British Acts in India, 1773–1947: A Timeline for Quick Revision
Every key British Act from 1773 to 1947, the one change each made, the Governors-General and Viceroys behind them, and memory tips.
By the World MCQ Forum India Editorial Team · 27 October 2026 · 3 min read
Questions on British-era Acts come up in SSC, railway and state exams every year, and they also explain where many features of today’s Constitution came from. The trick is to remember one main change per Act. This page gives you exactly that.
Company rule (1773–1858)
| Year | Act or event | The one thing to remember |
|---|---|---|
| 1773 | Regulating Act | Governor of Bengal became Governor-General of Bengal (Warren Hastings); Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774) |
| 1784 | Pitt’s India Act | Board of Control in London: dual control of the Company |
| 1793 | Permanent Settlement (Cornwallis) | Land revenue fixed for ever; zamindars made owners |
| 1813 | Charter Act | Company’s trade monopoly ended (except tea and China trade); ₹1 lakh a year for education |
| 1833 | Charter Act | Governor-General of India (Lord William Bentinck); the Company stopped trading |
| 1853 | Charter Act | Open competition for the civil services |
Memory tip: the Charter Acts were renewed every 20 years: 1793, 1813, 1833, 1853.
Crown rule (1858–1947)
| Year | Act | The one thing to remember |
|---|---|---|
| 1858 | Government of India Act | Rule passed from the Company to the Crown; first Viceroy: Lord Canning |
| 1861 | Indian Councils Act | Indians nominated to the legislative councils; portfolio system |
| 1892 | Indian Councils Act | Indirect elections began in a limited way |
| 1909 | Indian Councils Act (Morley–Minto) | Separate electorates for Muslims |
| 1919 | Government of India Act (Montagu–Chelmsford) | Dyarchy in the provinces; bicameral central legislature |
| 1935 | Government of India Act | Provincial autonomy, Federal Court, proposed All-India Federation |
| 1947 | Indian Independence Act | Two dominions, India and Pakistan, from 15 August 1947 |
Memory tip: 1909 separates (electorates), 1919 divides (dyarchy splits provincial subjects), 1935 frees the provinces (autonomy).
Governors-General and Viceroys linked to big events
| Ruler | Remember for |
|---|---|
| Warren Hastings | First Governor-General of Bengal (1773) |
| Cornwallis | Permanent Settlement (1793) |
| Wellesley | Subsidiary Alliance |
| William Bentinck | Abolition of sati (1829); first Governor-General of India (1833); Macaulay’s Minute (1835) |
| Dalhousie | Doctrine of Lapse; railways and telegraph; Wood’s Despatch (1854) |
| Canning | Revolt of 1857; first Viceroy (1858) |
| Lytton | Vernacular Press Act (1878) |
| Ripon | Local self-government (1882); first regular census (1881); Ilbert Bill |
| Curzon | Partition of Bengal (1905) |
| Hardinge II | Delhi Durbar (1911): capital moved to Delhi, partition reversed |
| Chelmsford | 1919 reforms; Rowlatt Act; Jallianwala Bagh |
| Mountbatten | 3 June Plan; Independence (1947) |
Which parts of today’s Constitution come from the 1935 Act?
The Government of India Act, 1935 is the largest single source of the Constitution’s structure: the federal scheme, the office of Governor, the judiciary (the Federal Court became the Supreme Court), the Public Service Commissions and the emergency provisions all build on it.
How to revise
- Learn the two tables above until you can say the “one thing” for each year without looking.
- Then practise questions; most options are other Acts from the same list, so knowing the one key change is enough to pick the right one.
Practise with our Governors-General, Viceroys and Acts set.