NCERT New Module Blames Jinnah, Congress, and Mountbatten for India’s Partition Tragedy

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a new special module on the Partition of India, presenting a nuanced perspective that attributes responsibility to three key figures: Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Indian National Congress, and Lord Mountbatten. The module, unveiled on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day (August 14), aims to educate future generations on the complex factors that led to this “tragic chapter” in Indian history, moving beyond the traditional narrative that solely blames Jinnah’s insistence on a separate Pakistan.

According to the NCERT module, Mohammad Ali Jinnah is held responsible for his unwavering demand for a separate country. The Congress, particularly under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is cited for ultimately accepting Partition as a pragmatic choice to avert a full-scale civil war.

Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, is also singled out for his “haste and decisions” in formalizing and implementing the Partition. The module specifically criticizes Mountbatten’s decision to advance the date of Partition to August 15, 1947, from the original June 1948, arguing that this expedited timeline exacerbated chaos and violence, with the incomplete Radcliffe Line planning causing immense suffering as millions were left uncertain about their national identity.

The NCERT module posits that the Partition was not an inevitable outcome, but rather a consequence of “wrong ideas” and prevailing circumstances. It highlights that the Congress accepted Partition as a “bitter cure” to prevent civil conflict, with Nehru famously calling it “better than the cost of civil war.” Mahatma Gandhi, though opposed to Partition, reportedly maintained a peaceful stance.

The module emphasizes that the impact of Partition extends far beyond 1947, deeply influencing India’s socio-political landscape. Ongoing tensions with Pakistan, the Kashmir dispute, increased defense expenditures, and persistent mistrust between communities are presented as the lasting wounds of this historical event. NCERT has developed separate modules for students in classes 6 to 8 and classes 9 to 12 to ensure age-appropriate understanding of this critical historical period