UPSC Prelims 2014 · Question 75 of 100
UPSC Prelims 2014 question on Radcliffe Boundary Commission
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2014
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectModern History
- TopicIndian National Movement
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeDirect
The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to
Show answer
Answer: C. delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan
Verdict
The answer is to delimit the boundaries between India and Pakistan. The Radcliffe Boundary Commission drew the Partition line in 1947.
Analysis
Sir Cyril Radcliffe chaired the commissions that divided Punjab and Bengal, and his award was published shortly after 15 August 1947, contributing to the confusion and violence of Partition. The minorities option describes the concern of bodies such as the Minorities Sub Committee of the Constituent Assembly. The Independence Bill option describes the Indian Independence Act itself rather than a boundary commission. The East Bengal riots option points to the Noakhali disturbances of 1946, which were addressed differently.
Source
Spectrum, A Brief History of Modern India.
How to crack it
Committee and commission questions are answered fastest by translating the name into a function. Radcliffe means boundary, Cripps and Cabinet Mission mean constitutional proposals, Hunter means the Jallianwala inquiry, Simon means constitutional review, Rowlatt means sedition powers. Build that single translation table for the twenty or so names that recur in modern history and this entire question type becomes mechanical.