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Early Nationalists and Partition of Bengal ICSE Class 10

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History & CivicsICSE Class 10 · First and Second Phases of the Indian National Movement

Early Nationalists (1885-1907) and the Partition of Bengal (1905) (ICSE Class 10 History)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The Early Nationalists (Moderates) sought reforms within British rule by constitutional means: petitions, speeches and delegations. Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee and Gopal Krishna Gokhale led them. Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905; the British gave administrative reasons, but nationalists saw an attempt to weaken Bengal and divide Hindus and Muslims.

Moderates used petitions and speeches for reform; Curzon's 1905 Partition looked administrative but nationalists saw it as dividing and weakening Bengal.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal

1. Who were the Early Nationalists? Leaders of the first phase (1885-1907) such as Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, W. C. Bonnerjee and M. G. Ranade. They believed in British justice and fair play.

2. Objectives. Reforms within British rule:

  • Larger legislative councils with elected Indian members.
  • ICS examination in India as well as England and a higher age limit.
  • Separation of the judiciary from the executive.
  • Lower land revenue and military spending, and an end to the drain of wealth.
  • Protection of Indian industry; more spending on education and welfare.
  • Freedom of speech and press.

Their long-term aim was self-government within the British Empire.

3. Methods. Constitutional: petitions and prayers, memoranda and resolutions at annual sessions, speeches and newspaper articles to educate public opinion, and delegations to England to present India's case. Critics later called this 'political mendicancy'.

4. Contributions (any two of each).

  • *Dadabhai Naoroji:* drain theory in *Poverty and Un-British Rule in India*; first Indian in the British House of Commons (1892); thrice Congress President and in 1906 declared Swaraj the Congress goal.
  • *Surendranath Banerjee:* all-India agitation against the lowering of the ICS age; spread ideas through *The Bengalee*; led the movement against the Partition of Bengal; twice Congress President.
  • *Gopal Krishna Gokhale:* founded the Servants of India Society (1905); criticised budgets in the Imperial Legislative Council and demanded free and compulsory primary education; Congress President (Banaras, 1905); Gandhi's political guru.

5. Partition of Bengal (1905). Announced by Lord Curzon in July 1905, effective 16 October 1905: Bengal was divided into West Bengal (with Bihar and Orissa) and Eastern Bengal and Assam.

  • *Official reason:* Bengal was too large to administer well.
  • *Nationalists' view:* to weaken Bengal, the centre of nationalism; to divide Hindus and Muslims by creating a Muslim-majority eastern province and a Hindu-majority west; and to make Bengali speakers a minority in West Bengal alongside Hindi and Oriya speakers.
  • *Reaction:* 16 October observed as a day of mourning, rakhis tied as a sign of unity, Swadeshi and boycott spread. The partition was annulled in 1911.

Careful. When asked for the nationalist view, do not give the official reason.

Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal: key facts

Moderate leaders
  • Naoroji
  • Banerjee
  • Gokhale
  • Mehta
  • Bonnerjee
  • Ranade
Six names.
Methods
  • Petitions
  • Prayers
  • Memoranda/Resolutions
  • Speeches (and newspaper articles)
  • Delegations to England
Constitutional.
Partition
  • Curzon
  • Announced July 1905
  • Effective 16 October 1905
  • Annulled 1911
Four facts.
Nationalist view
  • Weaken Bengal
  • Divide Hindus and Muslims
  • Bengalis a minority
Three motives.

How to answer Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal questions

Expect objectives or methods (4 marks), two contributions of each leader (6 marks), and Partition of Bengal causes or the nationalists' view (3-4 marks).

  1. 1Separate objectives from methods.
  2. 2Pair every leader with a specific contribution.
  3. 3For the Partition, give Curzon, 1905 and the nationalists' motives.
  4. 4Do not give the official reason when the Nationalist view is asked.

Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Polite requests

Suppose a class representative writes polite letters to the principal every month asking for a larger library, and sends two students to explain the need, but never organises a protest.

Which style of nationalism does this resemble?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Petitions and delegations.
  2. Faith in the authority's fairness.
  3. Constitutional methods.

Answer: It resembles the Early Nationalists, who used petitions, resolutions and delegations.

Memory hook: Ask politely, stay inside the rules.

Splitting a team

Imagine a school splits one strong team into two houses by dividing the students according to the languages they speak, saying it will be easier to manage.

How might the students interpret the move?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. As an attempt to weaken the team.
  2. As a way to keep groups apart.
  3. Like the nationalists' view of the partition.

Answer: The students may see it as divide and rule, which is how nationalists viewed the Partition of Bengal.

Memory hook: Split to weaken.

Tricks to remember Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • N-B-G

    Naoroji drain, Banerjee Bengalee, Gokhale servants.

    Use it when: Contributions.

  • P-P-M-S-D

    Petitions, Prayers, Memoranda/Resolutions, Speeches (and newspaper articles), Delegations.

    Use it when: Methods.

  • W-D-B

    Weaken Bengal, Divide religions, Bengalis minority.

    Use it when: Nationalists' view.

Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Leaders · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Name any three Early Nationalist leaders. [3]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Three names (3 marks).

Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Example 2: Gokhale · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

State any two contributions of Gopal Krishna Gokhale. [2]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Servants of India Society (1 mark).
  2. Free primary education demand (1 mark).

Answer: He founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 and demanded free and compulsory primary education in the Imperial Legislative Council.

Example 3: Methods · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Explain the methods of struggle of the Early Nationalists. Why were they called moderate? [4]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Petitions, speeches, delegations (3 marks).
  2. Faith in British justice (1 mark).

Answer: They used constitutional methods: petitions and prayers, memoranda and resolutions at Congress sessions, speeches and newspaper articles, and delegations to Britain. They were called moderate because they trusted British fairness and sought reforms within the system, not freedom by confrontation.

Example 4: Partition · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

What was the Partition of Bengal? What was the nationalists' view of its causes? [4]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Curzon, 1905 (1 mark).
  2. Three motives (3 marks).

Answer: Lord Curzon divided Bengal in 1905 into West Bengal (with Bihar and Orissa) and Eastern Bengal and Assam, giving administrative convenience as the reason. Nationalists saw it as an attempt to weaken Bengal as the centre of nationalism, to divide Hindus and Muslims by giving each a majority in a separate province, and to make Bengali speakers a minority in the western province.

Example 5: Case: a plea abroad · 6 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Case. A leader publishes a book showing that India's wealth flows to Britain, becomes a member of the House of Commons and later announces that Swaraj is the aim of the Congress. (i) Name him. [1] (ii) Name his book. [1] (iii) In which year did he make the Swaraj declaration? [2] (iv) Why was this leader called a Moderate despite this? [2]

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) Dadabhai Naoroji (1 mark).
  2. (ii) Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1 mark).
  3. (iii) 1906, Calcutta (2 marks).
  4. (iv) He used constitutional methods (2 marks).

Answer: (i) Dadabhai Naoroji. (ii) Poverty and Un-British Rule in India. (iii) 1906 at the Calcutta session. (iv) Although he declared Swaraj as the goal, his methods remained constitutional: speeches, petitions and work through legislatures.

Where students lose marks in Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Giving the British reason

    Writing administrative convenience only.

    Wrong working

    Nationalists said Bengal was too large.

    Right working

    They said it aimed to weaken Bengal and divide Hindus and Muslims.

    Do this: Read the viewpoint.

    Usually costs: 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Wrong Viceroy

    Naming Lytton or Minto.

    Wrong working

    Lord Lytton partitioned Bengal.

    Right working

    Lord Curzon.

    Do this: C for Curzon.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Confusing objectives and methods

    Writing petitions as objectives.

    Wrong working

    Objective: petitions.

    Right working

    Objectives are reforms; methods are petitions and speeches.

    Do this: Separate the lists.

    Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

  • Mistake: One contribution only

    Missing the any two instruction.

    Wrong working

    Gokhale founded a society.

    Right working

    Add a second.

    Do this: Count the marks.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Separate objectives from methods using two headings.
  • Pair names with a book, newspaper or society.
  • Use the phrase nationalists' view for the Partition.

Practice questions on Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    Who announced the Partition of Bengal and when did it take effect? [2]

    Hint

    Curzon; 16 October 1905.

    Answer

    Lord Curzon announced it in July 1905, and it took effect on 16 October 1905.

  2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    Mention any two objectives of the Early Nationalists. [2]

    Hint

    Councils, ICS.

    Answer

    They wanted expansion of the legislative councils with elected Indians and the holding of the ICS examination in India as well as England.

  3. Q3 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Give two contributions each of Naoroji and Banerjee. [4]

    Hint

    Two each.

    Answer

    Naoroji put forward the drain theory and became the first Indian member of the House of Commons. Banerjee led the agitation against lowering the ICS age limit and spread nationalist ideas through his newspaper The Bengalee.

  4. Q4 · 5 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Why did Early Nationalists oppose the Partition of Bengal, and how did people react? [5]

    Hint

    View and reaction.

    Answer

    They believed it aimed to weaken Bengal and divide Hindus and Muslims. On 16 October 1905 people observed a day of mourning, tied rakhis as a sign of unity, and the Swadeshi and boycott movement spread. The partition was annulled in 1911.

  5. Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    "Prayer and petition won little, which led to a new type of nationalism." Examine with reference to the first phase. [5]

    Hint

    Limited results.

    Answer

    The Early Nationalists used petitions and delegations and won small gains, such as larger councils, but the government ignored many demands and the Partition of Bengal showed its indifference to opinion. Younger leaders concluded that begging was not enough and demanded Swaraj with boycott and passive resistance, which led to the second phase.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Who announced the Partition of Bengal?Show answer

    Lord Curzon.

  2. 2.When was the partition annulled?Show answer

    1911.

  3. 3.Who wrote Poverty and Un-British Rule in India?Show answer

    Dadabhai Naoroji.

  4. 4.Who founded the Servants of India Society?Show answer

    Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

  5. 5.Which newspaper was edited by Banerjee?Show answer

    The Bengalee.

  6. 6.What was the long-term aim of the Early Nationalists?Show answer

    Self-government within the British Empire.

Early Nationalists and the Partition of Bengal: frequently asked questions

Who were the Early Nationalists?

The Moderate leaders of the Congress before 1907.

What were their methods?

Petitions, prayers, speeches, resolutions and delegations.

What was the official reason for partition?

Bengal was too large to be governed efficiently.

What was Gokhale known for?

Servants of India Society and demand for free and compulsory primary education.