UPSC Prelims 2016 Q93: Modern History – Constitutional Developments & British Plans (1909 - 1947)
The plan of Sir Stafford Cripps envisaged that after the Second World War
- (a) India should be granted complete independence
- (b) India should be partitioned into two before granting independence
- (c) India should be made a republic with the condition that she will join the Commonwealth
- (d) India should be given Dominion status
Answer: (d) India should be given Dominion status
Explanation
Cripps Mission, March 1942
Sir Stafford Cripps came to win Indian support for the Second World War.
| Proposal | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | An Indian Union with Dominion status after the war |
| Constitution | A constituent assembly to be set up after the war |
| Provinces | Any province could stay out and frame its own constitution |
| Defence | To stay in British hands during the war |
The options checked:
| Option | Verdict |
|---|---|
| (a) India should be granted complete independence | Incorrect |
| (b) India should be partitioned into two before granting independence | Incorrect; it only let provinces opt out |
| (c) India should be made a republic that will join the Commonwealth | Incorrect |
| (d) India should be given Dominion status | Correct |
Both the Congress and the Muslim League rejected the plan.
Gandhi called it a 'post-dated cheque'.
Answer: (d) India should be given Dominion status.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The plan did not offer complete independence, only Dominion status.
- (b) Incorrect. It did not propose that India be partitioned into two.
- (c) Incorrect. It did not make India a republic; a Dominion keeps the Crown.
- (d) CORRECT. The Cripps plan envisaged Dominion status after the Second World War.
Key point
Cripps Mission (March 1942): Dominion status and a constituent assembly after the war; provinces free to opt out; rejected; led to Quit India.
Remember
Cripps 1942 = Dominion status after the war.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the Cripps Mission (1942) with the Cabinet Mission (1946).
- Reading the provincial opt-out clause as a plan for partition.
- Forgetting that its failure led to the Quit India Movement.
Exam tip
Before 1947, every British offer stopped at Dominion status.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence, Ch 35 (The Quit India Movement and the INA)
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India (Cripps Mission)