MCQs ON Governors And Viceroys

Explanation: Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773.

Explanation: Under the Charter Act of 1833, the Governor-General of Bengal was designated as the Governor-General of India. Lord William Bentinck was the first to hold this title.

Explanation: Following the Revolt of 1857, the Government of India Act 1858 transferred power to the British Crown, making Lord Canning the first Viceroy of India.

Explanation: Lord Cornwallis is credited with organizing the civil services into a structured and professional administration, earning him this title.

Explanation: Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793, fixing land revenue to be paid by Zamindars in Bengal and Bihar.

Explanation: Lord Wellesley introduced the Subsidiary Alliance system to bring Indian states under British control without direct annexation. The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to sign it.

Explanation: Lord William Bentinck, with the rigorous efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, passed a law abolishing Sati in 1829.

Explanation: Lord Dalhousie introduced the Doctrine of Lapse, an annexation policy applied by the British East India Company until 1859. Satara was the first state to be annexed under it.

Explanation: Lord Dalhousie is known as the maker of modern India. The first railway line connecting Bombay to Thane was built during his tenure in 1853.

Explanation: The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 took place while Lord Canning was the Governor-General. He later became the first Viceroy.

Explanation: Lord Lytton introduced the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 to suppress the Indian language newspapers from criticizing British policies.

Explanation: Lord Ripon, often considered the most popular and liberal British Viceroy, repealed the controversial Vernacular Press Act in 1882.

Explanation: Lord Ripon passed the Resolution of 1882, which established local self-government institutions (municipalities and district boards) in India.

Explanation: The Indian National Congress was founded by A.O. Hume in 1885 when Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy of India.

Explanation: Lord Curzon ordered the Partition of Bengal in 1905, purportedly for administrative convenience but largely to divide the Hindu and Muslim populations.

Explanation: The transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced at the Delhi Durbar in 1911 during the tenure of Lord Hardinge II.

Explanation: Lord Chelmsford was the Viceroy of India when the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on April 13, 1919.

Explanation: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) was launched during the tenure of Lord Chelmsford.

Explanation: The Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928 to review the Government of India Act 1919, during the viceroyalty of Lord Irwin.

Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 (Dandi March) during Lord Irwin’s tenure. This culminated in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931.

Explanation: Lord Linlithgow was the Viceroy when the Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942.

Explanation: The Cabinet Mission came to India in 1946 to negotiate the transfer of power, during the tenure of Lord Wavell.

Explanation: Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India and the first Governor-General of independent India.

Explanation: Chakravarti Rajagopalachari served as the Governor-General of India from 1948 to 1950, becoming the first and last Indian to hold the post.

Explanation: The first non-synchronous census of India took place in 1872 during the viceroyalty of Lord Mayo.

Explanation: Lord Mayo was assassinated by a convict named Sher Ali Afridi in the Andaman Islands in 1872.

Explanation: Lord Ripon initiated the first complete and synchronous census in 1881, which has been conducted every 10 years since.

Explanation: Warren Hastings was the Governor-General when the Supreme Court was established at Fort William, Calcutta in 1774.

Explanation: Lord William Bentinck accepted Macaulay’s recommendations in 1835, making English the medium of higher education.

Explanation: Lord William Bentinck appointed Captain William Sleeman to suppress the Thuggee cult, completely eliminating the menace by 1837.

Explanation: Lord Dalhousie introduced the electric telegraph in India. The first line was opened between Calcutta and Agra in 1853.

Explanation: Charles Wood prepared a despatch on an educational system for India during the tenure of Lord Dalhousie.

Explanation: The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was drafted by Lord Dalhousie but was formally passed by Lord Canning in 1856.

Explanation: Acting upon the Wood’s Despatch of 1854, these three premier universities were established in 1857 under Lord Canning.

Explanation: Lord Canning introduced the portfolio system, where each member of the Viceroy’s executive council was put in charge of specific departments.

Explanation: The Ilbert Bill was introduced by Lord Ripon. It caused a massive uproar among the British community in India and had to be heavily modified.

Explanation: Lord Ripon introduced the first Factory Act in 1881 to regulate child labor and working conditions in factories.

Explanation: Lord Lansdowne was the Viceroy when the Indian Councils Act of 1892 was passed, increasing the number of additional members in the councils.

Explanation: The Durand line was established in 1893 after an agreement between Sir Mortimer Durand and the Afghan Amir during Lord Lansdowne’s tenure.

Explanation: Lord Curzon established the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and passed this act to protect India’s historical monuments.

Explanation: The Swadeshi movement started in 1905 to protest the Partition of Bengal orchestrated by Lord Curzon.

Explanation: The Muslim League was formed in 1906 to protect the political rights of Muslims during Lord Minto II’s viceroyalty.

Explanation: The Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 introduced separate electorates for Muslims. Lord Minto is therefore called the Father of Communal Electorate.

Explanation: King George V announced the annulment of the Partition of Bengal at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, under Lord Hardinge II.

Explanation: The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, known as the Rowlatt Act, was passed under Lord Chelmsford, granting sweeping powers to arrest without trial.

Explanation: The Chauri Chaura incident took place in February 1922 when Lord Reading was the Viceroy of India.

Explanation: Lord Reading (1921-1926) was the Viceroy when the Swaraj Party was formed.

Explanation: The First Round Table Conference was convened in 1930 to discuss constitutional reforms in India during Lord Irwin’s viceroyalty.

Explanation: Lord Willingdon was the Viceroy (1931-1936) when the Communal Award was announced and the Poona Pact was signed.

Explanation: The Act was passed in 1935 under Lord Willingdon, though elections based on it were held in 1937 under Lord Linlithgow.

Explanation: Lord Linlithgow proposed the ‘August Offer’ to gain Indian cooperation in World War II, promising dominion status in the unspecified future.

Explanation: Sir Stafford Cripps was sent to India in 1942 under Lord Linlithgow’s viceroyalty to negotiate Indian support for the British war effort.

Explanation: Lord Wavell convened the Simla Conference in 1945 to discuss the Wavell Plan for Indian self-government, which ultimately failed.

Explanation: Lord Mountbatten was sent to India to oversee the transfer of power. The Indian Independence Act was passed during his tenure in July 1947.

Explanation: Warren Hastings encouraged the study of Indian literature and culture, leading to the foundation of the Asiatic Society by Sir William Jones.

Explanation: Lord Cornwallis defeated Tipu Sultan in the Third Anglo-Mysore War and imposed the harsh Treaty of Srirangapatna.

Explanation: Lord Wellesley launched the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, decisively defeating and killing Tipu Sultan.

Explanation: The Treaty of Bassein was a subsidiary alliance signed during Lord Wellesley’s tenure, which practically destroyed Maratha independence.

Explanation: Lord Auckland initiated the ill-fated First Afghan War to counter Russian influence, which led to a catastrophic British defeat.

Explanation: Charles Napier conquered Sindh under the orders of Governor-General Lord Ellenborough in 1843.

Explanation: Lord Hardinge I was the Governor-General during the First Anglo-Sikh War, which resulted in the British taking control of significant Sikh territories.

Explanation: Before Lord Dalhousie, public works were handled by the military board. He established a separate Public Works Department (PWD).

Explanation: Lord Lytton held the magnificent Delhi Durbar of 1877 amidst a severe famine, causing great public resentment.

Explanation: Following the devastating famine of 1876-78, Lord Lytton appointed the Strachey Commission to formulate a famine policy.

Explanation: Lord Ripon appointed the Hunter Commission (W.W. Hunter) to review the progress of education since Wood’s Despatch.

Explanation: Lord Curzon appointed the Frazer Commission to review police administration, leading to the establishment of the CID.

Explanation: Although announced in 1911 during the Delhi Durbar, the capital was formally shifted and began functioning from Delhi in 1912.

Explanation: The Moplah uprising by Muslim tenants against Hindu landlords and the British occurred in 1921 when Lord Reading was Viceroy.

Explanation: Lord Reading was the Viceroy when members of the Hindustan Republican Association executed the Kakori train robbery in 1925.

Explanation: The IMA was established in 1932 to train Indian officers for the army, while Lord Willingdon was serving as the Viceroy.