Governor Generals — Set 5

Correct Answer: C. Lord Mountbatten

• **Lord Mountbatten** = Lord Mountbatten was sent to India specifically to oversee the transfer of power and formulated the partition plan. • **August 15, 1947** — This date marks the independence of India, which Lord Mountbatten advanced. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Lord Wavell: He was Viceroy before Mountbatten (1943-1947); C. Rajagopalachari: He was the first and only Indian Governor-General of independent India, not the last British Viceroy; Lord Linlithgow: He was Viceroy much earlier (1936-1943).

Correct Answer: D. Lord Mountbatten

• **Lord Mountbatten** = Lord Mountbatten appointed Cyril Radcliffe to chair the boundary commissions to demarcate the borders of India and Pakistan. • **Two days after independence** — The Radcliffe Line was kept secret and published after this period to prevent preemptive violence. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Lord Wavell: He was Viceroy before Mountbatten; C. Rajagopalachari: He served as Governor-General after Mountbatten, not the Viceroy who appointed the commission; Lord Linlithgow: He was Viceroy much earlier and not involved in the partition decisions.

Correct Answer: C. Lord Dalhousie

• **Lord Dalhousie** = Lord Dalhousie championed the use of technology to improve administrative control and military efficiency. • **1851** — This year saw the opening of India's first experimental telegraph line, a significant step in communication infrastructure. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Lord Hardinge I: He was Governor-General before Dalhousie (1844-1848); Lord Canning: He was Governor-General after Dalhousie (1856-1862); Lord Elgin: He was Governor-General after Canning (1862-1863).

Correct Answer: A. Lord Canning

• **Lord Canning** = Lord Canning assigned specific departments to individual members of the council, creating a system akin to a modern cabinet. • **1861** — This year, the Indian Councils Act of 1861 formalized the portfolio system, making administration more efficient and specialized. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Lord Lawrence: He was Viceroy after Canning (1864-1869); Lord Mayo: He was Viceroy after Lawrence (1869-1872); Lord Elgin: He was Viceroy immediately after Canning (1862-1863), but not credited with introducing the portfolio system.

Correct Answer: D. Lord Curzon

• **Lord Curzon** = Lord Curzon centralized the management of railways to improve their profitability and strategic utility, despite recurring famines. • **1905** — This year, the Railway Board was established to oversee the extensive and growing railway network in India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Lord Elgin II: He was Viceroy before Curzon (1894-1899); Lord Hardinge II: He was Viceroy after Minto II (1910-1916); Lord Minto II: He was Viceroy after Curzon (1905-1910), known for the Morley-Minto Reforms.

Correct Answer: C. Lord Dalhousie

• **Lord Dalhousie** = He was the Governor-General of India during the Second Anglo-Sikh War, leading to Punjab's annexation. • **1848-1849** — This period marked the Second Anglo-Sikh War, after which Lord Dalhousie annexed the entire Punjab region and placed the Koh-i-Noor diamond in the possession of the British Crown. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lord Hardinge I]: His tenure preceded Dalhousie and ended before the Second Anglo-Sikh War; [Lord Canning]: He was Governor-General during the 1857 Revolt, succeeding Dalhousie; [Lord Lawrence]: He served after the 1857 Revolt and was involved in Punjab administration but not Governor-General during this war.

Correct Answer: D. Lord Northbrook

• **Lord Northbrook** = He was the Viceroy of India when the Prince of Wales visited India. • **1875** — This year marked the visit of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) to India, an event overseen by Lord Northbrook to strengthen ties between Indian princely states and the Crown. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lord Mayo]: He was assassinated in 1872, prior to the visit; [Lord Ripon]: He served after Lord Northbrook, known for local self-government reforms; [Lord Lytton]: He succeeded Northbrook, known for the Vernacular Press Act and the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

Correct Answer: C. Lord Elgin I

• **Lord Elgin I** = He was the Viceroy during the establishment of the High Courts of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. • **1862** — In this year, the High Courts of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras were established as principal judicial bodies, succeeding the old Supreme Courts, under the tenure of Lord Elgin I. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lord Canning]: He served as the first Viceroy but his tenure ended shortly before the official inauguration of these High Courts; [Lord Lawrence]: He succeeded Lord Elgin I as Viceroy; [Lord Mayo]: He served as Viceroy much later, after Lawrence.

Correct Answer: D. Lord Dalhousie

• **Lord Dalhousie** = He was the Governor-General when the Widow Remarriage Act was legalized. • **1856** — The Widow Remarriage Act was legalized in this year, primarily due to the efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, drafted and passed by Lord Dalhousie. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lord William Bentinck]: He was Governor-General much earlier, known for the abolition of Sati; [Lord Hardinge I]: He preceded Dalhousie and was involved in the First Anglo-Sikh War; [Lord Canning]: He succeeded Dalhousie and was Governor-General during the 1857 Revolt.

Correct Answer: D. Lord Mayo

• **Lord Mayo** = He introduced the 'Financial Decentralization' policy to give states more control over their budgets. • **1870** — Lord Mayo's 'Financial Decentralization' reforms in this year allowed provincial governments to manage certain local services with fixed grants, marking the first step towards India's modern federal financial structure. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lord Lawrence]: His tenure ended before Mayo's reforms; [Lord Lytton]: He succeeded Northbrook, known for his controversial policies like the Vernacular Press Act; [Lord Northbrook]: He succeeded Mayo but did not initiate this specific policy.