Which one of the following is not a change brought about by the Indian Independence Act of 1947?
- A.The Government of India Act, 1935 was amended to provide an interim Constitution.
- B.India ceased to be a dependency.
- C.The Crown was the source of authority till new Constitution was framed.
- D.The Governor-General was the constitutional head of Indian Dominion.
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C. The Indian Independence Act did not keep the Crown as the source of authority; it ended British authority over India from 15 August 1947. Passed by the British Parliament in July 1947, the Act created two independent dominions, India and Pakistan. India ceased to be a dependency, the British Parliament lost its power to make laws for India, and the suzerainty of the Crown over the princely states lapsed. The Constituent Assembly of each dominion got full power to frame its own constitution, and until then the Government of India Act, 1935, suitably amended, served as the interim constitution. The Governor-General became a constitutional head who acted on the advice of the Indian cabinet. Option A is wrong because amending the 1935 Act into an interim constitution was a change the Act made. Option B is wrong because ending India's status as a dependency was its central change. Option D is wrong because a constitutional Governor-General was also part of the Act. Exam tip: Indian Independence Act, royal assent 18 July 1947; two dominions from 15 August 1947.
Practice Questions
View allWhich of the following statements about the Vaishnava saint of Assam, Shankardeva, is/are correct ?
1. His teachings are often known as the Bhagavati dharma.
2. He encouraged the establishment of satras or monasteries and namghars or prayer halls for the transmission of spiritual knowledge.
3. His major compositions include the Kirtana-ghosha.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1, 2 and 3
- D.3 only
Show answer
All three statements about Shankardeva are correct. Shankardeva (Sankaradeva) was the leading Vaishnava saint of Assam in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following pairs :
1. Gajapati - Name of a powerful Dynasty in Orissa
2. Ashvapati - Deccan Sultans
3. Narapati - Rayas of Vijayanagara
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.1, 2 and 3
- D.None of the above
Show answer
All three titles were in use in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century India, and each pair is matched correctly. Gajapati means 'lord of elephants' and was the title of a powerful ruling family of Orissa, the Gajapatis who succeeded the Eastern Gangas.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements about the Revolt of 1857 is correct ?
- A.It was a Revolt carefully organised and planned by the Rajas, Nawabs and Taluqdars
- B.Rumours and prophecies did not play any role in its outbreak and spread
- C.The rebel proclamations in 1857 repeatedly appealed to all sections of the population irrespective of their caste and creed.
- D.The British succeeded in quickly and easily controlling the rebels
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The rebels wanted Hindus and Muslims to stand together against British rule. Proclamations issued in the name of Bahadur Shah Zafar called on everyone to join the fight, recalling the Mughal past when different communities had lived together.
Read the full explanation →Which Chinese traveller in ancient India wrote the diary called 'Records of the Travels to Middle India'?
- A.Wang Xuance
- B.Xuanzang
- C.Yijing
- D.Li Yibiao
Show answer
Wang Xuance, a Tang envoy who came to India several times in the seventh century, wrote an account called Records of the Travels to Middle India, of which only fragments survive.
Read the full explanation →Which one among the following districts of Eastern India held a referendum in 1947 to decide whether or not to join Pakistan ?
- A.Sylhet
- B.Goalpara
- C.Cachar
- D.Jalpaiguri
Show answer
Sylhet, then a Muslim-majority district of Assam, held a referendum in July 1947, and its people voted to join East Bengal, which became part of Pakistan.
Read the full explanation →