Constitutional Development in India MCQ Questions with Answers

Correct Answer: (B) Invite Jinnah to form the Government.

The first meeting between Gandhiji and Mountbatten had taken place on 31st March , 1947. As an alternative to the partition of India, Gandhiji suggested to Mountbatten that the best course would be to ask Jinnah to take over as Prime Minister of Interim Government and run the affairs of the Country but this suggestion of Gandhiji was not acceptable to Congress Leaders and Congress Working Committee. He told his attendants: “Today I find myself all alone. Even Sardar and Jawaharlal think that he was wrong, and peace was sure to return if the partition was agreed upon. Nevertheless, I must speak as I feel we may not feel the full impact immediately but, I can see clearly that the future of independence gained at this price is going to be dark. Should the evil I apprehend overtake India let posterity know what agony this old soul went through, thinking of it Let it not be said that Gandhi was party to Indian vivisection.”

Correct Answer: (C) Demarcate the boundaries between India and Pakistan.

Viceroy of British India, Lord Mountbatten formed two commissions namely Punjab Border Commission and Bengal Border Commission to decide the borderline between India and Pakistan on June 30, 1947. Radcliffe was appointed as President of both the Commissions. Those Commissions had to demarcate borders by Muslims and Non-Muslims population. They had to consider other factors too. There were four members in each Commission of which two were from Indian National Congress and two from the Muslim League.

Correct Answer: (C) Acharya J. B. Kriplani

When Congress Committee accepted the proposal of divided India in Delhi on 15th June, 1947, J.B. Kriplani was the President of Indian National Congress. This proposal was presented by Gobind Vallabh Pant and supported by Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. In November, 1947 J.B. Kriplani resigned from Congress Chairmanship. After that, Dr. Rajendra Prasad became interim Chairman of Congress. Pattabhi Sitaramaiyya became next President of Congress in Jaipur Session in 1948. Then P.D. Tandon became new President of Congress in Nasik Session.

Correct Answer: (B) Constituent Assembly

The Constituent Assembly, as the Provisional Parliament, assumed Sovereign power at midnight on August 14-15, 1947. A special session of the Constituent Assembly was held in New Delhi on 14-15 August, 1947. Jawaharlal Nehru delivered a speech as India’s first Prime Minister in the Constituent Assembly in New Delhi at midnight on August 14-15, 1947. This historic speech was full of ideas and embellishments to inspire a Nation, about to make a new beginning.

Correct Answer: (D) M.S. Subbulakshmi

In the Central Assembly at the midnight of August 14/15, 1947, M.S. Subbulakshmi sang “Jan-Gan-Man’ and “Sare Jahan Se Acchha Hindustan Hamara” written by Iqbal.

Correct Answer: (A) Governor-General

Governor-General of British India Lord Mountbatten appointed Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru as the first Prime Minister of India.

Correct Answer: (B) Lord Mountbatten

Lord Mountbatten (1947-48) was the last British Viceroy and the Governor-General of India. He took charge on 24 March, 1947 and presented the plan of India's Partition on June 3, 1947.

Correct Answer: (D) Rajendra Prasad, S. Radhakrishnan, Zakir Hussain, V. V. Giri

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India (1950- 1962), the second was Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (1962 -1967), third was Zakir Hussain (1967 -1969), and V. V. Giri was the fourth President of India (1969 - 1974).

Correct Answer: (B) J.B. Kriplani

During the partition of India, the Congress President was J. B. Kriplani who was Congress President from November, 1946 to November, 1947. He became President of I.N.C. in Meerut Session, 1946. He resigned from his post in November, 1947.

Correct Answer: (C) Congress had celebrated 26 January, 1930 as the first Independence Day.

In the year 1929, at the annual session of Congress held at Lahore, ‘Purna Swaraj’ or Complete Independence was accepted as the goal of the Congress. On the banks of the river Ravi, at midnight on 31st December, 1929, the tricolour flag of Indian Independence was unfurled amidst cheer and jubilation. 26th January, 1930 was marked as the first Independence Day, which was to be so celebrated every year. To commemorate this historic day, it was decided to enforce the Constitution on 26th January, 1950.

Correct Answer: (C) Lord Cornwallis was alarmed at the extent of power concentrated in the District Collector and felt that such absolute power was undesirable in one person.

Cornwallis judicial reforms took the final shape in 1793 and were embodied in the famous Cornwallis Code. The new reforms were based on the principle of Separation of Powers. Under the influence of the eighteenth-century French philosophers, Cornwallis sought to separate the revenue administration from the administration of justice. The Collector was the head of the revenue department in a district and also enjoyed extensive judicial and magisterial powers. Cornwallis believed that concentration of all powers in the hands of the Collector in the District retards the improvement as a judge of the Diwani Adalat redress the wrongs done by him as collector or assessor of revenue. Thus, neither the landlords nor the cultivators could regard the Collector as an impartial Judge in revenue cases. The Cornwallis Code divested the Collector of all judicial and magisterial powers and left him with the duty of administration of revenue. A new class of officer called the District Judge was created to preside over the District Civil Court. The District Judge was empowered with magisterial and police functions.

Correct Answer: (A) 1 and 2 only

The 1813 act ended the Company's monopoly over trade in India, but the company retained trade with China & the trade in tea. So, statement 1 is correct. The Act asserted the undoubted Sovereignty of the Crown of the United Kingdom over Indian territories. So, statement 2 is correct. The revenues of India were controlled by the British parliament through Pitts India Act 1784.

Correct Answer: (C) It made a financial allocation for the education of Indian people.

The East India Company Act, 1813 is also known as the Charter Act, 1813. The main feature of the Charter Act was - the Act expressly asserted the Crown sovereignty over British India. The Act permitted Christian missionaries to propagate English and preach their religion. It allowed 100,000 financial allocations to promote education in Indian masses.

Correct Answer: (D) An Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member of the Governor-General’s Council.

The Charter Act, 1833, was renewed on the condition that Company should abandon its trade entirely, alike with India and China and permit Europeans to settle freely in India. The Company lost its monopoly in China and also the trade of tea which it enjoyed with the Charter Act of 1813. Governor General of Bengal was made the Governor-General of British India with this Act, and all financial and administrative powers were centralized in the hands of Governor-General in-Council. The 4th member was not entitled to act as a member of the Council except for legislative purposes. A British member was appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General’s Council. A first fourth person appointed as the Member of the Council was Lord Macaulay. Thus option (d) is the correct answer.

Correct Answer: (B) 1853

The Charter Act, 1853 provided that the salary of the members of Board of Control, its Secretary and other Officers would be fixed by the British Government but the payments would be made out of the Company’s funds. The number of the Directors of the Court of Directors was reduced from 24 to 18 of whom 6 were to be nominated by the Crown. The Court of Directors was divested of its right to patronage and Company’s services were thrown open to competition and no dis crimination of any kind was to be made. A Committee with Macaulay was formed in the following year (1854) to give effect to the scheme of appointment in Civil Services through competition. The Montagu-Chelmsford Report recommended to increase the number of Indians in administration.

Correct Answer: (C) Charter Act of 1853

A decisive step had been initiated in the separation of powers between the Executive and the Legislature by the Charter Act of 1853. It was the first time in India when the Legislative Council was established. The total number of the members in the Legislative Council was 12.

Correct Answer: (A) 2 4 3 1

The Charter Act of 1813 ended the Company’s trade monopoly except over tea and trade with China. The Regulating Act of 1773 asked the Company’s directors to present to the British Government all correspondence and documents pertaining to the administration of Company. Act of 1858 transferred the power from East India Company to British Crown to govern the administration and Pitt’s India Act 1784 set up a Board of Control in Britain to fully regulate the affairs of East India Company.

Correct Answer: (C) The Charter Act of 1833

There were many consecutive Acts which were passed by British East India Company which as follows: Charter Act 1833: All commercial advantages and rights were completely abolished by the Charter Act, 1833. Now, Company had only administrative right on behalf of the British Crown.

Correct Answer: (C) The Government of India Act, 1858

British Parliament tabled the Government of India Act, 1858, which transferred powers from the East India Company to the Crown. A member of the British Parliament was made Secretary of State for India exercise powers on behalf of the Crown and was responsible to the British Parliament, assisted by the Advisory Council of India. Council of India had 15 members, 8 appointed by the Crown and 7 elected by the Court of Directors. Secretary of State for India was to exercise the powers which were being enjoyed by the Court of Directors and Board of Control.

Correct Answer: (B) Indian Councils Act of 1861

Indian Council Act, 1861 empowered Governor-General to issue Ordinance. These Ordinances were applicable for maximum of 6 months. This act strengthens the Viceroy’s authority. Canning reorganized his executive Council, instituting departmental distribution of responsibilities. He substituted ‘portfolio’ or department system by which every department of administration was headed by an individual.

Correct Answer: (B) Indian Councils Act, 1892

The Indian Councils Act, 1892 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The main provisions of this bill were as under:
The Indian Councils Act, 1892 gave the members the right to ask questions on Budget or matters of public interest. But none of them was given the right to ask supplementary questions.
(ii) The Additional members of the Council could ask questions of public interest under this Act, after pre information of six days.
Note:- The principle of representation and indirect way of the election was first incorporated in the Indian Council Act of 1892

Constitutional Development in India MCQs with Explanations

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