1
Under the Regulating Act of 1773, the first Governor-General of Bengal was:
Correct answer: A. Warren Hastings
The Regulating Act made Warren Hastings Governor-General of Bengal and set up a Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774).
easy
British Rule: Governors-General, Viceroys and Acts MCQs
Solved modern Indian history MCQs on Company and Crown rule: the Regulating Act, Charter Acts, land revenue systems, Governors-General and Viceroys, and the Acts of 1909, 1919 and 1935.
20 MCQsUpdated 27 October 2026
This set covers British rule in India: the Regulating Act and later Charter and Government of India Acts, Governors-General and Viceroys and the reforms linked to each, Macaulay's Minute on education, the first census and the Rowlatt Act.
Pair each Governor-General or Viceroy with the events of his term. Arranging these in order of tenure is the most reliable way to answer "during whose time" questions.
- 2
Pitt's India Act of 1784 created a:
Correct answer: D. Board of Control in Britain to supervise the Company
The Act set up dual control: the Board of Control for political matters and the Court of Directors for commerce.
medium - 3
Who became the first Governor-General of India under the Charter Act of 1833?
Correct answer: A. Lord William Bentinck
The 1833 Act turned the Governor-General of Bengal into the Governor-General of India, so Bentinck held the new title.
medium - 4
The Charter Act of 1813 ended the East India Company's trade monopoly in India except for trade in tea and with:
Correct answer: D. China
The 1813 Act opened Indian trade to all British merchants and set aside ₹1 lakh a year for education.
hard - 5
After the Government of India Act of 1858, the first Viceroy of India was:
Correct answer: C. Lord Canning
After the 1857 revolt the Crown took over from the Company, and Canning became the first Viceroy.
easy - 6
The Permanent Settlement of Bengal (1793) was introduced by:
Correct answer: B. Lord Cornwallis
It fixed land revenue permanently and made zamindars owners of the land, responsible for paying the tax.
easy - 7
The Ryotwari system of land revenue, collected directly from cultivators, was introduced mainly in Madras by:
Correct answer: C. Thomas Munro
Thomas Munro (with Alexander Read) introduced it; Holt Mackenzie is linked with the Mahalwari system.
medium - 8
The Subsidiary Alliance system was used to bring Indian states under British control by:
Correct answer: A. Lord Wellesley
Allied rulers had to keep British troops at their own cost and accept a British Resident; Hyderabad was the first to join (1798).
Read detailseasy - 9
Lord Macaulay's Minute on Education (1835) recommended:
Correct answer: B. English as the medium of higher education
Bentinck's government accepted it, making English the medium of higher education in British India.
medium - 10
Wood's Despatch of 1854, called the "Magna Carta of English education in India", came during the rule of:
Correct answer: C. Lord Dalhousie
It led to universities at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras (1857) and a graded system of schools.
medium - 11
The Vernacular Press Act of 1878, which restricted Indian-language newspapers, was passed under:
Correct answer: A. Lord Lytton
Lord Ripon repealed it in 1882.
medium - 12
Lord Ripon is called the "father of local self-government in India" because of his resolution of:
Correct answer: B. 1882
The 1882 resolution encouraged elected local boards in districts and towns.
medium - 13
The first regular (synchronous) census of India was held in 1881 under:
Correct answer: A. Lord Ripon
An earlier, non-synchronous count was made in 1872 under Lord Mayo; since 1881 a census has been held every ten years.
hard - 14
The Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley–Minto Reforms) is known for introducing:
Correct answer: C. separate electorates for Muslims
The 1909 Act enlarged the councils and gave Muslims separate electorates.
easy - 15
Dyarchy (dual government) in the provinces was introduced by the:
Correct answer: B. Government of India Act, 1919
Under the 1919 Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, provincial subjects were split into "transferred" and "reserved" subjects.
medium - 16
Provincial autonomy and a Federal Court were provided by the:
Correct answer: D. Government of India Act, 1935
The 1935 Act ended dyarchy in the provinces and set up the Federal Court (1937); much of today's Constitution draws on it.
Read detailsmedium - 17
The Rowlatt Act, which allowed detention without trial and sparked nationwide protests, was passed in:
Correct answer: C. 1919
Protests against it led to Gandhiji's Rowlatt Satyagraha and, in Punjab, to the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.
easy - 18
The shift of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced at the Delhi Durbar of 1911, when the Viceroy was:
Correct answer: D. Lord Hardinge
At the Durbar, King George V also announced that the 1905 Partition of Bengal would be reversed.
medium - 19
The plan announced on 3 June 1947 for the partition of India is named after:
Correct answer: B. Lord Mountbatten
The Mountbatten Plan was followed by the Indian Independence Act passed by the British Parliament in July 1947.
easy - 20
The Ilbert Bill controversy (1883), over allowing Indian judges to try Europeans, arose during the time of:
Correct answer: B. Lord Ripon
Strong European opposition forced Ripon's government to dilute the bill, which helped awaken Indian political feeling.
medium