Which of the following statements about the Indian Councils Act of 1861 is/are correct? 1. It enlarged the Governor General’s Council for the purpose of making laws. 2. The Governor General was not authorised to increase the number of members. Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- (a)1 only
- (b)2 only
- (c)Both 1 and 2
- (d)Neither 1 nor 2
Correct — A, 1 only. The Indian Councils Act of 1861 enlarged the Governor General's Executive Council for legislative purposes by adding extra members to transact law-making business, so statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong, because the Act specifically authorised the Governor General to nominate additional members, between six and twelve, for legislation. Since only statement 1 holds, the answer is 1 only.
- (b)2 only — Statement 2 is false, since the Governor General was authorised to add members for law-making, so '2 only' cannot be right.
- (c)Both 1 and 2 — Statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is not, so both cannot be correct together.
- (d)Neither 1 nor 2 — Statement 1 is correct, so 'neither' is wrong.
The Indian Councils Act of 1861 was a landmark in India's constitutional development. It restored legislative powers to the Bombay and Madras provinces, and it enlarged the Governor General's Executive Council for legislative purposes by adding nominated additional members, a first step towards associating Indians with law-making.
The two statements pull in opposite directions — one says the council was enlarged for law-making, which is true, while the other says the Governor General could not add members, which is false. Knowing the Act's central reform, adding members for legislation, resolves it to statement 1 only.
- The Indian Councils Act of 1861 enlarged the Governor General's Council with additional members for legislative business.
- It allowed between six and twelve additional members, some of them non-officials.
- It restored legislative powers to the Bombay and Madras Presidencies.
- It began the process of associating Indians with law-making in the councils.
Only statement 1 is correct — option (a).
- Assuming the Governor General had no power to add members — the 1861 Act specifically granted it.
- Confusing the 1861 Act with the later 1892 or 1909 Councils Acts.
Asked as a two-statement correctness test on a specific colonial-era constitutional Act.
The most short-lived of all of Britain's constitutional experiments in India was the
- (a) Indian Councils Act of 1861
- (b) Indian Councils Act of 1892
- (c) Indian Councils Act of 1909
- (d) Government of India Act of 1919
Answer(c) Indian Councils Act of 1909
Same family of laws — the Indian Councils Acts. That UPSC item ranks them by how long they lasted; this one tests the specific provisions of the 1861 Act.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Indian Councils Act of 1861 is significant because it
- (a)introduced separate electorates
- (b)began associating Indians with law-making
- (c)established the Federal Court
- (d)granted full independence
Answer(b) began associating Indians with law-making.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Separate (communal) electorates were first introduced in India by which Act?
- (a)Indian Councils Act 1861
- (b)Indian Councils Act 1892
- (c)Indian Councils Act 1909
- (d)Government of India Act 1935
Answer(c) Indian Councils Act 1909.