Correct Answer: (2) Muslim League
Explanation: The two-nation theory, which argued that Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations and advocated for a separate homeland for Muslims, was championed by the Muslim League. This theory formed the ideological basis for the creation of Pakistan.

Correct Answer: (3) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Explanation: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a Pashtun leader from the North-West Frontier Province, was known as ‘Frontier Gandhi’ due to his close association with Mahatma Gandhi and his leadership of the non-violent Khudai Khidmatgar movement.

Correct Answer: (2) Instrument of Accession
Explanation: The Instrument of Accession was the legal document used in 1947 that allowed the rulers of princely states to accede their states to either the Dominion of India or Pakistan. By signing it, a state agreed to become part of the Union.

Correct Answer: (4) Hyderabad, Junagadh, Kashmir

Explanation: While most princely states readily joined India, Hyderabad, Junagadh, and Kashmir initially hesitated or resisted signing the Instrument of Accession, leading to specific challenges in their integration.

Correct Answer: (2) Nizam of Hyderabad

Explanation: The Nizam of Hyderabad initially chose independence and entered into a Standstill Agreement with India in November 1947 to maintain the status quo while negotiations continued. This agreement aimed to keep existing administrative arrangements in place temporarily.

Correct Answer: (4) Hyderabad
Explanation: The accession of Hyderabad was particularly complex. The Nizam desired independence, supported by the violent paramilitary force, the Razakars, who suppressed the popular movement favouring accession to India. This ultimately led to Indian military intervention (“police action” or Operation Polo) in 1948.

Correct Answer: (2) Potti Sriramulu

Explanation: Potti Sriramulu, a dedicated Gandhian, undertook fasts for Dalit rights, including temple entry in Nellore (part of Madras Presidency then) around 1946. He later undertook a fast unto death in 1952 demanding the formation of a separate Andhra state for Telugu speakers, which was granted after his death.

Correct Answer: (1) Mahatma Gandhi

Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi was a strong advocate for reorganizing provinces on a linguistic basis to facilitate administration and education in regional languages, believing it essential for Swaraj and empowering people. He reorganized the Congress party itself along linguistic lines as early as 1920.

Correct Answer: 1) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation: While there were initial fears that linguistic states might weaken India, experience showed the opposite. Reorganizing states based on language acknowledged regional identities, accommodated linguistic demands, and ultimately strengthened national unity by reducing friction and separatist tendencies that might have arisen from suppressing these aspirations.

Correct Answer: (2) A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-III
Explanation:

Correct Answer: (1) 1963

Explanation: The State of Nagaland Act was passed in 1962, and Nagaland was formally inaugurated as the 16th state of India on December 1, 1963.

Correct Answer: (3) Akali Dal

Explanation: The Shiromani Akali Dal led the political movement demanding the creation of a Punjabi-speaking state, known as the Punjabi Suba movement, which eventually led to the formation of the current state of Punjab in 1966.

Correct Answer: (2) (A)-(II), (B) – (I), (C) – (IV), (D) – (III)

Explanation:

(A) Instrument of Accession – (II) The document by which a princely state agreed to become part of the Union of India.

(B) Merger agreement – (I) Refers to agreements where smaller states merged with larger administrative units or provinces (often involving the Centre).

(C) Vishalandhra Movement – (IV) The movement demanding that Telugu-speaking areas be separated from Madras Province to form a larger Andhra state (‘Vishalandhra’).

(D) States Reorganisation Commission – (III) The body set up to recommend the redrawing of state boundaries, primarily on linguistic lines.

Correct Answer: (1) Seven Sisters

Explanation: The seven contiguous states in North-East India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura) are popularly known as the ‘Seven Sisters’. Sikkim is sometimes referred to as the ‘brother’ state.

Correct Answer: (3) China, Myanmar and Bangladesh

Explanation: India’s North-Eastern region shares international borders with China to the north, Myanmar to the east, and Bangladesh to the south-west. It also borders Bhutan and Nepal. Option (3) lists three of these key neighbours.

Correct Answer: (2) 1963

Explanation: As established in question 12, Nagaland became a state in 1963.

Correct Answer: (4) Meghalaya

Explanation: The Khasi people are the major ethnic group inhabiting the eastern part of Meghalaya, particularly the Khasi Hills.

Correct Answer: (1) South-East Asia

Explanation: Due to its geographical location sharing borders with Myanmar, India’s North-East region is strategically considered the country’s land gateway to South-East Asia.

2) He was in Kolkata, saddened by the communal violence and did not join the celebrations.
Explanation: On the 15th of August 1947, Mahatma Gandhi did not take part in any of the independence day festivities. He was in Kolkata, in areas affected by severe riots between Hindus and Muslims. He was saddened by the communal violence.

3) A territory consisting of two primary ‘peoples’, Hindus and Muslims.

Explanation: The “two-nation theory” was put forward by the Muslim League. According to this theory, India was composed of not one but two ‘peoples’, Hindus and Muslims. This was the basis for the demand for Pakistan, a separate nation for Muslims.

Ans: 4) Negotiating trade agreements with European nations.

Explanation: The chapter outlines three main challenges for independent India: shaping a united nation that accommodates diversity , establishing democracy , and ensuring the development and well-being of the entire society. Negotiating specific trade agreements was not listed as one of these immediate, foundational challenges.

Ans: 3) Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, gave a speech to a special session of the Constituent Assembly on the night of August 14-15, 1947. This was the famous ‘tryst with destiny’ speech.

Ans: 3) The principle of religious majorities.

Explanation: It was decided that the partition would adhere to the principle of religious majorities. This meant that areas where Muslims were in the majority would form the territory of Pakistan, while the remainder would stay with India.

Ans: 2) Punjab and Bengal

Explanation: Two of the Muslim-majority provinces, Punjab and Bengal, had very large areas where non-Muslims were in the majority. The decision was made to bifurcate these two provinces, which caused the deepest trauma of the partition.

Ans: 3) Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan

Explanation: Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, the undisputed leader of the North Western Frontier Province, was known as ‘Frontier Gandhi’. He was a strong opponent of the two-nation theory.

Ans: 2) Unprecedented violence and displacement.

Explanation: Freedom came with partition, which led to large-scale violence and displacement. The year 1947 experienced unprecedented violence and the trauma of displacement.

Ans: 3) 10-12%

Explanation: Following the large-scale migration of Muslims to the newly created Pakistan, the Muslim population in India still accounted for 10-12 percent of the total population in 1951.

Ans: 3) A secular nation where all religions are treated equally.

Explanation: Most leaders of the national movement believed that India should treat people of all religions equally. They cherished the ideal of a secular nation, which was enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

Ans: 2) To bring peace amidst renewed communal riots in Delhi and to ensure India honoured its financial commitments to Pakistan.

Explanation: Gandhiji moved to Delhi in response to large-scale violence. He was deeply concerned about ensuring Muslims could live in India with dignity and was also unhappy with the government’s decision not to honour its financial commitments to Pakistan. He undertook what would be his last fast in January 1948 with these concerns in mind.

Ans: 3) Directly under the control of the British government.

Explanation: British India consisted of two types of areas: the British Indian Provinces and the Princely States. The British Indian Provinces were directly controlled by the British government.

Ans: 2) The British declared that paramountcy would lapse, making the states legally independent.

Explanation: Shortly before Independence, the British announced that with the end of their rule, the paramountcy of the British crown over the Princely States would also lapse. This effectively meant that all 565 of these states would become legally independent.

Ans: 3) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Explanation: Sardar Patel served as India’s Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister during the critical period following Independence. He played a historic role in negotiating with the rulers of the princely states, using firmness and diplomacy to bring most of them into the Indian Union.

Ans: 3) A document signed by princely rulers agreeing to become part of the Union of India.

Explanation: The rulers of most states that were contiguous to India’s new borders signed a document called the ‘Instrument of Accession’. This document signified that their state agreed to become a part of the Union of India.

Ans: 3) Hyderabad

Explanation: The text states that the accession of the Princely States of Junagadh, Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Manipur proved more difficult than the rest. Among the choices given, Hyderabad is listed as one of these difficult cases.

Ans: 2) The Razakars

Explanation: The Nizam of Hyderabad responded to the popular movement against his rule by unleashing a para-military force known as the Razakars on the people. The Razakars were known for their atrocities and communal nature.

Ans: 3) Manipur

Explanation: Under public pressure, the Maharaja of Manipur held elections in June 1948. Thus, Manipur became the first part of India to hold an election based on universal adult franchise.

Ans: 3) The linguistic principle

Explanation: After the Nagpur session of Congress in 1920, the linguistic principle was recognized as the basis for the reorganisation of the Indian National Congress party itself.

Ans: 2) They feared it might lead to disruption and disintegration.

Explanation: Following independence and partition, our leaders felt that creating states based on language might lead to disruption and disintegration. The memory of partition was still fresh, and there was also the unresolved fate of the Princely States.

Ans: 4) Telugu speakers

Explanation: Protests began in the Telugu-speaking areas of the old Madras province. The Vishalandhra movement, as it was called, demanded that the Telugu-speaking areas should be separated from the Madras province and made into a separate Andhra province.

Ans: 2) Potti Sriramulu

Explanation: Potti Sriramulu, a Congress leader and a veteran Gandhian, went on an indefinite fast that resulted in his death after 56 days. This event caused great unrest and ultimately led the Prime Minister to announce the formation of a separate Andhra state in December 1952.

Ans: 2) That state boundaries should reflect the boundaries of different languages.

Explanation: The central government appointed a States Reorganisation Commission in 1953. The Commission, in its report, accepted that the boundaries of the states should reflect the boundaries of different languages.

Ans: 3) 1956

Explanation: The States Reorganisation Act was passed in 1956, based on the report from the States Reorganisation Commission. This led to the creation of 14 states and six union territories.

Ans: 3) Bombay

Explanation: An experiment with a ‘bilingual’ Bombay state, consisting of Gujarati- and Marathi-speaking people, was tried. After a popular agitation, the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were created from this state in 1960.

Ans: 2) Separate regional culture and complaints of regional imbalance.

Explanation: Language did not continue to be the only basis for organizing states. In later years, sub-regions demanded separate states based on a distinct regional culture or due to complaints of regional imbalance in development. Three such states, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand, were created in 2000.

Ans: 3) Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of free India.

Ans: 3) They must be given security and the rights of citizens in a democratic state.

Explanation: In a letter to Chief Ministers dated October 15, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru stated that despite any provocations from Pakistan, India must deal with its large Muslim minority in a civilized manner. He emphasized that they must be given security and the full rights of citizens in a democratic State.

Ans: 2) There was no single belt of Muslim-majority areas in British India, and it ignored non-Muslim majorities within provinces like Punjab and Bengal.

Explanation: The idea of partition based on religious majorities presented several difficulties. Firstly, there was no single belt of Muslim-majority areas; instead, there were two concentrations, one in the west and one in the east. Secondly, two Muslim-majority provinces, Punjab and Bengal, contained very large areas where non-Muslims were in the majority.

Ans: 2) Through a plebiscite confirming the people’s desire to join India.

Explanation: The issue of Junagadh’s accession was resolved after a plebiscite confirmed the people’s desire to join India.

Ans: 3) The partition of the country.

Explanation: The government’s approach to integrating the princely states was guided by three considerations. The third one was that, in the backdrop of partition, which brought the contest over territory into sharp focus, the integration and consolidation of the nation’s territorial boundaries had assumed supreme importance.

Ans: 2) Only (a) and (c)

Explanation:

(a) Correct. The Partition was primarily driven by the ‘two-nation theory’, which held that Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations requiring separate homelands.

(b) Incorrect. Not all Muslim-majority areas willingly joined Pakistan. For example, North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Sylhet (Assam) had referendums, and there was resistance in places like Kashmir.

(c) Correct. The provinces of Punjab and Bengal were partitioned by drawing boundaries largely based on religious majorities at the district or tehsil level.

(d) Incorrect. The massive communal violence and displacement of millions of people indicate that the minority problem was neither fully anticipated nor well-managed.