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Modern History MCQs – 5 (Governor Generals of India)

Governor Generals of India MCQs with answers and explanations for all examinations.

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1. Which among the following acts changed the position of Governor of Bengal to the Governor-General of Bengal ?

(a) Regulating Act of 1773
(b) The Charter Act of 1833
(c) The Charter Act of 1813
(d) None of the Above

Correct Answer –  (a) Regulating Act of 1773

  • During British rule in India, The Governor-General was the head of the administration.
  • The Regulating Act of 1773 changed the position of Governor of Bengal to the Governor-General of Bengal.
  • The first Governor-General of Bengal was Warren Hastings.
  • The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first step of the British government to regulate the affairs of the East India Company.

2. Consider the following statements regarding Warren Hastings ?

1. He ended the Dual System put forth by Robert Clive.
2. He shifted the Treasury from Murshidabad to Calcutta.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 & 2
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (c) Both 1 & 2

  • When Warren Hastings assumed the administration of Bengal in 1772, he found the company’s financial position in worse condition and realized the immediate requirement for introducing the reforms.
  • He ended the Dual System put forth by Robert Clive and the responsibility of
  • collecting the revenue was put on the shoulders of the Company
  • He shifted the Treasury from Murshidabad to Calcutta. With this move, Calcutta became the capital of Bengal in 1772.
  • He abolished the system of ‘Dastaks’, or free passes and regulated the internal trade.

3. Which among the following Governor-General established Asiatic Society of Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (a) Warren Hastings

  • Warren Hastings supported the establishment of Asiatic Society in 1784 by Sir William Jones.

4. Which among the following Governor-General established the Permanent Settlement system in Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (b) Lord Cornwallis

  • Lord Cornwallis twice held the position of governor general. 
  • His first tenure lasted from 1786 to 1793.
  • Lord Cornwallis introduced a new land revenue system known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal in 1793 with a view to stabilize land revenue of the company.
  • This system abolished periodic auction of zamindari rights and established permanent zamindari rights to collect land revenue from the tenants of the lands(farmers) and payment of a fixed amount of land revenue every year.
  • The Permanent Settlement fixed the revenue of the land on a 10 year basis.
  • This system was implemented in Bengal, Banaras, Bihar, Carnatic (North Karnataka) and Orissa.

5. The Third Anglo-Mysore war was fought during the tenure of which among the following Governor-General of Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (b) Lord Cornwallis

  • The Third Anglo-Mysore war(1790-92) was fought during the tenure of Lord Cornwallis.
  • With the help of Diplomacy with the Marathas, Coorg state and Nizams, Cornwallis was able to defeat Tipu in this war.
  • As a result, Treaty of Srirangapatnam which was signed in 1792 which resulted in Half of the territories of Tipu being confiscated by the British.

6. The Fourth Anglo Mysore war was fought during the tenure of which among the following Governor-General of Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (c) Lord Wellesley 

  • Lord Wellesley held the position of Governor General of Fort Williams from 1798 to 1805.
  • During his tenure, the Fourth and last Anglo-Mysore war was fought and Tipu was killed in this war.

7. The Subsidiary Alliance System was introduced by which among the following Governor-Generals of Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (c) Lord Wellesley 

  • The Subsidiary Alliance System was introduced by Lord Wellesley.
  • Under this system, a treaty would be signed between the company and the Indian native rulers who had to abide by following major terms:
    • Accept British forces in his territory
    • Accept a British Resident in his state
    • Not enter into any further alliance or war without permission from the British
    • Not employ any European other than British
  • In return, the East India Company would pledge to protect the state from external dangers and internal disorders.
  • First ruler to sign this treaty with Wellesley was Nizam of Hyderabad followed by Ruler of Mysore (1799) after the fall of Tipu.
  • Later, many other Indian rulers were brought under this treaty.

8. Which among the following was the first newspaper published in India ?

(a) Bengal Gazette
(b) The Calcutta Chronicle
(c) The Bombay Herald
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (a) Bengal Gazette

  • In 1780, James Augustus Hickey published the first newspaper in India titled “Bengal Gazette”.
  • The newspaper was primarily intended for the different European communities living in Calcutta.

9. Censorship of Press Act was introduced by which among the following Governor-Generals of Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (c) Lord Wellesley 

  • The Censorship of Press Act was introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1799 to bring all the newspapers under the Government scrutiny before their publication.

10. Censorship of the Press Act was abolished by which among the following Governor-Generals of Bengal ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Hastings

Correct Answer – (d) Lord Hastings

  • Lord Hastings served as Governor General of India from 1813 to 1823.
  • During his tenure, the Gurkha War and Third Anglo Maratha war occurred.
  • He also abolished the Censorship of the Press Act introduced by Lord Wellesley.

11. Which among the following was the first vernacular newspaper published in India ?

(a) Sambad Kaumudi
(b) Samachar Darpan
(c) Neel Darpan
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer – (b) Samachar Darpan

  • ‘Samachar Darpan’ was the first vernacular newspaper published in India. It was started in 1818.
  • ‘Sambad Kaumudi’ started by Raja Rammohan Roy was published in 1821. This was a reformist publication that actively campaigned against the tradition of Sati.

12. The practice of Sati was formally abolished by which among the following Governor-Generals of Bengal ?

(a) Lord William Bentinck
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Hastings

Correct Answer – (a) Lord William Bentinck

  • The practice of Sati was formally abolished by Lord William Bentinck on 4 December 1829.
  • He also worked towards suppression of female Infanticide.
  • It is to be noted here that the practice of Sati was first banned in Goa in 1515 by the Portuguese.

13. Which among the following acts changed the position of Governor-General of Bengal to Governor-General of India ?

(a) Regulating Act of 1773
(b) The Charter Act of 1833
(c) The Charter Act of 1813
(d) None of the Above

Correct Answer –  (b) The Charter Act of 1833

  • The Charter Act of 1833 changed the position of Governor-General of Bengal to Governor-General of India.
  • Lord William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of British India.
  • This act ended the activities of the company as a commercial body and it was made a purely administrative body and legalized the British colonization of India.
  • Under this act, the first law commission was set up with Lord Macaulay as its Chairman.
  • This act also for the first time made provisions to allow Indians into administration.

14. The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by which among the following Governor-Generals of India ?

(a) Warren Hastings
(b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Dalhousie

Correct Answer – (d) Lord Dalhousie

  • Lord Dalhousie served as Governor General of India from 1848 to 1856.
  • The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by him.
  • The Doctrine of Lapse → In the absence of a natural heir, the sovereignty of Indian states was to lapse to the British and such rulers were not permitted to adopt a son to inherit their kingdoms.
  • The policy was first applied to Satara in 1848 then to the other states like Nagpur Jhansi, Sambalpur, Jaitpur, Bhagat, Udaipur etc.

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