Governor General Period Important achievements/Events

First Governor General of India.By the Regulating Act of 1773, brought the
Dual government system to an end.Zamindars were given judicial powers;
establishment of civil and criminal courts in each district.
Warren Hastings 1772-1785
 In 1781, he founded the Calcutta Madrasa, for promotion of Islamic
studies.

 He founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784.
Sir John
1785-1786 He held the post temporarily.
Macpherson
Introduced Permanent Settlement of Bengal (also called Zamindari
system). It was an agreement between East India Company and Bengali
landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land.
Lord Cornwallis 1786-1793
 He introduced Police reforms according to which each district was divided
into 400 square miles and placed under a police superintendent.

 Introduction of Civil Services in India.

Sir John Shore 1793-1798 He followed policy of non-intervention.Introduced Charter Act of 1793.
He adopted the policy of Subsidiary Alliance- a system to keep the Indian
rulers under control and to make British the supreme power.

Lord Wellesley 1798-1805  He opened College to train the Company’s servants in Calcutta. So,
Known as the Father of Civil Services in India.

 He founded the Fort William College at Calcutta.

The important event which took place in his time was Mutiny of Vellore in
Sir George Barlow 1805-1807
1806 in which the Indian soldiers killed many English officials.
Lord Minto I 1807-1813 He concluded the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
He ended the policy of non-intervention, which was followed by Sir John
Shore.

Lord Hastings 1812-1823  He abolished the censorship of press. Introduced Ryotwari and
Mahalawari system in Bombay.

 
His tenure was known for First Anglo Burmese War (1824-26) and Mutiny
Lord Amherst 1823-1828
of Barrackpur (1824)
  1828-1835 He was known as the Liberal Governor General.

    He carried out social reforms such as abolition of Sati Pratha with the help
of Rajaram Mohan Roy, Suppression of Thuggee.
Lord William
Bentick  Established first Medical College in Calcutta.

   He made English as the language of higher education.

   He also suppressed female infanticide and child sacrifice.

 

 
Sir Charles Metcalfe 1835-1836 He held the post temporarily and removed restriction on Vernacular press.
Lord Auckland 1836-1842 First Afghan War was fought in his reign.
Opened first Railway line from Bombay to Thane in 1853.

Opened first Telegraph line from Calcutta to Agar in 1853.

 Introduced Doctrine of Lapse captured Satara (1848), Jaipur and

Sambhalpur (1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854).

Lord Dalhousie 1848-1856  Many bridges were constructed and started Great Trunk Road.

 Established Postal system which made communication easier.

 In 1854, Wood’s Dispatch was passed, which provided the proper system
of education from School to University.

 Widow Remarriage Bill was passed.

As per the Regulating Act of 1773, the post of Governor general came into existence. Earlier, the
Governor General of Bengal was appointed by East India Company. After the adoption of Government of
India Act 1858, Governor General become Viceroy of India.

Viceroy Period Important achievements/Events

He was the Governor General during Mutiny of 1857 and after the war, he was
made first Viceroy of India.
Lord Canning 1856-1862
 He withdrew Doctrine of lapse.Indian Council Act was passed in 1861

 University of Bombay, Calcutta, Madras was established in 1857.

High Court was established at Calcutta, Bombay, Madras in 1865.He created
Indian Forest Department.Opened telegraph line with Europe.

Lord Lawrence 1864-1869  He introduced various reforms and became the member of Punjab Board of
Administration after second Sikh war.

 He was known as the Savior of Punjab.

Started financial decentralization in India.He established Rajkot College in
Kathiawar and Mayo College in Ajmer for Indian princess.

 First Census of India was held during his time in 1871.

Lord Mayo 1869-1872
 He organized Statistical survey of India.

 He was the only Viceroy who was murdered in office by a pathan in
Andaman in 1872.
Lord Lytton 1876-1880 The Delhi Durbar was held on January 1 1877, to decorate Queen Victoria
with the title of Kaiser-i-hind.
  Statutory Civil Service in 1879. It was also laid down that the candidates had
to appear and pass the civil services examination which began to be held in
England. The maximum age for these candidates were reduced from 21 to 19
years.

 Vernacular press Act was passed in 1878.

Age for the entry in Civil Service exam was raised to 21 years.

 First Factory act was passed during his time in 1881, it prohibited the child
Lord Rippon 1880-1884
labour.Illbert Bill in 1883 was passed by him.

 Passed Local Self Government act in 1882.

Lord Dufferin 1884-1888 He formed the Indian National Congress.
Indian Council Act was passed in 1892.Second Factory Act (1891) was passed
during his time.
Lord Lansdowne 1888-1894
 He appointed Durand Commission to define a line between British India and
Afghanistan.
Partition of Bengal (1905) into two provinces- Bengal and East Bengal was
done during his time.
Lord Curzon 1899-1905
 Passed the Ancient Monuments Act (1904), to restore India’s cultural
heritage. Thus, established Archeological Survey of India.
Lord Minto 1905-1910 Morley-Minto reform was passed in 1909.
Partition of Bengal was cancelled and capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in
1911.
Lord Hardinge 1910-1916
 Gandhi ji returned to India from South Africa in 1915.Home Rule moment
was launched by Annie Beasant.
August Declaration of 1917, after which the control over the Indian
Government would be transferred to Indian people.

 Rowlett Act 1919 was passedMontague-Chelmsford reform was passed.

Lord Chelmsford 1916-1921
 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 1919 took place during his time.

 Non- Cooperation and Khilafat movement took place.

 Women’s University was founded at Poona in 1919

Suppressed of non-cooperation movementChauri -Chaura incident took
place.Formation of Swaraj party.
Lord Reading 1921-1926
 Ahmedabad session of INS held in 1921.
Simon commission visited India in 1928.Dandi March was held in 1930.Civil
Disobedience movement launched in 1930.
Lord Irwin 1926-1931
 Gandhi- Irwin pact was signed and First Round Table Conference was held in
1931.
Lord Willingdon 1931-1936 Poona Pact was signed.Second and Third Round Table Conference was held
during his time.
  Communal Award started by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald.

 Government of India Act (1935) was passed.

Government of India Act enforced in provinces.Cripps Mission visited India
in 1942.Quit India movement was started in 1942.
Lord Linlithgow 1936-1944
Second World war took place in 1939.
Shimla Conference was held on June 25, 1945 between Muslim League and
Indian national Congress was failed.
Lord Wavell 1944-1947
Cabinet Mission Plan was launched in 1946.On December 09, 1946, first
meeting of Constituent Assembly was held.
Last Viceroy and first Governor General of free India.Partition of India was
done on June 3, 1947.

March  
1947-
Lord Mountbatten
August India Independent Act was passed on July 4, 1947 by British parliament. As
1947 per the Act India became independent on August 15, 1947.

 He was succeeded by C. Rajagopalachari, who was the last Governor General
of free India.

Some of the Important acts in Indian before Independence (August 15th) 1947 are The Regulating
Act, 1773, The Pitts India act, 1784, The Charter Acts The Government of India Acts and The
Indian council Acts.

The Regulating Act, 1773

 The Regulating Act, 1773 was the first attempted by British Parliament to regulate the
affairs of the Company in India. this act also brought an end to Dual system of
Government of India.
 This was the first attempt towards Centralised Administration.
 In this act, Governor of Bengal became Governor General for all British territories in
India.
 Bombay and Madras Presidency subordinated to Bengal Presidency in certain matters.
 Supreme Court to be set up at Calcutta and also founded Calcutta Madarasa.

The Pitts India Act, 1784

 The Pitts India Act, 1784 (The East India Company Act 1784) gave the British
Government supreme control over the Company’s affairs and its administration in India.
 It established dual system of governance:
1. Government by Board of Control
 2. Government of Court of Directors.
 The Board of Control was to guide and control the work of the Court of Directors.
 Presidencies of Madras and Bombay were subordinated to the Governor-General and
Council of Bengal in all matters of diplomacy

The Charter Act of 1813

 The Charter Act  1813 is also known as The East India Company Act 1813.
 The East Indian Company was deprived of its monopoly of trade with India except in tea
and trade in China.
 Under this act, a sum of one lakh rupees earn marked annually for education and this
amount paid by the company.

The Charter Act of 1833

 The Charter Act of 1833 brought an end to the East Indian Company’s trade monopoly
even in tea and trade with China.
 The Act centralised the administration of India.
 The Governor-General of Bengal became the Governor-General of India (1st Governor-
General was Lord William Bentick).
 Government of Madras and Bombay deprived of legislative powers.
 A fourth member, law member, added to Council of Governor-General.

The Charter Act of 1853

 The Charter Act of 1853 extended life of the East Indian Company for an unspecified
period.
 Law member was made a full member of the Executive Council of the Governor-General.
 Recruitment to Civil Services was based on open annual competitive examination
(excluding Indians).

The Government of India Act, 1858

 Indian Administration transferred from Company to British crown i.e. end of rule of East
India Company and beginning of direct rule of Crown.
 In this act, the Court of Directors and Board of Control abolished. Thus the ‘Double
Government’ introduced by the Pitt’s India Act of 1784 was finally ended. The doctrine
of lapse was also withdrawn under this act.
 The post of Secretary of state for India was created (who was the member of the British
cabinet and a direct representative of the Parliament).
 Governor-General was to be called the ‘Viceroy’ and was the direct representative of the
crown in India.
 A unitary and highly centralized administrative structure was created.

The Indian Councils Act, 1861

 Foundation of Indian legislature was laid down in 1861 and the Policy of association  of
Indians in legislation started.
 Legislative power of the Presidency Government deprived in 1833 were restored.
 Under this act, the Civil Services became Indian Civil Services.
  Portfolio (or Cabinet) system in the Government of India was introduced.
 Viceroy could issue ordinances in case of emergency.

The Indian Councils Act, 1892

 In 1892, representative system started in India.

 Council to have the power to discuss Budget and of addressing questions to the
executive.

The Indian Councils Act, 1909 (The Morely-Minto Reforms)

 Morely was the Secretary of State and Minto was the Indian Viceroy.
 It introduced for the first time indirect elections to the state Legislative councils.
 Separate electorates were introduced for the Muslims.
 Resolution could be moved before the Budget takes its final form. Supplementary
questions could be asked.

The Government of India Act, 1919 (The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms)

 Devolution Rules: Subjects of administration were divided into two categories –

‘Central’ and ‘Provincial’. All important subjects (like Railways and Finance) were
brought under the category of Central, while matters relating to the administration of the
Provinces were classified as Provincial.
 Dyarchy system introduced in the Provinces.
 The Provincial subjects of administration were divided into two categories ‘Transferred’
and ‘Reserved’ subjects.
 The Transferred subjects were to be administered by the Governor with the aid of
ministers responsible to the Legislative Council.
 The Reserved subjects (Rail, Post, Telegraph, Finance, Law & order, etc.) were to be
administered by the  Governor and his Executive Council.
 Indian legislature became ‘bicameral’ for the first time.
 Communal representation extended to Sikhs.
 Secretary of State for India now to be paid from British revenue.
 An officer of the High Commissioner of India was created in London.

The Government of India Act, 1935

 The Government of India Act, 1935 provided for setting up of the Federation of India
comprising British Indian provinces and Indian States (Princely States). The joining of
Princely states was voluntary and as a result, the federation did not come into existence.
 Dyarchy in the Provinces was replaced by Provincial autonomy. They were granted
separate legal identity.
 It main three fold division of powers : Federal, Provincial and Concurrent. Residuary
powers were to be with Governor-General.
 The Indian Council of Secretary of State for India was abolished.
 Principle of separate electorate was extended to include Anglo-Indians, Indian Christmas
and Europeans.
 The Federal Bank (The Reserve Bank of India) and the Federal Court (Supreme Court of
India) were established in 1935 and 1937 respectively.
Indian Independence Act, 1947

 Indian Independence Act, 1947 did not lay down any provision for the administration of
India.
 Partition of India and the establishment of two countries (India and Pakistan).
 Consistent Assembly of each Dominion would have unlimited powers to frame and adopt
any Constitution.
 The office of the Secretary of State for India was to be abolished and his work was to be
taken over by the Secretary of State for common wealth affairs.