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UPPCS Modern History Gap Sheet: Acts and Constitutional Reforms.
UPPCS has asked 23 of these. 3 have not been asked yet. Lock the first list, then read the second: it holds what UPPCS has not used yet.
First, the concept
Read the Acts as a ladder of Indian say in government: 1861 Indians nominated to councils; 1892 indirect election; 1909 separate electorates; 1919 dyarchy in provinces; 1935 provincial autonomy and dyarchy at the centre; 1947 independence.
Each Charter Act took away one Company privilege: 1813 the trade monopoly (except tea and China), 1833 all trade, 1853 patronage (open civil service exam).
✅ Already asked (23)
Company period
- Regulating Act 1773 · Governor-General of Bengal; Supreme Court at Calcutta
- Pitt's India Act 1784 · Board of Control; dual control by Company and Crown
- Charter Act 1813 · Trade monopoly ended except tea and China; ₹1 lakh a year for education; missionaries allowed
- Charter Act 1833 · Governor-General of India; Company became purely administrative; Law Commission (Macaulay)
- Charter Act 1853 · Open competition for the civil service; separate legislative council
Crown period
- Government of India Act 1858 · Crown rule; Secretary of State with a 15-member council
- Indian Councils Act 1861 · Indians nominated; portfolio system; ordinances
- Indian Councils Act 1892 · Indirect election; members could discuss the budget
- Indian Councils Act 1909 (Morley-Minto) · Separate electorates for Muslims; S. P. Sinha first Indian on the Viceroy's council
- Government of India Act 1919 (Montford) · Dyarchy in provinces; bicameral centre; Public Service Commission (1926)
- Government of India Act 1935 · Provincial autonomy; All-India Federation (never formed); Federal Court 1937; RBI
- Indian Independence Act 1947 · Two dominions from 15 August 1947; Constituent Assembly made sovereign
Social laws
- Sati Regulation 1829 · Bentinck
- Female infanticide banned (1795, 1804) · Bengal Regulations
- Hindu Widow Remarriage Act 1856 · Vidyasagar; under Canning
- Native Marriage Act 1872 (Civil Marriage Act) · Keshab Chandra Sen; inter-caste marriage, minimum age
- Age of Consent Act 1891 · Behramji Malabari; age of consent raised to 12
- Sarda Act 1929 (Child Marriage Restraint) · Har Bilas Sarda; girls 14, boys 18
Press and repressive laws
- Licensing Regulation 1823 · John Adam; licence needed to print
- Vernacular Press Act 1878 · Lytton; 'gagging act'; repealed 1882
- Indian Press Act 1910 · Security deposits from printers
- Seditious Meetings Act 1907 · Public meetings needed permission
- Rowlatt Act 1919 · Arrest without trial; 'no appeal, no vakil, no daleel'
❌ Not asked yet (3)
🔒 3 items not asked yet
Social laws: 1 · Press and repressive laws: 2
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⚠️ The 1909 Act gave separate electorates; dyarchy came in 1919 (provinces) and 1935 (centre). The Charter Act of 1833 made the Governor-General of India; the 1853 Act opened the civil service to competition.
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