Looking for complete, textbook-verified solutions for SEBA Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 1 (Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi Movement / বংগ বিভাজন আৰু স্বদেশী আন্দোলন) for the 2026–27 academic session? Access step-by-step solutions to all textbook questions—including Very Short Answer (VSA), Short Answer (SA), and Long Answer (LA) questions. Master detailed answers covering the administrative and hidden political motives of Lord Curzon behind partitioning Bengal in 1905, the rise of the anti-partition agitation, the Swadeshi and Boycott movements, national education initiatives, contributions of indigenous industries, the role of women and students, the foundation of the Muslim League in 1906, the annulment of partition in 1911 by Lord Hardinge, its specific socio-political impact on Assam and the Surma Valley, and structured model answers designed strictly according to the Assam Board (SEBA) HSLC curriculum.
Very Short Answer Questions
1. In which Viceroy’s time did the partition of Bengal take place?
Answer: Lord Curzon.
2. On which date in 1905 did the partition of Bengal come into force?
Answer: 16th October, 1905.
3. In which meeting was the proposal of giving up foreign commodities accepted?
Answer: The public meeting held at the Town Hall of Kasimbazar, Calcutta on 7th August, 1905.
4. Who was the editor of the journal Yugantar published in the time of Swadeshi movement?
Answer: Bhupendra Nath Dutta.
5. When was the institution named National Education Council (Jatiya Siksha Parisad) established in Bengal?
Answer: On 11th March, 1906.
SEBA Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 1 Solutions
6. Who was the main introducer of the industry named Bengal Chemicals?
Answer: Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray (on 25th July, 1906).
7. Under whose presidentship did the Conference of Indian National Congress accept the proposal of swaraj for Indians?
Answer: Dadabhai Naoraji (during the 1906 Calcutta session).
8. When did the unification of Bengal take place?
Answer: On 12th December, 1911.
Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi Movement Textual Questions SEBA 2026-27
Short / Long Answer Type Questions
1. Mention three main geographical regions of Bengal which were annexed to the province Eastern Bengal and Assam created after the partition of Bengal.
Answer: The three main geographical regions annexed to Assam to form the new province of “Eastern Bengal and Assam” were:
- Dhaka
- Chattagram (Chittagong)
- Rajshahi
2. Write briefly about what were the intentions of the partition of Bengal.
Answer: Officially, the British claimed that the vast Bengal province was too large for a single Lieutenant Governor to administer smoothly. However, the hidden and real intentions were:
- To Crush Nationalism: Bengal was the vibrant center of the Indian national movement. Partition aimed to weaken politically conscious Bengali intellectuals.
- To Divide Hindu-Muslim Unity: By creating a Muslim-majority province in the east and a Hindu-majority province in the west, the British intended to break the powerful solidarity between communities.
- To Turn Bengalis into a Minority: The plan strategically made Hindu Bengalis a minority in both newly created provinces to suppress future uprisings against British rule.
Class 10 History Chapter 1 Question Answer Assam Board
3. Why was the anti-partition of Bengal movement named as Swadeshi movement? Discuss briefly.
Answer: The anti-partition movement was named the Swadeshi movement because boycotting foreign (British) goods and actively adopting indigenous, home-made Indian goods (Swadeshi) became the core economic and political weapon of the struggle. When the British disrespected public opinion and forced the partition, Indians unitedly resolved to reject British manufactured products and support local artisans and industries, making “Swadeshi” and “Boycott” the twin pillars of the national protest.
4. Discuss the contributions of Swadeshi movement towards national education.
Answer: The Swadeshi movement revolutionized education by encouraging students to boycott British-run institutions (termed “houses of slaves” or Golam-khana) in protest against repressive orders like Carlyle’s circular. Its major contributions include:
- National Institutions: Leaders like Satish Chandra Mukherjee (Dawn Society) and Rabindranath Tagore spearheaded the creation of independent schools.
- National Council of Education: Formed on 11th March, 1906, to oversee independent learning.
- Bengal National College: Established on 15th August, 1906 (with Arabinda Ghose as its first principal), which was later promoted to a National University.
- Widespread Growth: Altogether, 62 secondary schools and 3,000 national primary schools, alongside technical institutions like the Bengal Institute (later Jadavpur University), were founded during this period.
SEBA Class 10 Social Science Lord Curzon Partition of Bengal Notes
5. How did the national industries develop during Swadeshi movement? Explain in short.
Answer: The complete boycott of foreign goods created a massive surge in demand for locally made products, laying the foundation for modern Indian industry:
- Textile & Retail Outlets: Leaders established indigenous textile stores such as Rabindranath Tagore’s Swadeshi Bhandar, Sarala Devi’s Lakshmi Bhandar, and the Indian Stores in Bowbazar.
- Small & Medium Industries: Production of spinning wheels, handloom items, soap, mustard oil, sugar, and matchboxes flourished.
- Heavy Industries: Visionaries stepped forward to establish heavy and technical enterprises, such as Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray’s Bengal Chemicals (1906), Nilratan Sarkar’s Banga Lakshi Cotton Mill (1906), and Jamshedji Tata’s iron factory (1907).
6. What were the anti-movement measures taken by the British to dominate Swadeshi movement?
Answer: The British government adopted a policy of carrot and stick to crush the Swadeshi movement:
- Bribery and Titles: Lord Curzon tried to appease moderate Congress leaders by offering them high judicial posts, titles, and honors to win their loyalty.
- Repressive Circulars: The Chief Secretary of Bengal, R.W. Carlyle, issued a circular on 10th October, 1905, threatening students with expulsion and punitive actions if they took part in protests.
- Police Brutality & Censorship: The government used severe lathi charges, public arrests, and harsh press censorship, targeting nationalist editors like Bhupendra Nath Dutta (Yugantar) and Arabinda Ghose.
7. Mention three results of Swadeshi movement.
Answer:
- Annulment of Partition: Intense, sustained mass pressure ultimately compelled the British government to reunite Bengal on 12th December, 1911.
- Rise of Extremism and Mass Politics: It shifted the political outlook of the Indian National Congress from polite petitions to aggressive mass struggle and the demand for Swaraj.
- Growth of Communal Politics: The British successfully instigated conservative elites, leading directly to the birth of the All India Muslim League in 1906 and the introduction of separate electorates.
Assam Board HSLC Class 10 History Chapter 1 Solved Textbook Solutions PDF
8. Mention three contributions of Swadeshi movement.
Answer:
- Training in Mass Movements: It taught ordinary Indians the immense power of organized mass participation and non-cooperation against an imperial power.
- Economic Self-Reliance: It revived indigenous industries, inspired swadeshi entrepreneurship, and reduced dependence on British goods.
- Involvement of Women: It broke traditional social barriers, drawing urban middle-class women actively into the forefront of the freedom struggle.
Write Short Notes on:
1. Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore was a towering literary figure, poet, philosopher, and front-line national leader during the Partition of Bengal and the Swadeshi Movement. He played a pivotal role in awakening national consciousness through his powerful patriotic songs, such as “Amar sonar Bangla” and “Bangalir pran, Bangalir Mon…”. On the day partition was enforced (16th October, 1905), he initiated the Rakhibandhan ceremony to foster love, fraternity, and unbreakable unity between Hindus and Muslims. Tagore also actively promoted national education, presided over student rallies against repressive government circulars, and established institutions like Swadeshi Bhandar to encourage indigenous economic self-reliance.
2. Margaret Elizabeth Noble (Bhagini Nivedita)
Answer: Margaret Elizabeth Noble, widely known as Sister Nivedita, was an Ireland-born disciple of Swami Vivekananda who dedicated her life to India’s spiritual, social, and national upliftment. During the Swadeshi Movement, she played a stellar role as a source of inspiration for the youth and women of Bengal. She was actively associated with organizations like the Dawn Society, Anushilan Samiti, and the Youngmen’s Hindu Union. Nivedita fiercely encouraged independence through indigenous industries and transformed Abanindranath Tagore’s iconic painting “Banga Mata” into the revolutionary national symbol “Bharat Mata”. Her fearless dedication deeply energized the nationalist movement.
3. Nawab Salimullah
Answer: Nawab Salimullah Khan was a prominent Muslim leader and Nawab of Dhaka who played a key role in regional politics during the Partition of Bengal. He was heavily courted by Viceroy Lord Curzon, who visited Dhaka in 1904 to rally Muslim support and provided him with a low-interest loan of Rs. 14 lakhs. Believing that the partition would bring special economic and political benefits to the Muslim community, Salimullah supported the British policy. He organized the historic meeting at the Dhaka palace on 30th December, 1906, where the All India Muslim League was formally established to safeguard Muslim political interests and act as a separate political voice distinct from the Indian National Congress.
📜 HSLC Class 10 Social Science Solutions Notice: This page features the complete SEBA Class 10 Social Science (History Section) Chapter 1: Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi Movement Official Textual Questions and Answers updated for the 2026–27 academic session. Prepared in line with the Assam Board evaluation standards, every historical event—from Lord Curzon’s divisive administrative blueprint to the mass mobilization through the Swadeshi and Boycott campaigns, the birth of national schools, and the long-term consequences on Assam’s regional administration—is answered in a clear, point-wise layout to ensure you secure full marks in your 2-mark, 3-mark, and 5-mark board exam questions.
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