Question

What was the objective of the Cabinet Mission?
A. To find out ways and means for peaceful transfer of power in India.
B. Partition of India
C. To help the Governor-General during the transition of Power.
D. To give Indian representation in Assembly.

Answer 1

Hint: 1. Cabinet Mission was a high-powered mission sent in february 1946 to India by the Attlee Government (British Prime Minister).
2. The Mission had three cabinet members- AV Alexander,Pethick Lawrence and Stafford Cripps.
3. British PM Attlee Government announced within the House of Lords about the mission and plan to quit India.

Complete Answer:
The Cabinet Mission was sent to India to search out ways and means for practical transfer of power in India. The mission also devised a machinery to draw up the constitution of Independent India and make arrangements for an interim government. Thus the mission was sort of a declaration of India's independence. The mission spent around 3 weeks to debate with the varied leaders of assorted political parties but couldn't reach any agreed solution.

So finally it announced its own recommendations and it was-
a. The unity of India must be retained.
b. It proposed a really loose union of all the Indian territories under a centre that may control merely defence, the foreign affairs and also the communications.
c. All subjects apart from Union subjects and residuary power would west within the province of British India.
d. The Princely Legislature would then elect a Constituent Assembly with each province being allocated a specific member of states proportionate to its population.
e. The proposed Constituent Assembly was to carry with it 292 members from British India and 93 from Indian States.
f. The Mission also proposed an instantaneous formation of Interim Government at Centre.

Hence the correct answer is Option A.

Note: 1. The Cabinet Mission recognized only three communities in India: Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.
2. Under the Mission, a weak centre was created by allocating to only three subjects.
3. On 16 May 1946, this plan was announced and heralded by the Simla Conference of 1945.