Why did the early nationalists oppose the Council Act of 1892?
- A.The number of members of the Imperial Legislative Council was increased
- B.The number of members of Provincial Councils was increased
- C.The Councils were given the right to discuss the annual budgets
- D.The Act did not give the Indians control over the public funds
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, The Act did not give the Indians control over the public funds. The councils could discuss the budget but could not vote on it or amend it.
The Indian Councils Act, 1892 raised the number of additional members in the Imperial and Provincial Legislative Councils and introduced an indirect, nominated form of election through bodies such as municipalities, district boards and universities. Members could discuss the annual budget and ask questions, though they could not ask supplementary questions or vote on the budget. The early nationalists in the Congress welcomed the slight enlargement but criticised the Act as wholly inadequate: the official majority remained, the councils stayed advisory, and Indians had no say over how public money was raised or spent. Their slogan became no taxation without representation.
A is wrong because enlarging the Imperial Council was a step the nationalists had asked for, not the reason for opposing the Act. B is wrong for the same reason in the provinces. C is wrong because the right to discuss budgets was a gain, though a limited one.
Exam tip: Act of 1892: budget could be discussed but not voted; indirect election began here and became formal in 1909.
Practice Questions
View allEconomically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the
- A.increase in the export of Indian handicrafts
- B.growth in the number of Indian owned factories
- C.commercialization of Indian agriculture
- D.rapid increase in the urban population
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British rule pushed Indian farmers to grow crops for sale and export rather than for their own food. Heavy land revenue had to be paid in cash, so peasants turned to cash crops such as indigo, cotton, jute, opium, tea and sugarcane, which fed British industry and trade.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following freedom fighters:
1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
3. Rash Behari Bose
Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?
- A.1 and 2
- B.2 only
- C.1 and 3
- D.3 only
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Of the three, only Rash Behari Bose worked actively with the Ghadar Party. The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 at San Francisco by Indians in North America, with Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna among its leaders.
Read the full explanation →Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?
- A.The Poona Pact
- B.The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
- C.Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
- D.Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935
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After the Poona Pact of September 1932, Gandhi made the upliftment of the Harijans a central part of his work.
Read the full explanation →In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to:
- A.Clothing
- B.Coins
- C.Ornaments
- D.Weapons
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The fanam was a small gold (and later silver) coin used widely in South India in medieval times. The word comes from the Tamil 'panam', meaning money.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following pairs:
(Party : Its Leader)
1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh : Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
2. Socialist Party : C. Rajagopalachari
3. Congress for Democracy : Jagjivan Ram
4. Swatantra Party : Acharya Narendra Dev
How many of the above are correctly matched?
- A.Only one
- B.Only two
- C.Only three
- D.All four
Show answer
Pairs 1 and 3 are correct; the leaders in pairs 2 and 4 have been swapped. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951.
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