UPSC Indian Polity – Chapter 1: Historical Underpinnings (24 MCQs)

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UPSC Indian Polity – Chapter 1: Historical Underpinnings (24 MCQs) – 22 questions, subject: Polity. 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.  

Which of the following Acts first designated the Governor of Bengal as the Governor-General of Bengal?

Correct Answer: D [Regulating Act, 1773]

Explanation:

the Regulating Act, 1773 created the post; Warren Hastings was the first holder.

2.  

Consider the following statements about Pitt's India Act, 1784:

1. It created the Board of Control to manage the political affairs of the Company.
2. It called the Company's territories in India the "British possessions in India".
3. It abolished the Court of Directors.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: A [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

statements 1 and 2 describe the Act; the Court of Directors continued to manage commerce.

3.  

The Company's trade monopoly in India was ended, except for the trade in tea and the trade with China, by the:

Correct Answer: B [Charter Act, 1813]

Explanation:

the Charter Act, 1813.

4.  

Consider the following about the Charter Act, 1833:

1. It made the Governor-General of Bengal the Governor-General of India.
2. It gave the Governor-General of India exclusive legislative powers for British India.
3. It ended the Company's activities as a commercial body.
4. It separated the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General's council.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Correct Answer: C [Only three]

Explanation:

1, 2 and 3 are correct; statement 4 describes the Charter Act of 1853.

5.  

Open competition as the method of recruiting civil servants, with the covenanted civil service thrown open to Indians, was introduced by the:

Correct Answer: C [Charter Act, 1853]

Explanation:

the Charter Act, 1853; the Macaulay Committee followed in 1854.

6.  

Assertion (A): The Government of India Act, 1858 ended the system of double government.

Reason (R): The Act abolished the Board of Control and the Court of Directors.

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

Explanation:

double government meant the Board of Control plus the Court of Directors; abolishing both ended it.

7.  

Provision for the appointment of a High Commissioner for India in London was first made by the:

Correct Answer: B [Government of India Act, 1919]

Explanation:

The Montagu–Chelmsford Act of 1919 provided for the post; Sir William Meyer took office as the first High Commissioner in 1920.

8.  

Consider the following statements about the Indian Councils Act, 1861:

1. It gave statutory recognition to the portfolio system.
2. It empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances valid for six months in an emergency.
3. It introduced separate electorates for Muslims.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

statements 1 and 2 are features of the 1861 Act.

9.  

Members of the legislative councils got the right to discuss the budget and to address questions to the executive for the first time under the:

Correct Answer: C [Indian Councils Act, 1892]

Explanation:

the Indian Councils Act, 1892.

10.  

Match List I (Act) with List II (Feature):

List I: A. Indian Councils Act, 1909 B. Government of India Act, 1919 C. Government of India Act, 1935 D. Indian Independence Act, 1947

List II: 1. Lapse of paramountcy over the princely states 2. Separate electorate for Muslims 3. Bicameral central legislature 4. Provincial autonomy

Correct Answer: A [A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1]

Explanation:

1909 separate electorate; 1919 bicameral central legislature; 1935 provincial autonomy; 1947 lapse of paramountcy.

11.  

Who was the first Indian to be appointed to the Viceroy's Executive Council?

Correct Answer: B [Satyendra Prasad Sinha]

Explanation:

S.P. Sinha, as law member, under the 1909 Act.

12.  

Consider the following about the Government of India Act, 1919:

1. It introduced dyarchy in the provinces.
2. It separated provincial budgets from the central budget.
3. It provided for the establishment of a public service commission.
4. It introduced dyarchy at the Centre.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Correct Answer: C [Only three]

Explanation:

1, 2 and 3 are correct; dyarchy at the Centre was a feature of the 1935 Act and never operated.

13.  

Under the Government of India Act, 1935, the residuary powers were vested in the:

Correct Answer: B [Governor-General (Viceroy)]

Explanation:

the 1935 Act gave residuary powers to the Viceroy.

14.  

Consider the following statements about the Government of India Act, 1935:

1. It provided for an All-India Federation, which never came into being.
2. It introduced bicameralism in six of the eleven provinces.
3. It abolished the Council of India.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: D [1, 2 and 3]

Explanation:

all three are features of the 1935 Act.

15.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Poona Pact
2. Appointment of the Simon Commission
3. Communal Award
4. Government of India Act, 1935

Select the correct answer:

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

Explanation:

Simon Commission (1927), Communal Award (August 1932), Poona Pact (September 1932), Act of 1935.

16.  

Under the Indian Independence Act, 1947:

1. The office of the Secretary of State for India was abolished.
2. The Constituent Assembly could repeal any Act of the British Parliament, including the Independence Act itself.
3. The princely states were required to join either India or Pakistan.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer: D [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

statements 1 and 2 are provisions of the Act.

17.  

Assertion (A): The Constituent Assembly of India also functioned as the legislature of the Dominion of India.

Reason (R): The Indian Independence Act, 1947 gave the Constituent Assemblies legislative power in addition to constitution-making power.

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

Explanation:

R is the legal basis of A.

18.  

The Central Public Service Commission, provided for by the Government of India Act, 1919, was set up in:

Correct Answer: D [1926]

Explanation:

the Central Public Service Commission was set up in 1926.

19.  

A student writes: "Under the 1919 Act, a provincial minister in charge of education was responsible to the provincial legislative council, while the member in charge of law and order was not." This statement describes:

Correct Answer: B [dyarchy]

Explanation:

dyarchy divided provincial subjects into transferred (responsible ministers) and reserved (not responsible).

20.  

Which one of the following was NOT a provision of the Indian Independence Act, 1947?

Correct Answer: B [Universal adult franchise was introduced in India.]

Explanation:

universal adult franchise came with the Constitution (Article 326), not the Independence Act.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2012

The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme provided in the

Correct Answer: C [Government of India Act, 1935]

Explanation:

the Federal, Provincial and Concurrent Lists of 1935 became the Seventh Schedule.

22.  
UPSC Prelims 2012

Which of the following is/are the principal feature(s) of the Government of India Act, 1919?

1. Introduction of diarchy in the executive government of the provinces
2. Introduction of separate communal electorates for Muslims
3. Devolution of legislative authority by the centre to the provinces

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Correct Answer: C [1 and 3 only]

Explanation:

dyarchy and devolution are features of the 1919 Act.

Score: 0 Answered: 0 / 0