Modern Indian History
Partition of Bengal (1905)
Territorial partition in British India
Overview
The Partition of Bengal in 1905, also known as the First Partition of Bengal, was a territorial reorganization of the Bengal Presidency in British India, implemented by the authorities of the British Raj. Announced on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India, the reorganization separated the largely Muslim eastern areas from the largely Hindu western areas, creating West Bengal for Hindus and East Bengal for Muslims. The reorganization was undone a mere six years later.
Source: Wikipedia — Partition of Bengal (1905) (CC BY-SA)
Key concepts
How Partition of Bengal (1905) connects to the ideas, people and events around it.
The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal until 1937, later the Bengal Province, was the largest of all three presidencies of British India during Company rule and later a province of British Raj.
The British Raj was the period of rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent, lasting from 1858 to 1947. It is also called Crown rule in India, or direct rule in India.
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, known as Lord Curzon, was a British statesman, Conservative politician, explorer and writer who served as Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905 and Foreign Secretary from 1919 to 1924.
The governor-general of India was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor or empress of India and after Indian independence in 1947, the representative of the monarch of India.
Muslims are people who are adherents of Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition.
Hindus are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Historically, Hindu has been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent.
West Bengal is a state in the eastern part of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal. In 2011, its population was around 91 million in an area of 88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi), while the population estimate as of 2026 is 100.6 million.
In international relations, a partition is a division of a previously unified territory into two or more parts.
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What is Partition of Bengal (1905)?
The Partition of Bengal in 1905, also known as the First Partition of Bengal, was a territorial reorganization of the Bengal Presidency in British India, implemented by the authorities of the British Raj.
What are the key concepts related to Partition of Bengal (1905)?
The main concepts connected to Partition of Bengal (1905) include Bengal Presidency, British Raj, George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, Governor-General of India, Muslims, Hindus, West Bengal, Partition (politics). Each is linked on the map above with its own summary.
Which exams cover Partition of Bengal (1905)?
Partition of Bengal (1905) is part of Modern Indian History, which appears in the syllabus of UPSC CSE, UPSC CAPF, NDA, CDS, AFCAT, SSC CGL and 48 more exams.