Partition and the Constituent Assembly – NDA History PYQs

NDA 2023-I

Q. 1. Which one among the following districts of Eastern India held a referendum in 1947 to decide whether or not to join Pakistan?

(a) Sylhet

(b) Goalpara

(c) Cachar

(d) Jalpaiguri

Answer: (a) Sylhet

Explanation: Sylhet held a referendum in 1947 on joining Pakistan. The district ultimately voted to become part of East Pakistan. Goalpara, Cachar, and Jalpaiguri did not hold this specific referendum. So option (a) Sylhet is the correct answer. Concept Tested: District that held the 1947 Pakistan-accession referendum

NDA 2022-II

Q. 2. Who among the following introduced the ‘Objective Resolution’ in the Constituent Assembly on 13th December, 1946?

(a) Jawaharlal Nehru

(b) Rajendra Prasad

(c) B. R. Ambedkar

(d) Alladi Krishnaswami Aiyar

Answer: (a) Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the Objective Resolution in December 1946. This resolution set out the founding principles for India’s future constitution. Prasad, Ambedkar, and Alladi Krishnaswami Aiyar played other Assembly roles. So option (a) Jawaharlal Nehru is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Mover of the Objective Resolution

NDA 2022-II

Q. 3. Which of the following statements about the Unionist Party is/are correct?

1. It was a political party representing the interests of landholders in Punjab.

2. It was opposed to the idea of the partition of India as India and Pakistan.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: The Unionist Party did represent Punjab’s cross-communal landholding interests. It did oppose dividing India into separate India and Pakistan states. Both statements together are accurate here. Concept Tested: Nature and stance of Punjab’s Unionist Party

NDA 2020 I&II

Q. 4. Which one of the following statements about Jaipal Singh is NOT correct?

(a) He was a member of the Constituent Assembly

(b) He founded the Adivasi Maha Sabha

(c) He was the captain of the first Indian national hockey team

(d) He campaigned for a separate state of Chhattisgarh

Answer: (d) He campaigned for a separate state of Chhattisgarh

Explanation: Jaipal Singh actually campaigned for a separate state of Jharkhand. So statement (d) wrongly names Chhattisgarh instead of Jharkhand. He genuinely served as a member of the Constituent Assembly. He did found the Adivasi Maha Sabha. He did captain India’s hockey team at the 1928 Olympics. These other statements about him are accurate. Concept Tested: The actual state Jaipal Singh campaigned for

NDA 2018-I

Q. 5. Who among the following are the two civil servants who assisted the Constituent Assembly in framing the Constitution of India?

(a) B. N. Rau and K. M. Munshi

(b) S. N. Mukherjee and Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyar

(c) B. N. Rau and S. N. Mukherjee

(d) K. M. Munshi and Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyar

Answer: (c) B. N. Rau and S. N. Mukherjee

Explanation: B. N. Rau served as the Constitutional Advisor to the Assembly. S. N. Mukherjee served as its Chief Draftsman. Munshi and Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyar were elected Assembly members, not civil servants. So option (c) is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Civil servants who assisted the Constituent Assembly

NDA 2018-I

Q. 6. Which member of the Constituent Assembly proposed the resolution that the National Flag of India be a “horizontal tricolour of saffron, white and dark green in equal proportion”, with a wheel in navy blue at the centre?

(a) Jawaharlal Nehru

(b) B. R. Ambedkar

(c) Rajendra Prasad

(d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Answer: (a) Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru moved this flag resolution on 22 July 1947. His speech introduced the tricolour with the navy blue wheel at its centre. Ambedkar, Prasad, and Patel did not move this specific resolution. So option (a) Jawaharlal Nehru is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Mover of the National Flag resolution

NDA 2017-II

Q. 7. The Cabinet Mission Plan for India envisaged a

(a) Federation

(b) Confederation

(c) Unitary form of Government

(d) Union of States

Answer: (a) Federation

Explanation: The Cabinet Mission proposed a three-tier federal structure for India. Provinces and states would group under this shared federal framework. A confederation, unitary system, or simple union do not match this scheme. So option (a) Federation is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Governmental structure envisaged by the Cabinet Mission Plan

NDA 2013-II

Q. 8. Who among the following was the President of Indian National Congress when India attained independence?

(a) Jawaharlal Nehru

(b) Vallabhbhai Patel

(c) Maulana Azad

(d) Acharya Kripalani

Answer: (d) Acharya Kripalani

Explanation: Acharya J.B. Kripalani was Congress President at independence in 1947. He had taken over this role from Maulana Azad in late 1946. Nehru, Patel, and Azad held other key roles at this exact moment. So option (d) Acharya Kripalani is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Congress President at the moment of independence

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: NDA often tests this by including the previous president (Maulana Azad) as a plausible-looking wrong option. Kripalani took over in late 1946, just before independence.

NDA 2012-II

Q. 9. Plan Balkan was

(a) a plan devised by Mountbatten to transfer power to separate provinces or confederation of provinces, with the Bengal and Punjab Assemblies being given the options to vote for partition of their provinces

(b) The plan devised by Pethick Lawrence to give autonomy to Indian princes and provinces

(c) A plan devised by the Muslim League and the Congress to provide autonomy to Indian provinces to form confederations

(d) A plan devised by Mountbatten to allow Indian princes the freedom to either be independent or to join either India or Pakistan

Answer: (a) a plan devised by Mountbatten to transfer power to separate provinces or confederation of provinces, with the Bengal and Punjab Assemblies being given the options to vote for partition of their provinces

Explanation: Plan Balkan was Mountbatten’s early scheme for provincial-level transfer of power. It let Bengal and Punjab assemblies vote on partitioning their own provinces. Pethick Lawrence, League-Congress confederation ideas, and princely options describe other plans. So option (a) is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Nature of Mountbatten’s early Plan Balkan

NDA 2012-II

Q. 10. The first Prime Minister of India in 1947 was appointed by

(a) the Governor General

(b) the President of India

(c) Mahatma Gandhi

(d) a committee headed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Answer: (a) the Governor General

Explanation: The Governor General held the formal power to appoint the Prime Minister in 1947. Mountbatten, in this role, appointed Nehru as India’s first Prime Minister. India had no President yet, and Gandhi held no formal appointing power. So option (a) the Governor General is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Authority behind the first Prime Minister’s appointment

NDA 2012-I

Q. 11. Statement I: In the year 1946, the Council of the Muslim League accepted the Cabinet Mission Plan.

Statement II: The Muslim League proposed to join the Interim Government.

(a) Both statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I

(b) Both statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I

(c) Statement I is true but Statement II is false

(d) Statement I is false but Statement II is true

Answer: (b) Both statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I

Explanation: The Muslim League Council did initially accept the Cabinet Mission Plan. The League later did move toward joining the Interim Government too. Joining the government came as a separate, later decision, not I’s cause. So both statements are true, but II does not explain I. Concept Tested: Sequence of League decisions around the Cabinet Mission Plan

NDA 2010-I

Q. 12. Which one of the following statements with regard to ‘Direct Action Day’ is correct?

(a) Hasan Suhrawardy presided over the ‘Direct Action Day’

(b) ‘Direct Action’ took place in Delhi

(c) ‘Direct Action Day’ led to the Bihar riot

(d) ‘Direct Action’ was endorsed by the Congress Party

Answer: (c) ‘Direct Action Day’ led to the Bihar riot

Explanation: Direct Action Day’s Calcutta violence spread and helped trigger Bihar riots. This chain of communal violence followed the League’s August 1946 call. The day’s events centred on Calcutta, not Delhi. Congress did not endorse this Muslim League-led call to action. So option (c) is the correct answer. Concept Tested: Consequence of Direct Action Day’s communal violence

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