LIWA

The Muslim League

ICSE Class 10 · History & Civics · Chapter 11

What this chapter covers

Key points

Questions answered

In which year and at which city was the Muslim League founded?
In 1906 (on 30 December), at Dacca.
Who moved the resolution for the formation of the Muslim League, and who became its first President?
Nawab Salimullah Khan of Dacca moved the resolution; Aga Khan III became the first President.
What was the Simla Deputation, and what did it demand?
The Simla Deputation was a group of Muslim leaders led by Aga Khan III who met Lord Minto at Simla on 1 October 1906; it demanded separate electorates and a share of seats based on the political importance of Muslims as well as their numbers.
Define a separate electorate.
A separate electorate is an electoral system in which seats are reserved for a community and only voters of that community vote for candidates for those seats.
How did the British policy of divide and rule contribute to the formation of the League?
Fearing the growing Congress, the British presented themselves as protectors of Muslim interests and encouraged a separate Muslim political body and separate electorates, so as to keep the two communities apart and weaken the national movement.
Why did the Partition of Bengal encourage some Muslims to form their own political organisation?
The Partition created a Muslim-majority province which many Muslims welcomed; when the Congress campaigned against it, they felt that the Congress opposed their interests and that they needed a body of their own.
Why were Muslims backward in education and government employment in the late nineteenth century?
They had lost their old positions with the fall of Muslim rulers and the replacement of Persian by English in 1835, and many families were slow to take up English education, so others filled the new jobs and professions.
State the first objective of the Muslim League. What does it tell you about the League in 1906?
To promote among Indian Muslims feelings of loyalty to the British government; it shows that the League began as a loyalist body, not an anti-British one.

Past board exam questions

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 1 mark

Assertion (A): The Muslim League was formed in 1906. Reason (R): The Congress split into two factions in 1907.

  1. (A) is true and (R) is false.
  2. (A) is false and (R) is true.
  3. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
  4. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Show answer
Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

ICSE 2026 board paper · 1 mark

Identify the option which shows the correct chronology of the following events: 1. The Lucknow Pact 2. The Surat Split 3. The establishment of the Muslim League

  1. 1-2-3
  2. 1-3-2
  3. 3-2-1
  4. 2-1-3
Show answer
3-2-1

ICSE 2026 board paper · 2 marks

Mention any two objectives of the Muslim League.

Show answer
1. To promote among the Muslims of India feelings of loyalty towards the British Government. 2. To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Muslims and to represent their needs and aspirations to the Government. (Also: to prevent the rise of feelings of hostility among Muslims towards other communities.)

ICSE 2025 sample paper · 1 mark

Identify the ODD ONE out of the following objectives of the Muslim League:

  1. To promote among Muslims of India, support for the British
  2. To promote cultural and socio-economic cooperation among Muslims
  3. To protect and advance political rights and interests of the Muslims
  4. To present the needs and demands of the Muslims to the government
Show answer
To promote cultural and socio-economic cooperation among Muslims

ICSE 2025 board paper · 2 marks

Mention any two factors that led to the formation of the Muslim League.

Show answer
1. The British policy of 'divide and rule', which encouraged the Muslims to stay away from the Congress; the Partition of Bengal (1905) created a Muslim-majority province and drew Muslim leaders closer to the British. 2. The fear of Hindu domination among Muslims, as the Muslims were educationally and economically backward and the Congress was seen as a Hindu-dominated body. (Also: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan's views; the Simla Deputation of 1906 seeking separate electorates.)

ICSE 2025 compartment paper · 2 marks

Mention any two points to highlight the significance of the Lucknow Pact.

Show answer
1. It brought the Congress and the Muslim League together (Hindu–Muslim unity): the Congress accepted separate electorates for Muslims and both put forward joint demands for self-government to the British. 2. It reunited the Moderates and the Assertive Nationalists in the Congress (the 1916 Lucknow session), strengthening the national movement.

ICSE 2024 sample paper · 1 mark

Identify the odd one out of the following objectives:

  1. To promote among Muslims of India, support for the British government
  2. To remove any misconceptions regarding the intention of the government
  3. To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Muslims
  4. To abolish the zamindari system
Show answer
To abolish the zamindari system

ICSE 2024 board paper · 4 marks

The Indian National Movement is divided into three phases. With reference to the Second Phase of the Indian National Movement, answer the following questions: In which year was the Muslim League formed? Mention any three objectives of the Muslim League.

Show answer
The Muslim League was formed in 1906 (at Dacca, on 30 December 1906). Objectives (any three): 1. To promote among Muslims feelings of loyalty to the British Government. 2. To protect and advance the political rights and interests of the Muslims and represent their needs to the Government. 3. To prevent the rise among Muslims of feelings of hostility towards other communities. (Also: to support the Partition of Bengal and demand separate electorates for Muslims.)