Constitutional Development of India MCQ Questions with Answers

Correct Answer: (C) Charter Act of 1813

The Charter Act of 1813 deprived the company of its monopoly over trade with India but it still enjoyed its monopoly of trade with China and the trade in tea.

Correct Answer: (B) Indian Council Act, 1892

The Indian Council Act, 1892 increased the functioning of the Legislative Councils. The councils were given the power of discussing the Budget and addressing questions to the executive.

Correct Answer: (A) Regulating Act, 1773

The provision for the establishment of Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta was made in the Regulating Act, 1773. Sir Elijah Impey was the first Chief Justice of this Supreme Court.

Correct Answer: (A) Regulating Act of 1773

In 1773, motivated by corruption in the company, the British government assumed partial control over the governance of India with the passage of the Regulating Act 1773. A governor-general and Supreme Council of Bengal were appointed to rule over the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal. The first Governor-General of Bengal was Warren Hastings with tenure of office from 1772-1785. Warren Hastings was an English statesman, and the head of the Supreme Council of Bengal. He ended the Dual Government system by enforcing the Regulating Act of 1773.

Correct Answer: (B) 2 1 3 4

The matched pairs are as follows :
Regulating Act, 1773 – Establishment of Supreme Court
Pitt’s India Act, 1784 – Establishment of Board of Control
Charter Act, 1813 – Permission to English Missionaries to work in India
Charter Act, 1833 – Appointment of Law Member in Governor General Council.

Correct Answer: (D) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories

Dyarchy has been derived from the Greek word 'di-arche' which means double rule. In the context of Indian history, the principle of Dyarchy refers to the division of legislation subjects into central and provincial categories. The provincial subjects were further divided into 'reserved' and 'transferred' categories. Comparatively important subjects (reserved subjects) such as police, jail, justice, finance and irrigation were to be administered by the governor and his executive council without being responsible to the legislative council. Subject of lesser importance (transferred subjects) such as education, agriculture, local self-government etc. were to be administered by the governor with the aid of ministers responsible to the legislative council.

Correct Answer: (C) Government of India Act, 1935

The salient features of the Government of India Act, 1935 were –
(i) Dyarchy was introduced at the Central level instead of provinces as envisaged in the Government of India Act, 1919.
(ii) The Government of India Act, 1935 proposed to set up All India Federation comprising of the British India Provinces and the Princely States.
(iii) The supremacy of British Parliament remained intact under the Government of India Act, 1935.
(iv) Burma was separated from India with effect from April, 1937.
(v) The Government of India Act, 1935 abolished the Council of the Secretary of State for India, which was created in 1858.
(vi) The Federal Court of India was established on 1 October, 1937, Sir Maurice Gwyer was its first Chief Justice.
(vii) The Central Federal Bank was established under this Act which was later known as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Correct Answer: (A) introduction of separate electorate

The Indian Councils Act, 1909 introduced separate electorate for Muslim community and thus, sowed the seeds of separatism that eventually led to the partition of the country.

Correct Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only

The Government of India Act, 1919 was passed by the British Parliament. The Act embodied the reforms recommended in the report of the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu, and the Viceroy Lord Chelmsford. This Act provided for the introduction of a dual form of Government at provinces known as Dyarchy. The Subjects of administration were divided into two categories - Reserved and Transferred. As far as the question of a separate electoral system for Muslims is concerned, the provision had already been made by the Act of 1909. The Government of India Act, 1919 continued this provision and also extended it for Sikhs, Europeans, Indian-Christians, and Anglo-Indians.

Correct Answer: (B) 2 only

In 1918, when Britain granted limited suffrage to women property holders, the law did not apply to British citizens in other parts of the Empire. Despite the All-India Women's Deputation led by Sarojini Naidu to Edwin Samuel Montague, then Secretary of State, India women's demands were ignored in the Montagu Chelmsford Reforms. Though they were not granted voting rights, nor the right to stand in elections, the Government of India Act 1919 allowed Provincial Councils to determine if women could vote, provided they met stringent property, income, or educational levels. Hence statement 1 is not correct. Statement 2 is correct as the Government of India Act, 1935 extended the principle of communal representation by providing separate electorates for depressed classes (scheduled castes), women and labourers (workers).

Correct Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Both statement are correct. following Lord Macaulay's Report of the select committee of British parliament, the concept of merit based civil services in India was introduced in 1854. For this purpose, civil services commission was set up in London and competitive examinations started in 1885. Government of India Act, 1919, provided for a separate examination for the Indian Civil Service, which was to be held in India (first in Allahabad and later in Delhi). In 1941, in Indian Civil service, the percentage of Indians was more as compared to the Europeans.

Correct Answer: (C) The Government of India Act of 1935

The Principle of Constitutional Autocracy was introduced by the Government of India Act, 1935. This Act vested the executive authority of Provinces in the Governors and of centre in the Governor-General on the behalf of the Crown.

Correct Answer: (C) The Government of India Act of 1919

The Government of India Act, 1919, made Indian Legislature bicameral for the first time. It was to consist of an Upper House named the Council of state and a Lower House named the Legislative Assembly. Council of State was composed of 60 members of whom maximum 20 members could be official in accordance with section 18 of the Government of India Act, 1919. The lower house was called the Central Legislative Assembly and under section 19 of this Act, it originally provided for 140 members with 100 elected and 40 nominated. It is noteworthy that under the Rules made for the implementation of the 1919 Act, provision was made for 60 members with 33 elected and 27 nominated in the Council of State, while the number of members of the Central Legislative Assembly was increased first to 143 (102 elected & 41 nominated) and then to 145 (104 elected and 41 nominated). It is notable that one member in each house was elected from Berar out of the nominated members. Due to member from Berar being nominated as the result of an election held in Berar, it has been included in the number of elected members in many mentions.

Correct Answer: (B) G.O.I. Act, 1935

Though in British India, Viceroy was empowered to promulgate ordinance without the permission of Legislative Council under the Indian Council Act, 1861. However, the President’s power to promulgate ordinance (Art. 123) is inspired by section 42 of Government of India Act, 1935.

Correct Answer: (A) Charter Act, 1833

Section 87 was one of the most important sections of the Charter Act, 1833. It stated that no person of India or the Crown would be debarred from any place, post or service subject to the Company on the ground of religion, place of birth, descent or colour or any of them. Subsequently section 87 of the Act, 1833 laid down the foundation for the participation of Indians in the administration during the political movement.

Correct Answer: (C) Government of India Act, 1935

The separation of power was made by the Government of India Act, 1935. It divided the legislative powers between central and provincial legislatures and replaced ‘dyarchy in provinces with dyarchy at the centre’. The act also envisaged establishment of ‘Federation of India’ made up of both British India and some of Princely States. However, this part was never implemented

Correct Answer: (C) The Act of 1935

The separation of power was made by the Government of India Act, 1935. It divided the legislative powers between central and provincial legislatures and replaced ‘dyarchy in provinces with dyarchy at the centre’. The act also envisaged establishment of ‘Federation of India’ made up of both British India and some of Princely States. However, this part was never implemented.

Correct Answer: (A) Government of India Act, 1935

The separation of power was made by the Government of India Act, 1935. It divided the legislative powers between central and provincial legislatures and replaced ‘dyarchy in provinces with dyarchy at the centre’. The act also envisaged establishment of ‘Federation of India’ made up of both British India and some of Princely States. However, this part was never implemented.
Note: The residuary powers were given to Governor General in the Federation established under Government of India Act, 1935.

Correct Answer: (A) A written Constitution for the country

Provision for a written Constitution for the country was not mentioned in the Government of India Act, 1935. The demand of a constitution was accepted in principle by the British Government in what is known as the 'August Offer' of 1940 in which the British Government concurred that the framing of new constitution should be primarily the responsibility of Indians themselves. In 1942, Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the British cabinet came to India with a draft proposal of the British Government on the framing of an independent constitution to be adopted after the World War II.

Correct Answer: (A) It is the main source of the Constitution of India

The Government of India Act, 1935 is an important source for the Constitution of India. Many provisions of Indian Constitution like Federal Government, diarchy at the centre, distribution of power between Centre and States and establishment of a Federal Court have been taken from it.
Note: Burma was separated from India according to the provision of Government of India Act, 1935.

Correct Answer: (C) Cripps Mission

The proposal for framing of the Constitution of India (after the end of Second World War) by an elected Constituent Assembly was made by the Cripps Mission (1942).

Correct Answer: (A) To bring Indians and Europeans at equal status as far as the penal jurisdiction of courts was concerned.

The Ilbert Bill was introduced in 1883 for British India by Viceroy Ripon who proposed an amendment to existing laws in the country at the time to allow Indian Judges and Magistrates, the jurisdiction to try British offenders in criminal cases at the district level, something which was not allowed at that time.

Correct Answer: (B) 10 Lakh

The Cabinet Mission arrived in India in 1946. The Mission proposed a plan for the formation of a Constituent Assembly to frame a Constitution for the Indian Union. The representatives of provinces were based on the population; roughly 1 representative over 10 lakh population.

Correct Answer: (A) William Wood

The members of the Cabinet Mission were Sir Pethick Lawrence, Stafford Cripps, and A.B. Alexander. William Wood was not a member of the Cabinet Mission.

Constitutional Development of India MCQs with Explanations

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