Partition of India & Independence: Mountbatten Plan, Radcliffe Line, Princely States

The Partition of India and the integration of princely states are high-frequency Kerala PSC topics. Questions focus on key plans, boundary commissions, and the role of Sardar Patel. Master the tables below.

1. Key Plans Leading to Independence

Plan / Mission	Year	Viceroy / Leader	Key Provisions
Cripps Mission	1942	Sir Stafford Cripps	Dominion status after war; provinces could opt out; rejected by Congress and Muslim League
Wavell Plan (Shimla Conference)	1945	Lord Wavell	Reconstituted Executive Council with equal Hindu-Muslim representation; failed due to Jinnah’s demand for sole Muslim League representation
Cabinet Mission Plan	1946	Pethick-Lawrence, Cripps, Alexander	Rejected Pakistan; proposed 3-tier federal structure (Union, Groups, Provinces); Constituent Assembly formed
Attlee’s Announcement	20 Feb 1947	PM Clement Attlee	British to leave India by June 1948; Lord Mountbatten appointed last Viceroy
Mountbatten Plan (3 June Plan)	3 June 1947	Lord Mountbatten	Partition of India accepted; two Dominions (India and Pakistan); princely states to accede to either
Indian Independence Act	18 July 1947	British Parliament	Legal basis for partition; two dominions from 15 August 1947; abrogated suzerainty over princely states

2. The Mountbatten Plan — Key Details

Aspect	Detail
Announced	3 June 1947
Partition basis	Religious majority in provinces
Bengal	Divided — East Bengal to Pakistan, West Bengal to India
Punjab	Divided — West Punjab to Pakistan, East Punjab to India
Referendum in NWFP	Voted to join Pakistan
Referendum in Sylhet	Voted to join East Pakistan
Sind	Legislative Assembly voted for Pakistan
Baluchistan	Shahi Jirga chose Pakistan
Date of independence	15 August 1947 (India); 14 August 1947 (Pakistan)

3. Radcliffe Line

Fact	Detail
Chairman	Sir Cyril Radcliffe
Purpose	Demarcate boundary between India and Pakistan in Punjab and Bengal
Commission members	2 from Congress + 2 from Muslim League in each region (total 2 commissions)
Time given	Approximately 5 weeks
Published	17 August 1947 (2 days after independence)
Radcliffe’s India experience	He had never visited India before this assignment
Controversy	Chittagong Hill Tracts (non-Muslim majority) awarded to East Pakistan; Gurdaspur district (Muslim majority) awarded to India

4. Refugee Crisis

Statistic	Detail
Estimated displaced persons	12-15 million
Estimated deaths	200,000 to 2 million (estimates vary widely)
Major violence areas	Punjab (both sides), Delhi, Calcutta
Calcutta saved by	Mahatma Gandhi’s fast and presence (called “One-Man Boundary Force” by Mountbatten)
Punjab Boundary Force	Under Major General T.W. Rees; failed to prevent violence; dissolved 1 September 1947

5. Integration of Princely States

Fact	Detail
Number of princely states	565 (at time of independence)
Architect of integration	Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Deputy PM and Home Minister)
Secretary	V.P. Menon (Secretary, States Ministry)
States Ministry	Created on 5 July 1947 to handle integration
Instrument of Accession	Legal document by which rulers acceded to India on Defence, External Affairs, and Communications
Standstill Agreement	Continued existing administrative arrangements temporarily

Problem States

State	Ruler	Issue	Resolution
Junagadh	Nawab Mahabat Khan III	Ruler acceded to Pakistan despite Hindu-majority population	Indian army moved in; plebiscite (Feb 1948) — 99.95% voted for India
Hyderabad	Nizam Osman Ali Khan	Wanted to remain independent; Razakars (paramilitary) terrorised people	Operation Polo (13-17 Sept 1948) — Indian military action; Hyderabad merged
Kashmir	Maharaja Hari Singh	Wanted independence; tribal invasion from Pakistan side	Maharaja signed Instrument of Accession (26 Oct 1947); Indian troops airlifted; UN ceasefire (1 Jan 1949)
Travancore	Sir C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar (Dewan)	Announced independence	Assassination attempt on Dewan; Maharaja acceded to India (July 1947)

Steps of Integration

Step	Method	States
1. Merger	Small states merged into neighbouring provinces	216 states
2. Unions	Groups of states formed new administrative units (e.g., PEPSU, Saurashtra, Rajasthan)	Multiple unions
3. Centrally administered	Some became Part C states (Chief Commissioners’ provinces)	Bhopal, Manipur, Tripura, etc.
4. Special arrangements	Retained identity initially	Mysore, Hyderabad, Kashmir

6. Key Personalities

Person	Role
Lord Mountbatten	Last Viceroy; first Governor-General of independent India
Jawaharlal Nehru	First Prime Minister of India
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel	Deputy PM; integrated princely states (“Iron Man of India”)
V.P. Menon	Secretary, States Ministry; drafted Instrument of Accession
Muhammad Ali Jinnah	President of Muslim League; first Governor-General of Pakistan
Liaquat Ali Khan	First Prime Minister of Pakistan
Sir Cyril Radcliffe	Chairman, Boundary Commission
Lord Wavell	Viceroy before Mountbatten (1943-47)

7. PSC Quick Revision — One-Liners

• Last Viceroy of India: Lord Mountbatten
• First Governor-General of free India: Lord Mountbatten (Indian); C. Rajagopalachari was first Indian Governor-General
• First Governor-General of Pakistan: Muhammad Ali Jinnah
• “Tryst with Destiny” speech: Jawaharlal Nehru (14-15 August 1947 midnight)
• Operation Polo: Military action against Hyderabad (1948)
• Instrument of Accession for Kashmir signed: 26 October 1947
• Sardar Patel is called the “Bismarck of India” for unifying princely states
• Indian Independence Act passed by British Parliament: 18 July 1947
• Number of princely states at independence: 565