Chapter .1 historical background

1. Consider the following Statement .

1. the East India Company got the Diwani (right to collect revenue) of Bengal, Bihar and madras
2. The Company appointed two Indians as the deputy diwans—Mohammad Reza Khan for Bihar and Raja Shitab Rai for Bengal.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

2. Consider the following statements about ‘the Charter Act 1813(UPSC /IAS2019)

1) It ended the trade monopoly of the East India Company in India except for trade in tea and trade with China.

2) It asserted the sovereignty of the British

Crown over the Indian territories held by the Company.

3) The revenues of India were now controlled by the British Parliament.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

3. consider the following statements:

1. The dual system of government where the Company had the authority but no responsibility and its Indian representatives had all the responsibility but no authority.
2. The first intervention in Indian affairs by the British government came in 1767.

  Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

4. Consider the following statements: (UPSC /IAS2009)

1) The discussions in the Third Round Table Conference eventually led to the passing of the Government of India Act of 1935.

2) The government of India Act of 1935 provided for federal form of government.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

5. With reference to Regulating act of 1773, consider the following statements:

1. Political and Administrative functions of EIC were recognized beyond its trading nature for the first time
2. Calcutta SC was constituted in 1774 with 1 CJI and 3 other judges .

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

6. Which one of the following is NOT a feature of the Government of India Act of 1935? (UPSC /IAS2000)

7. With reference to Regulating act of 1773, consider the following statements:

1. A regulating act in 1776 gave overriding power to Governor general over Council’s decision.
2. EIC was authorized to give licenses to individuals as well as company employees to trade in India.
3. Revenue administration was separated from judiciary functions and thus “Maal adalats” disappeared .

  Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

8. Consider the following: (UPSC /IAS2012)

1) Assessment of land revenue on the basis of nature of the soil and the quality of crops

2) Use of mobile cannons in warfare

3) Cultivation of tobacco and red chillies

Which of the above was/were introduced into India by the English?

9. With reference to Pitt’s India act of 1784, consider the following statements:

1. The government’s control over the Company’s affairs was greatly extended
2. the Company became a subordinate department of the State.
3. In India, the governor-general was to have a council of three (including the commander-in-chief), and the presidencies of Bombay and Madras were made subordinate to the governor-general.
4. The Company’s territories in India were termed ‘British possessions’.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

10. The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme

provided in the (UPSC /IAS2012)

11. With reference to The Charter Act of 1793, consider the following statements:

1. The revenue administration was separated from the judiciary functions
2. The royal approval was mandated for the appointment of the commanderin- chief.
3. The Company was empowered to give licences to individuals as well as the Company’s employees to trade in India.
4. Senior officials of the Company were debarred from leaving India without permission.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

12. The real intention of the British to include the princely states in the Federal

Union proposed by the Government of India Act of 1935 was to .(upsc2002)

13. With reference to The Charter Act of 1793, consider the following statements:

1  . The Company’s monopoly over trade in India ended, but the Company retained the trade with China and the trade in tea.

2 . The Company’s shareholders were given a 10.5 per cent dividend on the revenue of India.

3 . Powers of the Board of Control were further enlarged.

4 . A sum of one lakh rupees was to be set aside for the revival, promotion and encouragement of literature.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

14. With reference to The Charter Act of 1813, consider the following statements:

1. The Company’s shareholders were given a 10.5 per cent dividend on the revenue of India.
2. ‘the constitutional position of the British territories in India was defined explicitly for the first time.
3. The regulations made by the Councils of Madras, Bombay and Calcutta were now required to be laid before the British Parliament.
4.  The constitutional position of the British territories in India was thus explicitly defined for the first time.

  Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

15. The Illbert Bill controversy was related to the(UPSC /IAS2013)

16. With reference to The Charter Act of 1833, consider the following statements:          

1. Territories of India were to be governed in the name of the Crown.
2. The Company’s monopoly over trade with China and in tea ended.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

17. Consider the following statements: The Government of India Act, 1935 provided for.(upsc2005)

1) The provincial autonomy

2) The establishment of Federal Court

3) All India Federation at the centre

Which of the statements given above are correct?

18. With reference to The Charter Act of 1833, consider the following statements:

1. ‘The strength of the Court of Directors was reduced to 18.
2. ‘Bengal, Madras, Bombay and all other territories were placed under complete control of the governor-general.
3. The governor-general was given the power to superintend, control and direct all civil and military affairs of the Company.
4.  All restrictions on European immigration and the acquisition of property in India were lifted.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

19. The most short-lived of all the Britain’s constitutional experiments in India was the .(upsc /IAS1999)

20. With reference to The Charter Act of 1833, consider the following statements:

1.  Indian laws were to be codified and consolidated.
2. A law member was added to the governor-general’s council for professional advice on law-making.
3.  All revenues were to be raised under the authority of the governor-general who would have complete control over the expenditure too..
4. No Indian citizen was to be denied employment under the Company on the basis of religion, colour, birth, descent

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

21. The term ‘Imperial Preference’ was applied to the (UPSC /IAS1999)

22. With reference to The Charter Act of 1853, consider the following statements:

1. The Company’s patronage over the services was dissolved.
2. The law member became the full member of the governor-general’s executive council.
3.  The legislative wing came to be known as the Indian Legislative Council.

  Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

23. The Montague-Chelmsford Proposals were related to (UPSC /IAS2016)

24. With reference to The Charter Act of 1892, consider the following statements:

1. The Legislative Council of the Governor-General  was enlarged.
2. The universities, district boards, municipalities, and chambers of commerce were empowered to recommend members to the provincial councils.

Choose the correct answer

25. With reference to The Charter Act of 1892, consider the following statements:

1.  The strength of the Imperial Legislative Council was increased.
2. The members of the legislatures were now entitled to express their views upon financial statements.

Choose the correct answer

26. During the colonial period in India, what was the purpose of the Whitlay Commission? .(upsc2003)

27. With reference to The Charter Act of 1909, consider the following statements:

1.  The members of the Provincial Executive Council were increased.
2. The strength of the Imperial Legislative Council was increased.

Choose the incorrect answer

28. Which one of the following Act of British India strengthened the Viceroy’s authority over his executive council by

substituting “portfolio” or departmental system for corporate functioning? .(upsc2002)

29. With reference to The Charter Act of 1909, consider the following statements:

1. The powers of the legislative councils, both central and provincial, were increased.
2. The Secretary of State for India was to be paid by the British Exchequer.
3. The introduction of separate electorates for Muslims created.

Choose the correct answer

30. Consider the following statements: .(upsc2006)

1) The Charter Act 1853 abolished East In Company’s monopoly of Indian trade

2) Under the Government of India Act 1858, the British Parliament abolished the East India Company altogether and undertook the responsibility of ruling India directly.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct

31. With reference to Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:

1. Dyarchy in the provinces was abolished and provinces were given autonomy
2. Provinces were given independent financial powers and resources.
3. The principles of ‘communal electorates’ extended to depressed classes,
4. women and labour.
5. There was a provision for joint sitting in cases of deadlock between the houses.

Choose the correct answer

32. Which of the following is/are the principal feature(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919? .(upsc2012)

1. Introduction of diarchy in the executive government of the provinces
2. Introduction of separate communal electorates for Muslims
3. Devolution of legislative authority by the centre to the provinces

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

33. With reference to Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:

1. Franchise was extended, with about 10 per cent of the total population getting the right to vote.
2. The India Council of the Secretary of State was Abolished

Choose the incorrect answer

34. Consider the following statements: .(upsc2005)

1) Warren Hastings was the first Governor General who established a regular police force in India on the British pattern

2) A Supreme Court was established at Calcutta by the Regulating Act, 1773.

3) The Indian Penal Code came into effect in the year 1860

Which of the statements given above are correct?

35. With reference to civil service system in India, consider the following statements:

1. Cornwallis was the first to bring into existence and organise the civil services.
2. Satyendra Nath Tagore became the first Indian to qualify for the Indian Civil Service after 1857 revolt .

Choose the correct answer

36. In the federation established by The Government on India Act of 1935, residuary power were given to the(UPSC /IAS2018)

37. With reference to Aitchison Committee on Public Services, consider the following statements:

1. The Aitchison Committee on Public Services (1886), set up by Dufferin
2. Committee recommended raising the age limit to 23.

Choose the incorrect answer

38. The Montagu-Chelmsford Report formed the basis of .(upsc2004)

39. With reference to Lee Commission (1924), consider the following statements:

1. Lee Commission recommended that the recruitments for the transferred fields.
2. it recommended that a Public Service Commission be immediately established .

Choose the correct answer

40. In the context of Indian history, the principle of ‘Dyarchy (diarchy)’ refers to.(upsc2017)

41. With reference to Police System , consider the following statements:

1. under the Mughal rule The kotwal was responsible for maintenance of law and order in the cities.
2. under the Mughal rule amils who were revenue collectors.
3. under the Mughal rule there were the faujdars who helped in maintaining law and order.

Choose the incorrect answer

42. Consider the following statements: Some of the main features of the Government of India Act, 1935 were the.(upsc2004)

1) Abolition of diarchy in the Governors’ provinces

2) Power of the Governors to veto legislative action and to legislate on their own

3) Abolition of the principle of communal representation

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

43. With reference to Police System , consider the following statements:

1.  Warren Hastings restored the institution of faujdars .
2. Cornwallis organised a regular police force to maintain law and order by modernising the old Indian system of thanas.
3.  Mayo appointed an SP for each division helped by a number of spies.
4.  Bentinck (governor-general), abolished the office of the SP?

Choose the correct answer

44. Which one of the following provisions was NOT made in the Charter Act of 1833? .(upsc 2003)

45. With reference to Military Under the British, consider the following statements:

1. there were two separate sets of military forces The first set of units, known as the Queen’s army, The other was the Company’s troops.
2. Company’s troops—a mixture of European regiments recruited locally from India but with British officers.
3. The Indian branch of the army was to be used for expansion.

Choose the incorrect answer

46. With reference to colonial rule in India what was sought by the Illbert Bill in

1883? .(upsc2003)

47. With reference to Reforms under Cornwallis, consider the following statements:

1. 1.The District Fauzdari Courts were abolished.
2. ‘circuit courts were established.
3. The District Diwani Adalat was designated as the District, City or the Zila Court and placed under a district judge.
4. circuit courts had European judges and were to act as courts of appeal for both civil and criminal cases.

Choose the incorrect answer

48. The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined (UPSC /IAS2015)

49. Consider the following Statement.

1. The four Circuit Courts were abolished by William Bentinck.
2. Lord Ripon is called father of local self-government in India.

Choose the incorrect answer

50. The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to (UPSC /IAS2017)