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Q81 (IAS/2014) History & Culture › National Movement (1857–1947) › Early national politics Official Key

The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until

Result
Your answer: —  Ā·  Correct: B
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.

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Q. The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until [A] the First World War when Indian troops were needed by the British a…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 Ā· 10/10
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This 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.

How this question is built

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?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Ans: (b) King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act"
Why this source?
  • 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.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Answer: (b)"
Why this source?
  • 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.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until (b) King George V abrogated Curzon’s Act at the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911."
Why this source?
  • 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.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 12: Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909) > Annulment of Partition > p. 269
Strength: 5/5
ā€œIt was decided to annul the partition of Bengal in 1911 mainly to curb the menace of revolutionary terrorism. The annulment came as a rude shock to the Muslim political elite. It was also decided to shift the capital to Delhi as a sop to the Muslims, as it was associated with Muslim glory, but the Muslims were not pleased. Bihar and Orissa were taken out of Bengal and Assam was made a separate province.ā€
Why relevant

States that the partition was annulled in 1911 and gives the official reason (to curb revolutionary terrorism).

How to extend

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.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 3: Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement > Introduction > p. 31
Strength: 4/5
ā€œSeveral events that preceded the First World War had a bearing on Indian nationalist politics. In 1905 Japan had defeated Russia. In 1908 the Young Turks and in 1911 the Chinese nationalists, using Western methods and ideas, had overthrown their governments. Along with the First World War these events provide the background to Indian nationalism during 1916 and 1920. Europe was the main theatre of the War, though fighting took place in other parts of the world as well. The British recruited a vast contingent of Indians to serve in Europe, Africa and West Asia. After the War, the soldiers came back with new ideas which had an impact on the Indian society.ā€
Why relevant

Explains that Britain recruited a vast contingent of Indians to serve in Europe, Africa and West Asia during the First World War.

How to extend

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.

Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 14: Nationalist Movement 1905—1918 > THE PARTITION OF BENGAL > p. 240
Strength: 4/5
ā€œThus the conditions for the emergence of militant nationalism had developed when in 1905 the partition of Bengal was announced and the Indian national movement entered its second stage. On 20 July 1905. Lord Curzon issued an order dividing the province of Bengal into two parts: Eastern Bengal and Assam with a population of 31 millions, and the rest of Bengal with a population of 54 millions, of whom 18 millions were Bengalis and 36 millions Biharis and Orivas Bengal united is a power; Bengal divided will pull several different ways. That is what the Congress leaders feel: their apprehensions are perfectly correct and they form one of the great merits of the scheme...ā€
Why relevant

Gives the exact announcement date of the 1905 partition and frames it as a key trigger for intensified nationalist politics.

How to extend

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).

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
Strength: 3/5
ā€œā— The Swadeshi and Boycott Movement • * Began as a reaction to partition of Bengal which became known in 1903, was formally announced in July 1905 and came into force in October 1905. The motive behind partition was to weaken Bengal which was the nerve centre of Indian nationalist activity; the official reason given for the partition was that Bengal had become too big to administer—which was true to some extent.• * Moderate-led anti-partition movement (1903-05) was under Surendranath Banerjea, K.K. Mitra, Prithwishchandra Ray. Methods included public meetings, petitions, memoranda, propaganda through newspapers and pamphlets.• * The movement under Extremists (1905-08) was led by Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo Ghosh.ā€
Why relevant

Describes the Swadeshi and Boycott movement beginning with the 1905 partition and the political consequences that followed.

How to extend

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.

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
Strength: 3/5
ā€œBengal Presidency as an administrative unit was indeed of unmanageable in size; the necessity of partition was being discussed since the 1860s. The scheme of partition was revived in March 1890. In Assam, when Curzon went on a tour, he was requested by the European planters to make a maritime outlet closer to Calcutta to reduce their dependence on the Assam–Bengal railways. Following this, in December 1903, Curzon drew up a scheme in his Minutes on Territorial Redistribution of India, which was later modified and published as the Risely Papers. The report gave two reasons in support of partition: Relief of Bengal and the improvement of Assam.ā€
Why relevant

Presents administrative reasons given for partition (relief of Bengal, development of Assam) and shows partition was debated and planned well before 1905.

How to extend

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.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-I Ā· 2017 Ā· Q83 Relevance score: 1.35

Which colonial administrator made the following declaration about the partition of Bengal in 1904 ? ā€œBengal united is a power. Bengal divided will pull in different ways. That is perfectly true and one of the merits of the schemeā€

NDA-I Ā· 2010 Ā· Q8 Relevance score: 1.33

Consider the following statement and identify with the help of the code given below the Viceroy who made the statement and when : In my belief, Congress is tottering to its fall and one of my great ambitions while in India is to assist it to a peaceful demise. Code :

NDA-I Ā· 2008 Ā· Q48 Relevance score: 1.01

Who among the following annulled the Partition of Bengal?

IAS Ā· 1998 Ā· Q30 Relevance score: 0.87

Assertion (A) : Partition of Bengal in 1905 brought to an end the Moderates’ role in the Indian freedom movement. Reason (R) : The Surat session of Indian National Congress separated the Extremists from the Moderates.

IAS Ā· 2010 Ā· Q112 Relevance score: 0.73

What was the immediate cause for the launch of the Swadeshi movement?