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GS Paper IUPSC Prelims 1998
Partition & Independence
Question No. 163Interactive Test Mode
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+2-0.66

Q163. Lord Mountbatten came to India as a Viceroy with specific instruction to:

Lord Mountbatten came to India as a Viceroy with specific instruction to:

Select the correct option below (or cross out options to eliminate)
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Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution

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Official UPSC Answer KeyUPSC Prelims 1998 • Modern History

Correct Answer: Option (B) — keep India united if possible

Concept & Option Breakdown

Standard Reference Verified

British Prime Minister Clement Attlee gave specific instructions to Lord Mountbatten to explore every possibility of keeping India united based on the Cabinet Mission Plan framework, and to proceed with partition only if an undivided transfer of power proved completely unworkable.

Elimination Heuristic & Exam Approach

Attlee's explicit mandate to Mountbatten was to preserve Indian unity if possible before resorting to partition.

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Question Specifications & Syllabus Mapping

Examination & YearUPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 1998 (Q163)
Paper & Marking SchemeGS Paper I • 2 Marks (-0.66 Negative for incorrect response)
Syllabus Subject & TopicModern History → Partition & Independence
Official Answer KeyOption (B) — keep India united if possible

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2000 • Q15786% Match

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As an alternative to the partition of India, Gandhiji suggested to Mountbatten that he: (a) postponed granting of independence (b) invited Jinnah to form the go

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1998 • Q16683% Match

The Indian National Congress agreed in 1947 to the partition of the country mainly because: (a) the principal of two-Nation theory was then acceptable to them (

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The Radcliffe Committee was appointed to:

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More PYQs from Modern History (Partition & Independence)

Master the Modern History syllabus cluster by practicing these related previous year questions.

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2009 • Q127Partition & Independence

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Frequently Asked Questions — UPSC Prelims 1998 Q163

What is the official answer for UPSC Prelims 1998 GS Paper I Question 163 (Modern History)?

The official UPSC answer key for this 1998 Modern History (Partition & Independence) question is Option (B): "keep India united if possible". Correct attempts carry 2 Marks with -0.66 Negative penalty for wrong answers.

Which UPSC Prelims syllabus topic does this 1998 question belong to?

This question belongs to GS Paper I under the subject "Modern History" and micro-topic "Partition & Independence". You can explore all repeated questions from Partition & Independence in Acme AI's 3D Prelims PYQ Realm or practice 50 full-length and sectional tests in the APT Prelims Test Series.

How can I solve this Partition & Independence UPSC Prelims question using option elimination?

Attlee's explicit mandate to Mountbatten was to preserve Indian unity if possible before resorting to partition.

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Previous QuestionWhat is the correct sequence of the following events? 1. The August offer 2. The I.N.A trial 3. The Quit India Movement 4. The Royal Indian Naval Ratings’ Revolt. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: Codes:
Next QuestionAssertion (A): The Congress rejected the Cripps proposals. Reason (R): The Cripps Mission consisted solely of whites.