60. Which law provided for the Supreme Court established at Calcutta in 1774?
[RRB NTPC (Graduate), CBT-I, 22 March 2026, Shift 2]
- (A) Government of India Act, 1858
- (B) Pitt’s India Act, 1784
- (C) Regulating Act, 1773
- (D) Charter Act, 1813
Answer: (C) Regulating Act, 1773
Explanation: The Regulating Act of 1773 authorised a Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William. It commenced functioning in 1774, with Sir Elijah Impey as its first Chief Justice, and constituted an early landmark in colonial judicial institutions.
59. Which Act first provided for Indian participation in legislative lawmaking under British rule?
[RRB NTPC (Graduate), CBT-I, 22 March 2026, Shift 2]
- (A) Indian Councils Act, 1861
- (B) Pitt’s India Act, 1784
- (C) Charter Act, 1853
- (D) Government of India Act, 1858
Answer: (A) Indian Councils Act, 1861
Explanation: The 1861 Indian Councils Act enabled the Viceroy to nominate non-official members, including Indians, to an enlarged legislative council. The beginning was consultative rather than electoral: nominees could participate in specified legislative business without controlling the executive.
58. Which legislation introduced provincial dyarchy by dividing subjects into reserved and transferred categories?
[RRB NTPC (Graduate), CBT-I, 16 March 2026, Shift 2]
- (A) Indian Councils Act, 1892
- (B) Government of India Act, 1919
- (C) Indian Councils Act, 1909
- (D) Government of India Act, 1935
Answer: (B) Government of India Act, 1919
Explanation: Under the 1919 Act, reserved subjects remained with the Governor and executive councillors, while transferred subjects were administered by ministers responsible to provincial legislatures. The division produced a limited experiment in responsible government before provincial dyarchy ended under the 1935 Act.
57. The Charter Act of 1833 changed the Governor-General of Bengal into the Governor-General of what?
[SSC CPO, 12 December 2025, Shift 1]
- (A) Madras
- (B) Bombay
- (C) India
- (D) Bengal Presidency
Answer: (C) India
Explanation: By centralising lawmaking, the Charter Act of 1833 redesignated the Governor-General of Bengal as Governor-General of India. Lord William Bentinck was the first person to hold the newly styled office, exercising authority over British territories across India.
56. What was notable about the selection of Indian council members under the Indian Councils Act, 1892?
[SSC CPO, 9 December 2025, Shift 1]
- (A) Universal adult franchise was introduced
- (B) A majority were directly elected by the public
- (C) Nominations continued, with limited indirect electoral recommendations
- (D) Equal seats were guaranteed to every religious community
Answer: (C) Nominations continued, with limited indirect electoral recommendations
Explanation: The 1892 Act enlarged legislative councils and opened a restricted route for bodies such as municipalities and universities to recommend members. Formal appointments still occurred through nomination, and neither universal franchise nor a modern system of direct mass election existed.
55. The Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms were implemented through which Act?
[OSSSC CRE Preliminary Exam, 19 October 2025, Shift 1]
- (A) Government of India Act, 1919
- (B) Indian Independence Act, 1947
- (C) Charter Act, 1833
- (D) Indian Councils Act, 1861
Answer: (A) Government of India Act, 1919
Explanation: The Government of India Act, 1919 implemented the scheme proposed by Edwin Montagu and Lord Chelmsford. It introduced provincial dyarchy, expanded legislatures and established bicameralism at the Centre, although governors retained substantial overriding powers.
54. Which year’s Indian Councils Act first associated Indians with legislative lawmaking?
[OSSSC CRE Preliminary Exam, 17 October 2025, Shift 1]
- (A) 1859
- (B) 1863
- (C) 1857
- (D) 1861
Answer: (D) 1861
Explanation: The Indian Councils Act, 1861 restored limited legislative roles and allowed Indians to be nominated as additional members of councils. The appointments signalled an early representative element, although members were not chosen through democratic universal elections.
53. What long-term administrative effect is attributed to Pitt’s India Act?
[SSC CGL, 14 October 2025, Shift 1]
- (A) India was divided into military zones
- (B) The Company became completely independent
- (C) British governmental supremacy over Company possessions was strengthened
- (D) The Governor-General’s office was abolished
Answer: (C) British governmental supremacy over Company possessions was strengthened
Explanation: Pitt’s India Act of 1784 created a Board of Control to oversee political, military and revenue matters. Company directors continued to manage trade, but ultimate political supervision shifted firmly towards the British government through a system of dual control.
52. What did Pitt’s India Act change about the Court of Directors?
[SSC CGL, 25 September 2025, Shift 2]
- (A) It received power to legislate for princely states
- (B) It could dissolve all provincial courts
- (C) It became subject to British government oversight in civil and military matters
- (D) It was merged into the Board of Control
Answer: (C) It became subject to British government oversight in civil and military matters
Explanation: The directors continued the Company’s commercial management after 1784, while a new Board of Control supervised Indian civil, military and revenue administration. The arrangement did not merge the institutions; it divided their responsibilities and increased British state oversight.
51. What was the principal constitutional aim of the Government of India Act, 1935?
[SSC CGL, 24 September 2025, Shift 1]
- (A) Immediate complete independence
- (B) Dominion status immediately
- (C) A federal scheme with provincial autonomy
- (D) Universal adult voting rights
Answer: (C) A federal scheme with provincial autonomy
Explanation: The 1935 statute envisaged a federation embracing provinces and princely states and made provincial ministries more autonomous. Its federal component remained unimplemented, while elected ministries began working in provinces in 1937 subject to governors’ special responsibilities.
