On this post, we provide AHSEC Class 12 History Chapter 16: Understanding Partition Notes and important question and answers for the 2025 examination.
After going through this unit you will be able: To examine the factors, circumstances which were responsible for the Partition of India. To know, due to Partition how people were affected from both the nation especially the women. To analyze the role of Mahatma Gandhi to stopped the scheme for partition and how he requested people to maintain unity, peace, harmony. To discuss the role of communal organizations, which create a condition of communal politics and finally demand for separate states. To know about the role of common people and their views towards Partition.
Chapter – 16
THEME FOURTEEN: UNDERSTANDING PARTITION
Politics, Memories, Experiences
Ahsec Class 12 History Chapter 16 Model questions and Answer for 1 mark: (very short type)
1. By which name Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan known? Imark (2019)
Ans: Frontier Gandhi, by this name he is known.
2. Who coined the term “Pakistan”? 1 mark(2018, 2012)
Ans: Choudhry Rehmat Ali, a Punjabi Muslim student at Cambridge, coined the term Pakistan in 1933.
3. What was the name for present Bangladesh during the time of partition of India? 1mark (2014)
Ans:- East Pakistan
4. What is Rukka? 1mark
Ans: Rukka is a short handwritten note.
5. In when for the first time separate electorates for Muslims was given by British? Imark
Ans: In 1909 British passed the provision for the Muslims.
6. What does NWFP define?
Ans: It stand North Western Frontier Province.
7. Name the Muslim Congress leader who asked to not to join Muslim League. Imark
Ans: Maulana Azad.
8. Who “Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan Hamara”? 1
Ans: The Urdu poet Mohammad Iqbal wrote it.
9. When did Cabinet Mission came to India? 9 Ans: In March 1946, Mission came to India.
10. Who wrote “The Other Side of Silence”?
Ans: Urvashi Butalia wrote this book.
11. Who were ‘muhajirs’?
Ans: Urdu speaking migrant people.
12. Who was the founder of ‘two-nation theory’? Imark
Ans: Mahammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of Muslim League.
13. Name two films, which was based on India’s Partition. Imark
Ans: “Meghe Dhaka Tara and Subarnarekha” and “Garam Hawa”.
14. Who wrote “Love is Stronger than Hate: A Remembrance of 1947”? Imark
Ans: Khusdeva Singh.
Ahsec Class 12 History Chapter 16 Model questions and Answer for 2 Marks :
1. Describe how did women experience the partition of India. 2marks (2018, 2013)
Ans: The experience of women due to partition:
(i) Harrowing experience of women to settle down to a new life etc. Abduction, sold, forced
(ii) They were brutally tortured and beated.
(iii) They found the governmenst of both India and Pakistan insensitive to their problems.
(iv) Government’s insensitivity to the feelings of women.
2. Write the names of two congress leaders who opposed partition of India. 2marks (2016)
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
3. What do you mean by the term Holocaust? 2marks
Ans: Holocaust means destruction or slaughter on a mass scale. Many scholars have used this term for loot, Arson, killings during the partition.
4. What was Lucknow pact? 2marks
Ans: The Lucknow pact of December 1916 was an understanding between the Congress and the Muslim league. The congress accepted separate electorates.
5. What is Pakistan resolution? 2marks
Ans: In 1940 the League moved a resolution demanding a measure of autonomy for the Muslim majority areas.
6. What was the attitude of the Indian National Congress towards second world war? 2marks
Ans: The Indian National Congress was ready to help Britain if they make a clear declaration to free India after the second world war.
7. Give short description on Hindu Mahasabha. 2marks
Ans: It was founded in 1915, the Hindu Mahasabha was a Hindu party that remained confined to North India. It aimed to unite Hindu society by encouraging the Hindus to transcend the divisions of caste and sect. It sought to define Hindu identity in opposition to Muslim identity.
8. What was Arya Samaj? 2marks
Ans: Arya Samaj was a North Indian Hindu reform organisation of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly active in the Punjab, which sought to revive Vedic learning and combine it with modern education in the sciences.
9. What was the impact of separate electorates for Muslims on the communal politics? 2marks
Ans: (1) The Muslims could elect their own representatives in reserved constituency.
(ii) They can favour the people belonging to their own religious groups.
10. Give a brief account on Muslim League. 2marks
Ans: The Muslim League Initially floated in Dhaka in 1906, the Muslim League was quickly taken over by the U.P.-based Muslim elite. The party began to make demands for autonomy for the Muslim-majority areas of the subcontinent and/or Pakistan in the 1940s.
11. What was the Unionist Party? 2marks
Ans: A political party representing the interests of landholders of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh in the Punjab. The party was particularly powerful during the period 1923-47.
12. Give an account on the Grouping Plan of Cabinet Mission. 2marks
Ans: According to the suggestion of Cabinet Mission, India was divided into three group. These were-
(i) Section A for the Hindu majority provinces, and
(ii) Sections B and C for the Muslim-majority provinces of the north-west and the north-east (including Assam) respectively
(iii) The sections or groups of provinces would comprise various regional units. They would have the power to set up intermediate-level executives and legislatures of their own.
13. Name two book which was written on India’s Partition. 2marks
Ans: “The Other Side of Silence” by Urvashi Butalia and “Train to Pakistan” by Khsdev Singh.
Ahsec Class 12 History Chapter 16 Model questions and Answer for 3/4 Marks :
1. What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940? 3marks
Ans: An important resolution was passed by the Muslim League on 23rd March, 1940. This resolution was drafted by Sikandar Hayat Khan, the leader of the Unionist Party and the Punjab Premier. Through this, the Muslim League demanded an autonomy for the Muslim-majority areas of the subcontinent. But in the resolution there was no mention either of the partition of the country or the creation of Pakistan. Sikandar Hayat Khan was opposed to the idea of the formation of Pakistan. He opined of a loose federation with a lot of autonomy for the states.
2. Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development? 4marks
Ans: Some people think that partition of India in 1947 was a sudden development. Many Muslim leaders were not serious in their demand for Pakistan as a separate nation. On many occasions, Jinnah used the idea of Pakistan to seek favours from the British and to block concessions into the Congress. Even the Muslims were confused about the idea of Pakistan. They could not think of their future in an independent country called Pakistan. Many people had migrated to the new country with the hope that they would soon come back to India as soon as the situation improved. In fact, the partition was so sudden that nobody could imagine it. 4marks
3. How did ordinary people view Partition?
Or
Describe the harrowing experiences of ordinary people during the period of partition of India.
Ans: For ordinary people, partition was full of challenges and brought sufferings.
(i) The division was not a territorial division for them. It was also not a party politics of Congress and the Muslim League for them.
(ii) But for the ordinary people, partition was a challenge for them.
(iii) It brought misery and troubles to them. It meant death of their loved one, loss of property and wealth. Partition also uprooted them from their paternal land.
(iv) People were forced to live in refugee camps. They were also forced to start their life once again from a new platform. So for ordinary people, partition was not a pleasant experience, but it was painful and full of sufferings.
4. What were the factors for the rise of communalism among people in pre-independence days? 4marks
Ans: Communal identities were consolidated by a host of other developments in the early twentieth century. During the 1920s and early 1930s tension grew around a number of issues.
(i) Muslims were angered by “music-before-mosque”, by the cow protection movement, and by the efforts of the Arya Samaj to bring back to the Hindu fold (shuddhi) those who had recently converted to Islam.
(ii) Hindus were angered by the rapid spread of tabligh (propaganda) and tanzim (organisation) after 1923.
(iii) As middle class publicists and communal activists sought to build greater solidarity within their communities, mobilising people against the other community, riots spread in different parts of the country.
(iv) Every communal riot deepened differences between communities, creating disturbing memories of violence.
5. Why and How Did Partition Happen? 4marks
Ans: (i) Both Indian and Pakistani, suggest that Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s theory that the Hindus and Muslims in colonial India constituted two separate nations can be projected back into medieval history.
(ii) According to some, the Hindu-Muslim conflict throughout medieval and modern times resulted the partition.
(iii) Separate electorate provision by the Act 1909, 1935; meant that Muslims could now elect their own representatives in designated constituencies which resulted for demanding a separate rule for their religious people
(iv) Communal identities led to this partition ie between Muslim League and Hindu Mahsabha
6. What do you mean by Communalism? Discuss briefly.
4marks
Ans: (1) Communalism refers to a politics that seeks to unify one community around a religious identity in hostile opposition to another community
(ii) It seeks to define this community identity as fundamental and fixed.
(iii) It attempts to consolidate this identity and present it as natural as if people were born into the identity, as if the identities do not evolve through history over time.
(iv) In order to unify the community, communalism suppresses distinctions within the community and emphasises the essential unity of the community against other communities.
7. Give an account on the “Pakistan Resolution”.4marks
Ans: The Pakistan resolution was-
(1) The Pakistan demand was formalised on 23rd March 1940.
(ii) Shikandar Hayat Khan, Punjab Premier and leader of Unionist Party drafted this resolution.
(iii) The name Pakistan or the state should be consisted of Punjab, Afghan, Sind, Baluchistan and Kashmir.
(iv) The role of Rehmat Ali, student at Cambridge played an important role to form a separate state for the Muslims; and who coined the name “Pakistan”
8. Write briefly about the possible alternative to Partition of India. 4marks
Ans: The plan of Cabinet Mission would be the alternate solution to partition. Following are the suggestion of the Cabinet-
(i) The Cabinet Mission was the possible alternative to Partition.
(ii) Cabinet Mission was sent to India in March, 1946 to examine the demand of the League and to find out a possible solution.
(iii) The Cabinet Mission toured the country for three months and recommended a loose three-tier confederation.
(iv) They divided the provinces in to three sections for constituent Assembly; i.e. Section A for the Hindu-majority provinces and Sections B and C for the Muslim-majority provinces
9. Mention briefly about the role of Leaders during the period just before independence (1946-1947). 4marks
Ans: Role of League during just before independence were-
(1) After the failure of Cabinet Mission Plan, British planning to quit India, as a result no one in power to look after the administration.
(ii) The leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, J. Nehru, V. Patel or M.A. Jinnah. Nobody knew who could exercise authority and power.
(iii) Gandhiji, he was busy with the violence affected people. He spread the message like brotherhood, maintain peace etc. among them.
(iv) Many Indian civil servants in the affected provinces feared for their own lives and property.
10. Briefly mention the role Gandhiji just before the Partition. 4marks
Ans: The period 1946-47 was a dark period in Indian history; Gandhiji played an important role during this time-
(i) He was moving around all over the country to spread peace, harmony, brotherhood among the people of India.
(ii) He tried to changed the mind of the people through his principle of non-violence.
(iii) He visited the area which were highly affected with communal violence and guaranteed safety one group against the other.
(iv) He asked all Indians to live together, no divide on the basis of religion.
Ahsec Class 12 History Chapter 16 Model questions and Answer for 5 Marks :
1. Did the Muslim League visualize the new country through its resolution of 1940? 5marks (2012)
Ans: The Muslim League passed an important resolution on 23rd March, 1940.
(1) Through this resolution, the Muslim League demanded an autonomy for the Muslim majority areas of the sub-continent.
(ii) However, it did not mention either partition of country or the creation Pakistan. In fact, Sikander Hayat Khan, the Punjab premier and leader of the Unionist Party, had drafted this resolution.
(iii) He said in the Punjab Assembly on 1st March that he opposed the creation of Pakistan. He was in favour of a loose confederation with a lot of autonomy for the units.
(iv) But gradually the communal scenario between Muslim League and Hindu Mahasbha grew day by day and their members started communal riot in different places of India with demand for separate state for each.
(v) Partition or creation of Pakistan was an unexpected fruit came to Indians, though, the two nation theory of Jinnah also highly responsible.
2. The partition of India was a holocaust. Justify?
Ans: Partition of India holocaust; because:
(i) A large number of people were killed.
ii) Lakhs of people had become refugees.
iii) A large number of people were rendered homeless.
iv) There were killings, loots, arson and rape.
v) People lost their properties and all their assets.
3. What are the merits and demands of Oral history? 5
Ans: The merits and demands of Oral history:
(i) It helps us grasp experience and memories in detail.
(ii) It enables historians to write richly textured, vivid accounts of events like partition.
(iii) Oral history also allows historian to broaden the boundaries of their discipline.
(iv) Many historians argue the uniqueness of personnel experience makes generalization difficult.
(v) They think Oral accounts are concerned with tangential issues.
4. Why Cabinet missions was sent to India? What were the main features of its plan? 5marks
Ans: Cabinet mission was sent to India to suggest a solution for the Indian problem.
(i) The mission recommended a loose three of her confederation
(ii) India would have a federal government including princely states and provinces of British India.
(iii) Federal government would be dealing with Defence, Foreign affairs and communication.
(iv) Provisions was made for the grouping of provinces.
(v) The representation of all three groups meet in a constituent Assembly to draft a constitution.
(vi) Congress and League rejected the cabinet mission’s proposal.
5. What was the impact of partition on Indian women? 5marks
Ans: Impact of partition of India on Indian Women:
(i) Harrowing experience of women to settle down to a new life etc. Abduction, sold, forced
(ii) They were brutally tortured and beated.
(iii) They found the governmenst of both India and Pakistan insensitive to their problems.
(iv) Government’s insensitivity to the feelings of women.
(v) Women not allowed to voice their opinion.
(vi) Killing of women in the name of saving honour of women.
(vii) Forcing women to commit suicide to save themselves from falling into the hands of enemies.
6. What were Mahatma Gandhi’s arguments against Partition? 5marks
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi was in favour of unity among various communities of the country.
(1) He was a firm supporter of religious harmony. He never supported the idea of partition. He did not want the separation of the Muslims from the Hindus who had been living together for centuries.
(ii) In his view partition was wrong. He was ready to sacrifice his life for an undivided India. But he was not ready to accept the partition.
(ii) In his view, Islam stood for unity and brotherhood of mankind and not for separation.
(iv) So he said that the demand of Pakistan by the Muslim League was un-Islamic and sinful.
(v) In his view those who favoured the partition were enemies of both Islam and India.
(vi) He opined the Hindu and the Muslims belonged to the same land. They were living in India together for centuries. They shared the same land, same food. They drank the same water. They speak the same language and they live in peace and harmony:
So he appealed to the Muslim League not to demand for a separate nation.
7. Why is Partition viewed as an extremely significant marker in South Asian history?
5marks
Ans: The following reasons can be put forward for the given view:
(i) The partition of India had a unique nature. This partition was based on religions. The partition took place in the name of the communities. History has never witnessed such type of partition.
(ii) The partition marked a severe violence. People began to kill each other irrespective of their earlier relation. Earlier they lived with each other in harmony and peace but now started to kill each other. Government machinery failed to check this.
(iii) People faced a lot of problems. Their life became miserable.
Their near and dear ones were killed. Many people were abducted.
(iv) People moved across the border. Most of the Muslims of India crossed over to Pakistan and almost all Hindus and Sikhs came to India from Pakistan. They were forced to start their life afresh.
(v) People lost all their movable and immovable property all of a sudden. They became homeless and forced to live in refugee camps.
8. Why was British India partitioned? 5marks
Ans: Several factors can be attributed for the partition of British India. Some of them are discussed below:
(i) Role of Communal Parties and Organisations: Several historians and scholars think that due to the hatred, political aspirations of the Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha reated feeling of separation and isolation among different communities.
(ii) British Policy: In India, the British followed the policy of Divide and Rule. Before the arrival of the British, the Hindus and the Muslims lived happily. There was unity, mutual cooperation and brotherhood among them. But British sowed the seeds of dissension and followed the policy of Divide and Rule.
(iii) Most of the historians believe that this policy of Divide and Rule was the main reason of the partition.
(iv) Role of British Government: The British Government somehow encouraged the Muslim League to demand for a separate state. They tried to disrupt the movement of independence by playing the game of imperialism.
(v) Role of Leaders: Under the leadership of Jinnah, the Muslim League moved a resolution at Lahore demanding a measure of autonomy for the Muslim majority area and after that a new nation called Pakistan. On the while the leaders of Hindu Mahasabha also asked one nation on the basis of Hinduism.
9. How did the Congress come to change its view on Partition? 5marks
Ans: (i) Initially the Indian National Congress was not in favour of the partition. But in March, 1947, the Congress high command agreed to Punjab into two parts.
(ii) One part would consist of the Muslim majority areas and the other part would consist of the areas having Hindu-Sikh majority.
(iii) To most of the Sikh leaders and Congress leaders, partition of Punjab was a necessary evil. The Sikhs feared that their denial to the partition of Punjab may lead them to be overpowered by the Muslims.
(iv) They would be under control of the Muslims. Situation was the same in Bengal. The Bhadralok Bengali Hindus of Bengal wanted to retain political power with them. They were also apprehensive of the Muslims.
(v) In Bengal, the Hindus were in minority. So they favoured the partition. They thought that partition would help them to retain political dominance. These reasons forced the Congress to change their view on Partition.
10. Examine the strengths and limitations of oral history. How have oral-history techniques furthered our understanding of Partition? 5marks
Ans: Oral history techniques help historians to write experiences of people during the time of partition. In fact, history of partition has been reconstructed with the help of oral narratives.
(i) It is not possible to extract such kind of information from government records. Government would not provide such information which paint them in bad colour.
(ii) It will also not tell about the daily development of the events during the partition. Moreover, Government was involved in negotiation. Documents of government deal with policy matters and throw light on efforts of major political parties ()But the oral history tells the day to day account. It is told by the people who have actually gone through the pains of the partition. But the oral data is not free from limitations
(iv) Oral data lacks concrete details. It does not have the chronological order. Oral accounts are concerned with tangential issues and that small individual experiences, which may not be a detail history.
(v) In oral history people may not talk their personal aspects They can hide even their fault or fault of their community as a whole.
Read the passage carefully and answer the following: “Without a shot being fired” (2018, 2013)
This is what Moon wrote: For over twenty-four hours riotous mobs were allowed to rage through this great commercial city unchallenged and unchecked. The finest bazaars were burnt to the ground without a shot being fired to disperse the incendiaries (i.e. those who stirred up conflict). The District Magistrate marched his (large police) force into the city and marched it out again without making any effective use of it at all
(i) What was the cause of this riot? 2marks
Ans: The main cause was the Communalism. The Muslim and Hindu community hatred each other and wanted established separate country for each. As a result, the communal violence took place just before Independence.
(ii) Why could not the riotus mob be challenged? 2marks
Ans: The riotous mob could not challenge because of the collapse of the constitution of government. There was practically no one to take charge of the situation.
(iii) What measures the police and the administrators should have taken against the wrongdoers? 2marks
Ans: They should have arrested all the wrongdoers and brutally punish them. They should be made to tell that what wrong they were doing by killing commoners in the land which they have shared through ages.
small basket of grapes (2016, 2012)
A This is what Khushdeva Singh writes about his experience during one of his visits to Karachi in 1949: My friends took me to a room at the airport where we all sat down and talked (and) had lunch together. I had to travel from Karachi to London at 2.30 a.m. At 5.00 p.m. I told my friends that they had given me so generously of their time, I thought it would be too much for them to wait the whole night and suggested they must spare themselves the trouble. But nobody left until it was dinner time… Then they said they were leaving and that I must have a little rest before emplaning. I got up at about 1.45 a.m. and, when I opened the door, I saw that all of them were still there They all accompanied me to the plane, and, before parting, presented me with a small basket of grapes. I had no words to express my gratitude for the overwhelming affection with which I was treated and the happiness this stopover had given me.
(i) Why was Khusdev Singh so moved by the affection of his old friends in Karachi? 2marks
Ans: The partition had created so much of ill feeling in the minds of both the countries India and Pakistan or rather Hindus and Muslims that Khusdeva was moved when he saw the warmness and affection of his old friends.
(ii) Was such a genuine friendship rare in post partition days? 2marks
Ans: Such genuine friendship was indeed rare, because of the ill feeling of India hater in Pakistan and Pakistan haters in India that was the order of the day after partition.
(iii) Why was Khusdev Singh seen it as a symbol of humanity and harmony? 2marks
Ans: Khusdeva Singh, who spent a day with his friends in Karachi was overwhelmed with their love and respects shown to him. All his friends were waiting for him for the departure time of his flight. They did not leave him even though they were politely told that they need not take such trouble and a small basket of grapes was presented to him. This happiness and affection cannot forget by Singh.
(iv) This narrative was an example of oral history. Does it help the historians to reconstruct the events of the recent past? 2marks
Ans: Oral source is always considered as authentic, if it is examining clearly. Of course, this account of Khusdeva Singh helps to reconstruct the events; through it we know the real picture, behavior of Pakistani people. The anger, hatred, enmity of the people during partition days has changed and now people forgot all those dark pages and wanted to established a good relation between both the country.
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FAQs
Are there any chapter-wise solutions and important question answers available for AHSEC Class 12 History 2025?
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