Question map
The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until
Explanation
The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until King George V abrogated Curzon's Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.[1] During the Royal Durbar held in Delhi in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V, the announcement was made to reunite Bengal.[2]
The partition of Bengal in 1905 was a controversial administrative decision that divided Bengal into two provinces, ostensibly for administrative efficiency but widely perceived as an attempt to weaken the growing nationalist movement by dividing Hindus and Muslims. The decision sparked widespread protests and the Swadeshi movement. Due to intense public opposition and the failure to achieve its intended objectives, the British government reversed the partition. The annulment in 1911 reunited Bengal, though this led to other territorial reorganizations including the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
SourcesPROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'Sitter' from standard Modern History texts (Spectrum/Old NCERT). Although the skeleton flagged it as web-based, every serious aspirant knows the 1911 Delhi Durbar annulment. The question tests the 'End Date' of a major event, not just the start.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Did the Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 end during the First World War when Indian troops were needed by the British?
- Statement 2: Did King George V abrogate Curzon's Partition of Bengal Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911?
- Statement 3: Did the Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 remain in effect until Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement?
- Statement 4: Did the Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 remain in effect until the Partition of India in 1947 when East Bengal became East Pakistan?
- Explicitly gives the correct option (b) as the annulment: King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act in 1911.
- Directly contradicts the claim that it ended during the First World War.
- Presents the same multiple-choice options and gives the answer as (b).
- By identifying (b) as correct, it indicates annulment occurred in 1911, not during WWI.
- States the partition 'lasted until (b) King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.'
- Directly refutes the wartime-ending claim by giving the 1911 annulment event and date.
States that the partition was annulled in 1911 and gives the official reason (to curb revolutionary terrorism).
A student can combine this date (1911 annulment) with the basic external fact that World War I began in 1914 to judge whether the annulment occurred during the War.
Explains that Britain recruited a vast contingent of Indians to serve in Europe, Africa and West Asia during the First World War.
A student can use this to connect British wartime manpower needs (1914–18) to possible policy changes and then compare timing with the 1911 annulment noted elsewhere.
Gives the exact announcement date of the 1905 partition and frames it as a key trigger for intensified nationalist politics.
Use this to establish the start date of the partition (1905) and then compare the duration until annulment (1911) versus the WWI period (basic external knowledge).
Describes the Swadeshi and Boycott movement beginning with the 1905 partition and the political consequences that followed.
A student can infer that strong nationalist agitation followed partition and then consider whether the British response (annulment) was prompted by pre‑War political factors rather than wartime troop needs.
Presents administrative reasons given for partition (relief of Bengal, development of Assam) and shows partition was debated and planned well before 1905.
A student could contrast stated administrative motives and the chronology of planning (late 19th/early 20th century) with the timing of annulment and WWI to assess causal links.
- Explicitly states the partition was annulled in 1911 and links the announcement to the Royal Durbar in Delhi.
- Specifically names King George V's 1911 Durbar as the occasion when the decision to reunite Bengal was announced.
- Direct answer form shows the accepted answer: that King George V abrogated Curzon's Act.
- The passage ties the 1911 annulment of the 1905 partition to King George V's action.
- States the same claim: that King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.
- Frames the annulment as the end point of the 1905 Partition of Bengal.
Explicitly states that the Coronation Durbar of King George V was held in Delhi in 1911 (places the monarch in Delhi that year).
A student could check whether the annulment announcement coincided with that Durbar or was publicly declared there.
Says the partition of Bengal was decided to be annulled in 1911 (gives the date of annulment).
Combine this date with the Durbar date to suspect a temporal link and then verify whether the Durbar was the venue of the announcement.
Explains Curzon originated and promoted the partition of Bengal (links Curzon to the 1905 partition policy being later reversed).
Knowing Curzon enacted the partition, a student can focus on 1911 reversal sources to see who announced its abrogation and where.
Describes the original 1903–05 partition plan and administrative details (establishes the Act/policy that would later be annulled).
Use this background to search 1911 records of formal annulment documents or proclamations and whether they were promulgated at the Durbar.
- Directly answers the posed question and selects the abrogation by King George V as the end of the 1905 Partition.
- This answer option (b) contradicts the alternative that it lasted until Gandhiji launched the Civil Disobedience Movement.
- States explicitly that the 1905 Partition 'lasted until... King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911.'
- Provides a clear end date (1911) for the partition, which contradicts the claim that it remained until Gandhiji's Civil Disobedience Movement.
Gives the formal date when Curzon issued the order dividing Bengal (20 July 1905) and describes the two new units; establishes the partition's origin and precise starting action.
A student can combine this start-date with outside timelines (e.g., dates of later administrative orders) to check whether the division persisted up to 1930.
States the date the partition 'took effect' (16 October 1905), confirming when the administrative change became operative.
Use this operative date together with external records of any subsequent reversals/annulments to test if it remained in force until 1930.
Gives the clear date when Gandhi formally launched the Civil Disobedience Movement (6 April 1930), providing the endpoint date against which to compare the partition's duration.
Compare the 1905 effective date (from snippets above) with this 1930 date and then consult historical sources for any administrative change(s) between them.
Reports specific Bengal organisational activity tied to Gandhi's civil disobedience campaign, indicating the movement reached Bengal in 1930 and showing Bengal remained a relevant administrative/political unit at that time.
A student could use this to infer Bengal's continued political identity in 1930 and then check if the 1905 administrative division still existed or had been reversed by then.
- Directly answers the multiple-choice question about how long the 1905 partition lasted.
- States that King George V abrogated Curzon's Act, indicating the 1905 partition ended in 1911, not 1947.
- Explains explicitly that the 1905 Partition of Bengal 'lasted until' King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act in 1911.
- This directly refutes the idea that the 1905 partition remained in effect until the 1947 Partition of India.
Gives the exact date the 1905 partition 'took effect' (16 October 1905), establishing a concrete starting point for any continuity question.
A student could compare this start date to 1947 maps/records to see if the same administrative unit persisted until partition of India.
Describes the 1903–1905 scheme creating two provinces: 'Bengal' (with Calcutta) and 'Eastern Bengal and Assam' (with Dacca as capital), specifying the territorial composition and capitals.
Using a historical map or list of provinces in 1947, a student can check whether 'Eastern Bengal and Assam' (or a successor) corresponds to the East Bengal that joined Pakistan.
States the partition was formally announced in July 1905 and came into force in October 1905, emphasising its formal administrative implementation.
A student could trace administrative orders/records from 1905 to 1947 to test whether those implemented boundaries remained or were altered before 1947.
Explains the 1947 outcome: legislative assemblies of Bengal decided in favour of partition and 'East Bengal' joined Pakistan — linking the 1947 provincial entity name ('East Bengal') to the partition outcome.
Compare the 1905 entity 'Eastern Bengal and Assam' (from 1905) with the 1947 entity 'East Bengal' to see if they are territorially the same or had been reorganised in the intervening period.
Notes the two parts created in 1905 were 'Eastern Bengal and Assam' (population details) and 'the rest of Bengal', highlighting that the 1905 partition separated Assam with eastern Bengal from western parts.
A student could use population/territorial descriptions plus external maps to judge whether the eastern partition in 1905 corresponds territorially to East Bengal of 1947.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Directly covered in Spectrum (Chapter: Era of Militant Nationalism) and Old NCERT (Bipan Chandra).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The timeline of the Swadeshi Movement and the administrative evolution of British India (1905–1911).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 1911 Delhi Durbar Trinity: 1) Annulment of Bengal Partition, 2) Shift of Capital from Calcutta to Delhi, 3) Creation of Bihar & Orissa as a separate province (and Assam reverting to a Chief Commissionership). Viceroy: Lord Hardinge II.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Always study the 'Closure' of historical movements. Don't just stop at 1905 (Start of Swadeshi); ask 'When did the grievance end?' Similarly, for NCM, know Chauri Chaura; for CDM, know Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
The statement concerns timing of the partition's end; references state the partition date (1905) and explicitly record its annulment in 1911.
High-yield for questions on administrative reorganisation and nationalist responses: candidates must know key dates (partition 1905, annulment 1911), reasons for annulment, and how these shaped later politics. Useful for timeline-based questions and for contrasting pre‑ and post‑WWI policies. Learn by linking dates to causes and consequences in concise timeline notes.
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 14: Nationalist Movement 1905—1918 > THE PARTITION OF BENGAL > p. 240
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Annulment of Partition > p. 269
Several references describe the Swadeshi/boycott movement as the direct political response to the 1905 partition.
Frequently tested topic under the nationalist movement: explains methods (boycott, swadeshi), leadership (Moderates/Extremists), and why the movement pressured the British. Helps answer causation questions (policy → popular movement → government response). Prepare by memorising leaders, methods and outcomes.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > The Swadeshi and Boycott Movement > p. 280
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement > Spread of the Movement > p. 19
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Anti-Partition Campaign Under Moderates (1903-05) > p. 262
The statement links the partition's end to WWI-era troop needs; a reference discusses British recruitment of Indian soldiers during WWI and its political consequences.
Important when evaluating wartime effects on colonial policy and nationalist sentiment—useful for questions comparing pre‑war and wartime British responses, and for understanding why some policy changes occurred before WWI. Study by mapping wartime events to changes in British‑Indian relations.
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement > Introduction > p. 31
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Annulment of Partition > p. 269
References state the partition was annulled in 1911 and that the annulment and related administrative changes occurred that year.
High-yield for UPSC: links a major nationalist response (Swadeshi movement) to administrative reversal in 1911. Useful for questions on causes/consequences of policy reversals and timing of key events. Prepare by correlating dates, motives, and political impact using textbook timelines and primary summaries.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Annulment of Partition > p. 269
Evidence notes a coronation/Royal Durbar of King George V was held in Delhi in 1911 and the capital was shifted to Delhi that year.
Important for questions linking imperial ceremony to administrative decisions (capital shift, announcements). Master the sequence (Durbar, capital transfer, policy announcements) and distinguish ceremonial acts from executive/legal orders. Use timelines and compare multiple sources to avoid conflating events.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > 13. Lord Hardinge II 1910-1916 > p. 820
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Annulment of Partition > p. 269
Sources explain Curzon's 1905 partition motives (administrative relief, Assam development) and the sharp nationalist reaction to his policies.
Core concept for modern India syllabus: explains origins of Swadeshi movement and later policy reversal. Useful across polity, modern history, and ethics questions about administrative decisions and political fallout. Study by mapping causes, administrative logic, and nationalist responses; link to later annulment.
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement > 17 Rise of Extremism and Swadeshi Movement > p. 18
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Partition of Bengal to Divide People > p. 261
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Reactionary Policies of Curzon > p. 260
Several references record that Curzon's partition was formally announced in 1905 and took effect on 16 October 1905; these establish the origin and immediate enactment of the measure.
High-yield for chronology questions: UPSC often asks causes, dates and immediate consequences of major colonial administrative decisions. Mastering the exact year and date helps place subsequent movements (Swadeshi, boycott) in timeline questions and comparative essays. Prepare by memorising core dates and linking them to short-term political reactions.
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 14: Nationalist Movement 1905—1918 > THE PARTITION OF BENGAL > p. 240
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 14: Nationalist Movement 1905—1918 > The Anti-Partition Movement or the Swadeshi and Boycott Movement > p. 241
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > The Swadeshi and Boycott Movement > p. 280
The 'Assam Reversion': When Bengal was reunited in 1911, Assam was re-separated and reverted to a Chief Commissionership (it had been part of 'Eastern Bengal and Assam' since 1905). This administrative detail is often missed.
Timeline Logic: WWI began in 1914 (Option A eliminated). CDM was 1930 (Option C eliminated). If Partition lasted till 1947 (Option D), the intense 'United Bengal' politics of C.R. Das and Subhash Bose in the 1920s/30s would make no sense. 1911 is the only historically consistent fit.
Mains GS-1 (Regionalism) & GS-2 (Federalism): Contrast Curzon's 1905 partition (Administrative Convenience/Divide & Rule) with the 1956 States Reorganization (Linguistic basis). The 1911 annulment was the first major victory of 'pressure group' politics in India.