Question 33 from UPSC CSE 2024 - Modern History

Question

With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:
1. It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.
2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. 1 only

Strategy: Focus on the federal structure and division of subjects. Statement 1 highlights the intended federation including princes and provinces—this matches the Act's provisions. For Statement 2, 'Defence and Foreign Affairs' were reserved under the Governor-General, not under the federal legislature. So, only Statement 1 is correct.

Key Info: The Government of India Act, 1935, was the most comprehensive and significant constitutional reform enacted by the British in India prior to independence. Its key features included:

- Proposed All-India Federation: The Act laid out a framework for a federation comprising the British Indian provinces and princely states. It would come into effect only if a specified number of princely states acceded, which never occurred, so the federation was never formally established.
- Division of Powers: The Act introduced a three-list system—Federal List, Provincial List, and Concurrent List—to demarcate subjects for legislation between the center and provinces.
- Provincial Autonomy: Provincial governments were granted significant autonomy, ending the system of dyarchy at the provincial level and making ministers responsible to their legislatures.
- Dyarchy at the Centre: Unlike the provinces, dyarchy (dual system of governance) was introduced at the central (federal) level, with subjects divided into 'reserved' (handled by Governor-General) and 'transferred' (handled by ministers) categories.
- Reserved Subjects: Defence, External (Foreign) Affairs, Ecclesiastical Affairs, and the administration of Tribal Areas were under the direct control of the Governor-General, not the federal legislature.
- Legislature: The Act established a bicameral federal legislature: Council of State (Upper House) and Federal Assembly (Lower House).
- Other Provisions: The Act provided for the establishment of a Federal Court (1937), extended the franchise, provided safeguards for minorities, and led to the separation of Sindh from Bombay, and of Burma from India. The Act did not grant dominion status but was the basis for governance till the 1947 independence.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Both 1 and 2

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: Neither 1 nor 2