, Maithili and Nepali, thereby increasing the number of official. regional languages of India to 18. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, as of December 1, 2007, lists 22 languages. These are: [1] Assamese [2] Bengali [3] Gujarati [4] Hindi [5] Kannada [6] Kashmiri [7] Malayalam [8] Marathi [9] Oriya [10] Punjabi [11] Sanskrit [12] Tamil [13] Telugu [14] Urdu [15] Sindhi [16] Konkani [17] Manipuri [18] Nepali [19] Bodo [20] Dogri [21] Maithili [22] Santhali.

2. Describe the different phases of reorganisation of states on linguistic basis in post-independent India.

Or, Discuss the role of state reorganisation commission (1953) in the reorganisation of the states in independent India.

Ans. The matter of reorganisation of states and demarcation of interstate borders became quite important after India got independence in 1947.

1. Demand for linguistic reorganisation: There was no division of state on linguistic basis, prior to independence. The movement for reorganisation of states on linguistic basis started in India after independence.
2. Objection by government: The Linguistic State Reorganisation Commission opposed the idea of reorganisation on linguistic basis.
3. Movements: In protest against the government’s stand, movements began in different parts of the country. Potti Sreeramulu went on a fast for 58 days on the demand of a separate state for the Telugu population. Consequently, in 1953, Andhra Pradesh was formed for the Telugu population and Madras, renamed Tamil Nadu (1963), went to the Tamil population.
4. State Reorganisation Commission: Jawaharlal Nehru formed the State Reorganisation Commission (1953) to formulate the policy of state reorganisation.
5. State Reorganisation Act: By this Act, 14 states and 6 Union territories were formed on linguistic basis on November 1, 1956.

Since no separate states were formed for the Marathas and Gujaratis by the State Reorganisation Act, a conflict broke out between the two communities in Bombay and a movement began demanding separate states. The separate states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed by dividing Bombay in 1960.

3. Write a commentary on the recognition of different Indian languages as official languages by the Constitution till 1964.

Ans. India has been a multilingual country since the ancient times. After independence, the question of determining the official language for united India, became a vital issue.

1. Controversy: A controversy arose as to which language should be used to maintain communication between the central and state governments as well as for the transaction of central government issues. The controversy mainly revolved around English and Hindi languages. Finally in 1950, Hindi language was recognised as the official language by the Constitution.
2. Official Languages Commission (1955): The Official Languages Commission was formed in 1955. The recommendations in the report of the commission are as follows-[i] Hindi language will be the official language of India. [ii] The use of English in official work will continue till January 26, 1965. [iii] After January 26, 1965 Hindi will be the sole official language.
3. Official Languages Act (1953): The Official Languages Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 1963. This act stipulated that-[i] English will continue to be used in official work alongwith Hindi, even after 1965. [ii] The state legislatures will get the right to determine the official language for their respective states.
4. Official languages in 1964: According to the Official Languages Act 1963, the different state legislatures determined their respective state languages. As a result 14 Indian languages were included as official languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. These languages were- Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

4. How did Andhra become the first linguistically recognised state?

Ans. Immediately after the independence of India, there was a demand for the reorganisation of states on the basis of long urge. Cosequently, the Linguistic Provinces Commission, headed by Justice S.K. Dar, was appointed in 1948. The Dar Commission advised that the reorganisation of states on the basis of language might threaten national unity. But the public were not satisfied and the problem became more acute. So a committee was appointed in December, 1948, consisting of Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya to examine the situation. The committee advised against the creation of linguistic states for the time being. However the popular movement for reorganisation of states continued. Potti Sreeramalu undertook a fast unto death over the demand for a separate state of Andhra. While on fast for 58 days, Sreeramulu died and the movement took a serious turn. Finally the government conceded to the demand and a separate state of Andhra Pradesh was created in 1952. The Telugu speaking area was separated from the Tamil-speaking area. Simultaneously, Tamil Nadu emerged as a Tamil-speaking state.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

1. Who was Potti Sreeramulu?

Ans. Potti Sreeramulu was a great freedom fighter. He led the movement in Andhra over the demand for a separate Andhra State. He undertook a fast unto death over this issue and even gave up his life for this cause.

2. Why was the JVP Committee formed? Who were the members of the committee?

Ans. The JVP committee was formed to solve the problems relating to the linguistic reorganisation of states.

The members of this committee were Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya.

3. Why was the State Reorganisation Commission formed? Who were its members?

Ans. The State Reorganisation Commission (1953) was formed by Jawaharlal Nehru to formulate the policy of state reorganisation in determination of interstate border.

The commission consisted of Hon’ble Justice Fazal Ali (President) and two other members K M Panikkar and Hridaynath Kunzru.

4. In which year Official Language Commission was formed? Name two important members of the commission.

Ans. The Official Language Commission was formed in 1955.

Two important members of the Commission were Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyay from West Bengal and P Subbarayan.

5. When was the Official Languages Act passed by the Indian Parliament? What were its provisions?

Ans. The Official Languages Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 1953.

The provisions of the Act were-[1] English will continue to be used in official work along with Hindi, even after 1965. [2] The state legislatures will get the right to determine the official language for their respective states.

6. What was the reaction of the people when no separate states were formed for the Marathas and Gujaratis?

Ans. When no separate states were formed for the Marathas and Gujaratis by the State Reorganisatin Act, a conflict broke out between the two communities in Bombay and a movement began demanding separate states. The movement on the issue of separate states was led by Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti in regions with Maratha majority and by Mahagujarat Janata Parishad in regions with Gujarati majority.

7. What were the six union territories formed on linguistic bases in 1956?

Ans. The six union territories formed on linguistic basis were Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Lakshadweep, Manipur and Himachal Pradesh.

8. Why was the Dar Commission (1948) formed?

Ans. Immediately after the independence of India, there was a demand for the reorganisation of states on the basis of long urge. Consequently, the Lingustic Provinces Commission, headed by Justice S K Dar, was appointed in 1948.

9. What were the states formed by the state Reorganisation Act of 1956?

Ans. The states formed by the state Reorganisation Act of 1956 were: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Punjab, Bihar, Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore, Madras and Rajasthan.

10. Name two states which have adopted Hindi as the official language.

Ans. Two states which have adopted Hindi as the official language are Bihar and Chattishgarh.

11. What were the 14 Indian languages which were included as official languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

Ans. The 14 Indian languages which were included as official languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution were- Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

1. Why was a movement led by Potti Sreeramulu launched in Andhra?

Ans. A strong movement led by Potti Sreeramulu  was launched in Andhra for the separationof Andhra from the Madras Presidency.

2. In which year did Andhra become a linguistically reorganised state?

Ans. Andhra became a linguistically reorganised state in 1957.

3. Who was the chairman of the States Reorganisation Commission (1953)?

Ans. Justice Fazal Ali was the chairman of the States Reorganisation Commission (1953).

4. Name two members of the States Reorganisation Commission (1953).

Ans. Two members of the State’s Reorganisation Commission (1953) were K M Panikkar and Hridaynath Kunzru.

5. What is the full form of SRC?

Ans. The full form of SRC is States Reorganisation Commission.

6. In which year did the Indian Constitution come into force?

Ans. The Indian Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950.

7. How many languages were included when the Indian Constitution came into force?

Ans. 14 languages were included when the Indian Constitution came into force.

8. Under whose leadership the Linguistic state Reorganisation Commission was set up?

Ans. The Linguistic State Reorganisation Commission was set up under the leadership of S K Dar, Hon’ble justice of Allahabad High Court.

9. Who was Potti Sreeramulu?

Ans. Potti Sreeramulu was a Gandhian leader who went of a fast for 58 days on the demand of a separate state for the Telegu population and finally laid down his life.

10. How many languages are recognised by the Indian Constitution at present?

Ans. At present 22 languages are recognised by the Indian Constitution.

11. In which year Hindi language written in Devanagari script was recognised as the official language?

Ans. In 1950 Hindi language written in Devanagari script was recognised as the official language.

12. What are the official languages recognised by the government of India?

Ans. The official languages recognised by the government of India are Hindi and English.

Mark True or False

1. Potti Sreeramulu died after fasting for fifty eight days in 1952.

Ans. True

2. The separate state of Andhra Pradesh was formed on 29th December, 1954.

Ans. False

3. KM Panikkar was the chairman of the States Reorganisation Commission (1953).

Ans. False

4. Gujarat and Maharashtra were born in 1960.

Ans. True

5. Nagaland was separated from Assam in 1963.

Ans. True

6. Maithili and Santhali are referred to as official languages in the Eighth Schedule.

Ans. True

Fill in the blanks

1. The Indira Gandhi Government divided Punjab into three regions on the basis of language in ………….

Ans. 1966

2. The Linguistic Provinces Commission (1948) was formed under the leadership of ………..

Ans. S K Dar

3. The first linguistically recognised state was …………

Ans. Andhra

4. Tamil Nadu emerged as a state of the Tamil speaking people in ……….

Ans. 1957

5. Akali leader Master ………. demanded separate homeland for the Sikhs.

Ans. Tara Singh

6. At present, the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists ……….. official languages.

Ans. 22

7. Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyay was a member of the …………

Ans. Official Languages Commission

8. The separate states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed by dividing Bombay in …………

Ans. 1960

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. Potti Sreeramulu died on-

A. December 15, 1952

B. December 15, 1925

C. November 15, 1952

D. December 5, 1952

Ans. A

2. The State Reorganisation Act (1956) passed by the Indian Parliament provided for-

A. 14 states and 6 union territories

B. 14 states and 5 union territories

C. 12 states and 6 union territories

D. 12 states and 5 union territories

Ans. A

3. Indira Gandhi Government divided Punjab into three regions in the year-

A. 1906

B. 1908

C. 1967

D. 1966

Ans. D

4. At present, the Indian Union consists of-

A. 28 states and 8 union territories

B. 24 states and 7 union territories

C. 29 states and 7 union territories

D. 29 states and 8 union territories

Ans. C

5. Indian Constitution came into force on-

A. January 26, 1948

B. January 26, 1950

C. January 20, 1949

D. August 15, 1948

Ans. B

6. Separate linguistic state of Andhra Pradesh was formed in the year –

A. 1947

B. 1950

C. 1953

D. 1955

Ans. C

7. Goa became a part of India in-

A. 1947

B. 1956

C. 1961

D. 1971

Ans. C

8. The first state in India formed on linguistic basis is-

A. Tamil Nadu

B. Andhra Pradesh

C. Maharashtra

D. Gujarat

Ans. B

9. The States Reorganisation Act was passed in the year-

A. 1956

B. 1947

C. 1948

D. 1950

Ans. A

10. The Linguistic State of Gujarat was formed in-

A. 1953

B. 1956

C. 1960

D. 1965

Ans. C

11. ‘Iron Man of India’ refers to-

A. Mahatma Gandhi

B. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

C. Muhammed Ali Jinnah

D. Rajendra Prasad

Ans. B

12. The States Reorganisation Commission was formed in-

A. 1947

B. 1950

C. 1953

D. 1956

Ans. C

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