In its newly released special modules marking Partition Remembrance Day, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has reshaped how young Indians will be taught about the division of the country. The educational body argues that the Partition of India and the birth of Pakistan were not inevitable, but the result of three key actors:
- Jinnah, who demanded it,
- The Congress leadership, which accepted it, and
- Mountbatten, who hurriedly formalised and implemented it.
Congress leaders “Underestimated Jinnah”
The modules hold the Congress leadership accountable for conceding to Partition, suggesting that Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel underestimated Jinnah’s intent and failed to grasp the horrific consequences of division. They also underline that Indian leaders had little experience in administration, policing, or governance, which left them unprepared for the scale of violence and displacement that followed.
A human tragedy without parallel
The texts describe Partition as an “unprecedented human tragedy”, recounting the mass killings, displacement of nearly 1.5 crore people, sexual violence, and refugee trains arriving “filled only with corpses.” Events like the Noakhali and Calcutta riots (1946) and the Rawalpindi massacres (1947) are highlighted as early signs of the horror.
Turning point: Direct action day
The modules point to Direct Action Day (August 1946), when the Muslim League called for mass mobilization that spiraled into widespread bloodshed. Jinnah’s warning, “Either a divided India or a destroyed India,” is described as the decisive pressure that pushed Congress to agree to Partition.
Mountbatten’s “hasty carelessness”
Particular blame is reserved for Lord Mountbatten, who advanced the transfer of power deadline from June 1948 to August 1947. The modules call this decision a “great act of carelessness”, which left millions confused about which nation they belonged to even on the day of Independence.
The long shadow of partition
According to the secondary-stage module, the ripple effects of Partition continue: from the Kashmir conflict and communal divisions in politics to Pakistan waging wars and later resorting to cross-border terrorism. “All this is a consequence of Partition,” the text declares.
Lessons for the future
In a reflective conclusion, the modules warn future generations against political shortsightedness. “Concessions to violent groups in the hope of peace only whet their appetite for more violence,” it notes. The overarching message: India must reject communal politics and choose leaders who put national interests above personal or party gains.
