UPSC Modern Indian History – Chapter 21: Government of India Act 1935 and the Provincial Ministries (23 MCQs)

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UPSC Modern Indian History – Chapter 21: Government of India Act 1935 and the Provincial Ministries (23 MCQs) – 23 questions, subject: History. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

At the Centre, the Government of India Act 1935 provided for:

Correct Answer: B [dyarchy]

Explanation:

The Act divided federal subjects into reserved ones (defence, foreign affairs) under the Governor-General and transferred ones under ministers – dyarchy at the Centre.

2.  

In the provinces the 1935 Act replaced dyarchy with:

Correct Answer: D [provincial autonomy]

Explanation:

The Act ended provincial dyarchy; all provincial subjects went to ministers responsible to elected legislatures, subject to Governors' special powers.

3.  

The Federal Court provided for by the 1935 Act began to function in:

Correct Answer: C [1937]

Explanation:

The Federal Court of India was inaugurated at Delhi on 1 October 1937 under Sir Maurice Gwyer.

4.  

Who described the 1935 Act as "a machine with strong brakes but no engine"?

Correct Answer: C [Jawaharlal Nehru]

Explanation:

Jawaharlal Nehru compared the 1935 Act to a machine with strong brakes but no engine, stressing its many safeguards.

5.  

The new provinces created under the 1935 Act were:

Correct Answer: A [Sind and Orissa]

Explanation:

Sind was separated from Bombay and Orissa from Bihar and Orissa; both became new provinces on 1 April 1936.

6.  

Which territory was separated from British India under the 1935 Act?

Correct Answer: B [Burma]

Explanation:

The Act separated Burma from British India; the separation took effect on 1 April 1937.

7.  

The Faizpur session of the Congress (1936) is remembered as:

Correct Answer: D [the first session held in a village]

Explanation:

The Faizpur session (December 1936), presided over by Nehru, was the first Congress session held in a village.

8.  

Who became Premier of Madras in July 1937?

Correct Answer: A [C. Rajagopalachari]

Explanation:

C. Rajagopalachari formed the Congress ministry in Madras Presidency in July 1937 and served as Premier till 1939.

9.  

The Congress ministries resigned in 1939 because:

Correct Answer: D [India was declared a party to the war without consulting Indians]

Explanation:

Linlithgow declared India a belligerent in September 1939 without consulting Indians, so Congress ministries resigned in October–November 1939.

10.  

Consider the following about the Government of India Act 1935:

1. It provided for bicameral legislatures in some provinces.
2. It abolished the Council of India.
3. It retained dyarchy in the provinces.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

The Act created bicameral legislatures in six provinces and abolished the Council of India; it ended, not retained, provincial dyarchy.

11.  

Assertion (A): The All-India Federation of the 1935 Act never came into being.

Reason (R): The princely States did not agree to join the federation.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

The federation needed the princes' accession; since they refused to sign Instruments of Accession, it never came into being.

12.  

The Muslim League observed the "Day of Deliverance" on:

Correct Answer: C [22 December 1939]

Explanation:

Jinnah called on Muslims to observe 22 December 1939 as Day of Deliverance to celebrate the Congress ministries' resignation.

13.  

The Haripura session of the Congress (1938) was presided over by:

Correct Answer: B [Subhas Chandra Bose]

Explanation:

Subhas Chandra Bose was elected Congress president for the Haripura session of February 1938.

14.  

The scheme of basic education (Wardha scheme, 1937) was worked out by a committee headed by:

Correct Answer: C [Zakir Hussain]

Explanation:

After the Wardha conference of October 1937, a committee under Dr Zakir Hussain drew up the basic education scheme.

15.  

In the Congress presidential election of 1939, Subhas Chandra Bose defeated:

Correct Answer: D [Pattabhi Sitaramayya]

Explanation:

In January 1939 Bose won re-election by defeating Pattabhi Sitaramayya, the candidate backed by Gandhi.

16.  

The Forward Bloc was founded in 1939 by:

Correct Answer: A [Subhas Chandra Bose]

Explanation:

After resigning the Congress presidency in April 1939, Subhas Chandra Bose formed the Forward Bloc in May 1939.

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Resignation of the Congress ministries
2. Passing of the Government of India Act
3. Provincial elections
4. Tripuri session

Select the correct answer:

Correct Answer: C [2-3-4-1]

Explanation:

Order: Passing of the Government of India Act (1935) → Provincial elections (1937) → Tripuri session (March 1939) → Resignation of the Congress ministries (late 1939).

18.  

By 1938 the Congress had formed ministries in how many provinces?

Correct Answer: B [Eight]

Explanation:

Six ministries formed in July 1937, NWFP in September 1937 and Assam in 1938 – eight provinces in all.

19.  

The Government of India Act 1935 was based mainly on:

Correct Answer: B [the White Paper of 1933 and the report of the Joint Select Committee]

Explanation:

The RTC proposals were set out in the 1933 White Paper, examined by a Joint Select Committee and enacted in 1935.

20.  

Under the 1935 Act, defence and foreign affairs were:

Correct Answer: D [reserved subjects under the Governor-General]

Explanation:

Under federal dyarchy, defence and foreign affairs were reserved subjects administered by the Governor-General with his counsellors.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2024

With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:

1. It provided for the establishment of an All-India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.
2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: A [1 only]

Explanation:

Only statement 1 is right: the Act proposed a federation of provinces and States, while defence and foreign affairs stayed reserved.

22.  
UPSC Prelims 2021

Consider the following statements:

1. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all women above the age of 21.
2. The Government of India Act of 1935 gave women reserved seats in the legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [2 only]

Explanation:

The 1935 Act reserved seats for women in the legislatures, whereas the 1919 reforms gave no vote to all women above 21.

23.  
UPSC Prelims 2018

In the federation established by the Government of India Act of 1935, residuary powers were given to the

Correct Answer: B [Governor General]

Explanation:

Section 104 of the Act empowered the Governor-General to assign any residuary subject to the federal or provincial legislature.

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