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British Administration and Policies PYQs – Modern History, SSC & Railway

198 British Administration and Policies (Modern History) questions asked in recent SSC and Railway exams, newest first, with exam, date & shift, answers and solutions.

📚 198 questionsSSC 100 · Railway 98
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SSC Stenographer 2026 – 15 September 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q1. The Act of Settlement, 1781, was enacted to correct what major flaw of the Regulating Act?

  1. (a) Lack of provision for a civil code
  2. (b) Ambiguity regarding jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
  3. (c) Absence of an executive authority
  4. (d) Lack of control over military spending
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Ambiguity regarding jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

Answer: Option 2 — Ambiguity regarding jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
The Regulating Act of 1773 set up the Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774) without defining its jurisdiction, which produced constant clashes with the Governor-General in Council (the Nand Kumar case 1775, the Patna case, the Cossijurah case 1779–80).
The Act of Settlement, 1781 (also called the Amending Act or Declaratory Act) was passed to remove these defects.
Revision note — The Regulating Act 1773 and its correction in 1781
• Regulating Act 1773 — the first step of parliamentary control over the East India Company; the Governor of Bengal became Governor-General of Bengal (Warren Hastings) with a council of four.
• It created a Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta (1774) with a Chief Justice (Sir Elijah Impey) and three judges, and banned private trade and the taking of presents by Company servants.
• Act of Settlement 1781 — exempted the Governor-General and Council from the Supreme Court's jurisdiction for acts done in their official capacity; revenue matters and Company servants acting officially were also excluded.
• It directed the Supreme Court to apply the personal law of Indians — Hindu law for Hindus, Muslim law for Muslims — in cases involving them.
• Appeals from the provincial courts were to go to the Governor-General in Council, not to the Supreme Court, and the Council was empowered to frame regulations for those courts.
• The next step was Pitt's India Act 1784, which set up the Board of Control and the system of dual government.
Do not mix these up
• Regulating Act 1773 vs Act of Settlement 1781 — 1773 created the Supreme Court; 1781 limited its jurisdiction.
• Act of Settlement 1781 (India) vs Act of Settlement 1701 (England) — the English Act of 1701 settled the succession to the British throne; it has nothing to do with the Company.
Also asked from this topic: what the Regulating Act made the Governor of Bengal (Governor-General of Bengal, council of four); the law that set up the Supreme Court at Calcutta in 1774 (Regulating Act of 1773).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 15 September 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q2. Which key principle was institutionalized by Pitt’s India Act, 1784?

  1. (a) Parliamentary sovereignty over India
  2. (b) Separation of powers between judiciary and executive
  3. (c) Dual control between Company and the British Government
  4. (d) Grant of complete autonomy to Indian provinces
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Dual control between Company and the British Government

Answer: Option 3 — Dual control between Company and the British Government
Pitt's India Act, 1784 created a Board of Control in London to supervise the Company's political, civil and military affairs, while the Court of Directors kept its commercial affairs.
This two-headed arrangement — Company plus Crown — is the system of dual control (double government) that lasted until 1858.
Revision note — Pitt's India Act, 1784
• Passed under Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger to cure the defects of the Regulating Act 1773.
• Board of Control: six members, including a Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer; it supervised all political matters and could send secret orders through a Secret Committee of three Directors.
• Court of Directors (elected by the Company's shareholders) retained commercial business and patronage over appointments.
• The Company's territories were for the first time called "British possessions in India", and the Governor-General's council was reduced from four to three members.
• Bombay and Madras were made subordinate to the Governor-General in matters of war, revenue and diplomacy; the Governor-General was forbidden to declare war or make treaties without sanction from home.
• The Amending Act of 1786 let Lord Cornwallis override his council and hold the post of Commander-in-Chief as well.
• Dual control ended with the Government of India Act 1858, which abolished both the Board of Control and the Court of Directors and created the Secretary of State for India.
Do not mix these up
• Board of Control vs Court of Directors — the Board (Crown) handled political affairs; the Directors (Company) handled commercial affairs.
• Pitt's India Act 1784 vs Regulating Act 1773 — 1773 was the first parliamentary check on the Company; 1784 created the machinery (Board of Control) to enforce it.
Also asked from this topic: the function of the Board of Control (to supervise civil and military affairs in British India); its size (six members); the bodies abolished by the Government of India Act 1858 (Board of Control and Court of Directors).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 15 September 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q3. What was the most politically sensitive implication of the Charter Act of 1813?

  1. (a) Recognition of Indian languages in administration
  2. (b) Legal permission for Christian missionaries to operate in India
  3. (c) End of monopoly on trade with China
  4. (d) Full sovereignty granted to Indian princely states
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Legal permission for Christian missionaries to operate in India

Answer: Option 2 — Legal permission for Christian missionaries to operate in India
The Charter Act of 1813 for the first time allowed Christian missionaries to enter Company territory and preach — a step the Company had long resisted for fear of offending Indian religious feeling, which made it the most politically sensitive clause.
Trade with China and the tea trade remained a Company monopoly until 1833, so option 3 describes the wrong Act.
Revision note — The Charter Acts (1793–1853)
• Charter Act 1793 — renewed the Company's charter for 20 years; the Board of Control's salaries were to be paid from Indian revenues.
• Charter Act 1813 — ended the Company's monopoly of trade with India (except tea and trade with China) and asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Company's Indian territories.
• The same Act allowed missionaries and set aside Rs 1 lakh a year for the education of Indians — the first state grant for education.
• Charter Act 1833 — ended the China and tea monopoly and all commercial activity of the Company; made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of India (Lord William Bentinck); provided for a Law Commission under Macaulay.
• Charter Act 1853 — introduced open competition for the civil service; created a separate Legislative Council for the Governor-General; reduced the Directors from 24 to 18; renewed the charter with no fixed period.
• The missionary clause of 1813 led to the founding of many mission schools and presses, and fed into later reform debates on sati (1829) and widow remarriage.
Do not mix these up
• 1813 vs 1833 — 1813 ended the Indian trade monopoly; 1833 ended the China and tea monopoly.
• 1813 vs 1853 — the education grant came in 1813; open competition for the ICS came in 1853.
Also asked from this topic: what the 1813 Act excluded from the end of the monopoly (tea and the China trade); the Act that first allocated funds for education (Charter Act 1813); the Act that set up the first Law Commission (Charter Act 1833).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 15 September 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q4. The primary objective of the Act of Settlement, 1781, was to rectify which critical flaw in the judicial structure established by the Regulating Act of 1773?

  1. (a) The lack of a centralized revenue administration system in Bengal Presidency
  2. (b) The ambiguous jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the Company's servants and native population
  3. (c) The absence of appellate jurisdiction for the Sadar Diwani Adalat
  4. (d) The exclusion of Indians from the Executive Council of the Governor-General
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) The ambiguous jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the Company's servants and native population

Answer: Option 2 — The ambiguous jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the Company's servants and native population
The Regulating Act of 1773 created the Supreme Court at Calcutta but never drew a line between the Court and the Governor-General-in-Council.
The Court began trying Company officers, revenue collectors and Indians under English law, and the two clashed openly.
The Act of Settlement, 1781 was passed to settle exactly that boundary.
Revision note — Act of Settlement, 1781
• Also called the Amending Act of 1781; it followed the clashes exposed by the Nand Kumar case (1775), the Patna case (1777–79) and the Cossijurah case (1779–80).
• The Governor-General and Council were exempted from the Supreme Court's jurisdiction for acts done in their official capacity.
• Revenue matters and revenue officers were placed outside the Supreme Court's jurisdiction.
• In civil suits the Court was to apply the personal law of the parties — Hindu law for Hindus, Muslim law for Muslims.
• The Sadar Diwani Adalat was recognised as the court of appeal from the provincial courts, with a further appeal to the King-in-Council.
• The Governor-General-in-Council was empowered to frame regulations for the provincial courts and councils.
Do not mix these up
• Regulating Act, 1773 vs Act of Settlement, 1781 — the 1773 Act created the Supreme Court at Calcutta (it opened in 1774); the 1781 Act curtailed it.
• Act of Settlement, 1781 vs Pitt's India Act, 1784 — 1781 was about the courts; 1784 created the Board of Control and the system of dual government.
Also asked from this topic: the Act that set up the Supreme Court at Calcutta (Regulating Act, 1773); the size of the council of 1773 (four members); the body created in 1784 (Board of Control).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 15 September 2026 Shift 2 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q5. What was the fundamental flaw in the Mahalwari system that led to peasant distress?

  1. (a) Revenue was based on annual auctions
  2. (b) Revenue was fixed permanently with no flexibility
  3. (c) Revenue demand was periodically revised upward, burdening the whole village collectively
  4. (d) It granted collective ownership of land to European planters
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Revenue demand was periodically revised upward, burdening the whole village collectively

Answer: Option 3 — Revenue demand was periodically revised upward, burdening the whole village collectively
Under Mahalwari the settlement was made with the village (mahal) as a unit and was not permanent — it was revised every 20 to 30 years.
Each revision pushed the demand up on the basis of inflated estimates, and the whole village was jointly liable if any cultivator defaulted.
Revision note — The Mahalwari system
• Devised by Holt Mackenzie in 1819 and brought into force by Regulation VII of 1822; reworked by R. M. Bird in 1833 and later by James Thomason.
• Applied in the North-Western Provinces (present UP), Punjab, the Central Provinces and parts of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh — about 30 per cent of British India by area.
• The village headman (lambardar) collected the revenue from the cultivators and paid it to the Company.
• The demand was first pitched at 83 per cent of the rental value; Bird's settlement of 1833 lowered it to 66 per cent, and the Saharanpur Rules of 1855 to 50 per cent.
• Land was measured field by field and a record of rights (khewat) was kept — the origin of the modern patwari records.
• The three systems: Permanent Settlement 1793 (Cornwallis, Bengal), Ryotwari 1820 (Munro, Madras and Bombay), Mahalwari 1822 (Mackenzie, north India).
Do not mix these up
• Mahalwari vs Permanent Settlement — Mahalwari revenue was revised periodically; only the Permanent Settlement fixed it for ever, which is why option 2 describes Bengal, not the north.
• Mahalwari vs Ryotwari — Mahalwari dealt with the village collectively; Ryotwari dealt with each individual cultivator (ryot).
Also asked from this topic: the year the Mahalwari system came into effect (1822); who devised it (Holt Mackenzie); who introduced the Ryotwari system (Alexander Read and Thomas Munro).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 15 September 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q6. The Charter Act of 1813 ended whose monopoly over trade in India?

  1. (a) Dutch East India Company
  2. (b) Indian merchants
  3. (c) British East India Company (except tea/China trade)
  4. (d) French East India Company
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) British East India Company (except tea/China trade)

Answer: Option 3 — British East India Company (except tea/China trade)
The Charter Act of 1813 threw open trade with India to all British merchants, ending the East India Company's monopoly.
The Company kept its monopoly over tea and over trade with China for twenty more years.
The Dutch and French companies never held a monopoly over Indian trade, so they could not lose one.
Revision note — The Charter Acts
• The Company's charter was renewed every 20 years; the Charter Act of 1793 extended its trade monopoly for twenty years.
• 1813: ended the monopoly except tea and China trade; asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Company's territories.
• 1813 also allowed Christian missionaries into India and set aside ₹1 lakh a year for education — the first such grant.
• 1833: ended the remaining tea and China monopoly, turning the Company into a purely administrative body.
• 1833 also made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of India (Lord William Bentinck first) and set up a Law Commission under Macaulay.
• 1853: introduced open competition for the civil service and separated the legislative and executive functions of the Council.
• 1853 renewed the charter with no fixed term, so the Company could be wound up at any time.
• The Government of India Act, 1858 ended Company rule after the Revolt of 1857 and transferred power to the Crown.
• The pressure for free trade in 1813 came from the Continental System of Napoleon, which had shut British goods out of Europe and forced merchants to look to India.
Do not mix these up
• 1813 vs 1833 — 1813 ended the monopoly over Indian trade; 1833 ended the last monopoly, over tea and China.
• Regulating Act 1773 vs Charter Acts — the Regulating Act was the first step of parliamentary control, creating the Governor-General of Bengal and the Supreme Court at Calcutta.
• The Charter Acts only renewed the Company's charter every twenty years.
Also asked from this topic: what the 1813 Act ended (the Company's monopoly, except tea and China); the provision it sanctioned (western sciences); the Act that created the Governor-General of India (1833).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 12 September 2026 Shift 1 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q7. Why were the 1772 and 1774 judicial reforms under Warren Hastings significant?

  1. (a) They applied English criminal law to all Indians
  2. (b) They introduced a dual legal system respecting personal laws of Hindus and Muslims
  3. (c) They nationalized private property
  4. (d) They created jury trials for peasants
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) They introduced a dual legal system respecting personal laws of Hindus and Muslims

Answer: Option 2 — They introduced a dual legal system respecting personal laws of Hindus and Muslims
Hastings' Judicial Plan of 1772 set up a civil and a criminal court in every district.
In inheritance, marriage, caste and religious usage, Hindus were to be judged by the Shastras and Muslims by the Quran.
English law was applied only in the Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774) and only to British subjects, so the 1772–74 system kept two streams of law running side by side.
Revision note — Judicial reforms of Warren Hastings
• Warren Hastings became Governor of Bengal in 1772 and the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773, holding office till 1785.
• Judicial Plan of 1772: every district got a Mofussil Diwani Adalat (civil, under the Collector) and a Mofussil Faujdari Adalat (criminal, run by the Qazi and Mufti under the Collector's supervision).
• Appeals went to the Sadar Diwani Adalat (civil) and the Sadar Nizamat Adalat (criminal) at Calcutta; the Nizamat court moved to Murshidabad in 1775.
• Pandits and maulvis sat with the judges to expound Hindu and Muslim law; N. B. Halhed's "A Code of Gentoo Laws" (1776) was the first English digest of Hindu law.
• In 1774 the Collectors were withdrawn, Indian amils took charge of revenue and civil justice, and six Provincial Councils were set up, including Calcutta, Dacca and Patna.
• The Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta opened in 1774 under the Regulating Act, with Sir Elijah Impey as first Chief Justice — one chief justice and three other judges.
• The next big overhaul was the Cornwallis Code of 1793, which separated revenue and judicial work and created District Judges.
Do not mix these up
• Diwani vs Faujdari — Diwani adalats tried civil (revenue, property) cases; Faujdari adalats tried criminal cases.
• Sadar Diwani Adalat vs Supreme Court — the Sadar courts were the Company's appellate courts; the Supreme Court was a Crown court set up by Parliament and applied English law.
Also asked from this topic: the district courts of the 1772 plan (Diwani and Faujdari adalats); the first Governor-General of Bengal (Warren Hastings); the first Chief Justice at Calcutta (Sir Elijah Impey, 1774).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 10 September 2026 Shift 2 · Press acts and other laws

Q8. The Factories Act of 1881 is often criticized for being more aligned with British economic interests than Indian labor welfare. Which of the following provisions supports this interpretation?

  1. (a) It introduced mandatory weekly holidays and daily work-hour limits for all factory workers.
  2. (b) It prohibited child labor under the age of 14 and regulated adult working hours
  3. (c) It imposed restrictions only on children, without addressing the working conditions of adult laborers.
  4. (d) It ensured minimum wages and union rights for factory workers across British India.
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) It imposed restrictions only on children, without addressing the working conditions of adult laborers.

Answer: Option 3 — It imposed restrictions only on children, without addressing the working conditions of adult laborers.
The Indian Factories Act of 1881, passed under Lord Ripon, was India's first factory law, and it touched only child labour.
Adult hours, wages and safety were left untouched, which is exactly why it is read as protecting Lancashire's mill interests rather than Indian workers.
Revision note — Early factory legislation in British India
• Factories Act, 1881 (Viceroy Lord Ripon): children below 7 years could not be employed, and children aged 7 to 12 could work at most 9 hours a day.
• The same Act gave child workers 4 holidays a month and required dangerous machinery to be fenced.
• It applied only to factories using power and employing 100 or more workers, so most Indian workplaces fell outside it.
• It said nothing about adult men, wages, or hours for adults — the gap that the criticism rests on.
• The Factories Act of 1891 went further: it set a weekly holiday, limited women to 11 hours a day and raised the child age band to 9–14 years with a 7-hour limit.
• Pressure for these laws came largely from British textile manufacturers in Manchester and Lancashire, who wanted Indian mills denied the advantage of cheap, unregulated labour.
• In independent India, Article 24 of the Constitution prohibits the employment of any child below 14 years in a factory, mine or hazardous occupation.
Do not mix these up
• Factories Act 1881 vs Factories Act 1891 — 1881 covered children only; 1891 was the first to limit women's hours and give a weekly holiday.
• Lord Ripon vs Lord Lytton — Ripon gave the Factories Act 1881 and repealed the Vernacular Press Act in 1882; Lytton had passed it, with the Indian Arms Act, in 1878.
Also asked from this topic: the subject of the Ilbert Bill of 1883 (Indian judges trying European offenders); who repealed the Vernacular Press Act, 1878 (Lord Ripon, 1882); the Article barring children under 14 from factories (Article 24).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 10 September 2026 Shift 3 · Press acts and other laws

Q9. Fill in the blank:
The Vernacular Press Act of 1878, enacted by Lord ________, empowered the British government to seize the assets of Indian-language newspapers that published critical or 'seditious' reports, thereby suppressing their freedom.

  1. (a) Canning
  2. (b) Ripon
  3. (c) Lytton
  4. (d) Dufferin
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Lytton

Answer: Option 3 — Lytton
The Vernacular Press Act, 1878 was passed under Viceroy Lord Lytton (1876–1880).
It let magistrates seize the press and assets of Indian-language newspapers that printed matter judged seditious.
Revision note — The Vernacular Press Act and Lord Lytton
• It was nicknamed the Gagging Act and applied only to Indian-language papers — English newspapers were exempt, an open discrimination.
• It allowed no appeal to a court; a paper could escape only by submitting its proofs to a government censor in advance.
• Amrita Bazar Patrika dodged the Act by converting itself into an English newspaper overnight.
• The Act was repealed by Lord Ripon in 1882.
• Lytton also passed the Indian Arms Act, 1878, held the Delhi Durbar of 1877 proclaiming Queen Victoria Kaiser-i-Hind, and cut the maximum age for the civil services examination from 21 to 19.
• Earlier press laws: Censorship of Press Act 1799 (Wellesley), Licensing Regulations 1823 (John Adam), the Metcalfe Act 1835 which freed the press, and the Licensing Act 1857.
Do not mix these up
• Lytton vs Ripon — Lytton passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878; Ripon repealed it in 1882 and is remembered for local self-government and the Ilbert Bill.
• Vernacular Press Act 1878 vs Indian Arms Act 1878 — same viceroy, same year: one gagged the Indian press, the other barred Indians from keeping arms without a licence.
Also asked from this topic: the viceroy who introduced the Act (Lord Lytton, RRB NTPC 2025); its purpose, seizing the assets of critical papers (Delhi Police 2025).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 10 September 2026 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q10. The Government of India Act 1935 separated Burma from India effective from which year?

  1. (a) 1933
  2. (b) 1935
  3. (c) 1937
  4. (d) 1942
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) 1937

Answer: Option 3 — 1937
The Government of India Act, 1935 was brought into force in stages, and under its companion Government of Burma Act, 1935 Burma was separated from British India with effect from 1 April 1937.
Aden was detached from India on the same date.
Revision note — Government of India Act, 1935
• It was the longest Act passed by the British Parliament up to that time — 321 sections and 10 schedules — and is called the blueprint of the Indian Constitution.
• It proposed an All India Federation of British provinces and princely states; the federation never came into being, because the princely states did not accede.
• It abolished dyarchy in the provinces and introduced provincial autonomy, while bringing dyarchy in at the Centre.
• Powers were split into three lists — Federal (59 items), Provincial (54 items) and Concurrent (36 items) — with residuary powers left to the Viceroy.
• It provided for the Reserve Bank of India (established 1935), a Federal Court (inaugurated at Delhi on 1 October 1937) and a Federal Public Service Commission with Provincial PSCs.
• Separate electorates were extended to the depressed classes, women and labour; the franchise was widened to about 10 per cent of the population.
• Provincial elections under the Act were held in 1937, and the Indian National Congress formed ministries in most provinces.
Do not mix these up
• Act of 1919 vs Act of 1935 — the Montagu-Chelmsford Act of 1919 introduced dyarchy in the provinces; the Act of 1935 ended it there and moved dyarchy to the Centre.
• Federal Court (1937) vs Supreme Court (1950) — the Federal Court created by the 1935 Act was the forerunner of the Supreme Court of India.
• Separation of Burma (1937) vs Simon Commission (1927-30) — the Simon Commission only recommended the separation; the 1935 legislation carried it out.
Also asked from this topic: the year the Federal Court of India was set up (1937); the Act called the blueprint of the Indian Constitution (the 1935 Act).
SSC Stenographer 2026 – 9 September 2026 Shift 2 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q11. Which land revenue system allowed individual peasants to pay directly to the colonial state?

  1. (a) Zamindari System
  2. (b) Mahalwari System
  3. (c) Ryotwari System
  4. (d) Permanent Settlement
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Ryotwari System

Answer: Option 3 — Ryotwari System
Under the Ryotwari settlement the ryot — the individual cultivator — was recognised as the landholder and paid the revenue directly to the government, with no zamindar or village body in between.
Revision note — British land revenue systems
• Permanent Settlement (Zamindari), 1793 — introduced by Lord Cornwallis in Bengal, Bihar and Odisha; zamindars were made owners and paid a fixed revenue for ever, whatever the harvest.
• Ryotwari — devised by Alexander Read and Thomas Munro in the Madras Presidency, later extended to Bombay; revenue settled with each ryot and revised periodically, usually every 20 to 30 years.
• Mahalwari, 1822 — devised by Holt Mackenzie for the North-Western Provinces, later Punjab and parts of Central India; the mahal (village) was jointly liable and paid through the village headman.
• By area the Ryotwari system covered the largest share of British India, roughly half; the Permanent Settlement the smallest.
• All three raised the revenue demand far above what the land could bear, causing widespread indebtedness and transfers of land to moneylenders.
• The Bengal Tenancy Act, 1885 later gave tenant cultivators occupancy rights and protection from arbitrary eviction.
Do not mix these up
• Ryotwari vs Mahalwari — the ryot is assessed and pays individually; in Mahalwari the whole village is jointly responsible for the demand.
• Permanent Settlement vs the other two — only the Permanent Settlement fixed the demand in perpetuity; Ryotwari and Mahalwari were revised at intervals.
• Zamindari and Permanent Settlement are two names for the same arrangement, which is why both appear as options here.
Also asked from this topic: who introduced the Ryotwari System (Thomas Munro); the year of the Permanent Settlement (1793, Lord Cornwallis); who devised the Mahalwari settlement (Holt Mackenzie).
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 20 June 2026 Shift 2 · Press acts and other laws

Q12. The Arms Act of 1878 was introduced during the tenure of which Viceroy of British India?

  1. (a) Lord Ripon
  2. (b) Lord Lytton
  3. (c) Lord Curzon
  4. (d) Lord Wellesley
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Lord Lytton

Topic: Arms Act of 1878
The Arms Act was passed in 1878 during the tenure ofLord Lytton(1876-1880).
This act prohibited Indians from possessing arms without licenses.
It was a repressive measure following the 1857 Revolt to disarm Indians.
Europeans and Anglo-Indians were exempted from this restriction.
Answer: Option 2 → Lord Lytton
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 19 June 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q13. What was one main demand of the Muslim League that was accepted by the British government in 1909?

  1. (a) Complete independence
  2. (b) Separate electorates for Muslims
  3. (c) Universal adult franchise
  4. (d) Partition of India
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Separate electorates for Muslims

Topic: Indian National Movement - Morley-Minto Reforms 1909
The Muslim League was founded in 1906 at Dhaka.
Main demand:Separate electorates for Muslims
British accepted this demand in theIndian Councils Act 1909(Morley-Minto Reforms).
This introduced communal representation in Indian politics.
Answer: Option 2 → Separate electorates for Muslims
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 18 June 2026 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q14. Which outcome resulted from the Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley–Minto Reforms)?

  1. (a) Establishment of provincial autonomy, complete financial authority, and autonomous ministries
  2. (b) Expansion of legislative councils, admission of Indians to Viceroy's executive council, and new deliberative powers.
  3. (c) Abolition of nominated seats, imposition of direct elections, and removal of official majorities.
  4. (d) Reduction of legislative council size, replacement of budgetary rights, and elimination of Indian representatives.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Expansion of legislative councils, admission of Indians to Viceroy's executive council, and new deliberative powers.

Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms)
Key Features:
1.Expanded Legislative Councilsat central and provincial levels
2.First Indian memberappointed to Viceroy's Executive Council (Satyendra Prasad Sinha)
3. Introducedseparate electoratesfor Muslims
4. Enhanceddeliberative functions- members could discuss budget, ask questions
Note:Provincial autonomy came with Government of India Act 1935, not 1909
Answer: Option 2 → Expansion of legislative councils, admission of Indians to Viceroy's executive council, and new deliberative powers.
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 17 June 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q15. Which Charter Act ended the East India Company’s monopoly over trade with India?

  1. (a) Charter Act of 1813
  2. (b) Charter Act of 1853
  3. (c) Charter Act of 1833
  4. (d) Charter Act of 1793
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Charter Act of 1813

Topic: Charter Acts and East India Company
TheCharter Act of 1813ended the Company's monopoly over trade with India (except tea and China trade).
Key provisions:
• Opened Indian trade to all British subjects
• Company retained monopoly only on tea and China trade
• Allowed Christian missionaries to spread education
Note: Charter Act of 1833 ended tea and China trade monopoly completely.
Answer: Option 1 → Charter Act of 1813
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 16 June 2026 Shift 1 · Press acts and other laws

Q16. The Vernacular Press Act (1878) targeted _____________.

  1. (a) Trade publications against British rule
  2. (b) Hindi educational journals during British rule
  3. (c) English newspapers only
  4. (d) Indian-language newspapers critical of British rule
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Indian-language newspapers critical of British rule

Vernacular Press Act, 1878
Enacted by: Lord Lytton (Viceroy of India)
Purpose: To suppress criticism of British policies in Indian-language newspapers
Target: Newspapers published in Indian languages (vernacular press) that criticized British rule
Impact: English newspapers were exempt; only Indian-language press was controlled
Repealed: 1881 by Lord Ripon
Answer: Option 4 → Indian-language newspapers critical of British rule
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 16 June 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q17. The Morley-Minto Reforms were introduced by the British Government in India in ______.

  1. (a) 1905
  2. (b) 1909
  3. (c) 1935
  4. (d) 1919
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) 1909

Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act)
Introduced in1909by Lord Morley (Secretary of State) and Lord Minto (Viceroy).
Key Features:
• Expanded legislative councils at central and provincial levels.
• Introduced separate electorates for Muslims (communal representation).
• Increased Indian participation in governance.
Answer: Option 2 → 1909
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 16 June 2026 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q18. Which of the following provisions was brought about by the Indian Councils Act of 1909?

  1. (a) Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims
  2. (b) Elimination of Viceroy’s position
  3. (c) Universal voting rights for all Indians
  4. (d) Establishment of the Supreme Court in India
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims

Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms)
Key Provisions:
• Introducedseparate electorates for Muslims
• Increased Indian representation in councils
• Allowed Indians in Viceroy's Executive Council
Note: This act is known for communal representation,
which later became a divisive factor in Indian politics.
Answer: Option 1 → Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 15 June 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q19. The Indian Council Act of ______ introduced the concept of 'separate electorate' in India.

  1. (a) 1903
  2. (b) 1861
  3. (c) 1862
  4. (d) 1909
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) 1909

Indian Council Act of 1909(Morley-Minto Reforms)
Key Feature: Introducedseparate electoratesystem
Muslims could elect their own representatives separately
This provision led to communal division in Indian politics
Answer: Option 4 → 1909
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 13 June 2026 Shift 2 · Print culture and the vernacular press

Q20. The rise of vernacular languages in modern Indian literature was mainly due to __________.

  1. (a) British colonial education and printing technology
  2. (b) Decline of regional kingdoms due to Western colonization
  3. (c) Printing of Mughal court documents in regional languages
  4. (d) Increase in oral storytelling traditions in various Indian languages
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) British colonial education and printing technology

Topic:Rise of Vernacular Languages in Modern Indian Literature
Key Factor: British Colonial Period
Introduction of printing press technology in India
Establishment of colonial education system promoting literacy
Mass production of books, newspapers in regional languages
Impact:
Standardization of vernacular languages through print
Growth of regional literature and journalism
Emergence of modern prose forms in Indian languages
Answer: Option 1 → British colonial education and printing technology
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 13 June 2026 Shift 3 · Press acts and other laws

Q21. What was the primary objective of the Vernacular Press Act (1878)?

  1. (a) Restricting non-English publications to prevent criticism of British political actions.
  2. (b) Encouraging regional newspapers to defend imperial policies against opponents.
  3. (c) Removing censorship rules to allow free expression in vernacular print outlets.
  4. (d) Promoting bilingual journalism to support cultural unity in colonial territories.
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Restricting non-English publications to prevent criticism of British political actions.

Vernacular Press Act (1878)
Enacted by:Lord Lytton(Viceroy of India)
Primary Objective: Control and suppress Indian-language newspapers that criticized British policies.
Key Features:
• Applied only to vernacular (non-English) press
• Magistrates could demand security deposits and confiscate printing equipment
• English newspapers remained exempt from restrictions
Purpose: Prevent nationalist sentiments and criticism of British rule in regional languages.
Repealed: 1881 by Lord Ripon
Answer: Option 1 → Restricting non-English publications to prevent criticism of British political actions.
SSC GD 2026 – 31 May 2026 Shift 1 · Press acts and other laws

Q22. Which of the following Acts was enacted in an attempt to silence newspapers that criticized the government?

  1. (a) Vernacular Press Act, 1878
  2. (b) Vernacular Press Act, 1858
  3. (c) Charter Act, 1833
  4. (d) Charter Act, 1813
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Vernacular Press Act, 1878

Correct Answer: Vernacular Press Act, 1878 (Option 1)
The Vernacular Press Act, 1878 was enacted by Lord Lytton (Viceroy of India) to suppress Indian-language newspapers that were criticising the British government and the social effects of British rule. It is also known as the 'Gagging Act'. The Act gave magistrates the power to call upon editors, printers, and publishers to enter into bonds not to publish objectionable material. It was repealed in 1882 by Lord Ripon.
Why others are wrong:
- Vernacular Press Act, 1858: No such act was passed in 1858; this is a fictitious date.
- Charter Act, 1833: Dealt with the administrative and governance structure of British India; unrelated to press suppression.
- Charter Act, 1813: Ended the East India Company's trade monopoly and allowed Christian missionaries; unrelated to press laws.
SSC GD 2026 – 30 May 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q23. Which of the following acts provided for provincial autonomy?

  1. (a) Government of India Act 1935
  2. (b) Government of India Act 1919
  3. (c) Government of India Act 1909
  4. (d) Government of India Act 1861
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Government of India Act 1935

Correct Answer: Government of India Act 1935 — Option (a)
The Government of India Act 1935 provided for Provincial Autonomy. About the Government of India Act 1935 and Provincial Autonomy: Key feature: PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY — the most important feature of the Act; Under this Act, provinces were given autonomous status — meaning they could govern themselves without interference from the Governor General in most matters; Governors were required to act on the advice of the Provincial Council of Ministers (responsible government at provincial level); The Act abolished 'Dyarchy' in the provinces (introduced by the 1919 Act) and gave full responsible government at provincial level; Implementation: Part relating to Provinces implemented in 1937; Part relating to All-India Federation was NEVER implemented (because Princely States refused to join); Congress contested the 1937 elections and formed governments in 7 out of 11 provinces; Other features of the 1935 Act: Proposed an All-India Federation (of British India provinces + Princely States) — never implemented; Introduced a Federal Court (established 1937, replaced by Supreme Court in 1950); Created Reserve Bank of India (RBI) — established 1935; Established Public Service Commissions at federal and provincial levels; Gave vote to more people (35 million could vote); Introduced federal list, provincial list, and concurrent list (three-tier distribution of powers); About other Acts: Government of India Act 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms): Introduced DYARCHY in provinces (division of provincial subjects into 'reserved' subjects administered by Governor and 'transferred' subjects administered by Ministers); NOT provincial autonomy; Government of India Act 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms): Introduced communal/separate electorates for Muslims; NOT provincial autonomy; Government of India Act 1861: Restarted the legislative councils abolished after 1857 Mutiny; Not related to provincial autonomy.
Option (b) Government of India Act 1919 — Incorrect: The Government of India Act 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) did NOT introduce Provincial Autonomy; it introduced DYARCHY — a system of dual government where provincial subjects were divided into 'reserved' subjects (Governor's executive control) and 'transferred' subjects (Ministers' control); Dyarchy was actually criticized for NOT giving real autonomy; Provincial Autonomy was introduced by the Government of India Act 1935.
Option (c) Government of India Act 1909 — Incorrect: The Government of India Act 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) did NOT introduce Provincial Autonomy; it is primarily known for introducing communal representation/separate electorates for Muslims (first time); it slightly enlarged the legislative councils and added elected non-official members; Provincial Autonomy was introduced much later by the Government of India Act 1935.
Option (d) Government of India Act 1861 — Incorrect: The Government of India Act 1861 did NOT introduce Provincial Autonomy; it restored Legislative Councils that had been abolished after the 1857 Mutiny; it enabled Indians to be nominated to Legislative Councils for the first time; it decentralized some power to provinces but NOT provincial autonomy; Provincial Autonomy was a feature of the much later Government of India Act 1935.
SSC GD 2026 – 29 May 2026 Shift 3 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q24. Who became the first Indian Governor-General of independent India?

  1. (a) C. Rajagopalachari
  2. (b) Vallabh Bhai Patel
  3. (c) Rajendra Prasad
  4. (d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) C. Rajagopalachari

Correct Answer: C. Rajagopalachari — Option (a)
C. Rajagopalachari (Chakravarti Rajagopalachari) became the first INDIAN Governor-General of independent India. About C. Rajagopalachari as Governor-General: Full name: Chakravarti Rajagopalachari; Affectionately called: Rajaji or C.R.; Tenure as Governor-General: June 21, 1948 to January 26, 1950; He was the FIRST INDIAN to hold the office of Governor-General of India; He was also the LAST Governor-General of India (the office ceased to exist when India became a Republic on January 26, 1950); Background: Lord Mountbatten was the first Governor-General of independent India (August 15, 1947 — June 21, 1948) — but he was British; When Mountbatten left, Rajagopalachari became the Governor-General; About C. Rajagopalachari: Born: December 10, 1878 in Salem, Tamil Nadu; Died: December 25, 1972; Role in Independence movement: Close associate of Mahatma Gandhi; Advocated the C.R. Formula (1944) for Hindu-Muslim unity; First Governor of West Bengal (1947-48); Chief Minister of Madras (1952-54); Founded the Swatantra Party (1959) — a right-wing party opposing Nehru's socialist policies; Awards: Bharat Ratna (1954 — among the first recipients); Distinguished jurist, author, and politician; Wrote the Tamil version of the Mahabharata and Ramayana; Note: Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India (from January 26, 1950); Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister; Vallabh Bhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister; None of them served as Governor-General.
Option (b) Vallabh Bhai Patel — Incorrect: Vallabh Bhai Patel was NOT the first Indian Governor-General of India; Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and first Home Minister of India; he was the 'Iron Man of India' who integrated 562+ princely states into the Indian Union; he never held the position of Governor-General; C. Rajagopalachari was the first Indian Governor-General.
Option (c) Rajendra Prasad — Incorrect: Rajendra Prasad was NOT the first Indian Governor-General of India; he was India's FIRST PRESIDENT (from January 26, 1950 to May 14, 1962 — served two terms); the office of Governor-General was replaced by the President when India became a Republic on January 26, 1950; C. Rajagopalachari was the first (and last) Indian Governor-General.
Option (d) Jawaharlal Nehru — Incorrect: Jawaharlal Nehru was NOT the first Indian Governor-General of India; he was India's FIRST Prime Minister (from August 15, 1947 to May 27, 1964); the Prime Minister and Governor-General are different constitutional positions; C. Rajagopalachari was the first Indian Governor-General (June 21, 1948 to January 26, 1950).
SSC GD 2026 – 22 May 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q25. Which Act marked the official end of the East India Company's rule in India?

  1. (a) Regulating Act, 1773
  2. (b) Government of India Act, 1858
  3. (c) Indian Councils Act, 1861
  4. (d) Charter Act, 1833
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Government of India Act, 1858

Correct Answer: Government of India Act, 1858 — Option (b)
The Government of India Act, 1858 formally abolished the East India Company and marked the official end of Company rule in India. Key provisions of the Government of India Act, 1858: Passed by the British Parliament after the Great Revolt of 1857 (First War of Independence); Transferred control of India from the East India Company to the British Crown (Queen Victoria); Established the Secretary of State for India (a Cabinet minister in London) as the head of Indian administration; Created the India Council (an advisory body of 15 members) to assist the Secretary of State; The Governor-General of India was redesignated as 'Viceroy of India' (representing the Crown directly); First Secretary of State: Lord Stanley; First Viceroy of India: Lord Canning (who was Governor-General at the time of the 1857 revolt); Queen Victoria's Proclamation (November 1, 1858): Promised equal opportunities for Indians irrespective of religion, renounced annexation policy, declared amnesty for rebels (with exceptions); Significance: Marks the beginning of direct British Crown rule (British Raj) in India, which lasted until India's independence on August 15, 1947.
Option (a) Regulating Act, 1773 — Incorrect: The Regulating Act, 1773 was the FIRST act by the British Parliament to regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India — it created the post of Governor-General (first: Warren Hastings) and Supreme Court at Calcutta; it did NOT end Company rule — it actually strengthened parliamentary control over the Company.
Option (c) Indian Councils Act, 1861 — Incorrect: The Indian Councils Act, 1861 was passed AFTER the Government of India Act, 1858 (which already ended Company rule); the 1861 Act decentralized legislative powers and allowed Indians to be nominated to legislative councils — it came in the post-Company era of Crown rule.
Option (d) Charter Act, 1833 — Incorrect: The Charter Act, 1833 was a significant reform that ended the Company's commercial activities (it ceased to be a trading company), opened Indian trade to all British citizens, and appointed a Law Commission (led by Macaulay) — but it did NOT end Company rule; the Company continued to govern India until 1858. The candidate selected this incorrect option.
SSC GD 2026 – 22 May 2026 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q26. By which of the following Acts was budget discussion in the Indian legislature allowed for the first time?

  1. (a) Indian Councils Act, 1892
  2. (b) Indian Councils Act, 1861
  3. (c) Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909
  4. (d) Government of India Act, 1919
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Indian Councils Act, 1892

Correct Answer: Indian Councils Act, 1892 — Option (a)
The Indian Councils Act of 1892 allowed budget discussion in the Indian legislature for the first time. About the Indian Councils Act, 1892: This Act is also known as the Minto-Morley Reforms' predecessor — it was enacted during the tenure of Lord Lansdowne as Viceroy; Key provisions related to budget: Members of the legislative councils were given the right to DISCUSS (but NOT vote on) the budget for the first time; Members were also allowed to ask supplementary questions on matters of public interest; Significance: Before 1892, there was NO mechanism for legislative discussion of the budget in India; the 1892 Act marked the first step toward legislative involvement in financial matters; Progress of constitutional reforms: Regulating Act (1773): First parliamentary regulation of the Company; Charter Act (1853): Last Charter Act; Government of India Act (1858): Crown took over from Company; Indian Councils Act (1861): Created Imperial Legislative Council, but members had no real power; Indian Councils Act (1892): First budget discussion allowed; Morley-Minto Reforms (1909): Separate electorates introduced, more legislative members; Government of India Act (1919): Dyarchy introduced — transferred subjects included separate budget for transferred subjects; Government of India Act (1935): Introduced federation, provincial autonomy, responsible government.
Option (b) Indian Councils Act, 1861 — Incorrect: The Indian Councils Act of 1861 created the Imperial Legislative Council and allowed non-official (Indian) members to join — but it did NOT allow budget discussion; the first budget discussion provision came with the Indian Councils Act of 1892.
Option (c) Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909 — Incorrect: The Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) introduced separate electorates for Muslims and increased the size of legislative councils — but the first budget discussion right was granted by the earlier Indian Councils Act of 1892.
Option (d) Government of India Act, 1919 — Incorrect: The Government of India Act of 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) introduced dyarchy in provinces and the bicameral legislature at the centre — but budget discussion rights had already been established by the Indian Councils Act of 1892, 27 years earlier.
SSC GD 2026 – 20 May 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q27. The Charter Act of 1813 ended the East India Company's monopoly on _____.

  1. (a) Opium trade
  2. (b) Trade with China
  3. (c) Trade with Europe
  4. (d) Trade with India except tea and China trade
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Trade with India except tea and China trade

Correct Answer: Trade with India except tea and China trade — Option (d)
The Charter Act of 1813 (renewal of the East India Company's charter) ended the East India Company's monopoly on trade with India, EXCEPT for the trade in tea and trade with China. This was a landmark development as it opened up Indian trade to all British merchants, allowing free trade with India (other than the excepted items). The Act also: Allowed Christian missionaries to enter India for proaching ; Provided for education in India with an allocation of one lakh rupees annually; Asserted British sovereignty over the Company's Indian territories. The tea trade monopoly with China was abolished later by the Charter Act of 1833.
Option (a) Opium trade — Incorrect: The 1813 Act did not specifically target the opium trade; it ended the Company's general trading monopoly with India (except tea and China trade).
Option (b) Trade with China — Incorrect: The Charter Act of 1813 maintained the Company's monopoly on trade with China (and tea trade); it was the Charter Act of 1833 that ended the China trade monopoly.
Option (c) Trade with Europe — Incorrect: The Company's monopoly was on trade with India and China, not specifically with Europe; the 1813 Act opened trade with India (excluding tea and China) to all British subjects.
SSC GD 2026 – 19 May 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q28. Which of the following Acts first allowed Indians to be recruited into the Indian Civil Service through open competition held in London?

  1. (a) Charter Act of 1813
  2. (b) Charter Act of 1833
  3. (c) Charter Act of 1853
  4. (d) Indian Councils Act of 1861
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Charter Act of 1853

Correct Answer: Charter Act of 1853 — Option (c)
The Charter Act of 1853 was a landmark legislation that for the first time introduced open competitive examination for recruitment to the Indian Civil Service (ICS). Before 1853, the East India Company's Directors had the patronage power to nominate candidates for the civil service through a system of 'writerships'. The Charter Act of 1853 abolished this patronage system and introduced merit-based competitive examinations open to all British subjects (including Indians, theoretically). The examination was initially held only in London, which made it difficult for Indians to participate due to financial and travel constraints. The Macaulay Committee (1854) was formed to implement this recommendation. This laid the foundation for the modern IAS (Indian Administrative Service).
Option (a) Charter Act of 1813 — Incorrect: The Charter Act of 1813 renewed the EIC's charter, ended EIC's trade monopoly (except tea and China trade), and opened India to Christian missionaries; it did not introduce open competition for civil services.
Option (b) Charter Act of 1833 — Incorrect: The Charter Act of 1833 ended EIC's commercial activities and made it purely administrative; it mentioned equal opportunities for Indians 'without distinction' but did NOT introduce open competitive examinations.
Option (d) Indian Councils Act of 1861 — Incorrect: The Indian Councils Act of 1861 reorganized the Viceroy's Council and introduced the portfolio system; civil service recruitment through open competition was already established by the 1853 Act.
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 9 May 2026 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q29. Which policy decision of Lord Curzon directly provoked strong nationalist opposition in the early 1900s?

  1. (a) Altering advisory council arrangements without increasing Indian representation.
  2. (b) Enacting the Universities Act of 1904, which tightened official control over Indian higher education.
  3. (c) Issuing minor administrative regulations that changed routine procedures in provincial departments.
  4. (d) Revising local body finances by making small adjustments to grants and supervisory rules.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Enacting the Universities Act of 1904, which tightened official control over Indian higher education.

Lord Curzon's Policies and Nationalist Opposition
Universities Act of 1904:
- Increased government control over universities
- Reduced autonomy of Indian educational institutions
- Restricted freedom of academic activities
- Seen as attempt to curb nationalist thought in education
Impact:
Strong opposition from Indian nationalists and intellectuals who viewed it as suppression of educational freedom and nationalist ideas.
Answer: Option 2 → Enacting the Universities Act of 1904, which tightened official control over Indian higher education.
RRB NTPC UG CBT-1 2025-26 – 9 May 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q30. The Government of India Act, 1935, provided ______________.

  1. (a) Dyarchy in provinces
  2. (b) Separate electorates for Hindus only
  3. (c) Separate electorates for all communities
  4. (d) Provincial autonomy and federal structure
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Provincial autonomy and federal structure

Government of India Act, 1935 - Key Features:
1.Provincial Autonomy- Provinces got self-governance with responsible government
2.Federal Structure- Proposed federation of British India and Princely States
3. Abolished dyarchy in provinces (dyarchy was in 1919 Act)
4. Introduced dyarchy at the Centre instead
5. Continued separate electorates for minorities (not just Hindus)
Option 1 ✗ - Dyarchy was removed from provinces
Option 2 ✗ - Not only for Hindus
Option 3 ✗ - Partial (continued from before, not new provision)
Option 4 ✓ - Main features of the Act
Answer: Option 4 → Provincial autonomy and federal structure
SSC GD 2026 – 4 May 2026 Shift 1 · Economic impact and drain of wealth

Q31. Which crop did the British force the peasants of Maharashtra to produce?

  1. (a) Cotton
  2. (b) Tea
  3. (c) Jute
  4. (d) Barley
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Cotton

Correct Answer: Cotton — Option (a)
The British colonial administration, particularly after the American Civil War (1861–1865) disrupted cotton supplies from the USA, forced the peasants of the Deccan region of Maharashtra to grow cotton for export to British textile mills in Lancashire. This commercialization of agriculture led to increased indebtedness among peasants and eventually sparked the Deccan Riots of 1875.
Option (b) Tea — Incorrect: Tea cultivation was forced primarily in Assam and West Bengal, not Maharashtra.
Option (c) Jute — Incorrect: Jute cultivation was concentrated in Bengal (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh), not Maharashtra.
Option (d) Barley — Incorrect: Barley was not a crop forced on Maharashtra's peasants by the British.
SSC GD 2026 – 30 April 2026 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q32. The Serampore College established by Christian missionaries was situated on the bank of which river?

  1. (a) Hooghly
  2. (b) Yamuna
  3. (c) Damodar
  4. (d) Mahananda
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Hooghly

Correct Answer: Hooghly — Option (a)
The Serampore College, established by Christian missionaries, was situated on the bank of the Hooghly River. Key facts about Serampore College: Founded: November 15, 1818; Founders: The ' Serampore Trio' — William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward (Baptist missionaries from England); Location: Serampore (also spelled Srirampur or Shrirampur ), situated on the western bank of the Hooghly River in present-day West Bengal; Historical context: Serampore was then a Danish colonial settlement (not British), which gave the missionaries a degree of freedom from British colonial restrictions; Significance: It was one of the earliest colleges in Asia offering education in Western subjects including science, humanities, and theology; It is often considered the first college to award degrees in Asia; Charter: It received a Royal Charter from the King of Denmark in 1827, allowing it to confer degrees — making it technically a university; About William Carey: William Carey is considered the 'Father of Modern Missions'; he was also a botanist, Bible translator, and social reformer who opposed practices like sati.
Option (b) Yamuna — Incorrect: Serampore College is situated on the banks of the Hooghly River in West Bengal, not the Yamuna; the Yamuna flows through Delhi, Agra, and Mathura — far from Serampore .
Option (c) Damodar — Incorrect: The Damodar River flows through Jharkhand and West Bengal; Serampore is not on the Damodar River — it is situated on the western bank of the Hooghly River.
Option (d) Mahananda — Incorrect: The Mahananda River flows through parts of West Bengal and Bihar; Serampore College is not on the Mahananda — it is located on the Hooghly River in Serampore , West Bengal.
SSC GD 2026 – 30 April 2026 Shift 2 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q33. Under the Permanent Settlement introduced by the British, what was the primary responsibility of zamindars?

  1. (a) To cultivate the land themselves
  2. (b) To collect revenue from farmers and provide it to the Company
  3. (c) To trade goods with the British
  4. (d) To manage trade routes
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) To collect revenue from farmers and provide it to the Company

Correct Answer: To collect revenue from farmers and provide it to the Company — Option (b)
The Permanent Settlement of 1793, introduced by Lord Cornwallis, fixed the land revenue to be paid to the British East India Company permanently. Under this system, zamindars were recognized as landowners. Their primary responsibility was to collect rent from peasants (ryots) and pay a fixed amount of revenue to the Company. Failure to pay on time could result in the auctioning of their land.
Option (a) — Incorrect: Zamindars were not cultivators; they were intermediaries between peasants and the colonial administration.
Option (c) — Incorrect: Trading goods with the British was not the zamindars' function under the Permanent Settlement.
Option (d) — Incorrect: Managing trade routes was not part of the zamindars' assigned role.
SSC GD 2026 – 30 April 2026 Shift 2 · Education policies and commissions

Q34. What word did the British commonly use to refer to local language or dialect?

  1. (a) Vernacular
  2. (b) Provincial
  3. (c) Federal
  4. (d) Linguist
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Vernacular

Correct Answer: Vernacular — Option (a)
The British colonial administration used the term 'Vernacular' to refer to native or local languages and dialects as opposed to English. Colonial policies often distinguished between 'English medium' and 'Vernacular medium' schools. The word originates from Latin ' vernaculus ', meaning 'native' or 'domestic'. Terms like 'Vernacular Press Act' (1878) further reflect its colonial usage.
Option (b) Provincial — Incorrect: 'Provincial' refers to something related to a province or region in general, not specifically to a local language.
Option (c) Federal — Incorrect: 'Federal' relates to a system of government with shared powers between central and regional bodies, not to language.
Option (d) Linguist — Incorrect: A linguist is a person who studies languages scientifically, not a term used for a local language.
SSC GD 2026 – 30 April 2026 Shift 3 · Education policies and commissions

Q35. In which of the following year the Court of Directors of the East India Company in London sent an educational (Wood's) dispatch to the Governor-General in India?

  1. (a) 1830
  2. (b) 1854
  3. (c) 1861
  4. (d) 1875
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) 1854

Correct Answer: 1854 — Option (b)
Wood's Educational Dispatch of 1854, also known as the 'Magna Carta of English Education in India', was sent by Sir Charles Wood (President of the Board of Control) to Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India. It recommended establishing universities at Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta; teacher training institutions; and a comprehensive system of education from primary to university level. It is considered the foundation of modern education in India.
Option (a) 1830 — Incorrect: No such major educational dispatch was sent in 1830.
Option (c) 1861 — Incorrect: The universities recommended by Wood's Dispatch were established by 1857; 1861 was not the year of the dispatch.
Option (d) 1875 — Incorrect: The dispatch was sent over two decades earlier, in 1854.
RRB NTPC GL CBT-1 2025-26 – 24 March 2026 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q36. Which of the following Acts was enacted by the British Parliament to regulate the administration of the British East India Company’s territories in India, particularly in Bengal?

  1. (a) Charter Act, 1813
  2. (b) Regulating Act, 1773
  3. (c) Government of India Act, 1858
  4. (d) Pitt’s India Act, 1784
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Regulating Act, 1773

Topic: British Acts in India
Regulating Act, 1773was the first British Parliamentary Act to regulate East India Company's administration in India.
Key provisions:
• Established Governor-General post in Bengal (Warren Hastings - first)
• Created Supreme Court in Calcutta (1774)
• Made Company accountable to British Parliament
Other Acts:
• Charter Act 1813 - ended Company's trade monopoly
• Pitt's India Act 1784 - dual government system
• Govt of India Act 1858 - transferred power to British Crown
Answer: Option 2 → Regulating Act, 1773
RRB NTPC GL CBT-1 2025-26 – 22 March 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q37. Which of the following Act first provided for the Indian representation in the legislative process?

  1. (a) Charter Act, 1853
  2. (b) Pitt's India Act, 1784
  3. (c) Government of India Act, 1858
  4. (d) Indian Councils Act, 1861
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Indian Councils Act, 1861

Topic:Indian Constitutional Development
Indian Councils Act, 1861was the first Act to introduce
Indian representation in the legislative process.
Key Features:
- Introduced portfolio system in Governor-General's Council
- Allowed Governor-General to nominate Indians as non-official
members to the Legislative Council
- Lord Canning nominated 3 Indians: Raja of Benaras,
Maharaja of Patiala, and Sir Dinkar Rao
Other Acts:
- Charter Act 1853: Separated legislative & executive functions
Answer: Option 4 → Indian Councils Act, 1861
RRB NTPC GL CBT-1 2025-26 – 22 March 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q38. Which of the following laws stipulated the establishment of Supreme Court in 1774 in Calcutta in India?

  1. (a) Government of India Act, 1858
  2. (b) Regulating Act of 1773
  3. (c) Pitt’s India Act, 1784
  4. (d) Charter Act of 1813
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Regulating Act of 1773

Topic: Constitutional History of India
Regulating Act of 1773was the first step by British Parliament to regulate East India Company's affairs in India.
Key Provisions:
• Established Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta in 1774
• First Chief Justice: Sir Elijah Impey
• Court had jurisdiction over British subjects in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa
Other Acts:
Pitt's India Act 1784 - Dual government system
Charter Act 1813 - End of Company's trade monopoly
Government of India Act 1858 - Crown rule began
Answer: Option 2 → Regulating Act of 1773
RRB NTPC GL CBT-1 2025-26 – 19 March 2026 Shift 3 · Economic impact and drain of wealth

Q39. Which of the following theories was propounded in Dadabhai Naoroji’s 1901 book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India?

  1. (a) Two Nation Theory
  2. (b) Doctrine of Lapse Theory
  3. (c) Subsidiary Alliance Theory
  4. (d) Drain of Wealth Theory
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Drain of Wealth Theory

Dadabhai Naoroji's Book (1901)
Title: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India
Drain of Wealth Theory
Naoroji argued that British colonial rule systematically drained India's wealth to Britain.
Economic exploitation through taxes, trade policies, and resource extraction impoverished India.
Other theories unrelated to this book:
Two Nation Theory - Jinnah (1940s)
Doctrine of Lapse - Dalhousie (1848-56)
Subsidiary Alliance - Wellesley (1798)
Answer: Option 4 → Drain of Wealth Theory
RRB NTPC GL CBT-1 2025-26 – 16 March 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q40. Which of the following introduced dyarchy by dividing subjects into Reserved and Transferred lists?

  1. (a) Government of India Act, 1935
  2. (b) Indian Councils Act, 1892
  3. (c) Government of India Act, 1919
  4. (d) Government of India Act, 1909
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Government of India Act, 1919

This Act introduced DYARCHY in the provinces.
Provincial subjects were divided into two lists:
• RESERVED subjects (controlled by Governor & Executive Council):
e.g., Finance, Police, Irrigation, Justice.
• TRANSFERRED subjects (controlled by elected ministers):
e.g., Education, Public Health, Agriculture, Local Self-Government.
Other key features of GoI Act 1919:
• Bicameral legislature at Centre (Council of State + Legislative Assembly).
• Communal representation extended.
• Women got voting rights (with property qualifications).
Why NOT the other options:
• GoI Act 1935 → Introduced Provincial Autonomy, Federal structure, no dyarchy.
• Indian Councils Act 1892 → Expanded councils, no dyarchy.
• GoI Act 1909 → Morley-Minto reforms, separate electorates.
Answer: Option 3 → Government of India Act, 1919
RRB NTPC GL CBT-1 2025-26 – 16 March 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q41. Which provision of the Indian Council Act of 1909 was most criticised for weakening the unity of the Indian nationalist movement?

  1. (a) Expansion of legislative councils
  2. (b) Introduction of executive councils in presidencies
  3. (c) Inclusion of Indians in the Governor-General’s Council
  4. (d) Creation of separate electorates
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Creation of separate electorates

Most criticised provision: Introduction of Separate (Communal) Electorates.
What it meant:
• Muslims were given a separate electorate to elect their own representatives.
• This meant Muslims could only vote for Muslim candidates.
Why most criticised ?
• It officially recognised religion as a basis for political representation.
• Congress leaders saw it as 'Divide and Rule' — it weakened Hindu-Muslim unity.
• It laid the foundation for communal politics in India.
• Led eventually to the demand for Pakistan.
Key architects: Secretary of State Morley + Viceroy Lord Minto.
Answer: Option 4 → Creation of separate electorates
RRB Technician Grade III 2025-26 – 10 March 2026 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q42. Provincial autonomy in provinces in place of dyarchy was introduced by which of the following British Indian government legislations?

  1. (a) Government of India Act of 1919
  2. (b) Indian Councils Act of 1909
  3. (c) Indian Councils Act of 1892
  4. (d) Government of India Act of 1935
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Government of India Act of 1935

Correct option is 4.
The Government of India Act of 1935 introduced Provincial Autonomy in provinces replacing dyarchy system.
Earlier, dyarchy was introduced under Government of India Act 1919 which divided subjects into two categories: transferred and reserved.
The 1935 Act abolished dyarchy in provinces and gave full autonomy to provincial legislatures and governments.
Hence, provincial autonomy came with the Government of India Act 1935.
RRB Technician Grade III 2025-26 – 6 March 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q43. Which of the following British Indian government legislation separated for the first time 'provincial budgets' from the 'central budget' and authorised the provincial legislatures to enact their budgets?

  1. (a) Indian Councils Act of 1909
  2. (b) Indian Councils Act of 1892
  3. (c) Government of India Act of 1919
  4. (d) Government of India Act of 1935
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Government of India Act of 1919

The Government of India Act of 1919 introduced the separate budgets for provinces and the centre for the first time.
It authorised provincial legislatures to enact their own budgets independently from the central budget.
This was a key feature of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms aimed at decentralization.
Therefore, the correct option is the Government of India Act of 1919.
Final answer: Option 3
RRB Technician Grade III 2025-26 – 6 March 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q44. Which of the following British Indian government legislations provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court at Calcutta, comprising one chief justice and three other judges?

  1. (a) Charter Act of 1793
  2. (b) Pitt’s India Act of 1784
  3. (c) Regulating Act of 1773
  4. (d) Amending Act of 1781
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Regulating Act of 1773

The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first step by the British government to regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India.
It provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court at Calcutta.
This Supreme Court was to consist of one chief justice and three other judges.
None of the other Acts listed established the Supreme Court at Calcutta.
Final answer: Option 3
RRB JE CBT-1 2025-26 – 20 February 2026 · Economic impact and drain of wealth

Q45. According to Dadabhai Naoroji’s Drain of Wealth theory, what major economic issue needed to be addressed to end India’s exploitation under British rule?

  1. (a) Excessive land revenue imposed on peasants
  2. (b) Religious discrimination by colonial authorities
  3. (c) Unequal economic exchange between India and Britain
  4. (d) Limited administrative participation for Indians
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Unequal economic exchange between India and Britain

Correct option is 3.
Dadabhai Naoroji's Drain of Wealth theory focused on the economic exploitation of India.
He argued that Britain was taking away India's wealth through unequal economic exchange.
This drain was a major factor in India's poverty under British rule.
Thus, addressing this unequal economic exchange was key to ending exploitation.
The other options, though important issues, are not central to the Drain of Wealth theory.
Hence, the major issue to address is the unequal economic exchange.
Final answer: Option 3
SSC MTS 2025 – 17 February 2026 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q46. At which of the following places was the Hindu College established in 1791 to encourage the study of ancient Sanskrit texts?

  1. (a) Calcutta
  2. (b) Benaras
  3. (c) Poona
  4. (d) Mysore
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Benaras

The Hindu College (later Government Sanskrit College) was established in Benaras (Varanasi) in 1791 by Jonathan Duncan, the British Resident, to promote the study of ancient Sanskrit texts and Hindu law. Calcutta, Poona, and Mysore are not the correct locations for this specific institution.
SSC MTS 2025 – 16 February 2026 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q47. The English Education Act of 1835 was passed based on the recommendations of which of the following individuals' minute?

  1. (a) Thomas Babington Macaulay
  2. (b) James Mill
  3. (c) Henry Thomas Colebrooke
  4. (d) William Jones
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Thomas Babington Macaulay

The English Education Act of 1835 was passed based on Thomas Babington Macaulay's famous 'Minute on Indian Education' (February 2, 1835). Macaulay argued for promoting English as the medium of instruction in India over Sanskrit and Arabic. His minute strongly influenced Governor-General Lord William Bentinck's decision to replace Oriental learning with Western education.
Why other options are incorrect:
- James Mill: A historian and political economist who wrote 'The History of British India'; he did not author the minute that led to the 1835 Act.
- Henry Thomas Colebrooke: An Orientalist and Sanskrit scholar who favoured traditional Indian learning, not English education.
- William Jones: Founder of the Asiatic Society; he promoted Oriental learning and would have opposed Macaulay's view.
SSC MTS 2025 – 12 February 2026 Shift 3 · Education policies and commissions

Q48. Elphinstone College is located in which of the following cities?

  1. (a) Delhi
  2. (b) Mumbai
  3. (c) Mysore
  4. (d) Shimla
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Mumbai

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Mumbai
Elphinstone College is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in India, located in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Maharashtra. It was established in 1856 and is named after Mountstuart Elphinstone, a former Governor of Bombay. The college is affiliated with the University of Mumbai.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 1 (Delhi): Elphinstone College is not in Delhi.
Option 3 (Mysore): Mysore has its own historic educational institutions but not Elphinstone College.
Option 4 (Shimla): Elphinstone College is not located in Shimla.
SSC MTS 2025 – 11 February 2026 Shift 2 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q49. Who among the following was the Viceroy of India when Simon Commission came to India?

  1. (a) Lord Irwin
  2. (b) Lord Chelmsford
  3. (c) Lord Willingdon
  4. (d) Lord Linlithgow
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Lord Irwin

The correct answer is Lord Irwin (Option 1). The Simon Commission arrived in India in February 1928. Lord Irwin (Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, later Lord Halifax) served as the Viceroy of India from 1926 to 1931. He was the Viceroy during Simon Commission's visit and also during the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931. Option 2 (Lord Chelmsford) served 1916-1921. Option 3 (Lord Willingdon) served 1931-1936. Option 4 (Lord Linlithgow) served 1936-1944.
SSC MTS 2025 – 6 February 2026 Shift 1 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q50. According to the new system of justice established by the British in 1772, which of the following courts was to be there in every district?
I. Faujdari adalat
II. Diwani adalat

  1. (a) Only I
  2. (b) Only II
  3. (c) Both I and II
  4. (d) Neither I nor II
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Both I and II

Correct Answer: 3 (Both I and II)
Under Warren Hastings' Judicial Plan of 1772, both types of courts were established in every district:
- Faujdari Adalat (Criminal Court): dealt with criminal matters, presided over by an Indian judge (Kazi or Mufti) with a British collector.
- Diwani Adalat (Civil Court): dealt with civil matters related to property, inheritance, marriage, etc., presided over by the British Collector.
Therefore, Both I and II is correct.
SSC MTS 2025 – 5 February 2026 Shift 2 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q51. In which year was the Mahalwari system of land revenue introduced by the British in India?

  1. (a) 1765
  2. (b) 1793
  3. (c) 1801
  4. (d) 1822
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) 1822

Correct Answer: 1822
The Mahalwari system of land revenue was introduced in 1822 in the North-Western Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh) by Holt Mackenzie. Under this system, the village community (mahal) collectively paid revenue to the government. It was later modified by R. Martin Bird in 1833.
Why other options are wrong:
1765 - Year the Diwani rights were granted to the East India Company after the Battle of Buxar.
1793 - Year the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari system) was introduced in Bengal by Lord Cornwallis.
1801 - Year the Ryotwari system was introduced in Madras by Thomas Munro.
Delhi Police Head Constable (Ministerial) 2025-26 – 12 January 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q52. Why is the Government of India Act, 1935, considered a significant constitutional milestone in British India?

  1. (a) Introduced universal adult franchise for the first time.
  2. (b) Abolished dyarchy at the center and introduced it in the provinces.
  3. (c) Provided for an All-India Federation and granted provincial autonomy.
  4. (d) Guaranteed fundamental rights to all Indian citizens.
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Provided for an All-India Federation and granted provincial autonomy.

Option 3 is correct. The Government of India Act, 1935, was the most comprehensive constitutional legislation in British India. Its two key features were: (1) It provided for an All-India Federation comprising British Indian provinces and princely states (though this part never came into force due to princely states' refusal); and (2) It granted provincial autonomy — provinces were empowered to govern their own affairs with elected ministries responsible to provincial legislatures (dyarchy in provinces was abolished).
• Option 1 is wrong: The 1935 Act introduced limited franchise based on property and education qualifications; universal adult franchise was introduced only by the Constitution of India in 1950.
• Option 2 is wrong: It abolished dyarchy in the provinces (not at the centre); at the central level, the Governor-General retained extensive reserve powers.
• Option 4 is wrong: The 1935 Act did not guarantee fundamental rights; that was a feature of the Indian Constitution of 1950.
Delhi Police Head Constable (Ministerial) 2025-26 – 9 January 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q53. Which of the following was the most significant institutional innovation introduced by Pitt's India Act of 1784?

  1. (a) The introduction of an open competitive examination system for the Company's civil services.
  2. (b) The establishment of a clear distinction between the commercial and political functions of the East India Company.
  3. (c) The grant of legislative powers to the Governors-in-Council of Bombay and Madras.
  4. (d) The formal recognition of the British Crown's undisputed sovereignty over Company territories in India.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) The establishment of a clear distinction between the commercial and political functions of the East India Company.

Correct Answer: Option 2 – Establishment of a clear distinction between commercial and political functions of the EIC
Pitt's India Act of 1784 (named after British PM William Pitt the Younger) was a landmark legislation that:
1. Created a Board of Control (consisting of 6 members including British government ministers) to oversee and control the political, military, and revenue affairs of the East India Company.
2. The Court of Directors (EIC's existing governing body) continued to handle commercial affairs.
3. This established a DUAL CONTROL system — the Board of Control (British government) oversaw political matters, while the Court of Directors managed commercial affairs.
4. This was the most significant institutional innovation as it brought the Company's political activities under direct parliamentary/government oversight for the first time.
Why other options are wrong:
Option 1 (Open competitive examination): This was introduced by the Charter Act of 1853 — not Pitt's India Act 1784.
Option 3 (Legislative powers to Bombay and Madras): This was not introduced by Pitt's India Act.
Option 4 (Formal recognition of British Crown sovereignty): Formal Crown rule came only with the Government of India Act 1858, after the 1857 revolt — not in 1784.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 6 January 2026 Shift 1 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q54. The 'Delhi Durbar' of 1911 was held to commemorate the coronation of which British monarch?

  1. (a) Queen Victoria
  2. (b) King Edward VII
  3. (c) King George V
  4. (d) King George VI
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) King George V

The correct answer is (c) King George V.
The Delhi Durbar of 1911 was held to commemorate the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India. It was the only Durbar where the reigning British monarch was present in person. The event was held in Delhi (at Coronation Park) and it was during this Durbar that the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced.
(a) Queen Victoria: A Durbar was held in her honor in 1877 (when she was proclaimed Empress of India) and another in 1903 (posthumously, for Edward VII); she did not attend the 1911 Durbar.
(b) King Edward VII: The 1903 Delhi Durbar was held to commemorate his coronation; he did not personally attend.
(d) King George VI: Became king in 1936 after Edward VIII's abdication; not associated with the 1911 Delhi Durbar.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 6 January 2026 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q55. The reforms that introduced dyarchy in provincial governments and expanded Indian participation in governance were implemented by:

  1. (a) Regulating Act, 1773
  2. (b) Government of India Act, 1919
  3. (c) Indian Councils Act, 1909
  4. (d) Government of India Act, 1935
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Government of India Act, 1919

The correct answer is (b) Government of India Act, 1919.
The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) introduced the system of Dyarchy (dual government) in provincial governments. Under dyarchy, subjects were divided into 'reserved' subjects (administered by the Governor with Executive Council) and 'transferred' subjects (administered by elected ministers responsible to the legislature). It also expanded the Legislative Councils.
(a) Regulating Act, 1773: The first attempt by the British Parliament to regulate the East India Company's affairs; introduced the post of Governor-General; no dyarchy.
(c) Indian Councils Act, 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms): Introduced separate electorates for Muslims and expanded legislative councils; no dyarchy system.
(d) Government of India Act, 1935: Replaced the 1919 Act; introduced provincial autonomy and proposed an all-India federation; abolished dyarchy at the provincial level.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 5 January 2026 Shift 1 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q56. The 'Ryotwari System' of land revenue, introduced in South India, was mainly associated with?

  1. (a) Lord Cornwallis
  2. (b) Warren Hastings
  3. (c) Thomas Munro
  4. (d) Lord Dalhousie
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Thomas Munro

The correct answer is (c) Thomas Munro.
The Ryotwari System was introduced in South India (Madras Presidency) by Sir Thomas Munro and Captain Alexander Read around 1820. Under this system, the government collected revenue directly from each individual cultivator (Ryot), bypassing zamindars, who dealt directly with the state.
(a) Lord Cornwallis: Introduced the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System) in Bengal in 1793.
(b) Warren Hastings: Made revenue reforms but not specifically the Ryotwari System.
(d) Lord Dalhousie: Known for the Doctrine of Lapse and railway/telegraph expansion; not associated with the Ryotwari System.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 5 January 2026 Shift 1 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q57. Under the Regulating Act of 1773, who became the first Governor-General of Bengal?

  1. (a) Robert Clive
  2. (b) Warren Hastings
  3. (c) Lord Cornwallis
  4. (d) Lord Wellesley
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Warren Hastings

The correct answer is (b) Warren Hastings.
The Regulating Act of 1773, passed by the British Parliament, created the office of Governor-General of Bengal. Warren Hastings was appointed as the first Governor-General of Bengal (1773-1785) under this act, marking the beginning of centralised British control over India.
(a) Robert Clive: Served as Governor of Bengal (not Governor-General); died in 1774, shortly after the Act.
(c) Lord Cornwallis: Was the second Governor-General of Bengal (1786-1793); introduced Permanent Settlement.
(d) Lord Wellesley: Was the fourth Governor-General of Bengal (1798-1805); known for Subsidiary Alliance.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 5 January 2026 Shift 2 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q58. What was the Ilbert Bill controversy?

  1. (a) Vernacular education
  2. (b) Recruitment of Indians in Indian Civil Services
  3. (c) Equality of judicial powers for Indian judges
  4. (d) Press freedom
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Equality of judicial powers for Indian judges

The correct answer is (c) Equality of judicial powers for Indian judges.
The Ilbert Bill (1883), introduced by Sir Courtenay Ilbert (Law Member of the Viceroy's Council) under Lord Ripon, proposed to allow Indian and native magistrates and district judges to try cases involving European/British subjects in criminal courts. This was seen as an effort to achieve equality of judicial powers. European settlers in India bitterly opposed it, leading to a massive controversy. The final bill was heavily amended.
(a) Vernacular education: The Vernacular Press Act (1878) dealt with press restrictions; not related to the Ilbert Bill.
(b) Recruitment of Indians in ICS: This was a different struggle; Surendranath Banerjee fought for this issue.
(d) Press freedom: The Vernacular Press Act addressed press issues; not the Ilbert Bill.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 5 January 2026 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q59. The act first introduced "federal court" in India:

  1. (a) Cabinet Mission Plan
  2. (b) Government of India Act, 1935
  3. (c) Morley-Minto Reforms
  4. (d) Govt of India Act, 1919
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Government of India Act, 1935

The correct answer is (b) Government of India Act, 1935.
The Government of India Act, 1935 introduced the Federal Court of India — the first apex judicial body to hear appeals from High Courts on constitutional and federal matters. The Federal Court began functioning in 1937 and was the forerunner of the Supreme Court of India (established 1950).
(a) Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): A political framework for India's independence and constitution-making; did not introduce the federal court.
(c) Morley-Minto Reforms (1909): Introduced separate electorates and expanded legislative councils; no federal court.
(d) Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms): Introduced dyarchy in provinces but did not create a federal court.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 5 January 2026 Shift 3 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q60. Why was the Bengal Tenancy Act of 1885 enacted during the late 19th century under British India?

  1. (a) Standardizing land revenue procedures in Punjab
  2. (b) Expanding the powers and revenue claims of zamindars
  3. (c) Protecting tenant farmers from arbitrary eviction by landlords
  4. (d) Encouraging commercial indigo cultivation
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Protecting tenant farmers from arbitrary eviction by landlords

The correct answer is (c) Protecting tenant farmers from arbitrary eviction by landlords.
The Bengal Tenancy Act of 1885 was enacted to protect tenant farmers (ryots) from arbitrary eviction by zamindars and to codify the rights and obligations of both landlords and tenants under the Permanent Settlement of 1793. It granted certain occupancy rights to raiyats who had been cultivating land continuously.
(a) Standardizing land revenue in Punjab: The Punjab Land Revenue Act (1887) dealt with Punjab; not the Bengal Tenancy Act.
(b) Expanding zamindars' powers: The Act was specifically designed to LIMIT zamindar powers and protect tenants, not expand landlord powers.
(d) Encouraging indigo cultivation: The Indigo Revolt occurred earlier (1859-60); the 1885 Act was about general tenancy rights, not indigo cultivation.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 3 January 2026 Shift 3 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q61. Who served as the first Indian Governor-General of independent India, leading the transition from British colonial administration to Indian sovereignty?

  1. (a) C. Rajagopalachari
  2. (b) S. Radhakrishnan
  3. (c) Rajendra Prasad
  4. (d) Vallabhbhai Patel
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) C. Rajagopalachari

C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) became the first and last Indian Governor-General of India, serving from 1948 to 1950, after Lord Mountbatten's tenure ended. He oversaw the transition to a republic.
(a) Incorrect: S. Radhakrishnan served as the first Vice President (1952–1962) and second President (1962–1967) of India.
(b) Incorrect: Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India (1950–1962), not the Governor-General.
(c) Incorrect: Vallabhbhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India, not the Governor-General.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 30 December 2025 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q62. Which system was introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1861, assigning members to specific government departments?

  1. (a) Parliamentary system
  2. (b) Portfolio system
  3. (c) Federal system
  4. (d) Executive system
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Portfolio system

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 introduced the Portfolio System, under which members of the Viceroy's Executive Council were assigned specific departments (portfolios) and made individually responsible, laying the foundation for cabinet-style governance in India.
(a) Incorrect: The Parliamentary system evolved gradually and was fully established with the Constitution of 1950; it was not introduced by the 1861 Act.
(c) Incorrect: The Federal system was partially introduced by the Government of India Act 1935; the 1861 Act introduced the Portfolio system.
(d) Incorrect: 'Executive system' is not a specific administrative term introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1861.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 30 December 2025 Shift 1 · Press acts and other laws

Q63. What was the purpose of the Vernacular Press Act of 1878?

  1. (a) To promote Indian-language newspapers
  2. (b) To allow free criticism of the British government
  3. (c) To restrict criticism by seizing newspaper assets
  4. (d) To foster a free and independent press in India
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) To restrict criticism by seizing newspaper assets

The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 ('Gagging Act'), enacted by Lord Lytton, empowered magistrates to seize printing presses and assets of Indian-language newspapers publishing seditious content against British policies. It was repealed in 1882 by Lord Ripon.
(a) Incorrect: The Act was enacted to suppress, not promote, Indian-language newspapers; it was a censorship law.
(b) Incorrect: The Act specifically prevented free criticism of the British government; it was restrictive, not permissive.
(d) Incorrect: The Vernacular Press Act worked against a free and independent press, giving authorities power to seize press assets.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 30 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q64. Which reform first introduced the principle of 'separate electorates' (for Muslims), also known as communal representation?

  1. (a) Morley-Minto Reforms (1909)
  2. (b) Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919)
  3. (c) Government of India Act, 1935
  4. (d) Simon Commission
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Morley-Minto Reforms (1909)

The Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act, 1909) introduced the principle of separate electorates for Muslims for the first time, allowing Muslim voters to elect Muslim representatives to legislative councils. This is widely seen as a major step toward communal politics in British India.
(b) Incorrect: Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) introduced dyarchy and expanded legislative councils but built on the communal electorates already established by 1909.
(c) Incorrect: The Government of India Act, 1935 further expanded provincial autonomy but built on the communal electorates already introduced in 1909.
(d) Incorrect: The Simon Commission was a fact-finding committee that submitted a report in 1930 but did not itself introduce separate electorates.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 29 December 2025 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q65. What was the impact of the Charter Act of 1853 on the recruitment of civil servants in India?

  1. (a) It limited civil servant recruitment to British nationals and excluded Indians entirely.
  2. (b) It introduced an open competition system for civil servants, allowing Indians to compete.
  3. (c) It abolished the covenanted civil service, leaving no administrative body.
  4. (d) It replaced the competition system with appointments based on seniority alone.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) It introduced an open competition system for civil servants, allowing Indians to compete.

The Charter Act of 1853 introduced the open competitive examination system for recruitment to the Indian Civil Services (ICS), replacing the earlier system of patronage/nomination. This reform theoretically allowed Indians to compete, though examinations were held only in London, which was a practical barrier.
(a) Incorrect: The Act introduced competitive exams — it did not formally exclude Indians.
(c) Incorrect: The Act did not abolish the covenanted civil service; it reformed the recruitment system.
(d) Incorrect: The Act replaced patronage with competition, not with seniority-based appointments.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 29 December 2025 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q66. Which of the following was a key feature introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1861?

  1. (a) The establishment of a unicameral legislative system in India.
  2. (b) The introduction of the portfolio system and decentralization of power.
  3. (c) The complete independence of provincial legislatures.
  4. (d) The appointment of a British monarch as the head of the Indian government.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) The introduction of the portfolio system and decentralization of power.

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 introduced the portfolio system, assigning different government departments to individual members of the Viceroy's Executive Council. It also restored legislative powers to Bombay and Madras ( decentralisation ). Lord Canning implemented the portfolio system under this Act.
(a) Incorrect: The Indian legislature had two chambers (Viceroy's Council); it was not unicameral in the modern sense.
(c) Incorrect: Provincial legislatures were not fully independent; they remained under the Viceroy's authority.
(d) Incorrect: The head of the Indian government was the Viceroy, not a British monarch directly.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 29 December 2025 Shift 2 · Press acts and other laws

Q67. Which British Governor-General relaxed the restrictive Press Act of 1799 and removed pre-censorship of the Indian press in 1818?

  1. (a) Lord Hastings
  2. (b) Lord Wellesley
  3. (c) Charles Metcalfe
  4. (d) John Adams
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Lord Hastings

Lord Hastings (Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Governor-General 1813-1823) relaxed the Press Act of 1799 imposed by Lord Wellesley and removed pre-censorship of the press in 1818, allowing greater press freedom. Charles Metcalfe (1835) is called the 'Liberator of the Indian Press' for completely abolishing press restrictions, but it was Lord Hastings who first eased them in 1818.
(b) Incorrect: Lord Wellesley introduced the highly restrictive Press Act of 1799 imposing strict pre-censorship; he did not relax it.
(c) Incorrect: Charles Metcalfe fully abolished press restrictions in 1835, not in 1818; this was a later development.
(d) Incorrect: John Adams did not relax the Press Act of 1799 in the Indian context; it was Lord Hastings in 1818.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 29 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q68. Which of the following Acts proposed the creation of a Federal Public Service Commission for the federation and Provincial Public Service Commissions for the individual provinces?

  1. (a) Government of India Act 1919
  2. (b) Government of India Act 1935
  3. (c) Indian Councils Act 1909
  4. (d) Indian Independence Act 1947
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Government of India Act 1935

The Government of India Act 1935 proposed the establishment of a Federal Public Service Commission for the federation and separate Provincial Public Service Commissions for the provinces. The Act of 1919 had set up a Central Public Service Commission but did not extend this to provinces systematically. The 1935 Act formed the basis of the Constitutions of India and Pakistan after independence.
(a) Incorrect: The Government of India Act 1919 set up a Central Public Service Commission but did not propose Provincial PSCs as envisioned in the 1935 Act.
(c) Incorrect: The Indian Councils Act 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) introduced separate electorates but did not propose Federal or Provincial PSCs.
(d) Incorrect: The Indian Independence Act 1947 dealt with the partition and transfer of power, not the creation of Public Service Commissions.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 29 December 2025 Shift 3 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q69. The 'Permanent Settlement' (1793), a land revenue system, was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in which region?

  1. (a) Bengal and Bihar
  2. (b) Madras Presidency
  3. (c) Bombay Presidency
  4. (d) North-West Provinces
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Bengal and Bihar

The Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System) was introduced in 1793 by Governor-General Lord Cornwallis in Bengal and Bihar (and later Odisha). It permanently fixed the land revenue that zamindars had to pay to the East India Company, making zamindars the permanent owners of land. It was later extended to parts of Madras Presidency.
(b) Incorrect: Madras Presidency had the Ryotwari system (Lord Munro) which dealt directly with peasant cultivators.
(c) Incorrect: Bombay Presidency had the Ryotwari system, not the Permanent Settlement.
(d) Incorrect: The North-West Provinces had a different system of Mahalwari settlement, not Permanent Settlement.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 29 December 2025 Shift 3 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q70. Who was the last Viceroy of British India and the first Governor-General of independent India?

  1. (a) Lord Wavell
  2. (b) Lord Linlithgow
  3. (c) Lord Mountbatten
  4. (d) Lord Canning
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Lord Mountbatten

Lord Louis Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of British India (February 1947 - August 1947) and became the first Governor-General of independent India (August 1947 - June 1948). He oversaw the transfer of power and the partition of India into two nations — India and Pakistan. C. Rajagopalachari ('Rajaji') became the first Indian Governor-General.
(a) Incorrect: Lord Wavell was Viceroy from 1943-1947, before Mountbatten.
(b) Incorrect: Lord Linlithgow was Viceroy from 1936-1943, before Wavell.
(d) Incorrect: Lord Canning was the first Viceroy of India (1858) after the Crown took over from the East India Company.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 24 December 2025 Shift 1 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q71. Why was there a furore over the Ilbert Bill in 1883?

  1. (a) It suggested the removal of Indian judges from the courts, replacing them with British judges.
  2. (b) It proposed equal rights for British and Indian judges, opposed by the British.
  3. (c) It allowed Indians to hold positions in the British army, giving them opportunities for higher-ranking roles.
  4. (d) It introduced new taxes on Indian businesses, increasing their financial burden.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) It proposed equal rights for British and Indian judges, opposed by the British.

The correct answer is Option 2: It proposed equal rights for British and Indian judges, opposed by the British.
The Ilbert Bill (1883), introduced by law member Courtenay Ilbert, proposed to allow qualified Indian judges and magistrates to try cases involving European British subjects in criminal courts. British colonists fiercely opposed this, refusing to be tried by Indian judges. The controversy forced the British government to significantly dilute the bill, but the episode awakened Indian nationalist sentiment.
Option 1: The bill did not remove Indian judges; on the contrary, it sought to extend the jurisdiction of Indian judges to include British defendants.
Option 3: The Ilbert Bill had nothing to do with Indians joining the British military; it was exclusively about judicial jurisdiction.
Option 4: The bill introduced no new taxes; it was purely a judicial reform measure about equality before the law.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 24 December 2025 Shift 3 · Press acts and other laws

Q72. Which case is recognized as the first sedition case in India under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)?

  1. (a) Queen Empress vs. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  2. (b) Queen Empress vs. Mahatma Gandhi
  3. (c) Queen Empress vs. Jogendra Chunder Bose
  4. (d) Queen Empress vs. Lala Lajpat Rai
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Queen Empress vs. Jogendra Chunder Bose

The correct answer is Queen Empress vs. Jogendra Chunder Bose (Option 3).
The first case filed under Section 124A of the IPC (sedition) was in 1891 against Jogendra Chunder Bose, editor of the Bangabasi newspaper, for an article criticising the Age of Consent Bill. This is recognized as the first sedition case under the IPC in India.
Option 1 - Bal Gangadhar Tilak: Tilak was tried for sedition in 1897 and 1908 for articles in his newspaper Kesari — these were important cases but not the first.
Option 2 - Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhi was tried for sedition in 1922 for articles in Young India; this was not the first sedition case.
Option 4 - Lala Lajpat Rai: Lala Lajpat Rai faced restrictions and deportation but is not the subject of the first sedition case under Section 124A.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 24 December 2025 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q73. What was a significant feature of the Government of India Act 1935 regarding civil services?

  1. (a) It introduced complete independence for civil servants.
  2. (b) It allowed civil servants to be dismissed by any government official.
  3. (c) It provided protection of civil servants' rights and privileges.
  4. (d) It ended all civil services in India.
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) It provided protection of civil servants' rights and privileges.

The correct answer is It provided protection of civil servants' rights and privileges (Option 3).
The Government of India Act 1935 introduced provisions protecting the rights and privileges of civil servants in British India. It guaranteed security of tenure, conditions of service, and remuneration for members of the civil services, ensuring they could not be dismissed or had their service conditions adversely changed without proper procedure.
Option 1 - Complete independence for civil servants: The Act did not grant complete independence; civil servants still operated under the authority of the Crown and the Act's framework.
Option 2 - Dismissed by any government official: The Act actually protected civil servants FROM arbitrary dismissal; it did not enable dismissal by just any official.
Option 4 - Ended all civil services: The Government of India Act 1935 did not abolish civil services; it restructured and protected them as part of establishing provincial autonomy.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 23 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q74. What was the primary purpose of the Government of India Act of 1858?

  1. (a) To establish a system of self-rule for the Indian population
  2. (b) To transfer governance from the East India Company to the British Crown
  3. (c) To introduce local Indian representation in the governance system
  4. (d) To grant full independence to the Indian subcontinent
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) To transfer governance from the East India Company to the British Crown

The correct answer is To transfer governance from the East India Company to the British Crown (Option 2).
The Government of India Act, 1858, passed after the Revolt of 1857, transferred the governance of India from the East India Company directly to the British Crown. India came under the direct rule of the British monarch, administered through a Secretary of State for India and a Viceroy.
Option 1 - To establish self-rule: The Act actually strengthened British colonial control; it did not establish self-rule for Indians.
Option 3 - To introduce local Indian representation: The Act did not introduce significant Indian representation; that came later with the Indian Councils Acts.
Option 4 - To grant full independence: Full independence was granted in 1947 through the Indian Independence Act; the 1858 Act did the opposite — it strengthened British control.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 22 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q75. What was the primary purpose of the Regulating Act of 1773?

  1. (a) To establish a new administrative system for the East India Company
  2. (b) To grant complete independence to the East India Company
  3. (c) To control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company
  4. (d) To eliminate the British government's influence in India
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) To control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company

The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first step taken by the British Parliament to control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company. It created the post of Governor-General of Bengal (Warren Hastings became the first), established a Supreme Court in Calcutta, and subjected the Company's political activities to Parliamentary oversight — marking the beginning of British Crown's supervision over India. Option 3 is correct.
Option 1 is wrong: The Regulating Act did not establish an entirely new administrative system but rather reformed the existing EIC structure by creating a Governor-General and Council and a Supreme Court — it regulated the existing system rather than replacing it.
Option 2 is wrong: The Regulating Act did the OPPOSITE of granting independence — it placed the East India Company under greater Parliamentary control and supervision, reducing the Company's autonomy.
Option 4 is wrong: The Regulating Act actually INCREASED British government's influence over EIC and India by allowing Parliament to supervise EIC affairs; it was not meant to eliminate British influence.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 20 December 2025 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q76. Which of the following is the first Education Commission in independent India?

  1. (a) National Education Commission (1968)
  2. (b) Mudaliar Commission (1952-53)
  3. (c) University Education Commission (1948-49)
  4. (d) Kothari Commission (1964-66)
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) University Education Commission (1948-49)

The University Education Commission (1948-49), chaired by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was the first Education Commission set up in independent India to review university education and recommend reforms. Option 3 is correct.
Option 1 is wrong: The National Education Commission (Kothari Commission) was set up in 1964-66 — over 15 years after the University Education Commission.
Option 2 is wrong: The Mudaliar Commission (Secondary Education Commission, 1952-53), chaired by Dr. A. Lakshmanswami Mudaliar, was set up after the University Education Commission.
Option 4 is wrong: The Kothari Commission (1964-66) is often called the most comprehensive education commission, but it was constituted much later than the 1948-49 University Education Commission.
Delhi Police Constable (Exe) 2025-26 – 20 December 2025 Shift 2 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q77. The first Criminal Procedure Code in India was passed in 1861. Which major problem did it aim to address at that time?

  1. (a) Lack of police forces
  2. (b) Multiplicity of legal systems
  3. (c) Absence of appellate courts
  4. (d) Shortage of trained judicial officers
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Multiplicity of legal systems

The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1861 was enacted by the British to address the multiplicity of legal systems — the coexistence of numerous fragmented, inconsistent, and overlapping criminal laws across different presidencies, provinces, and princely states in colonial India. The CrPC created a uniform criminal procedure across British India. Option 2 is correct.
Option 1 is wrong: While policing was reorganized by the Police Act of 1861 (passed the same year), the CrPC's primary purpose was not addressing a lack of police forces but establishing uniform criminal procedure.
Option 3 is wrong: Appellate courts existed in the colonial system; the CrPC 1861 addressed the lack of uniformity in criminal procedures, not the absence of appellate courts.
Option 4 is wrong: Shortage of trained judicial officers was not the specific problem the CrPC 1861 targeted; it aimed to harmonize the disparate criminal procedure laws across British India.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 12 December 2025 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q78. The "Charter Act of 1833" made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of:

  1. (a) Madras
  2. (b) Bombay
  3. (c) India
  4. (d) Bengal Presidency
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) India

Correct Answer: India (Option 3)
The Charter Act of 1833 (also known as the Government of India Act 1833) was a landmark legislation that transformed the Governor-General of Bengal into the Governor-General of India, giving him supremacy over the Governors of Bombay and Madras Presidencies. Lord William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India under this Act. This Act also ended the East India Company's trade monopoly and introduced the principle of open competition for civil services.
Madras and Bombay were Presidencies with their own Governors — they were not the entity the Governor-General was elevated to oversee as a title.
Bengal Presidency was the original title — the Act upgraded it to 'India'.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 12 December 2025 Shift 2 · Press acts and other laws

Q79. The 'Indian Forest Act' of 1878 categorized forests into reserved and protected areas.
What was a key difference in the treatment and rights of local communities between these two categories?

  1. (a) Both categories granted complete autonomy to local communities in forest management
  2. (b) In reserved forests, all traditional rights of local communities were extinguished, while some limited rights were permitted in protected forests
  3. (c) Protected forests were exclusively for commercial exploitation by the British, while reserved forests were for local use
  4. (d) There was no significant difference in the restrictions imposed on local communities between the two categories
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) In reserved forests, all traditional rights of local communities were extinguished, while some limited rights were permitted in protected forests

Correct: In reserved forests, all traditional rights of local communities were extinguished, while some limited rights were permitted in protected forests.
Under the Indian Forest Act 1878, 'Reserved Forests' were under strictest government control with all customary rights of local communities completely abolished. 'Protected Forests' allowed some limited rights (grazing, fuel wood collection) for local communities. Options 1, 3, and 4 are factually incorrect about this distinction.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 11 December 2025 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q80. The "Wood's Despatch" of 1854 recommended several significant changes in the Indian education system.
Which of the following was a key recommendation of this despatch?

  1. (a) The immediate vernacularization of all levels of education.
  2. (b) The establishment of a comprehensive system of education from the primary to the university level, with English as the medium of instruction at higher levels.
  3. (c) The complete privatization of the education sector in India.
  4. (d) The exclusive focus on the training of religious leaders and scholars.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) The establishment of a comprehensive system of education from the primary to the university level, with English as the medium of instruction at higher levels.

Correct Answer: The establishment of a comprehensive system of education from the primary to the university level, with English as the medium of instruction at higher levels (Option 2)
Wood's Despatch (1854), issued by Sir Charles Wood (President of the Board of Control), is known as the 'Magna Carta of English Education in India.' Its key recommendations included: establishing universities in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras; a hierarchy of schools from primary to university; English as the medium of instruction at higher levels; grants-in-aid for private schools; and promoting vernacular education at lower levels.
It recommended promoting vernacular education at lower levels, not full vernacularization at all levels.
Privatization of education was not recommended — it actually promoted government involvement.
Focus on religious training was not part of this secular educational framework.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 11 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q81. Fill in the blank:
The Indian Councils Act 1892 for the first time permitted legislative councils to ____.

  1. (a) discuss the annual budget
  2. (b) pass criminal laws
  3. (c) levy provincial taxes
  4. (d) overrule the Viceroy
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) discuss the annual budget

Correct Answer: discuss the annual budget (Option 1)
The Indian Councils Act of 1892 was a significant reform in British India. For the first time, it permitted the legislative councils to discuss the annual budget (though not vote on it). It also allowed members to ask questions on matters of public interest. This was a modest step toward representative governance, though actual legislative power remained with the Viceroy and the British.
The power to pass criminal laws was never independently granted to legislative councils under this Act.
Levying provincial taxes was an executive function not granted to councils by this Act.
Overruling the Viceroy was never permitted under British colonial rule — the Viceroy retained supreme authority.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 9 December 2025 Shift 1 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q82. The introduction of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 1860 primarily aimed to:

  1. (a) Codify and standardize criminal laws across British India.
  2. (b) Promote traditional Indian legal systems.
  3. (c) Grant grater autonomy to village courts in resolving disputes.
  4. (d) Exclusively protect the interests of the British ruling class.
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Codify and standardize criminal laws across British India.

The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was drafted by the First Law Commission, chaired by Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay.
It came into force on 1 January 1862 and its primary purpose was to codify and standardize criminal law uniformly applicable throughout British India.
Before the IPC, criminal law was administered under a patchwork of personal, local, and customary laws, creating inconsistency.
Option B: Incorrect — the IPC replaced many traditional Indian legal practices with a uniform Western-style code.
Option C: Incorrect — the IPC dealt with criminal law, not religious personal law (which remained separate).
Option D: Incorrect — the IPC centralized legal authority rather than decentralizing it.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 9 December 2025 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q83. The Indian Councils Act of 1892 represented a limited expansion of Indian participation in legislative councils.
What was a notable feature of this Act regarding the selection of Indian members?

  1. (a) It introduced universal adult suffrage for the election of Indian members.
  2. (b) It allowed for the direct election of a majority of Indian members to the Central Legislative Council.
  3. (c) It restricted the nomination of some Indian members by the Governor-General and provided for indirect election through electoral colleges.
  4. (d) It mandated equal representation for all religious communities in the legislative councils.
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) It restricted the nomination of some Indian members by the Governor-General and provided for indirect election through electoral colleges.

The Indian Councils Act of 1892 was a step toward representative governance, though very limited.
It introduced a form of indirect election: bodies such as municipalities, district boards, trade associations, and universities could recommend names from which the Governor-General/Governors would nominate members.
This was not direct election but gave some representative character to the councils.
Option A is wrong: Universal adult suffrage came only with the Indian Constitution in 1950.
Option B is wrong: Direct election was not introduced under this Act.
Option D is wrong: Separate communal representation was first introduced under the Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act of 1909).
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 9 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q84. Which system, introduced by the Government of India Act of 1919, classified provincial subjects into "reserved" and "transferred" categories?

  1. (a) Dyarchy
  2. (b) Federation
  3. (c) Bicameralism
  4. (d) Responsible Government
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) Dyarchy

Correct Answer: Dyarchy
The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) introduced Dyarchy (dual government) in the provinces. Under this system, provincial subjects were divided into 'reserved' (controlled by the Governor with his executive council — e.g., law, finance, police) and 'transferred' (administered by ministers responsible to the legislature — e.g., education, health, agriculture).
Option 2 (Federation): Incorrect. Federation was introduced later by the Government of India Act, 1935.
Option 3 (Bicameralism): Incorrect. This refers to a two-chamber legislature, not the reserved/transferred distinction.
Option 4 (Responsible Government): Incorrect. Full responsible government came only after independence.
SSC CPO Paper-1 2025 – 9 December 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q85. Which of the following correctly describes the responsibilities of Madras and Bombay governors after 1773?

  1. (a) They operated independently of the Bengal Governor-General.
  2. (b) They had to report to the Governor-General on war, peace, and revenue.
  3. (c) They managed trade but not civil administration.
  4. (d) They were answerable only to the Court of Directors in London.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) They had to report to the Governor-General on war, peace, and revenue.

Correct Answer: They had to report to the Governor-General on war, peace, and revenue.
The Regulating Act of 1773 established the Governor-General of Bengal (Warren Hastings was the first) as the supreme authority over all British territories in India. The governors of Bombay and Madras were required to report to the Governor-General on matters of war, peace, and revenue — they were subordinated to Bengal.
Option 1: Incorrect. After 1773, they were no longer independent.
Option 3: Incorrect. They managed overall administration, not just trade.
Option 4: Incorrect. While the Court of Directors in London had ultimate authority over all, within India the Madras and Bombay governors reported to the Governor-General.
SSC Stenographer 2025 – 8 December 2025 Shift 1 · Economic impact and drain of wealth

Q86. Given below are assertion and reason, read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): British capital accumulation in the 18th century was reinvested in industrial development.
Reason (R): The capital was largely controlled by merchants and industrialists instead of the feudal aristocracy.

  1. (a) A is false, but R is true.
  2. (b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A.
  3. (c) A is true, but R is false.
  4. (d) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Answer & solution

Answer: (d) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

In the 18th century, the process of industrialisation in Britain was fuelled by the reinvestment of accumulated capital. This capital did not remain in the hands of the feudal lords, who were more interested in land and status, but was instead channelled by merchants and industrialists into factories, machines, and industries. Thus, both the assertion and the reason are correct, and the reason accurately explains why the capital was reinvested in industrial development.
SSC Stenographer 2025 – 8 December 2025 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q87. With reference to the Indian Councils Act, 1892, consider the following statements and choose the correct option:
It significantly increased the number of official members in the Central Legislative Council.
It empowered the legislative councils to discuss the budget and address questions to the executive.
It introduced the principle of direct election for non-official members of provincial legislative councils.

  1. (a) 2 and 3 only
  2. (b) 2 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1 only
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) 2 only

The correct answer is 2 only . The Indian Councils Act, 1892, brought limited reforms to the legislative councils. It empowered the councils to discuss the annual budget and to ask questions to the executive, though without the right to vote. This gave members some role in financial matters for the first time. However, it did not significantly increase the number of official members in the Central Legislative Council, nor did it introduce the principle of direct elections. Instead, members were nominated by bodies such as provincial councils, universities, and chambers of commerce. Hence, only Statement 2 is correct.
SSC Stenographer 2025 – 7 December 2025 Shift 2 · Economic impact and drain of wealth

Q88. Given below are assertion and reason, read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion: British capital accumulation in the 18th century was reinvested in industrial development.
Reason: The capital was largely controlled by merchants and industrialists instead of the feudal aristocracy.

  1. (a) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A.
  2. (b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  3. (c) A is true, but R is false.
  4. (d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

The correct answer is option 2. Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains the assertion. In the 18th century, Britain experienced significant capital accumulation due to trade, colonial exploitation, and profits from overseas commerce. This capital was not in the hands of feudal lords but rather controlled by merchants and industrialists who sought opportunities for profit in new enterprises. As a result, this wealth was reinvested in industries like textiles, coal mining, and iron production, sparking the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, the presence of an entrepreneurial class outside the feudal aristocracy was the key reason why capital accumulation directly contributed to industrial growth.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 29 November 2025 Shift 2 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q89. Which bill/act provided for the trial of British or European persons by Indians, and sought equality between British and Indian judges?

  1. (a) Regulating Act of 1773
  2. (b) Ilbert Bill of 1883
  3. (c) Pitt's India Act of 1784
  4. (d) Indian Councils Act of 1892
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Ilbert Bill of 1883

The Ilbert Bill of 1883 (also called Criminal Procedure Code Amendment Bill) was introduced by Viceroy Lord Ripon's law member Sir C.P. Ilbert. It proposed that Indian judges could try European or British persons in criminal cases. However, it faced fierce opposition from the British community in India and was significantly diluted before passing.
The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first step by the British government to control the East India Company.
Pitt's India Act of 1784 further regulated the EIC's civil, military, and revenue affairs.
The Indian Councils Act of 1892 expanded the legislative councils.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 28 November 2025 Shift 2 · Governors-General and Viceroys - events

Q90. Around which year was Robert Clive appointed the Governor of Bengal?

  1. (a) 1733
  2. (b) 1752
  3. (c) 1764
  4. (d) 1781
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) 1764

Robert Clive was appointed as the first Governor of Bengal (formally as Governor of the Presidency of Fort William) around 1765, following the Battle of Buxar (1764). He served as Governor of Bengal from 1765 to 1767. The year 1764 is considered the reference year.
1733 and 1781 are unrelated to Clive's governorship.
1752 was around the time Clive was engaged in military campaigns in the Carnatic region, not Bengal.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 24 November 2025 Shift 1 · Press acts and other laws

Q91. In which year Indian Arms Act was passed by British Government?

  1. (a) 1878
  2. (b) 1897
  3. (c) 1901
  4. (d) 1907
Answer & solution

Answer: (a) 1878

Correct Answer: 1878 (Option 1)
The Indian Arms Act of 1878 was passed by the British Government under Viceroy Lord Lytton. This discriminatory act prohibited Indians from possessing or carrying arms without a license, while exempting Europeans and their associates. It was a direct response to the growing Indian nationalist movement after the 1857 uprising. The act was strongly criticised by Indian nationalists including Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
1897 is associated with the Epidemic Diseases Act, not the Arms Act.
1901 and 1907 are not correct years for the Indian Arms Act.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 24 November 2025 Shift 3 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q92. Which of the following statements is correct with reference to the Act passed by the British Parliament in 1858?
i . The Governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy.
ii. The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people in India.

  1. (a) Only i
  2. (b) Only ii
  3. (c) Both i and ii
  4. (d) Neither i nor ii
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Both i and ii

Correct Answer: Both i and ii (Option 3)
The Government of India Act 1858 (also called Act for the Better Government of India) was passed by the British Parliament after the revolt of 1857. Under this Act: Statement i: The Governor-General of India was indeed given the additional title of 'Viceroy' (representing the Crown) — Lord Canning became the first Viceroy ✓ . Statement ii: Queen Victoria's Proclamation of 1858 explicitly stated that the British would respect the religious beliefs, customs, and social practices of Indians, and would not interfere in their religion ✓ . Both statements are correct.
Only i — incorrect, as statement ii is also correct.
Only ii — incorrect, as statement i is also correct.
Neither — incorrect, as both statements are factually accurate.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 21 November 2025 Shift 2 · Economic impact and drain of wealth

Q93. Which crop did the British force the peasants of Assam to produce?

  1. (a) Cotton
  2. (b) Tea
  3. (c) Wheat
  4. (d) Rice
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) Tea

Correct Answer: Tea (Option 2)
The British colonial authorities forced the peasants and tribal people of Assam to work on tea plantations and produce tea. After discovering wild tea plants in Assam in 1823 (by Robert Bruce), the British established large-scale tea plantations in the Brahmaputra Valley. They used the Inland Emigration Act (1863) and similar coercive laws to force local tribals and migrant labourers to work on these estates under exploitative conditions. Assam today accounts for over 50% of India's total tea production.
Cotton cultivation was forced in Maharashtra and other regions. Indigo was forced in Bengal (Neel Darpan). Wheat and rice were not the crops specifically forced in Assam under British rule.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 15 November 2025 Shift 2 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q94. Which of the following pairs of revenue system — person who devised it is correct?
I. M ahalwari settlement — Holt Mackenzie
II. Ryotwari system — Alexander Read and Thomas Munro

  1. (a) Only I
  2. (b) Only II
  3. (c) Both I and II
  4. (d) Neither I nor II
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Both I and II

Both pairs are correct. Statement I: The Mahalwari settlement was introduced by Holt Mackenzie in 1822 in the northwestern provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh); it settled land revenue with the village community (mahal). Statement II: The Ryotwari system was introduced by Alexander Read and Thomas Munro in Madras Presidency; it settled revenue directly with individual cultivators (ryots). Hence, Both I and II is correct.
SSC CHSL Tier-1 2025 – 15 November 2025 Shift 3 · Land revenue systems (Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)

Q95. In which of the following years did the East India Company introduce the Permanent Settlement?

  1. (a) 1765
  2. (b) 1775
  3. (c) 1793
  4. (d) 1801
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) 1793

The Permanent Settlement (also called the Permanent Settlement of Bengal) was introduced in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis, Governor-General of India. It fixed the land revenue to be paid by zamindars permanently to the East India Company in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. Option 1 (1765) is when the Diwani rights were granted to the East India Company. Option 2 (1775) is incorrect. Option 4 (1801) post-dates the Permanent Settlement.
SSC CGL Tier-1 2025 – 14 October 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q96. What long-term administrative outcome is attributed to Pitt's India Act?

  1. (a) It divided India into military zones.
  2. (b) It gave absolute independence to the East India Company.
  3. (c) It placed the Company's possessions under British Parliament's supremacy.
  4. (d) It dissolved the post of Governor General.
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) It placed the Company's possessions under British Parliament's supremacy.

Pitt's India Act of 1784 established a Board of Control in Britain to supervise the East India Company's civil, military, and revenue affairs — effectively placing Company's possessions under British Parliament's supremacy.
It did not divide India into military zones, did not give the Company independence, and did not dissolve the Governor General post.
Answer: Option 3
SSC CGL Tier-1 2025 – 24 September 2025 Shift 1 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q97. The Government of India Act of 1935 primarily aimed to:

  1. (a) Grant complete independence to India.
  2. (b) Establish a Dominion status for India.
  3. (c) Provide for a federal structure with provincial autonomy.
  4. (d) Introduce universal adult suffrage.
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Provide for a federal structure with provincial autonomy.

The Government of India Act 1935 introduced a federal structure for India with autonomous provinces and a federation comprising provinces and princely states.
It also expanded the legislatures and introduced provincial autonomy in place of dyarchy.
SSC CGL Tier-1 2025 – 24 September 2025 Shift 2 · Constitutional Acts under British rule

Q98. What was the role of the India Council established by the Government of India Act, 1858?

  1. (a) To control trade with India
  2. (b) To advise the Secretary of State
  3. (c) To represent Indian opinion in Britain
  4. (d) To review court judgments
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) To advise the Secretary of State

The Government of India Act, 1858 created the office of the Secretary of State for India in Britain.
A Council of India was set up to assist and advise the Secretary of State in matters of Indian administration.
It did not control trade, represent Indian opinion, or review judgments.
SSC CGL Tier-1 2025 – 23 September 2025 Shift 1 · Education policies and commissions

Q99. Which education-related document, issued in 1854, laid the foundation for modern education in India?

  1. (a) Macaulay's Minute
  2. (b) Hunter Commission
  3. (c) Wood's Despatch
  4. (d) Indian Education Act
Answer & solution

Answer: (c) Wood's Despatch

Wood's Despatch (1854) is called the 'Magna Carta of Indian Education'. It recommended universities, schools, and teacher training across India.
SSC CGL Tier-1 2025 – 23 September 2025 Shift 2 · Civil services, police and judiciary under the British

Q100. The Ilbert Bill controversy of 1883-84 was related to:

  1. (a) The imposition of new taxes on agricultural produce.
  2. (b) The issue of allowing Indian judges to try European offenders in criminal cases.
  3. (c) The introduction of English as the medium of instruction in all schools.
  4. (d) The demarcation of boundaries between British India and princely states.
Answer & solution

Answer: (b) The issue of allowing Indian judges to try European offenders in criminal cases.

The Ilbert Bill (1883), introduced by Sir C.P. Ilbert, sought to allow senior Indian judges and magistrates to try European offenders in criminal cases.
It led to a major controversy and racial agitation by Europeans, eventually being passed in a modified form in 1884.
12

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