Modern History Set 126 | MROY Class

Modern History Set 126 Questions & Answers

The Charter Act of 1833 added which member to the Governor-General’s Executive Council? – A Law Member
Which Act definitively ended the East India Company’s monopoly over trade with China and tea? – Charter Act of 1833
The principle of an open competitive examination for ICS was introduced by which act? – Charter Act of 1853
The Indian Councils Act of 1892 introduced which right? – The right to discuss the budget and ask questions on matters of public interest
The Government of India Act 1919 divided the central legislature into the Legislative Assembly and what? – Council of State
The Federal Court of India was established under which Act? – Government of India Act 1935
The Lee Commission (1923) evaluated which institution? – The Superior Public Services (Civil Services)
Who headed the first Famine Commission appointed by Lord Lytton? – Sir Richard Strachey
Which Viceroy appointed the MacDonnell Commission in 1900? – Lord Curzon
Who chaired the inquiry commission for the Bengal Famine of 1943? – Sir John Woodhead
The Muddiman Committee (1924) inquired into the working of which mechanism? – The system of Dyarchy introduced by the Act of 1919
The Butler Committee (1927) investigated the relationship between the Crown and whom? – The Princely States of India
Who chaired the 1945 committee proposing remedies to resolve the communal deadlock? – Tej Bahadur Sapru
Under which Viceroy was the Whitley Commission (Labour) appointed in 1929? – Lord Irwin
The Raleigh Commission (1902) inquired into the conditions of which sector? – Universities in India
Which Indian educator served on the Sadler Commission (1917)? – Ashutosh Mukherjee
The Hartog Committee (1929) focused on preventing stagnation in which tier? – Primary education
What was the Sargent Plan’s (1944) ambitious target timeframe to achieve educational reconstruction? – 40 years
Who was the chairman of the First Law Commission of India established in 1833? – Lord Macaulay
What was the primary provision of the Lex Loci Act of 1850? – It allowed Hindu converts to Christianity to inherit their ancestral property.
The Age of Consent Act of 1891 was heavily championed by which reformer? – Behramji M. Malabari
The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 is popularly known as what? – The Sarda Act
The Ilbert Bill (1883) was introduced during whose viceroyalty? – Lord Ripon
Which Viceroy was responsible for the Official Secrets Act of 1904? – Lord Curzon
What was the popular name for the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919? – The Rowlatt Act
Bhagat Singh threw a bomb in 1929 to protest the Trade Disputes Act and which other bill? – The Public Safety Bill
The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 made which activity illegal? – Sympathetic strikes and strikes meant to coerce the government
The “Decree of 1829” legally abolished which social practice? – Sati (Widow burning)
Who was the Viceroy when the Female Infanticide Prevention Act was passed in 1870? – Lord Mayo
The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856 during whose tenure? – Lord Canning

MROY Class

Modern History Set 126

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📌 British Administration • Charter Acts

Q.1) The Charter Act of 1833 was a landmark in the centralization of British administration. Which new member was added to the Governor-General’s Executive Council for the first time under this Act?

Ans > A Law Member

Complete Centralization: The Charter Act of 1833 was the final step towards centralizing British administration in India. It elevated the Governor-General of Bengal to the Governor-General of India, giving him exclusive civil and military powers. The legislative powers of the Bombay and Madras presidencies were revoked, consolidating all law-making authority at the center under Lord William Bentinck.
The Fourth Member: To handle the complex task of drafting uniform laws, a fourth member—the Law Member—was added to the Executive Council. This member participated solely in legislative duties.
Macaulay’s Legacy: Lord Macaulay, the first Law Member, spearheaded the First Law Commission. His work laid the foundation for the Indian Penal Code (IPC), replacing a chaotic mix of religious and colonial laws with a codified modern legal system.

📌 Trade • Charter Acts

Q.2) Which British Act definitively ended the East India Company’s monopoly over trade with China and the trade in tea, opening it entirely to all British subjects?

Ans > Charter Act of 1833

End of Commercial Privileges: The Charter Act of 1833 stripped the East India Company of its commercial character entirely. It was transformed into a purely administrative body, holding Indian territories “in trust for His Majesty, His heirs and successors.”
Abolishing Monopolies: While the 1813 Act had ended the Company’s general trade monopoly, it had allowed them to retain exclusive rights over the highly profitable tea trade and all trade with China. The 1833 Act abolished these final monopolies, fully opening India to British free trade.
Economic Impact: This policy was heavily driven by the Industrial Revolution in Britain. British manufacturers needed India as a vast, captive market for finished goods and a source of cheap raw materials, leading to the rapid deindustrialization of native Indian crafts.

📌 Civil Services • Charter Acts

Q.3) The principle of an open competitive examination for the recruitment of civil servants (ICS) was first introduced by which legislative act?

Ans > Charter Act of 1853

Ending Haileybury Patronage: Before 1853, civil servants were nominated exclusively by the Court of Directors of the East India Company, heavily favoring British aristocratic patronage and training at Haileybury College. The 1853 Act legally abolished this nepotistic system.
Open Competitive Exams: It officially introduced the principle of an open competitive examination for the covenanted Indian Civil Service (ICS). For the very first time, this theoretically allowed Indians to compete for high-ranking administrative posts on the basis of merit.
The Macaulay Committee: Following the Act, the Macaulay Committee (1854) was established to structure the exams. However, the exams were exclusively held in London with a syllabus heavily skewed towards European classics, making it incredibly difficult for native Indians to actually succeed.

📌 Legislature • Councils Act

Q.4) The Indian Councils Act of 1892 was a significant step forward because it introduced which of the following rights for the legislative council members?

Ans > The right to discuss the budget and ask questions on matters of public interest

Growth of Nationalism: Driven by the early moderate demands of the Indian National Congress (founded in 1885), the British were forced to slowly expand Indian representation. The 1892 Act increased the number of non-official members in both Central and Provincial Legislative Councils.
Budget Discussion Rights: For the very first time, members were granted the statutory right to discuss the annual financial statement (the budget). However, this power was strictly limited; they could not vote on the budget or move any amendments to alter financial allocations.
Asking Executive Questions: Members also gained the crucial right to ask questions on matters of public interest, provided they gave a mandatory six-day prior notice. They were not allowed to ask supplementary (follow-up) questions if they were dissatisfied with the government’s answer.

📌 Governance • GoI Act 1919

Q.5) The Government of India Act 1919 introduced bicameralism at the center. It divided the central legislature into the Legislative Assembly and the:

Ans > Council of State

Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms: The Government of India Act 1919 was enacted to fulfill the August 1917 declaration of increasing Indian association in administration. It fundamentally changed the central legislative structure.
Introduction of Bicameralism: The unicameral Imperial Legislative Council was replaced by a bicameral legislature. The Upper House was named the Council of State (comprising 60 members), and the Lower House was the Legislative Assembly (comprising 145 members).
Direct Elections & Franchise: It introduced direct elections for these houses, although the franchise (voting right) was extremely restricted. Voting was based on strict property, tax, or educational qualifications, meaning only a tiny fraction of the Indian population (around 3-10%) could actually vote for their representatives.

📌 Judiciary • GoI Act 1935

Q.6) The Federal Court of India, which was a precursor to the Supreme Court of India, was established in 1937 under the provisions of which Act?

Ans > Government of India Act 1935

Establishing a Federal Structure: The Government of India Act 1935 envisioned an All-India Federation comprising British Indian provinces and Princely States. To resolve legal disputes within this proposed federal structure, a Federal Court of India was established in Delhi in 1937.
Jurisdiction Scope: The Court possessed original, appellate, and advisory jurisdictions. Its primary function was to adjudicate constitutional disputes between the central federal government and the constituent units (provinces or princely states), and to interpret the immense complexities of the 1935 Act.
Transition to Supreme Court: Sir Maurice Gwyer served as its very first Chief Justice. It remained the highest court in India until January 28, 1950, when it was replaced and fully absorbed by the newly formed Supreme Court of India under the independent Indian Constitution.

📌 Commissions • Civil Services

Q.7) The Lee Commission, appointed by the British Government in 1923, was primarily concerned with the evaluation and structural reform of which institution?

Ans > The Superior Public Services (Civil Services)

Context of Crisis: Following the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Mont-Ford reforms, many British civil servants resigned, feeling a massive loss of colonial prestige. To address the crisis in the “steel frame” of British administration, the Lee Commission (Royal Commission on the Superior Civil Services) was appointed in 1923.
Racial Parity Goals: Chaired by Lord Lee of Fareham, it strongly recommended that future recruitment to the ICS should aim for a 50:50 parity between Europeans and Indians within a specific span of 15 years, slightly accelerating the Indianization of the bureaucracy.
Public Service Commission: Its most significant historical outcome was the urgent recommendation to establish a statutory Public Service Commission, which had been promised in the 1919 Act. This directly led to the creation of the Central Public Service Commission in 1926.

📌 Famine Relief • Commissions

Q.8) Following the severe famine of 1876–78, Lord Lytton appointed the first Famine Commission to formulate a general famine code. Who headed this commission?

Ans > Sir Richard Strachey

The Great Famine Tragedy: The Great Famine of 1876-1878 was a catastrophic disaster affecting Madras, Bombay, and Mysore, claiming over 5 million lives. Viceroy Lord Lytton faced intense public criticism for his rigid, non-interventionist free-trade policies while people openly starved.
First Famine Commission: In response to the humanitarian disaster, Lytton appointed the very first Famine Commission in 1880, headed by Sir Richard Strachey, to investigate the causes and recommend systematic administrative remedies for future droughts.
The Famine Code: The Strachey Commission made groundbreaking recommendations, asserting that the state has an absolute duty to provide relief. It advised the creation of public works for wage-relief, the suspension of land revenue during crises, and the drafting of a provisional Famine Code, which was officially adopted in 1883.

📌 Famine Relief • Administration

Q.9) The MacDonnell Commission was appointed in 1900 to review famine relief measures and recommended the appointment of a Famine Commissioner in the provinces. Which Viceroy appointed this commission?

Ans > Lord Curzon

Successive Disasters: India was violently struck by severe back-to-back famines in 1896-1897 and 1899-1900. Viceroy Lord Curzon, recognizing the massive failure of previous relief mechanisms, appointed the MacDonnell Commission in 1900 to thoroughly review the nation’s famine policies.
Concept of Moral Strategy: Headed by Sir Antony MacDonnell, the commission heavily emphasized a policy of “moral strategy.” This meant the government should act preemptively before a famine peaks by providing early financial advances (Taccavi loans) to farmers for purchasing seeds and cattle, and sinking temporary wells.
Decentralized Administration: To rapidly speed up the bureaucratic response, the commission strongly recommended the appointment of a dedicated Famine Commissioner in every single province, ensuring that relief measures were coordinated locally rather than waiting for central approval from Delhi.

📌 History • Bengal Famine

Q.10) To investigate the disastrous Bengal Famine of 1943, the British government appointed an inquiry commission in 1944. Who chaired this commission?

Ans > Sir John Woodhead

WWII and the Bengal Tragedy: The Bengal Famine of 1943 was one of the absolute worst humanitarian crises of the 20th century, killing approximately 3 million people. It was largely a man-made disaster caused by wartime inflation, hoarding, and the British “Denial Policies” anticipating a Japanese invasion from Burma.
Appointing the Commission: Facing mounting global and domestic pressure regarding the mass starvation, the British government appointed the Famine Inquiry Commission in 1944, chaired by Sir John Woodhead, to formally investigate the catastrophe.
Commission Findings: Reporting in 1945, the Woodhead Commission blamed a combination of natural disasters (a devastating cyclone in Midnapore) and the severe administrative incompetence of the Bengal provincial government. However, it highly controversially downplayed the direct culpability of Winston Churchill’s war cabinet, which had aggressively diverted food supplies away from India.

📌 Committees • Constitutional Reforms

Q.11) The Muddiman Committee (1924) was officially appointed by the British government to inquire into the working of which constitutional mechanism?

Ans > The system of Dyarchy introduced by the Act of 1919

The Failure of Dyarchy: The 1919 Act introduced “Dyarchy” in provinces, physically splitting administrative portfolios. “Reserved” subjects (like finance and police) stayed with British bureaucrats, while “Transferred” subjects (like education and health) were given to elected Indian ministers.
Administrative Deadlock: Indian ministers quickly realized the entire system was a sham. They had public responsibility for welfare but absolutely no financial control to implement any policies. The Swaraj Party heavily criticized this structural flaw in the legislature.
The Reforms Enquiry Committee: Appointed in 1924 and chaired by Sir Alexander Muddiman, the committee investigated Dyarchy’s functionality. The official majority reported that the system just needed minor tweaks. However, the Indian minority (including Tej Bahadur Sapru and Jinnah) delivered a scathing dissenting report, declaring Dyarchy fundamentally unworkable and demanding immediate provincial autonomy.

📌 Committees • Princely States

Q.12) The Butler Committee (1927) was established to investigate and clarify the relationship between the Paramount Power (British Crown) and whom?

Ans > The Princely States of India

Princes’ Insecurities: As the Indian nationalist movement grew stronger and democratic reforms were steadily introduced in British India, the rulers of over 500 Princely States became deeply anxious. They severely feared a future where they would be subjugated by an elected Indian parliament.
The Indian States Committee: To formally clarify their legal standing and ease their tensions, the British appointed the Indian States Committee in 1927, headed by Sir Harcourt Butler.
Defining Paramountcy: The Butler Committee firmly asserted that “Paramountcy must remain paramount,” reaffirming ultimate British supremacy. Crucially, it provided a massive reassurance to the princes: their treaties were directly with the British Crown, not the Government of India. Therefore, the Crown’s paramountcy could not be legally transferred to an elected Indian government without the princes’ explicit consent.

📌 Freedom Struggle • Committees

Q.13) In 1945, a committee published a comprehensive report proposing constitutional remedies to resolve the communal deadlock between the Congress and the Muslim League. Who chaired this committee?

Ans > Tej Bahadur Sapru

The Communal Deadlock: By the end of WWII, India’s political landscape was deeply and violently fractured. The Muslim League, under Jinnah, rigidly demanded a completely separate state of Pakistan, leading to the utter collapse of the Gandhi-Jinnah talks in 1944.
A Non-Partisan Effort: In a desperate, last-ditch bid to prevent the partition of the subcontinent, the Non-Party Conference appointed a conciliation committee in 1944. It was chaired by the highly respected liberal jurist, Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru.
Constitutional Proposals: Published in 1945, the Sapru Committee Report categorically rejected the idea of Partition. To appease the Muslim League, it proposed a unified federal center with strict parity in the executive between caste Hindus and Muslims. It also recommended joint electorates with reserved seats, but the proposals were ultimately rejected by both major warring parties.

📌 Labour Reforms • Commissions

Q.14) The Whitley Commission, officially known as the Royal Commission on Labour, was appointed in 1929 to investigate the working conditions in Indian industries. Under which Viceroy was it appointed?

Ans > Lord Irwin

Industrial Unrest: The 1920s witnessed rapid industrialization in India alongside severe global economic depression, leading to horrific working conditions. This sparked a massive surge in militant trade unionism, strikes, and the rapid rise of communist influence among the working class.
Royal Commission on Labour: Recognizing the explosive political potential of industrial unrest, Viceroy Lord Irwin appointed the Royal Commission on Labour in 1929, chaired by John Henry Whitley (the Whitley Commission).
Progressive Recommendations: The commission conducted an exhaustive survey of factories, mines, and rural plantations. Its 1931 report was a massive landmark in Indian labor history. It recommended a severe reduction in working hours, the establishment of statutory wage boards, improved maternal benefits, and paved the way for crucial legislation like the Payment of Wages Act of 1936.

📌 Education • British Commissions

Q.15) Lord Curzon appointed the Raleigh Commission in 1902 to inquire into the conditions of which specific sector?

Ans > Universities in India

Curzon’s Political Agenda: Lord Curzon was deeply suspicious of the Indian education system, believing that universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras had devolved into breeding grounds for political agitators and anti-British nationalism.
The Universities Commission: In 1902, he appointed the Universities Commission under Sir Thomas Raleigh. Its mandate was strictly limited to investigating the conditions and prospects of higher universities, deliberately ignoring the dire, underfunded state of primary and secondary education.
Indian Universities Act (1904): Based on the Raleigh Commission’s recommendations, Curzon passed the draconian Indian Universities Act of 1904. It drastically reduced the number of elected senate members, increased the government’s power to veto university decisions, and tightened affiliation rules for private colleges. Nationalists condemned it as a blatant attempt to destroy educational autonomy.

📌 Education • British Commissions

Q.16) The Sadler Commission (1917) was appointed to investigate the problems of Calcutta University. Which prominent Indian educator served as a member of this commission?

Ans > Ashutosh Mukherjee

Crisis at Calcutta University: Originally appointed in 1917 to strictly investigate the deteriorating academic and administrative conditions of Calcutta University, the Calcutta University Commission (Sadler Commission) ended up undertaking a comprehensive review of the entire educational system across India.
Indian Expertise: Chaired by Dr. M.E. Sadler, the commission notably included two highly prominent Indian educationists: Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, the visionary Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, and Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed.
Structural Overhaul: The commission’s recommendations were incredibly progressive. It proposed separating secondary education from universities by creating independent Boards of Secondary and Intermediate Education. It effectively laid the conceptual groundwork for the modern 10+2+3 educational framework, arguing that students should only enter university after completing a 12-year school course.

📌 Education • British Committees

Q.17) The Hartog Committee (1929) primarily focused its recommendations on preventing “stagnation and wastage” in which tier of the education system?

Ans > Primary education

Evaluating Educational Expansion: Appointed as an auxiliary body to the Simon Commission in 1929, the Hartog Committee was specifically tasked with reviewing the massive, unchecked expansion of education that had occurred since the 1919 reforms transferred education to Indian ministers.
Wastage and Stagnation: The committee identified severe systemic flaws in primary education. It coined the terms “wastage” (students dropping out before completing Class V, rendering their brief schooling useless) and “stagnation” (students repeatedly failing and remaining in the exact same class for years).
Quality Over Quantity: The Hartog Committee strongly recommended shifting the focus from mass expansion to qualitative consolidation. It advised against the hasty establishment of schools without proper infrastructure or trained teachers, and suggested introducing diversified vocational courses at the middle school level to improve general employability.

📌 Education • National Planning

Q.18) The Sargent Plan of 1944 was a comprehensive scheme aimed at universalizing education in India. What was its ambitious target timeframe to achieve educational reconstruction comparable to England?

Ans > 40 years

Post-War Vision: Officially titled the “Report of the Central Advisory Board of Education on Post-War Educational Development in India,” the 1944 plan was meticulously formulated under Sir John Sargent, the Educational Advisor to the Government of India.
Universal Free Education: The Sargent Plan was the first comprehensive, long-term educational strategy of the British era. It boldly advocated for free, universal, and compulsory education for all Indian children between the ages of 6 and 14, and proposed a massive adult education drive to completely eradicate illiteracy.
The 40-Year Timeline: Despite its noble objectives, the plan was heavily criticized by Indian nationalists for its extremely sluggish proposed timeline. Sargent estimated it would take a staggering 40 years (until 1984) for India to finally reach the basic educational standards contemporary England had achieved in 1944.

📌 Law & Justice • British India

Q.19) Under the Charter Act of 1833, the First Law Commission of India was established. Who was its chairman, playing a pivotal role in drafting the Indian Penal Code?

Ans > Lord Macaulay

The Need for Codification: Before 1833, the legal landscape in British India was notoriously chaotic, consisting of a confusing mix of English common law, complex Hindu personal laws, Islamic criminal laws, and highly contradictory regulations passed by different presidencies.
Establishment under 1833 Act: The Charter Act of 1833 mandated the consolidation and strict codification of this legal mess. Consequently, the First Law Commission of India was established in 1834, chaired by the brilliant but controversial Lord Macaulay.
Drafting the IPC: The commission’s crowning historical achievement was the drafting of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Although drafted in the late 1830s, it underwent extensive revisions and was finally enacted in 1860. The IPC completely transformed Indian criminal justice, replacing religious-based punishments with a uniform, modern statutory code.

📌 Social Acts • Reforms

Q.20) The Lex Loci Act (Caste Disabilities Removal Act) was passed in 1850. What was its primary and highly controversial provision?

Ans > It allowed Hindu converts to Christianity to inherit their ancestral property.

Challenging Orthodox Traditions: The Lex Loci Act XXI of 1850, officially known as the Caste Disabilities Removal Act, was passed during the aggressive reformist administration of Lord Dalhousie. It aimed to establish a uniform civil principle regarding property rights.
Protecting Converts: According to ancient Hindu and Islamic laws, an individual who renounced their faith or was excommunicated from their caste immediately forfeited all rights to inherit their ancestral property. The Lex Loci Act explicitly invalidated this religious rule, protecting the inheritance rights of converts.
Missionary Suspicions: The legislation triggered a massive wave of anger among orthodox Hindus and Muslims. They widely perceived the Act as a deliberate, state-sponsored tool designed to facilitate and encourage Christian missionary conversions by completely removing the severe financial penalties associated with apostasy.

📌 Social Reform • Women’s Rights

Q.21) The Age of Consent Act of 1891, which raised the marriageable age of consent for girls from 10 to 12 years, was heavily championed by which reformer?

Ans > Behramji M. Malabari

The Agitation for Reform: The desperate plight of child brides in India became a burning social issue in the late 19th century. Behramji M. Malabari, a prominent Parsi journalist and social reformer from Bombay, launched a relentless nationwide campaign against infant marriage and the horrors it inflicted.
The Phulmoni Dasi Case: Malabari’s crusade gained massive, uncontrollable traction following the horrific death of Phulmoni Dasi, an 11-year-old child bride from Bengal, who died due to severe physical trauma from marital rape by her 35-year-old husband in 1889.
Enactment and Opposition: The tragic case forced the British government to pass the Age of Consent Act in 1891, which raised the legal age of consent for girls from 10 to 12 years. The Act faced fierce opposition from orthodox Hindu nationalists, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who viewed it as tyrannical foreign interference in domestic religious customs.

📌 Social Reform • Legislation

Q.22) The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 fixed the minimum marriageable age for girls at 14 and boys at 18. By what popular name is this legislation known?

Ans > The Sarda Act

Legislative Initiative: Continuing the intense fight against early marriages, the Child Marriage Restraint Act was introduced in the Central Legislative Assembly by Harbilas Sarda, an influential judge, social reformer, and prominent member of the Arya Samaj from Ajmer.
Setting Legal Ages: Passed in late 1929 and coming into full effect in 1930, the Act was a monumental victory for the Indian women’s movement. It officially established the minimum legal marriageable age at 14 years for girls and 18 years for boys, applicable uniformly across all religious communities in British India.
The Sarda Act Legacy: Popularly immortalized as the “Sarda Act,” it was the very first social reform legislation spearheaded entirely by Indians in the legislature. Although its initial enforcement was weak, it fundamentally changed the legal framework surrounding marriage, paving the way for further post-independence amendments.

📌 Legal Reform • Controversy

Q.23) The controversial Ilbert Bill (1883), which sought to allow Indian magistrates to preside over cases involving European offenders, was introduced during the viceroyalty of whom?

Ans > Lord Ripon

Racial Judicial Discrimination: Prior to 1883, the judicial system in British India was deeply racist. British and European subjects could only be tried for criminal offenses by European judges. This meant senior, highly qualified Indian magistrates could not preside over cases involving white offenders.
Ripon’s Progressive Vision: Viceroy Lord Ripon, known for his liberal policies, sought to abolish this blatant racial discrimination. His Law Member, Sir Courtenay Ilbert, drafted a bill in 1883 empowering Indian judges in the mofussil (rural areas) to try Europeans.
The White Mutiny: The Ilbert Bill triggered an unprecedented explosion of racist hysteria among the European community, particularly indigo planters and merchants, known as the “White Mutiny.” The government bowed to the massive pressure and heavily amended the bill, deeply disillusioning Indian nationalists about British justice.

📌 Press & Acts • Freedom Struggle

Q.24) The Official Secrets Act was passed in 1904 to curtail the freedom of the nationalist press and restrict the publication of official documents. Which Viceroy was responsible for this Act?

Ans > Lord Curzon

Suppressing Dissent: Viceroy Lord Curzon operated with an incredibly autocratic style, deeply resenting any criticism of his administration. As political consciousness grew, the Indian vernacular and English press became increasingly vocal in exposing government policies and bureaucratic blunders.
Amending the Act: To violently tighten his grip on information, Curzon pushed through the Indian Official Secrets (Amendment) Act in 1904. This act drastically expanded the scope of the original 1889 legislation, which was primarily focused on military espionage.
Targeting Journalism: The 1904 Act broadened the definition of “secret documents” to include virtually any civil administrative document or government communication. It made the unauthorized leakage of government information by civil servants, and its publication by newspapers, a severely punishable offense, effectively crippling investigative journalism in colonial India.

📌 Acts • Revolutionary Activities

Q.25) In 1919, the British passed the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, leading to widespread national outrage. What was the popular name for this Act?

Ans > The Rowlatt Act

Post-War Betrayal: During WWI, Indians supported the British war effort, expecting political concessions in return. Instead, the British sought to permanently institutionalize the draconian emergency powers they had used under the Defence of India Act 1915 to brutally suppress revolutionary activities.
Draconian Provisions: Based on the Sedition Committee’s report chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt, the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act was passed in March 1919. It authorized the government to arrest and imprison any individual suspected of anti-state activities without trial for up to two years.
The Spark for Mass Struggle: Summarized by the nationalist slogan “No Dalil, No Vakil, No Appeal,” the Act provoked unprecedented nationwide outrage. It catalyzed Mahatma Gandhi to launch his first all-India mass strike (the Rowlatt Satyagraha), directly setting the stage for the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

📌 Freedom Struggle • Revolutionaries

Q.26) In 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest against the Trade Disputes Act and which other draconian bill?

Ans > The Public Safety Bill

The HSRA Action: On April 8, 1929, the legislative chambers in Delhi witnessed a dramatic act of defiance. Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, members of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), threw two low-intensity smoke bombs from the visitor’s gallery into the Central Legislative Assembly.
Making the Deaf Hear: The revolutionaries had no intention of killing anyone; they threw the bombs into empty spaces and immediately courted arrest, dropping leaflets that proclaimed, “It takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear.”
Targeting Draconian Bills: They were protesting the Viceroy’s autocratic use of special powers to enact two deeply unpopular, anti-labor bills that the Assembly had repeatedly rejected: The Trade Disputes Act (which banned certain strikes) and the Public Safety Bill (which allowed the deportation of suspected foreign communists without trial).

📌 Labour Acts • Working Class

Q.27) The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 severely restricted the working-class movement by making which of the following activities illegal?

Ans > Sympathetic strikes and strikes meant to coerce the government

Rise of the Working Class: The late 1920s saw a massive surge in organized labor movements across India, particularly in the railway and textile sectors. Influenced heavily by early communist leaders, these strikes posed a significant economic and political threat to the British colonial administration.
Establishment of Tribunals: To regulate this unrest, the government passed the Trade Disputes Act of 1929. On the surface, it established formal mechanisms like Courts of Inquiry and Boards of Conciliation to legally resolve industrial conflicts.
Banning Political Strikes: However, its primary objective was deeply oppressive. The Act officially made “sympathetic strikes” (workers in one industry striking to support workers in another) completely illegal. Furthermore, it criminalized any strike designed to coerce or put political pressure on the government, severely attempting to isolate the labor movement from the broader national freedom struggle.

📌 Social Reform • British Decrees

Q.28) The famous “Decree of 1829” passed by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck legally abolished which social practice?

Ans > Sati (Widow burning)

The Horrific Practice: Sati was a deeply entrenched orthodox Hindu custom, particularly prevalent among upper castes in Bengal and Rajasthan, where a widow was expected—and often forced—to immolate herself on her deceased husband’s funeral pyre.
The Reformer’s Crusade: Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the “Father of the Indian Renaissance,” waged a relentless, decades-long intellectual and social campaign against this practice. He translated ancient Vedic scriptures to definitively prove that Sati was not a religious mandate, but a brutal social aberration.
Bentinck’s Decisive Action: Heavily influenced by Roy’s massive campaign and driven by utilitarian reformist ideals, Governor-General Lord William Bentinck took decisive legal action. He passed the Bengal Sati Regulation XVII in December 1829, strictly declaring the practice illegal and punishable by criminal courts as culpable homicide, saving countless lives.

📌 Social Reform • Legislation

Q.29) The Female Infanticide Prevention Act was passed in 1870 to curb the practice primarily prevalent among certain communities in North-Western India. Who was the Viceroy at this time?

Ans > Lord Mayo

A Deep-Rooted Social Evil: In the mid-19th century, female infanticide was shockingly prevalent, especially among proud, land-owning Rajput communities and certain castes in the North-Western Provinces, Punjab, and Oudh. This was primarily driven by the massive economic ruin caused by dowry demands and strict hypergamous marriage rules.
Legislative Intervention: Recognizing that moral persuasion was failing to stop the killings, the British administration under Viceroy Lord Mayo passed the Female Infanticide Prevention Act (Act VIII) in 1870.
Strict Enforcement Mechanisms: The Act authorized local authorities to maintain highly rigorous, mandatory registers of all births, marriages, and deaths in specific districts where the practice was suspected. Local police were granted sweeping, intrusive powers to conduct regular inspections of households to physically ensure that female infants survived, marking a major state intervention into the private domestic sphere.

📌 Social Reform • British India

Q.30) The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was drafted by Lord Dalhousie but formally passed in 1856 during the tenure of which Governor-General?

Ans > Lord Canning

The Plight of Widows: In orthodox 19th-century Hindu society, child marriage inevitably resulted in thousands of young girls becoming child widows. They were subjected to a life of severe asceticism, social ostracization, and enforced celibacy.
Vidyasagar’s Contribution: Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar spearheaded the movement for widow remarriage. He scoured ancient Sanskrit texts and successfully cited the Parashara Samhita to legally prove that Hinduism explicitly permitted widows to remarry in the Kali Yuga.
Passing the Act: Vidyasagar’s overwhelming petition drive forced the government to act. Lord Dalhousie drafted the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act (Act XV), but it was formally enacted in July 1856 by his successor, Lord Canning. The Act legally validated the marriage of Hindu widows and declared their offspring legitimate, though a highly controversial clause stripped the remarrying widow of any inheritance rights from her deceased husband.

📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 126

Charter Acts: 1833 added Law Member (Macaulay) & ended China trade monopoly. 1853 introduced open ICS exams.
Councils & Govt Acts: 1892 allowed budget discussions. 1919 created bicameral center (Council of State). 1935 established Federal Court.
Famine Commissions: Strachey (1880, Lytton), MacDonnell (1900, Curzon), Woodhead (1944, Bengal Famine).
Constitutional Committees: Muddiman (1924, reviewed Dyarchy), Butler (1927, Princely States), Sapru (1945, communal deadlock).
Labour & Services: Lee Commission (1923, Civil Services equality), Whitley Commission (1929, labour conditions).
Education Commissions: Raleigh (1902, Universities), Sadler (1917, Ashutosh Mukherjee included), Hartog (1929, primary stagnation), Sargent Plan (1944, 40-year target).
Social Acts: Lex Loci (1850, inherit property), Age of Consent (1891, Malabari), Sarda Act (1929, marriage age), Sati Abolition (1829, Bentinck), Widow Remarriage (1856, Canning).
Controversial Bills: Ilbert Bill (1883, racial equality), Official Secrets (1904, Curzon), Rowlatt (1919, no trial), Public Safety (1929, bombed by Bhagat Singh), Trade Disputes (1929).

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Modern History Set 126

Q.1) The Charter Act of 1833 was a landmark in the centralization of British administration. Which new member was added to the Governor-General’s Executive Council for the first time under this Act?

Q.2) Which British Act definitively ended the East India Company’s monopoly over trade with China and the trade in tea, opening it entirely to all British subjects?

Q.3) The principle of an open competitive examination for the recruitment of civil servants (ICS) was first introduced by which legislative act?

Q.4) The Indian Councils Act of 1892 was a significant step forward because it introduced which of the following rights for the legislative council members?

Q.5) The Government of India Act 1919 introduced bicameralism at the center. It divided the central legislature into the Legislative Assembly and the:

Q.6) The Federal Court of India, which was a precursor to the Supreme Court of India, was established in 1937 under the provisions of which Act?

Q.7) The Lee Commission, appointed by the British Government in 1923, was primarily concerned with the evaluation and structural reform of which institution?

Q.8) Following the severe famine of 1876–78, Lord Lytton appointed the first Famine Commission to formulate a general famine code. Who headed this commission?

Q.9) The MacDonnell Commission was appointed in 1900 to review famine relief measures and recommended the appointment of a Famine Commissioner in the provinces. Which Viceroy appointed this commission?

Q.10) To investigate the disastrous Bengal Famine of 1943, the British government appointed an inquiry commission in 1944. Who chaired this commission?

Q.11) The Muddiman Committee (1924) was officially appointed by the British government to inquire into the working of which constitutional mechanism?

Q.12) The Butler Committee (1927) was established to investigate and clarify the relationship between the Paramount Power (British Crown) and whom?

Q.13) In 1945, a committee published a comprehensive report proposing constitutional remedies to resolve the communal deadlock between the Congress and the Muslim League. Who chaired this committee?

Q.14) The Whitley Commission, officially known as the Royal Commission on Labour, was appointed in 1929 to investigate the working conditions in Indian industries. Under which Viceroy was it appointed?

Q.15) Lord Curzon appointed the Raleigh Commission in 1902 to inquire into the conditions of which specific sector?

Q.16) The Sadler Commission (1917) was appointed to investigate the problems of Calcutta University. Which prominent Indian educator served as a member of this commission?

Q.17) The Hartog Committee (1929) primarily focused its recommendations on preventing “stagnation and wastage” in which tier of the education system?

Q.18) The Sargent Plan of 1944 was a comprehensive scheme aimed at universalizing education in India. What was its ambitious target timeframe to achieve educational reconstruction comparable to England?

Q.19) Under the Charter Act of 1833, the First Law Commission of India was established. Who was its chairman, playing a pivotal role in drafting the Indian Penal Code?

Q.20) The Lex Loci Act (Caste Disabilities Removal Act) was passed in 1850. What was its primary and highly controversial provision?

Q.21) The Age of Consent Act of 1891, which raised the marriageable age of consent for girls from 10 to 12 years, was heavily championed by which reformer?

Q.22) The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 fixed the minimum marriageable age for girls at 14 and boys at 18. By what popular name is this legislation known?

Q.23) The controversial Ilbert Bill (1883), which sought to allow Indian magistrates to preside over cases involving European offenders, was introduced during the viceroyalty of whom?

Q.24) The Official Secrets Act was passed in 1904 to curtail the freedom of the nationalist press and restrict the publication of official documents. Which Viceroy was responsible for this Act?

Q.25) In 1919, the British passed the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, leading to widespread national outrage. What was the popular name for this Act?

Q.26) In 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest against the Trade Disputes Act and which other draconian bill?

Q.27) The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 severely restricted the working-class movement by making which of the following activities illegal?

Q.28) The famous “Decree of 1829” passed by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck legally abolished which social practice?

Q.29) The Female Infanticide Prevention Act was passed in 1870 to curb the practice primarily prevalent among certain communities in North-Western India. Who was the Viceroy at this time?

Q.30) The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was drafted by Lord Dalhousie but formally passed in 1856 during the tenure of which Governor-General?

📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 126

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Q.1) The Charter Act of 1833 was a landmark in the centralization of British administration. Which new member was added to the Governor-General’s Executive Council for the first time under this Act?

Q.2) Which British Act definitively ended the East India Company’s monopoly over trade with China and the trade in tea, opening it entirely to all British subjects?

Q.3) The principle of an open competitive examination for the recruitment of civil servants (ICS) was first introduced by which legislative act?

Q.4) The Indian Councils Act of 1892 was a significant step forward because it introduced which of the following rights for the legislative council members?

Q.5) The Government of India Act 1919 introduced bicameralism at the center. It divided the central legislature into the Legislative Assembly and the:

Q.6) The Federal Court of India, which was a precursor to the Supreme Court of India, was established in 1937 under the provisions of which Act?

Q.7) The Lee Commission, appointed by the British Government in 1923, was primarily concerned with the evaluation and structural reform of which institution?

Q.8) Following the severe famine of 1876–78, Lord Lytton appointed the first Famine Commission to formulate a general famine code. Who headed this commission?

Q.9) The MacDonnell Commission was appointed in 1900 to review famine relief measures and recommended the appointment of a Famine Commissioner in the provinces. Which Viceroy appointed this commission?

Q.10) To investigate the disastrous Bengal Famine of 1943, the British government appointed an inquiry commission in 1944. Who chaired this commission?

Q.11) The Muddiman Committee (1924) was officially appointed by the British government to inquire into the working of which constitutional mechanism?

Q.12) The Butler Committee (1927) was established to investigate and clarify the relationship between the Paramount Power (British Crown) and whom?

Q.13) In 1945, a committee published a comprehensive report proposing constitutional remedies to resolve the communal deadlock between the Congress and the Muslim League. Who chaired this committee?

Q.14) The Whitley Commission, officially known as the Royal Commission on Labour, was appointed in 1929 to investigate the working conditions in Indian industries. Under which Viceroy was it appointed?

Q.15) Lord Curzon appointed the Raleigh Commission in 1902 to inquire into the conditions of which specific sector?

Q.16) The Sadler Commission (1917) was appointed to investigate the problems of Calcutta University. Which prominent Indian educator served as a member of this commission?

Q.17) The Hartog Committee (1929) primarily focused its recommendations on preventing “stagnation and wastage” in which tier of the education system?

Q.18) The Sargent Plan of 1944 was a comprehensive scheme aimed at universalizing education in India. What was its ambitious target timeframe to achieve educational reconstruction comparable to England?

Q.19) Under the Charter Act of 1833, the First Law Commission of India was established. Who was its chairman, playing a pivotal role in drafting the Indian Penal Code?

Q.20) The Lex Loci Act (Caste Disabilities Removal Act) was passed in 1850. What was its primary and highly controversial provision?

Q.21) The Age of Consent Act of 1891, which raised the marriageable age of consent for girls from 10 to 12 years, was heavily championed by which reformer?

Q.22) The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 fixed the minimum marriageable age for girls at 14 and boys at 18. By what popular name is this legislation known?

Q.23) The controversial Ilbert Bill (1883), which sought to allow Indian magistrates to preside over cases involving European offenders, was introduced during the viceroyalty of whom?

Q.24) The Official Secrets Act was passed in 1904 to curtail the freedom of the nationalist press and restrict the publication of official documents. Which Viceroy was responsible for this Act?

Q.25) In 1919, the British passed the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, leading to widespread national outrage. What was the popular name for this Act?

Q.26) In 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest against the Trade Disputes Act and which other draconian bill?

Q.27) The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 severely restricted the working-class movement by making which of the following activities illegal?

Q.28) The famous “Decree of 1829” passed by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck legally abolished which social practice?

Q.29) The Female Infanticide Prevention Act was passed in 1870 to curb the practice primarily prevalent among certain communities in North-Western India. Who was the Viceroy at this time?

Q.30) The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was drafted by Lord Dalhousie but formally passed in 1856 during the tenure of which Governor-General?

📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 126

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