17 extra multiple-choice questions for Reconstruction of Post-colonial India (12th Standard History, Samacheer Kalvi), beyond the ones printed in the textbook — each with the correct option highlighted and a clear, worked explanation. Free to read in English and Tamil.
Q1
Sir Cyril Radcliffe, sent from London to redraw the map of India, arrived in India on
- A. June 3, 1947
- B. July 8, 1947Correct
- C. August 9, 1947
- D. August 15, 1947
Explanation. Radcliffe, a lawyer with no exposure to India, arrived on July 8, 1947 to preside over the Punjab and Bengal Boundary Commissions. The commissions submitted their report on August 9, 1947.
Q2
The Mountbatten plan for independence along with partition of India was accepted at the AICC meeting held on June 14, 1947 at
- A. Lahore
- B. Karachi
- C. MeerutCorrect
- D. Nagpur
Explanation. The AICC accepted the Mountbatten plan for independence with partition at its meeting at Meerut on June 14, 1947. Congress finally reconciled itself to the division of Bengal and the Punjab.
Q3
Mountbatten announced his plan on June 3, 1947 and advanced the transfer of power to August 15, 1947. How many days lay between the two dates?
- A. 48 days
- B. 62 days
- C. 72 daysCorrect
- D. 90 days
Explanation. The lesson notes that the architecture and execution of partition began only with the June 3 announcement, and the time left before the transfer of power on August 15, 1947 was a mere 72 days.
Q4
What was the long line of refugees walking across the new borders during partition called?
- A. KafilaCorrect
- B. Razakar
- C. Praja Mandal
- D. Purana Quila
Explanation. The long line of refugees crossing the borders on foot was called a kafila. The refugees on the march were targeted by gangs of the other community seeking vengeance.
Q5
The Delhi pact of April 8, 1950, meant to restore confidence among minorities on both sides, was signed by Nehru and
- A. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
- B. Liaquat Ali KhanCorrect
- C. Chou En-lai
- D. Sir C.P. Ramaswamy
Explanation. Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan signed the Delhi pact on April 8, 1950 to restore the confidence of minorities in both nations, though it failed to change the ground reality.
Q6
The founding principle that Indians shall make their own constitution, and that swaraj must spring from the wishes of the people expressed through their freely chosen representatives, was laid down by Gandhi as early as
- A. 1922Correct
- B. 1931
- C. 1934
- D. 1946
Explanation. Gandhi laid down this principle as early as 1922. The Congress formally demanded in 1934 that Indians draft their own constitution, and the Karachi resolution on Fundamental Rights came in 1931.
Q7
The legal language of the Indian Constitution drew most importantly from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United Nations promulgated on
- A. December 9, 1946
- B. December 13, 1946
- C. December 10, 1948Correct
- D. November 26, 1949
Explanation. The spirit of the Constitution came from the freedom struggle, and its legal language from the Objectives Resolution and, most importantly, the UDHR promulgated by the United Nations on December 10, 1948.
Q8
Which of the following statements about Kashmir are correct?
1. Maharaja Hari Singh declared that Kashmir would remain independent.
2. The people, led by the National Conference, waged a 'Quit Kashmir' agitation against the Maharaja.
3. Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession before August 15, 1947.
- A. 1 and 2 onlyCorrect
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Explanation. Hari Singh declared Kashmir independent while the National Conference led the 'Quit Kashmir' agitation. He signed the Instrument of Accession only after Pakistani marauders raided Kashmir in October 1947, so statement 3 is wrong.
Q9
Assertion (A): The police action in Hyderabad was executed within 48 hours after the Nizam declared his kingdom independent.
Reason (R): Popular anger against the Nizam and his militia, the Razakkars, seen in the Telengana people's movement led by the communists, provided legitimacy to the police action.
- A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.Correct
- B. Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A.
- C. A is true but R is false.
- D. A is false but R is true.
Explanation. The lesson says the police action came within 48 hours of the Nizam's declaration, and that popular anger against the Nizam and the Razakkars, shown in the Telengana movement, provided its legitimacy. So R explains A.
Q10
The Punnapra-Vayalar armed struggle, part of the movement for Responsible Government in Travancore, was directed against
- A. The Maharaja of Mysore
- B. Diwan Sir C.P. RamaswamyCorrect
- C. The Nizam of Hyderabad
- D. The ruler of Junagadh
Explanation. The long, militant struggle in Travancore State for Responsible Government culminated in the Punnapra-Vayalar armed struggle against the Diwan, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy, and helped the integration of Princely States.
Q11
Match the following.
(A) Nagpur session of the Congress - 1. October 1955
(B) Report of the Linguistic Provinces Commission - 2. April 1, 1949
(C) Report of the JVP committee - 3. 1920
(D) Report of the States Reorganisation Commission - 4. December 10, 1948
- A. A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1Correct
- B. A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
- C. A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
- D. A-1, B-4, C-2, D-3
Explanation. The Nagpur session of 1920 resolved to form Provincial Congress Committees on a linguistic basis. The Linguistic Provinces Commission reported on December 10, 1948, the JVP committee on April 1, 1949, and the Fazl Ali commission in October 1955.
Q12
Potti Sriramulu, whose fast revived the demand for linguistic states, began his fast for a separate Andhra state on October 19, 1952 and died on
- A. December 8, 1952
- B. December 15, 1952Correct
- C. January 1, 1953
- D. October 1, 1953
Explanation. Potti Sriramulu began his fast demanding a separate state of Andhra on October 19, 1952 and died on December 15, 1952. His death revived the idea of linguistic states after the first general elections.
Q13
Arrange the following in chronological order.
(i) Formation of Gujarat from Maharashtra
(ii) Report of the States Reorganisation Commission
(iii) Trifurcation of Punjab
(iv) States Reorganisation Act
- A. ii, iv, i, iiiCorrect
- B. iv, ii, i, iii
- C. ii, i, iv, iii
- D. ii, iv, iii, i
Explanation. The States Reorganisation Commission reported in October 1955, the States Reorganisation Act followed in 1956, Gujarat was created in May 1960, and Punjab was trifurcated in 1966.
Q14
Find the odd one out with respect to the States Reorganisation Commission.
- A. Fazl Ali
- B. K.M. Panikkar
- C. H.N. Kunzru
- D. Pattabhi SitaramayyaCorrect
Explanation. The States Reorganisation Commission had Fazl Ali as chairperson and K.M. Panikkar and H.N. Kunzru as members. Pattabhi Sitaramayya was a member of the JVP committee, not of this commission.
Q15
Which of the following is NOT one of the five principles of Panch Sheel agreed by India and China in 1954?
- A. Mutual non-aggression
- B. Peaceful co-existence
- C. Non-alignment with the power blocsCorrect
- D. Mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs
Explanation. Panch Sheel covers respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference, equality and cooperation for mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence. Non-alignment was India's broader foreign policy doctrine.
Q16
In October 1959, after the Dalai Lama was given asylum in India, Chinese forces opened fire on an Indian patrol near
- A. The Thagla ridge
- B. The Kongka pass in LadakhCorrect
- C. The Khyber pass
- D. Srinagar in Kashmir
Explanation. In October 1959 the Chinese opened fire on an Indian patrol near the Kongka pass in Ladakh, killing five policemen. The attack on the Thagla ridge came later, on 8 September 1962.
Q17
In 1961 Nehru stood with Nasser of Egypt and Tito of Yugoslavia to call for
- A. Nuclear disarmament and peaceCorrect
- B. A military pact against the USSR
- C. The re-colonisation of Indonesia
- D. A common Asian currency
Explanation. The high point of Nehru's foreign policy came in 1961 when he stood with Nasser of Egypt and Tito of Yugoslavia to call for nuclear disarmament and peace, the essence of non-alignment.
