Daily Static Quiz Prelims Practice 2027
Lord Mountbatten announced the plan on 3 June 1947, which is why it became popularly known as the 3rd June Plan. It provided the final framework for the partition of British India, the creation of India and Pakistan, and the transfer of power before June 1948, and formally marked the abandonment of the Cabinet Mission Plan's goal of keeping India united.
- The Governor-General was to remain common to both dominions till the new constitutions were framed.
- The Plan provided for sovereignty to the two new dominions from 15 August 1947.
- It proposed the setting up of two separate Constituent Assemblies.
Statement 1 is correct — the Plan allowed for a common Governor-General; Mountbatten served as India's, while Pakistan appointed Jinnah as its own. Statement 2 is incorrect — India and Pakistan were granted Dominion Status, not full sovereignty; this meant self-governance while formally recognising the British Crown until their constitutions came into force (India became a republic in 1950, Pakistan in 1956). Statement 3 is correct — the Plan explicitly provided for separate Constituent Assemblies for each dominion, institutionalising the political partition.
Reason (R): Mountbatten was convinced that the Cabinet Mission Plan had failed and that partition was the only way to avoid large-scale communal violence.
Both A and R are true and R correctly explains A. By 1947, communal violence had escalated severely following Direct Action Day, the collapse of Congress-League cooperation, and the failure of interim government arrangements. Mountbatten concluded the Cabinet Mission Plan was no longer workable and that partition was the quickest political solution — this is precisely why the Plan accepted the demand for Pakistan, making R the direct explanation of A.
- It provided for the creation of a separate Constituent Assembly for Pakistan.
- It laid down that the Indian Independence Act would be passed by the British Parliament.
- It gave the princely states the freedom to remain independent without joining either dominion.
Statement 1 is correct — Pakistan was to frame its own constitution through a separate Constituent Assembly. Statement 2 is correct — the Plan proposed the British Parliament pass the Indian Independence Act 1947, which was duly enacted in July 1947. Statement 3 is incorrect — the princely states were not encouraged to remain independent; with British paramountcy lapsing, they were expected to join either India or Pakistan, as geography, defence, communications, and economic dependence made true independence unrealistic.
- The Mountbatten Plan laid down the procedure for the division of the armed forces and other assets between India and Pakistan.
- It recommended that the British Parliament would pass the Indian Independence Act to give effect to the Plan.
Statement 1 is incorrect — the Plan itself did not detail the division of armed forces, civil services, financial assets, or military equipment; these were worked out later through Partition Councils, administrative committees, and expert bodies. Statement 2 is correct — the Plan explicitly provided that the British Parliament would enact legislation to give effect to partition, resulting in the Indian Independence Act 1947.
