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India Cluster102 Verified Questions
Governor-Generals, Viceroys & British Acts GK Questions & Answers
British colonial administration in India evolved from commercial oversight under the East India Company to direct Crown governance following the Revolt of 1857. Beginning with Warren Hastings as the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773, colonial hegemony was established through territorial expansion strategies like Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance (1798) and Lord Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse (1848). The Charter Acts of 1793, 1813, 1833 (creating the Governor-General of India, first held by Lord William Bentinck), and 1853 progressively dismantled Company trading monopolies. Under the Government of India Act 1858, Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India, inaugurating Crown administration that shaped modern civil services, railway networks, and constitutional enactments culminating in the Morley-Minto Reforms (1909), Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919), and Government of India Act 1935.
High-yield conceptual summaries for competitive exams and rapid revision.
Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773.
Lord William Bentinck was appointed the first Governor-General of India under the Charter Act of 1833 and outlawed Sati in 1829.
Lord Dalhousie introduced the Doctrine of Lapse, annexed Satara, Sambalpur, Jhansi, and Nagpur, and introduced Indian Railways (1853) and telegraphs.
Lord Canning served as the last Governor-General of the Company and first Viceroy under the Government of India Act 1858.
The Government of India Act 1935 introduced provincial autonomy, established the Federal Court, and served as the primary administrative blueprint for the 1950 Indian Constitution.
Showing 25 Curated Questions102 Total in Bank
1ID: GK-HIST-00600
easyPost Independence
Who was the first and only Indian national to serve as the Governor-General of independent India (1948–1950)?
Verified Explanation
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari succeeded Lord Mountbatten in June 1948, serving as the Governor-General of the Dominion of India until the office was abolished on 26 January 1950.
2ID: GK-HIST-01023
easyBritish Colonial Rule & Policies
Which British parliamentary statute formally elevated the title of 'Governor-General of Bengal' to 'Governor-General of India', appointing Lord William Bentinck as the first holder of the unified office?
Verified Explanation
The Saint Helena Act 1833 (Charter Act of 1833) completed the administrative centralization of British India by designating the Governor-General of Bengal as the 'Governor-General of India' with exclusive legislative and financial control over the entire subcontinent. Lord William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India under this Act.
3ID: GK-HIST-00646
hardBritish Colonial Rule
Which British governor-general enacted the General Service Enlistment Act in 1856, requiring all future recruits in the Bengal Army to serve overseas, violating high-caste Hindu taboos against Kala Pani?
Verified Explanation
Lord Canning passed the General Service Enlistment Act on 25 July 1856, mandating that Bengal Army sepoys could be deployed across the sea, which created deep religious unrest directly precipitating the 1857 rebellion.
4ID: GK-HIST-00008
easyPost-Independence Consolidation
Who was the first Governor-General of independent India in 1947?
Verified Explanation
Lord Mountbatten served as independent India's first Governor-General until June 1948.
5ID: GK-HIST-00086
easyPost Independence
Who was the last British Viceroy and first Governor-General of independent India?
Verified Explanation
Lord Mountbatten served as the last Viceroy from March to August 1947 and continued as Governor-General until June 1948.
6ID: GK-HIST-00087
easyPost Independence
Who was the only Indian citizen to serve as Governor-General of independent India (from 1948 to 1950)?
Verified Explanation
C. Rajagopalachari succeeded Lord Mountbatten in June 1948 and served as Governor-General until India became a Republic on 26 January 1950.
7ID: GK-HIST-00141
hardBritish Colonial
Which British regulation, passed in 1773, established the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Calcutta and created the office of Governor-General of Bengal?
Verified Explanation
The Regulating Act of 1773 appointed Warren Hastings as the first Governor-General of Bengal and set up a Supreme Court with Sir Elijah Impey as Chief Justice.
8ID: GK-HIST-00156
easyBritish Colonial Rule
Which British Governor-General introduced the controversial "Doctrine of Lapse" policy that annexed Indian princely states like Satara, Sambalpur, and Jhansi?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General from 1848 to 1856, rigorously applied the Doctrine of Lapse, annexing princely states whose rulers died without a direct natural male heir.
9ID: GK-HIST-00169
easyBritish Colonial Rule
Who was the first Governor-General of British India under the Charter Act of 1833, known for abolishing the practice of Sati in 1829?
Verified Explanation
Lord William Bentinck banned Sati in 1829 with the active reform efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and became the first Governor-General of India in 1833.
10ID: GK-HIST-00185
mediumFreedom Struggle & National Movement
Who was the only Indian to serve as the Governor-General of independent India from June 1948 until the Republic was inaugurated in January 1950?
Verified Explanation
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) succeeded Lord Mountbatten in June 1948 to become the last and only Indian Governor-General of the Dominion of India.
11ID: GK-HIST-00214
easyBritish Colonial Rule
Who served as the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773?
Verified Explanation
Warren Hastings was appointed the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1773 under the Regulating Act.
12ID: GK-HIST-00226
mediumBritish Colonial Rule
Which British Governor-General introduced the 'Doctrine of Lapse', through which states like Satara, Sambalpur, and Jhansi were annexed?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848–1856) implemented the Doctrine of Lapse to annex Indian states whose rulers died without a natural male heir.
13ID: GK-HIST-00264
easyBritish Colonial Rule
Who was the Governor-General of India when the first passenger train ran between Bombay (Bori Bunder) and Thane in 1853?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie was the Governor-General of India (1848–1856) who introduced passenger railways, the electric telegraph, and the uniform postal system.
14ID: GK-HIST-00380
mediumBritish Colonial Rule
Which British Governor-General formulated and aggressively implemented the controversial 'Doctrine of Lapse'?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General from 1848 to 1856) used the Doctrine of Lapse to annex princely states like Satara, Sambalpur, Nagpur, and Jhansi when rulers died without natural male heirs.
15ID: GK-HIST-00418
easyBritish Colonial Rule
Which British Governor-General introduced the controversial 'Doctrine of Lapse' in India?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie, serving as Governor-General from 1848 to 1856, applied the Doctrine of Lapse to annex princely states lacking a direct natural heir.
16ID: GK-HIST-00484
easyBritish Colonial Rule
The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy rigorously applied in India by which Governor-General?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848–1856) used the Doctrine of Lapse to annex Indian princely states like Satara, Sambalpur, Jhansi, and Nagpur when a ruler died without a natural heir.
17ID: GK-HIST-00536
easyBritish Colonial Rule
Which British Governor-General introduced the 'Doctrine of Lapse' in India?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848–1856) devised and aggressively applied the Doctrine of Lapse to annex princely states like Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur.
18ID: GK-HIST-00564
mediumBritish Colonial Rule
Which British Governor-General signed the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with Maharaja Ranjit Singh, establishing the Sutlej river as the boundary?
Verified Explanation
The Treaty of Amritsar was concluded in April 1809 between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Charles Metcalfe on behalf of Governor-General Lord Minto I.
19ID: GK-HIST-00715
easyBritish Colonial Rule & Policies
Who was the Governor-General of Bengal when the Saint Helena Act (Charter Act of 1833) redesignated his office as the 'Governor-General of India'?
Verified Explanation
The Charter Act of 1833 centralized British administration in India by converting the Governor-General of Bengal into the Governor-General of India, investing him with all civil and military powers. Lord William Bentinck became the first official Governor-General of India.
20ID: GK-HIST-00721
easyBritish Colonial Rule & Policies
Which British Governor-General developed and aggressively deployed the system of 'Subsidiary Alliance' to subjugate Indian princely states starting with Hyderabad in 1798?
Verified Explanation
Lord Wellesley (Governor-General 1798–1805) systematically expanded British imperial control through Subsidiary Alliances, requiring Indian rulers to disband their own armed forces, station a British subsidiary force, maintain a British Resident, and surrender foreign policy to the Company.
21ID: GK-HIST-00724
easyBritish Colonial Rule & Policies
Which British Governor-General systematically enforced the 'Doctrine of Lapse' to annex Satara, Sambalpur, Jhansi, and Nagpur when their rulers died without natural male heirs?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848–1856) applied the Doctrine of Lapse, decreeing that dependent Indian states whose rulers died without legitimate male biological heirs would lapse to the British sovereign rather than passing to an adopted son.
22ID: GK-HIST-01019
hardBritish Colonial Rule & Policies
Under the Regulating Act of 1773, how many Council members were appointed alongside Governor-General Warren Hastings, whose majority vote bound the executive?
Verified Explanation
The Regulating Act of 1773 created the office of Governor-General of Bengal with a four-member Supreme Council (Lieutenant-General John Clavering, Colonel George Monson, Richard Barwell, and Philip Francis). Decisions were taken by majority vote, with Hastings holding only a casting vote in case of a tie, leading to bitter political friction between Hastings and the hostile majority (Francis, Clavering, and Monson).
23ID: GK-HIST-01014
easyBritish Colonial Rule & Policies
Under the governor-generalship of Lord William Bentinck, which British military officer was appointed in 1835 as the General Superintendent of the operations to suppress the hereditary network of Thugs?
Verified Explanation
In 1835, Lord William Bentinck appointed Captain (later Major-General) William Henry Sleeman as General Superintendent of the Thuggee and Dacoity Department. Sleeman utilized systematic intelligence gathering, mapping of river travel routes, and approver testimonies (king's evidence) to capture and convict over 3,000 Thugs, virtually eradicating organized Thuggee in Central India by the 1840s.
24ID: GK-INST-00496
mediumECI, CAG, UPSC & Finance Commission
Which Constitutional Article provides for the appointment of the Advocate General for the State by the Governor?
Verified Explanation
Article 165(1) specifies that the Governor of each State shall appoint a person who is qualified to be appointed a Judge of a High Court to be Advocate General for the State.
25ID: GK-HIST-00033
mediumBritish Rule & Colonial Era
Which Governor-General implemented the annexation policy called 'Doctrine of Lapse'?
Verified Explanation
Lord Dalhousie used the Doctrine of Lapse to annex Satara, Sambalpur, Jhansi, and Nagpur.