UPSC Static Quiz – History : 23 February 2026

UPSC Static Quiz – History : 23 February 2026 We will post 5 questions daily on static topics mentioned in the UPSC civil services preliminary examination syllabus. Each week will focus on a specific topic from the syllabus, such as History of India and Indian National Movement, Indian and World Geography, and more. We are excited to bring you our daily UPSC Static Quiz, designed to help you prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination. Each day, we will post 5 questions on static topics mentioned in the UPSC syllabus. This week, we are focusing on Indian and World Geography.

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• Question 1 of 5 1. Question Consider the following statements regarding Partition of Bengal (1905). The new province of “Eastern Bengal and Assam” included the divisions of Chittagong, Dacca, and Rajshahi. The partition effectively made the Bengali-speaking population a minority in the province of “Bengal” itself. Lord Curzon officially justified the partition by citing the need to protect the interests of the Muslim peasantry against Hindu landlords. The day of the partition, October 16, 1905, coincided with the festival of Raksha Bandhan that year. Which of the above statements are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1, 3, and 4 only (c) 1, 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Correct Solution: C The Partition of Bengal involved a complex territorial reorganization. Statement 1 is correct; Eastern Bengal and Assam were united with Dacca as the capital, creating a Muslim-majority province. Statement 2 is correctand represents a key strategic insight; in the remaining province of “Bengal” (West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa), the 17 million Bengali speakers were outnumbered by 37 million speakers of Hindi and Oriya. This administrative reorganization reduced the relative political influence of Bengali-speaking elites within the province, a consequence noted by contemporary nationalist critics. Statement 3 is incorrect; the official reason provided to the public was “administrative convenience”due to the province’s massive population of 78 million. Statement 4 is correct; October 16, 1905, was declared a day of national mourning, and Rabindranath Tagore encouraged Hindus and Muslims to tie Rakhison each other’s wrists as a symbol of unity against the British attempt to divide them. Incorrect Solution: C The Partition of Bengal involved a complex territorial reorganization. Statement 1 is correct; Eastern Bengal and Assam were united with Dacca as the capital, creating a Muslim-majority province. Statement 2 is correctand represents a key strategic insight; in the remaining province of “Bengal” (West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa), the 17 million Bengali speakers were outnumbered by 37 million speakers of Hindi and Oriya. This administrative reorganization reduced the relative political influence of Bengali-speaking elites within the province, a consequence noted by contemporary nationalist critics. Statement 3 is incorrect; the official reason provided to the public was “administrative convenience”due to the province’s massive population of 78 million. Statement 4 is correct; October 16, 1905, was declared a day of national mourning, and Rabindranath Tagore encouraged Hindus and Muslims to tie Rakhison each other’s wrists as a symbol of unity against the British attempt to divide them.

#### 1. Question

Consider the following statements regarding Partition of Bengal (1905).

• The new province of “Eastern Bengal and Assam” included the divisions of Chittagong, Dacca, and Rajshahi.

• The partition effectively made the Bengali-speaking population a minority in the province of “Bengal” itself.

• Lord Curzon officially justified the partition by citing the need to protect the interests of the Muslim peasantry against Hindu landlords.

• The day of the partition, October 16, 1905, coincided with the festival of Raksha Bandhan that year.

Which of the above statements are correct?

• (a) 1 and 2 only

• (b) 1, 3, and 4 only

• (c) 1, 2 and 4 only

• (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Solution: C

• The Partition of Bengal involved a complex territorial reorganization.

• Statement 1 is correct; Eastern Bengal and Assam were united with Dacca as the capital, creating a Muslim-majority province.

• Statement 2 is correctand represents a key strategic insight; in the remaining province of “Bengal” (West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa), the 17 million Bengali speakers were outnumbered by 37 million speakers of Hindi and Oriya. This administrative reorganization reduced the relative political influence of Bengali-speaking elites within the province, a consequence noted by contemporary nationalist critics.

• Statement 3 is incorrect; the official reason provided to the public was “administrative convenience”due to the province’s massive population of 78 million.

• Statement 4 is correct; October 16, 1905, was declared a day of national mourning, and Rabindranath Tagore encouraged Hindus and Muslims to tie Rakhison each other’s wrists as a symbol of unity against the British attempt to divide them.

Solution: C

• The Partition of Bengal involved a complex territorial reorganization.

• Statement 1 is correct; Eastern Bengal and Assam were united with Dacca as the capital, creating a Muslim-majority province.

• Statement 3 is incorrect; the official reason provided to the public was “administrative convenience”due to the province’s massive population of 78 million.

• Question 2 of 5 2. Question Consider the following statements regarding the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904: Statement I: The Act was passed to safeguard and restore historical sites and monuments of archaeological or artistic interest. Statement II: It introduced the concept of ‘guardianship’, allowing the government to take responsibility for maintaining monuments even if they were privately owned. Statement III: The Act was a direct result of the recommendations of the Raleigh Commission. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct (c) Only Statement III is correct (d) All three statements are correct Correct Solution: A The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904 is often cited as one of the few positive legacies of Lord Curzon’s tenure. Statement I is correct; the Act aimed to protect and restore monuments that the British had previously neglected, reflecting Curzon’s personal passion for archaeology. Statement II is a core provision of the Act; it introduced ‘guardianship’, which allowed the Collector to enter into agreements with private owners to ensure the preservation of a site, or even compulsorily acquire a monument if it was in danger of being destroyed or misused. However, Statement III is incorrect; the Raleigh Commission (1902) was exclusively concerned with University education, not archaeology. Curzon’s archaeological reforms were largely driven by his own belief that the preservation of India’s heritage was a “sovereign obligation” of the British Raj, leading to the revival of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Incorrect Solution: A The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904 is often cited as one of the few positive legacies of Lord Curzon’s tenure. Statement I is correct; the Act aimed to protect and restore monuments that the British had previously neglected, reflecting Curzon’s personal passion for archaeology. Statement II is a core provision of the Act; it introduced ‘guardianship’, which allowed the Collector to enter into agreements with private owners to ensure the preservation of a site, or even compulsorily acquire a monument if it was in danger of being destroyed or misused. However, Statement III is incorrect; the Raleigh Commission (1902) was exclusively concerned with University education, not archaeology. Curzon’s archaeological reforms were largely driven by his own belief that the preservation of India’s heritage was a “sovereign obligation” of the British Raj, leading to the revival of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

#### 2. Question

Consider the following statements regarding the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904:

Statement I: The Act was passed to safeguard and restore historical sites and monuments of archaeological or artistic interest.

Statement II: It introduced the concept of ‘guardianship’, allowing the government to take responsibility for maintaining monuments even if they were privately owned.

Statement III: The Act was a direct result of the recommendations of the Raleigh Commission.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

• (a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct

• (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct

• (c) Only Statement III is correct

• (d) All three statements are correct

Solution: A

• The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904 is often cited as one of the few positive legacies of Lord Curzon’s tenure.

• Statement I is correct; the Act aimed to protect and restore monuments that the British had previously neglected, reflecting Curzon’s personal passion for archaeology.

• Statement II is a core provision of the Act; it introduced ‘guardianship’, which allowed the Collector to enter into agreements with private owners to ensure the preservation of a site, or even compulsorily acquire a monument if it was in danger of being destroyed or misused.

However, Statement III is incorrect; the Raleigh Commission (1902) was exclusively concerned with University education, not archaeology. Curzon’s archaeological reforms were largely driven by his own belief that the preservation of India’s heritage was a “sovereign obligation” of the British Raj, leading to the revival of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Solution: A

• The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904 is often cited as one of the few positive legacies of Lord Curzon’s tenure.

• Statement I is correct; the Act aimed to protect and restore monuments that the British had previously neglected, reflecting Curzon’s personal passion for archaeology.

• Question 3 of 5 3. Question Consider the following statements regarding the “Eleven Demands” put forward by Mahatma Gandhi to Lord Irwin in January 1930: The demands included a 50 percent reduction in land revenue and the total abolition of the salt tax. Gandhi sought the release of all political prisoners, including those accused of violent revolutionary activities. The demands were designed to unify diverse social interests, ranging from the urban bourgeoisie to the rural peasantry. How many of the above statements are incorrect? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three d) None Correct Solution: A Before commencing the Civil Disobedience Movement, Mahatma Gandhi sent an ultimatum to Viceroy Lord Irwin consisting of Eleven Demandsthat served as a “compromise formula” to bridge the gap between the government and the nationalists. Statement 1 is correctas it highlights the primary peasant-centric demands: a 50 percent reduction in land revenue and the complete abolition of the salt tax. Statement 2 is incorrectbecause Gandhi’s initial demand for the release of political prisoners, while broad, was later refined in the context of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact to apply only to those not convicted of violence; more importantly, his initial 11 points focused on general amnesty but the British refusal to commute the death sentences of revolutionaries remained a major point of contention. Statement 3 is correct because the list was a masterclass in coalition-building; it included bourgeois demands like protective tariffs on foreign cloth and the lowering of the rupee-sterling exchange ratio to 1s 4d, alongside general demands like total prohibition and the reduction of military expenditure. This “mixed package” aimed to mobilize a wide cross-section of Indian society against colonial rule. Incorrect Solution: A Before commencing the Civil Disobedience Movement, Mahatma Gandhi sent an ultimatum to Viceroy Lord Irwin consisting of Eleven Demandsthat served as a “compromise formula” to bridge the gap between the government and the nationalists. Statement 1 is correctas it highlights the primary peasant-centric demands: a 50 percent reduction in land revenue and the complete abolition of the salt tax. Statement 2 is incorrectbecause Gandhi’s initial demand for the release of political prisoners, while broad, was later refined in the context of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact to apply only to those not convicted of violence; more importantly, his initial 11 points focused on general amnesty but the British refusal to commute the death sentences of revolutionaries remained a major point of contention. Statement 3 is correct because the list was a masterclass in coalition-building; it included bourgeois demands like protective tariffs on foreign cloth and the lowering of the rupee-sterling exchange ratio to 1s 4d, alongside general demands like total prohibition and the reduction of military expenditure. This “mixed package” aimed to mobilize a wide cross-section of Indian society against colonial rule.

#### 3. Question

Consider the following statements regarding the “Eleven Demands” put forward by Mahatma Gandhi to Lord Irwin in January 1930:

• The demands included a 50 percent reduction in land revenue and the total abolition of the salt tax.

• Gandhi sought the release of all political prisoners, including those accused of violent revolutionary activities.

• The demands were designed to unify diverse social interests, ranging from the urban bourgeoisie to the rural peasantry.

How many of the above statements are incorrect?

• (a) Only one

• (b) Only two

• (c) All three

Solution: A

• Before commencing the Civil Disobedience Movement, Mahatma Gandhi sent an ultimatum to Viceroy Lord Irwin consisting of Eleven Demandsthat served as a “compromise formula” to bridge the gap between the government and the nationalists.

• Statement 1 is correctas it highlights the primary peasant-centric demands: a 50 percent reduction in land revenue and the complete abolition of the salt tax.

• Statement 2 is incorrectbecause Gandhi’s initial demand for the release of political prisoners, while broad, was later refined in the context of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact to apply only to those not convicted of violence; more importantly, his initial 11 points focused on general amnesty but the British refusal to commute the death sentences of revolutionaries remained a major point of contention.

• Statement 3 is correct because the list was a masterclass in coalition-building; it included bourgeois demands like protective tariffs on foreign cloth and the lowering of the rupee-sterling exchange ratio to 1s 4d, alongside general demands like total prohibition and the reduction of military expenditure. This “mixed package” aimed to mobilize a wide cross-section of Indian society against colonial rule.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is correctas it highlights the primary peasant-centric demands: a 50 percent reduction in land revenue and the complete abolition of the salt tax.

• Question 4 of 5 4. Question In the context of the Civil Disobedience Movement in Assam, consider the following statements: The “Cunningham Circular” was issued to prevent the student community from participating in political activities through threats of fines and loss of scholarships. The agitation against the Cunningham circular was spearheaded by the “Assam Chatra Sanmelan” which called for the picketing of government schools. The movement in Assam was unique because it achieved total unity between the Assamese and Bengali student factions from the outset. How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Correct Solution: B Assam’s experience highlights the specific localized challenges of the CDM. Statement 1 is correct; Director of Public Instruction R. Cunninghamissued the infamous circular in May 1930, requiring students and parents to sign bonds of “good behavior”. Statement 2 is correct; the Assam Chatra Sanmelanheld a special session in Gauhati and launched a strike and picketing campaign against the circular. Statement 3 is incorrect; historical records indicate that growing conflicts between Assamese and Bengalis, as well as Hindus and Muslims, prevented the movement in Assam from reaching the levels of mass unity seen in 1921. The student agitation was successful in its own right but occurred amidst significant internal social friction. Incorrect Solution: B Assam’s experience highlights the specific localized challenges of the CDM. Statement 1 is correct; Director of Public Instruction R. Cunninghamissued the infamous circular in May 1930, requiring students and parents to sign bonds of “good behavior”. Statement 2 is correct; the Assam Chatra Sanmelanheld a special session in Gauhati and launched a strike and picketing campaign against the circular. Statement 3 is incorrect; historical records indicate that growing conflicts between Assamese and Bengalis, as well as Hindus and Muslims, prevented the movement in Assam from reaching the levels of mass unity seen in 1921. The student agitation was successful in its own right but occurred amidst significant internal social friction.

#### 4. Question

In the context of the Civil Disobedience Movement in Assam, consider the following statements:

• The “Cunningham Circular” was issued to prevent the student community from participating in political activities through threats of fines and loss of scholarships.

• The agitation against the Cunningham circular was spearheaded by the “Assam Chatra Sanmelan” which called for the picketing of government schools.

• The movement in Assam was unique because it achieved total unity between the Assamese and Bengali student factions from the outset.

How many of the above statements are correct?

• (a) Only one

• (b) Only two

• (c) All three

Solution: B

• Assam’s experience highlights the specific localized challenges of the CDM.

• Statement 1 is correct; Director of Public Instruction R. Cunninghamissued the infamous circular in May 1930, requiring students and parents to sign bonds of “good behavior”.

• Statement 2 is correct; the Assam Chatra Sanmelanheld a special session in Gauhati and launched a strike and picketing campaign against the circular.

• Statement 3 is incorrect; historical records indicate that growing conflicts between Assamese and Bengalis, as well as Hindus and Muslims, prevented the movement in Assam from reaching the levels of mass unity seen in 1921. The student agitation was successful in its own right but occurred amidst significant internal social friction.

Solution: B

• Assam’s experience highlights the specific localized challenges of the CDM.

• Statement 1 is correct; Director of Public Instruction R. Cunninghamissued the infamous circular in May 1930, requiring students and parents to sign bonds of “good behavior”.

• Statement 2 is correct; the Assam Chatra Sanmelanheld a special session in Gauhati and launched a strike and picketing campaign against the circular.

• Question 5 of 5 5. Question Match the referendums/decisions under the Mountbatten Plan with the region and the eventual outcome: Column I (Region) Column II (Decision Mechanism) Column III (Eventual Outcome) A. Sylhet District 1. Legislative Assembly Vote i. Joined India after partition B. NWFP 2. Referendum ii. Joined Pakistan after referendum C. Sindh 3. Choice of joining either dominion iii. Joined East Pakistan Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) A-2-i, B-2-ii, C-1-ii (b) A-1-iii, B-2-ii, C-2-ii (c) A-3-iii, B-2-ii, C-1-i (d) A-2-iii, B-2-ii, C-1-ii Correct Solution: D Under the Mountbatten Plan, different regions followed distinct decision-making mechanisms depending on their political and communal composition. The Sylhet district of Assam was subjected to a referendum, as it was a Muslim-majority district within a Hindu-majority province. In the referendum held in July 1947, a majority voted to join Pakistan, and consequently Sylhet became part of East Pakistan, making the correct match A–2–iii. The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) was also decided through a referendum, despite opposition and boycott by the Congress and the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. The referendum resulted in a vote in favour of Pakistan, leading to its accession to Pakistan. Hence, B–2–ii is correct. In contrast, Sindh did not undergo a referendum. Instead, its fate was decided by a vote in the Provincial Legislative Assembly, which chose to join Pakistan. Therefore, C–1–ii is the correct matching. Incorrect Solution: D Under the Mountbatten Plan, different regions followed distinct decision-making mechanisms depending on their political and communal composition. The Sylhet district of Assam was subjected to a referendum, as it was a Muslim-majority district within a Hindu-majority province. In the referendum held in July 1947, a majority voted to join Pakistan, and consequently Sylhet became part of East Pakistan, making the correct match A–2–iii. The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) was also decided through a referendum, despite opposition and boycott by the Congress and the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. The referendum resulted in a vote in favour of Pakistan, leading to its accession to Pakistan. Hence, B–2–ii is correct. In contrast, Sindh did not undergo a referendum. Instead, its fate was decided by a vote in the Provincial Legislative Assembly, which chose to join Pakistan. Therefore, C–1–ii is the correct matching.

#### 5. Question

Match the referendums/decisions under the Mountbatten Plan with the region and the eventual outcome:

Column I (Region) | Column II (Decision Mechanism) | Column III (Eventual Outcome)

A. Sylhet District | 1. Legislative Assembly Vote | i. Joined India after partition

B. NWFP | 2. Referendum | ii. Joined Pakistan after referendum

C. Sindh | 3. Choice of joining either dominion | iii. Joined East Pakistan

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

• (a) A-2-i, B-2-ii, C-1-ii

• (b) A-1-iii, B-2-ii, C-2-ii

• (c) A-3-iii, B-2-ii, C-1-i

• (d) A-2-iii, B-2-ii, C-1-ii

Solution: D

• Under the Mountbatten Plan, different regions followed distinct decision-making mechanisms depending on their political and communal composition.

• The Sylhet district of Assam was subjected to a referendum, as it was a Muslim-majority district within a Hindu-majority province. In the referendum held in July 1947, a majority voted to join Pakistan, and consequently Sylhet became part of East Pakistan, making the correct match A–2–iii.

• The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) was also decided through a referendum, despite opposition and boycott by the Congress and the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. The referendum resulted in a vote in favour of Pakistan, leading to its accession to Pakistan. Hence, B–2–ii is correct.

• In contrast, Sindh did not undergo a referendum. Instead, its fate was decided by a vote in the Provincial Legislative Assembly, which chose to join Pakistan. Therefore, C–1–ii is the correct matching.

Solution: D

• Under the Mountbatten Plan, different regions followed distinct decision-making mechanisms depending on their political and communal composition.

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