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UPSC 1998: Lord Mountbatten came to India as Viceroy with specific instructions to
(a)balkanize the Indian sub-continent
(b)keep India united if possible
(c)accept Jinnah’s demand for Pakistan
(d)persuade the Congress to accept partition
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Not attemptedCorrect Answer: (b) keep India united if possible
Prime-Minister Attlee’s 20 Feb 1947 brief to Lord Mountbatten charged him to ‘avoid partition and preserve a united India if possible’; only if unity proved impossible was he authorised to fall back on partition. Hence his specific instruction was to keep India united if feasible, not to force partition or balkanisation. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Mountbatten?utm_source=openai))
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct answer to this UPSC 1998 Modern History question?▼
The correct answer is option (b): keep India united if possible. Watch the detailed video explanation in our Sherlocking Prelims course on UnlockIAS.
Which year was this Transfer Of Power & Partition (1945-1947) question asked in UPSC Prelims?▼
This question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 1998, GS Paper 1, as Question 14. It falls under Modern History > Transfer Of Power & Partition (1945-1947).
What is the difficulty level of this UPSC question?▼
This question is rated "easy". It tests basic recall and most well-prepared aspirants should answer it correctly.
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Transfer Of Power & Partition (1945-1947)?▼
UPSC has asked 11 questions from Transfer Of Power & Partition (1945-1947) (under Modern History) across multiple years. Visit the topic page to see the full list and year-wise trends.