The Partition of Bengal made by Lord Curzon in 1905 lasted until
Contents17
- AThe First World War when Indian troops were needed by the British and the partition was ended.
- BKing George V abrogated Curzon's Act as the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911
- CGandhiji launched his Civil Disobedience Movement.
- DThe Partition of India in 1947 when East Bengal became East Pakistan.
Show answer
Answer: (B) King George V abrogated Curzon's Act as the Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1911
Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905, splitting it into East Bengal (Muslim majority) and West Bengal (Hindu majority).
This sparked massive protests — the Swadeshi and Boycott movements.
The partition was annulled in 1911 at the Delhi Durbar, when King George V announced the reunification of Bengal and also shifted the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
Timeline to remember:
1905 — Partition by Curzon.
1911 — Annulled at Delhi Durbar by King George V.
The other options are historically unrelated events.
(Ref: Bipin Chandra, Modern India)
The 1905 Partition of Bengal lasted only 6 years until 1911, making it one of the few major British administrative decisions that was quickly reversed due to Indian resistance.
The 1911 Delhi Durbar was significant because King George V made two major announcements: reunifying Bengal and shifting India's capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
UPSC is testing whether students can distinguish between the original partition reversal in 1911 and the much later 1947 partition that created Pakistan.
Partition of Bengal (1905-1911)
Modern Indian History Partition of Bengal Lord Curzon 1905
Partition of Bengal (1905-1911): Curzon's Policy & Its Reversal
Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905 into East and West Bengal
Partition was annulled in 1911 by King George V at Delhi Durbar
Sparked massive Swadeshi and Boycott movements
East Bengal had Muslim majority, West Bengal had Hindu majority
Background
Lord Curzon justified the partition as an administrative necessity — Bengal Presidency was too large to govern efficiently. However, the real motive was divide and rule policy to weaken Bengali nationalism by separating Hindu and Muslim populations.
The Partition Details
New Province | Capital | Population Composition | Area Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
East Bengal & Assam | Dacca (Dhaka) | Muslim majority | Eastern Bengal + Assam |
West Bengal | Calcutta | Hindu majority | Western Bengal + Bihar + Orissa |
Timeline of Events
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`****1905** - Partition Announced**
Lord Curzon officially partitions Bengal on October 16, 1905`"]
s2["`****1905-1911** - Mass Protests**
Swadeshi movement, boycott of British goods, violent resistance`"]
s3["`****1911** - Delhi Durbar**
King George V announces partition annulment and capital shift`"]
s4["`****1912** - Reunification**
Bengal reunited, separate provinces of Bihar-Orissa and Assam created`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Why Partition Failed
Economic boycott severely hurt British trade — Lancashire textiles faced massive losses
Violent resistance including bomb attacks made administration difficult
Unity across communities — even moderate Muslims opposed the partition
International embarrassment as British faced criticism for obvious communal divide
Trap: Partition ended during World War I — Wrong. It ended in 1911, three years before WWI.
Trap: Gandhi's Civil Disobedience ended it — Wrong. Gandhi's movement was in 1930, partition ended in 1911.
Trap: Partition lasted until 1947 — Wrong. Only East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1947, but the 1905 partition itself was annulled in 1911.
Remember: King George V personally announced the annulment at Delhi Durbar 1911 — not any Indian leader or movement.
Delhi Durbar (1911)
Modern Indian History King George V Royal Durbar Delhi 1911
Delhi Durbar 1911: King George V's Historic Announcements
King George V held durbar in Delhi on December 12, 1911
Three major announcements: Bengal partition annulled, capital shifted to Delhi, new provinces created
First and only British monarch to visit India as Emperor
Significance
The Delhi Durbar of 1911 was the most significant royal ceremony in colonial India. King George V and Queen Mary personally attended, making it the first time a reigning British monarch visited India as Emperor.
Three Historic Announcements
Announcement | Details | Impact |
|---|---|---|
Bengal Partition Annulled | East and West Bengal reunified | Ended 6 years of massive protests |
Capital Shifted | From Calcutta to New Delhi | Strategic move away from Bengali nationalism |
New Provinces Created | Bihar-Orissa and Assam as separate provinces | Administrative reorganization |
Why Delhi Durbar Was Important
Strategic timing — British wanted to appease Indian sentiment after Bengal partition protests
Symbolic gesture — King's personal presence showed British commitment to India
Administrative efficiency — New capital Delhi was more centrally located than Calcutta
Political calculation — Moving away from Calcutta reduced Bengali influence on government
Trap: Confusing with Delhi Durbar 1903 held by Lord Curzon — that was different, much smaller ceremony.
Trap: Thinking Indian leaders convinced the King — Wrong. This was purely a British administrative decision to control unrest.
Remember: December 12, 1911 is the exact date when King George V made these announcements.
Swadeshi and Boycott Movement
Modern Indian History Swadeshi Boycott
Swadeshi & Boycott Movement (1905-1911): Economic Weapon Against Partition
Swadeshi = use of Indian goods, Boycott = rejection of British goods
Triggered by Bengal Partition (1905), ended with annulment (1911)
Combined economic resistance with political protest
First mass movement to use economic weapons against British rule
The Strategy
The movement used economic nationalism as a weapon. Swadeshi meant promoting Indian industries and crafts, while boycott meant complete rejection of British manufactured goods, especially textiles from Lancashire.
Methods of Resistance
Method | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
Economic Boycott | Refused British textiles, sugar, salt | Lancashire exports to India dropped by 25% |
Swadeshi Promotion | Used khadi, Indian soap, Indian sugar | Revival of Indian cottage industries |
Educational Boycott | Left government schools and colleges | National schools established |
Social Ostracism | Isolated those who used British goods | Created social pressure for compliance |
Movement Leadership
# Swadeshi Leaders
## **Moderate Leaders**
- Surendranath Banerjea
- K.K. Mitra
- Peaceful protests
## **Extremist Leaders**
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- Lala Lajpat Rai
- Bipin Chandra Pal
## **Bengal Leaders**
- Aurobindo Ghosh
- Barindra Ghosh
- Revolutionary methodsLong-term Impact
Economic model — Established boycott and swadeshi as permanent weapons in freedom struggle
Mass participation — First movement to involve students, women, and common people actively
Industrial growth — Led to growth of Indian textile mills, soap factories, and cottage industries
Educational awakening — National education movement started with Bengal Technical Institute and other schools
Key Events Timeline (1905-1947)
Modern Indian History First World War Civil Disobedience Movement Partition of India
Major Historical Events: Chronological Context for UPSC
World War I (1914-1918) came 3 years after Bengal partition ended
Gandhi's Civil Disobedience (1930) came 19 years after partition ended
Partition of India (1947) was completely separate from Bengal Partition (1905-1911)
Chronological Comparison
Event | Year | Relation to Bengal Partition | Key Point |
|---|---|---|---|
Bengal Partition | 1905-1911 | The main event | Annulled by King George V |
World War I | 1914-1918 | Started 3 years later | No connection to partition annulment |
Civil Disobedience | 1930 | Started 19 years later | Led by Gandhi, unrelated to Bengal |
India Partition | 1947 | 36 years later | East Bengal became East Pakistan |
Freedom Struggle Phases
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`****Moderate Phase** (1885-1905)**
Congress prayers and petitions method`"]
s2["`****Militant Nationalism** (1905-1918)**
Bengal Partition, Swadeshi, extremist leadership`"]
s3["`****Gandhian Era** (1919-1947)**
Non-cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India`"]
s4["`****Independence & Partition** (1947)**
End of colonial rule, creation of Pakistan`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4Chronology Trap: UPSC loves testing sequence confusion — Bengal Partition (1905-1911) vs India Partition (1947).
Leader Confusion: King George V ended Bengal Partition, Gandhi had no role in it.
Event Overlap: World War I and Bengal Partition are completely separate events with different timelines.