Constitutional & Political Struggle (1909-1947) MCQs with Answers
Solved MCQs on the Pakistan Movement — the Simla Deputation and Muslim League, Lucknow Pact, Khilafat, Nehru Report and Fourteen Points, the Lahore Resolution and the road to Partition. Sourced from PPSC past papers.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded MAO College Aligarh in 1875 and the Scientific Society in 1864.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan died on 27 March 1898.
Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905; it was annulled on 12 December 1911.
Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dhaka led Bengal’s Muslims and founded the AIML.
The Simla Deputation (1906) was led by Aga Khan III to Viceroy Lord Minto.
The Simla Deputation’s demand for separate electorates was granted in the Minto-Morley Reforms 1909.
The All-India Muslim League was founded at Dhaka on 30 December 1906.
The Lucknow Pact (1916) saw Congress accept separate electorates and one-third of central seats for Muslims.
The Khilafat Movement was launched by Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar; committee formed March 1919.
The Chauri Chaura incident (1922) led Gandhi to suspend Non-Cooperation.
The Simon Commission (1927) was boycotted because it contained no Indian member.
The Nehru Report (1928) was prepared under Motilal Nehru and rejected separate electorates.
Jinnah’s Fourteen Points (1929) answered the Nehru Report, demanding a federal system with Muslim safeguards.
Allama Iqbal delivered the Allahabad Address in 1930, proposing a consolidated Muslim state.
Iqbal was born 9 November 1877; his first Persian collection was Asrar-e-Khudi.
Three Round Table Conferences were held in London (1930-32) under PM Ramsay MacDonald.
The Government of India Act 1935 introduced provincial autonomy.
The 1937 elections were held under the 1935 Act; Congress rule convinced Muslims of the need for safeguards.
The Lahore Resolution was moved by A.K. Fazlul Huq on 23 March 1940, Jinnah presiding.
The August Offer (1940) was made by Lord Linlithgow and rejected by Congress.
The Cripps Mission (1942) sought Indian support for WWII, offering post-war dominion status.
The Cabinet Mission (1946) was led by Lord Pethick-Lawrence.
Direct Action Day was observed on 16 August 1946.
The Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947 set out the partition of India.
Sir Cyril Radcliffe chaired the Boundary Commissions; the Radcliffe Award was published 17 August 1947.
Pakistan’s First Constituent Assembly met on 11 August 1947.
Justice Abdul Rashid administered the oath to Quaid-e-Azam as Governor-General.
Afghanistan was the only state to oppose Pakistan’s UN membership in 1947.
Who founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College at Aligarh?
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the MAO College at Aligarh in 1875. It later became Aligarh Muslim University and was the intellectual engine of the Aligarh Movement.
In which year was MAO College Aligarh established?
MAO College was established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, offering modern Western education alongside Islamic values.
Which institution did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan establish to translate English works into Urdu?
Sir Syed founded the Scientific Society in 1864 to translate Western scientific and educational works into Urdu, making modern knowledge accessible to Muslims.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan established the Scientific Society in which city?
The Scientific Society was first established at Ghazipur in 1864, before being moved to Aligarh.
What was the major objective of the Aligarh Movement?
The Aligarh Movement's primary aim was to promote modern scientific and Western education among Muslims, who had fallen behind after 1857.
When did Sir Syed Ahmad Khan die?
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan died on 27 March 1898 at Aligarh, having laid the educational foundations of Muslim political revival.
Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk served as which office-holder of Aligarh College?
Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk served as Secretary of Aligarh College, continuing Sir Syed's work after his death.
The Partition of Bengal occurred in which year?
Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905, creating a Muslim-majority Eastern Bengal and Assam — welcomed by Muslims but fiercely opposed by Congress.
At the time of the Partition of Bengal (1905), who was the Viceroy of India?
Lord Curzon was Viceroy when Bengal was partitioned in 1905, officially on administrative grounds.
Why did the British justify the Partition of Bengal?
The British justified the 1905 partition on administrative grounds, arguing Bengal was too large to govern effectively — though Muslims saw real benefit and Hindus saw a divide-and-rule tactic.
On which date was the annulment of the Partition of Bengal announced?
The partition was annulled on 12 December 1911 at the Delhi Durbar, a decision Muslims regarded as a betrayal and which pushed the Muslim League towards separate politics.
Who was the leader of the Muslims of East Bengal at the time of the Partition of Bengal?
Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dhaka led Bengal's Muslims and was a principal supporter of the 1905 partition.
Who headed the Simla Deputation of 1906?
Aga Khan III led the 35-member Simla Deputation to Viceroy Lord Minto in October 1906, demanding separate electorates for Muslims.
What was the main demand of the Simla Deputation, later accepted in the Minto-Morley Reforms?
The Deputation's central demand was separate electorates, which was conceded in the Minto-Morley Reforms (Indian Councils Act) of 1909 — a landmark recognition of Muslims as a distinct political community.
Who was the Viceroy of British India when the All-India Muslim League was founded in 1906?
Lord Minto was Viceroy in 1906, the year the All-India Muslim League was founded and the Simla Deputation met him.
The All-India Muslim League was founded in which city?
The All-India Muslim League was founded at Dhaka on 30 December 1906, during the annual meeting of the All-India Muhammadan Educational Conference.
Who founded the All-India Muslim League?
Nawab Khwaja Salimullah of Dhaka proposed and founded the All-India Muslim League in 1906 to safeguard Muslim political rights.
On which date was the All-India Muslim League founded at Dhaka?
The All-India Muslim League was founded on 30 December 1906 at Dhaka.
The formation of the All-India Muslim League was most directly influenced by which event?
The Partition of Bengal (1905) and the Hindu agitation against it convinced Muslim leaders they needed a separate political platform.
In which year was the Lucknow Pact signed between Congress and the Muslim League?
The Lucknow Pact was signed in 1916 — the high point of Hindu-Muslim political cooperation.
The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was concluded between which two parties?
The Lucknow Pact was an agreement between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League, largely brokered by Jinnah — then called the 'Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity'.
What did Congress concede to Muslims under the Lucknow Pact?
Congress accepted separate electorates and agreed to reserve one-third of seats in the central legislature for Muslims — its first formal recognition of Muslim political identity.
Who initiated the Khilafat Movement?
Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar, alongside his brother Maulana Shaukat Ali, launched the Khilafat Movement to defend the Ottoman Caliphate after World War I.
When was the All India Khilafat Committee formed?
The All India Khilafat Committee was formed in March 1919 to organise Muslim protest over the treatment of the Ottoman Caliph.
Where was the first session of the Khilafat Conference held?
The first Khilafat Conference session was held at Delhi in November 1919.
Who was the British Prime Minister when the Khilafat delegation visited England in 1920?
David Lloyd George was Prime Minister in 1920 when the Khilafat delegation, led by Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar, travelled to London.
Which 1922 incident led Gandhi to suspend the Non-Cooperation Movement?
The Chauri Chaura incident of February 1922, in which a mob burned a police station, prompted Gandhi to call off Non-Cooperation — a decision that dismayed his Khilafat allies.
What was the main purpose of the Simon Commission?
The Simon Commission (1927) was appointed to review constitutional reforms, but was boycotted across India because it contained no Indian member.
The Nehru Report was published in which year?
The Nehru Report was published in 1928 as an Indian response to the Simon Commission.
Who presented the Nehru Report?
The report was prepared under Motilal Nehru — father of Jawaharlal — and rejected separate electorates, alarming Muslim leaders.
Which two Muslims contributed to the writing of the Nehru Report?
Shoaib Qureshi and Sir Ali Imam were the Muslim members associated with the Nehru Report committee; Shoaib Qureshi ultimately dissented on Muslim safeguards.
Quaid-e-Azam's Fourteen Points were issued in response to which document?
Jinnah framed his Fourteen Points as a direct rebuttal of the Nehru Report, setting out the minimum constitutional safeguards Muslims required.
In which year did Quaid-e-Azam present his famous Fourteen Points?
Jinnah presented the Fourteen Points in 1929, and they became the benchmark of Muslim constitutional demands for the next decade.
What form of government did Jinnah's Fourteen Points demand?
The Fourteen Points demanded a federal constitution with residuary powers for provinces and firm safeguards for Muslim representation.
In which city did Allama Iqbal deliver his famous presidential address proposing a Muslim state?
Allama Iqbal delivered the Allahabad Address in December 1930, first articulating the idea of a consolidated Muslim state in north-western India.
When was Allama Iqbal born?
Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born on 9 November 1877 at Sialkot.
What was the title of Allama Iqbal's first book of Persian poetry?
Asrar-e-Khudi ('Secrets of the Self'), published in 1915, was Iqbal's first Persian poetry collection and set out his philosophy of Khudi (selfhood).
What was the subject of Allama Iqbal's PhD thesis?
Iqbal's doctoral thesis at Munich was 'The Development of Metaphysics in Persia'.
Through which medium did Allama Iqbal primarily spread his political and philosophical message?
Iqbal reached the Muslim masses chiefly through his Urdu and Persian poetry, which carried his philosophy of Khudi and Muslim revival.
How many Round Table Conferences were held in the 1930s?
Three Round Table Conferences were held, in 1930-31, 1931 and 1932.
When was the First Round Table Conference held?
The First Round Table Conference opened in November 1930 in London.
Where were all the Round Table Conferences held?
All three Round Table Conferences were held in London.
Who was the British Prime Minister during the Round Table Conferences?
Ramsay MacDonald was Prime Minister and chaired the Round Table Conferences; he later issued the Communal Award of 1932.
Which prominent Congress leader did not attend the First Round Table Conference?
Congress boycotted the First Round Table Conference, so Gandhi did not attend; he participated only in the Second.
Who was the chief Muslim leader at the First Round Table Conference?
Sir Agha Khan III led the Muslim delegation at the First Round Table Conference.
What was the most distinctive feature of the Government of India Act 1935?
The Act's defining feature was provincial autonomy, ending dyarchy in the provinces and giving elected Indian ministries real power.
The 1937 elections were held under which law?
The 1937 provincial elections were conducted under the Government of India Act 1935.
What was the main significance of the 1937 elections?
The 1937 elections put provincial autonomy into practice. Congress ministries' conduct in office convinced many Muslims that they could not rely on a Hindu-majority government.
In which year did women formally join the All India Muslim League?
Women joined the All India Muslim League in 1937, and the women's wing went on to play a major role in the Pakistan Movement.
Who moved the Pakistan (Lahore) Resolution of 1940?
A.K. Fazlul Huq, the Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940.
Who presided over the Muslim League session at Lahore in 1940?
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah presided over the historic Lahore session of March 1940.
The Lahore Resolution of 1940 was seconded from Punjab by whom?
Malik Barkat Ali seconded the Lahore Resolution on behalf of Punjab.
Who was the Viceroy at the time of the August Offer of 1940?
Lord Linlithgow made the August Offer in 1940, proposing dominion status after the war in exchange for Indian support.
What was Congress's reaction to the August Offer of 1940?
Congress rejected the August Offer outright, considering its promises inadequate and vague.
What was the main purpose of the Cripps Mission (1942)?
Sir Stafford Cripps was sent in 1942 to win Indian cooperation for the war effort by promising post-war constitutional advance.
What did the Cripps proposals recommend?
The Cripps proposals offered dominion status after the war, with provinces free to opt out — an implicit acceptance of the principle of partition.
Against which movement did the Muslim League take a position in 1942?
The Muslim League opposed Congress's Quit India Movement of 1942 and used the period to strengthen its organisation.
The Cabinet Mission came to India in which year?
The Cabinet Mission arrived in India in 1946 to plan the transfer of power.
Who led the Cabinet Mission?
Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Secretary of State for India, led the three-member Cabinet Mission alongside Cripps and A.V. Alexander.
What was the primary purpose of the Cabinet Mission of 1946?
The Cabinet Mission was tasked with devising a framework for transferring power and preserving Indian unity — a plan that ultimately collapsed.
When was Direct Action Day observed?
The Muslim League observed Direct Action Day on 16 August 1946 to press the demand for Pakistan; it triggered severe communal rioting in Calcutta.
The Mountbatten Plan is also known as which plan?
Announced on 3 June 1947, the Mountbatten Plan (3rd June Plan) set out the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan.
Who headed the Punjab Boundary Commission at the time of partition?
Sir Cyril Radcliffe chaired both the Punjab and Bengal Boundary Commissions, despite never having visited India before.
Who was the non-Muslim member of the Punjab Boundary Commission?
Justice Teja Singh was among the non-Muslim members of the Punjab Boundary Commission.
When was the Radcliffe Award announced?
The Radcliffe Award was published on 17 August 1947 — after independence — leaving the new borders unknown during the worst of the partition violence.
When did Quaid-e-Azam reach Karachi before Partition?
Quaid-e-Azam arrived in Karachi on 7 August 1947, a week before independence.
On which date did the First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan hold its inaugural session?
The First Constituent Assembly met on 11 August 1947, when Jinnah delivered his celebrated address on the rights of all citizens.
Who administered the oath to Quaid-e-Azam as Governor-General of Pakistan?
Justice Sir Abdul Rashid, Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, administered the oath to Quaid-e-Azam on 15 August 1947.
Which country opposed Pakistan's membership of the United Nations in 1947?
Afghanistan was the only country to vote against Pakistan's admission to the United Nations in 1947, owing to the Durand Line dispute.
Who wrote the book 'Jinnah of Pakistan'?
'Jinnah of Pakistan' (1984) was written by the American historian Stanley Wolpert.
Where are Quaid-e-Azam's personal letters preserved?
Quaid-e-Azam's personal papers and letters are preserved at the National Archives of Pakistan in Islamabad.
Constitutional & Political Struggle (1909-1947) — Complete Reference
This chapter traces the four decades in which Indian Muslims moved from seeking safeguards within a united India to demanding a separate homeland. It runs from the Simla Deputation and the founding of the All-India Muslim League (1906), through the Lucknow Pact, Khilafat Movement, Nehru Report and Jinnah’s Fourteen Points, to the Lahore Resolution of 1940 and Partition in 1947. Every MCQ below is drawn from PPSC past papers (2002-2026), so you are practising questions that have genuinely been asked. It is Chapter 6 of our Pakistan Studies MCQs hub.
Milestones of the Pakistan Movement
| Year | Event | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon | Created a Muslim-majority province; Hindu agitation alarmed Muslims |
| 1906 | Simla Deputation (Aga Khan III) & founding of the AIML at Dhaka | First organised Muslim political demand and platform |
| 1909 | Minto-Morley Reforms | Granted separate electorates — recognition of Muslims as a distinct community |
| 1911 | Annulment of the Partition of Bengal | Seen as betrayal; pushed the League towards independent politics |
| 1916 | Lucknow Pact | Congress accepted separate electorates and one-third of central seats |
| 1919-22 | Khilafat Movement | Mass Muslim mobilisation; ended after Chauri Chaura |
| 1927-28 | Simon Commission & Nehru Report | Nehru Report rejected separate electorates, alarming Muslims |
| 1929 | Jinnah’s Fourteen Points | Set the minimum Muslim constitutional demands |
| 1930 | Allahabad Address by Allama Iqbal | First clear articulation of a separate Muslim state |
| 1935 | Government of India Act | Introduced provincial autonomy |
| 1937 | Provincial elections | Congress ministries convinced Muslims they needed their own state |
| 1940 | Lahore Resolution (23 March) | Formal demand for independent Muslim states |
| 1942 | Cripps Mission | Offered post-war dominion status; provinces could opt out |
| 1946 | Cabinet Mission & Direct Action Day | Last attempt at unity failed; communal violence escalated |
| 1947 | 3 June Plan, Radcliffe Award, Independence | Partition and the creation of Pakistan on 14 August |
Key Figures to Memorise
| Figure | Associated With |
|---|---|
| Sir Syed Ahmad Khan | Aligarh Movement; MAO College 1875; Scientific Society 1864; died 1898 |
| Nawab Salimullah Khan | Founded the All-India Muslim League at Dhaka, 1906 |
| Aga Khan III | Led the Simla Deputation 1906; chief Muslim leader at the First Round Table Conference |
| Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar | Launched the Khilafat Movement |
| Allama Iqbal | Allahabad Address 1930; Asrar-e-Khudi; born 9 November 1877 |
| Quaid-e-Azam M. A. Jinnah | Fourteen Points 1929; presided over Lahore 1940; first Governor-General |
| A.K. Fazlul Huq | Moved the Lahore Resolution, 23 March 1940 |
| Sir Cyril Radcliffe | Chaired the Boundary Commissions; award published 17 August 1947 |
Common exam trap: the Simla Deputation (1906, led by Aga Khan III, demanding separate electorates) is a different event from the Simla Conference (1945, called by Lord Wavell). Papers frequently offer both as options in the same question.
For further reading see Wikipedia’s entries on the Pakistan Movement and the Lahore Resolution. Syllabus references are published by FPSC and PPSC.