The Governors of Bengal

• Roger Drake (1757)
• Robert Clive (1757-60
• Holwell (officiating) 760
• Vansittart (1760-1765)
• Robert Clive (Second Administration)  (1765-67)
• Henry Verelst (1767-69)
• Cartier (1769-72)
• Robert Clive:  (Governor of Bengal from 1857-60 and again during 1765-67), Established Dual Government in Bengal from  1765-72.
• Vannistart (1767-79)
• Cartier (1769-72)

Warren hastings (1772-1785)

• Became governor of Bengal in 1772 and Governor-General in 1773 through the Regulating Act.
• Abolished Dual system of administration
• Wrote introduction to the first English translation of the Gita by Charles Wilkins
• Founded the Asiatic society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784

Revenue reforms

• Auctioned the right to collect land revenue to the highest bidder
• Divided Bengal into districts and appointed collectors and other revenue officials.

Judicial reforms

• Started Diwani and Faujdari adalats at the district level and Sadar diwani and Nizmat adalats (appellate courts) at Calcutta
• Redefined Hindu and Muslim laws.  A translation of the code in Sanskrit appeared in 1776 under the tit le of “Code of Gentoo laws.”

Wars

• Rohilla War (1774)
• Ist Anglo Maratha War (1776-82)
• 2nd Anglo Mysore –War (1780-84)

Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793)

• First person to codify laws (in 1793).  The code separated the revenue administration from the administration of justice.
• Created post of District judge.
• Introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal
• Cornwallis is called the father of civil service in India.
• Wars: 3rd Anglo-Mysore (defeat of Tipu and the Treaty of Seringapatanam, 1972)

Sir John shore (1793-1798)

• Introduced the Ist Charter Act
• Planned the permanent settlement and later succeeded Cornwallis as Governor-General
• Wars: Battle of Kharda between Nizam and the Marathas (1795)

Lord Wellesley (1798-1805)

• Started Subsidiary Alliance system to achieve British paramountcy in India
• Madras Presidency was formed during his tenure
• Wars
• 4th Anglo-Mysore (1799)-defeat and the death of Tipu Sultan
• 2nd Anglo Maratha war (1803-05)-defeat of the Sindhia, the Bhonsale and the Holkar
• Treaty of Bassein (1802)

George Barlow (1805-1807)

• Vellore Mutiny (1806)

Lord Minto i (1807-1813)

• Concluded Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh (1809)
• Charter Act of 1813 was passed.

Lord Hastings (1813-1823)

• Adopted the policy of intervention and war
• Wars:
• Anglo-Nepalese war (1813-23)
• 3rd Anglo-Maratha war (1817-18). Hastings forced humiliating treaties on Peshwa and the Sindhia
• Introduced the Ryotwari settlement in Madras by Thomas Munro, the Governor.

Lord Amherst (1823-28)

• Wars:
• Ist Burmese War (1824-26)
• Acquisition of territories in Malay Peninsula.
• Capture of Bharatpur (1826).

Lord w Bentinck (1828-35)

• Most liberal and enlightened Governor-General of India
• Regarded as the Father of Modern Western Education in India.
• Abolition of sati and other cruel rites (1829)
• Suppression of Thuggee (1830) Curbed the Colonel Sleeman
• Passed the Charter Act of 1833, which provided that no Indian subject of Company was to be debarred from holding an office on account of his religion, place of birth, descent and colour.
• Macaulay’s minutes in education were accepted declaring that English should be the official language of India
• Abolition of provincial courts of appeal and circuit set up by Cornwallis, appointment of commissioners of revenue and circuit.
• Wars: Annexed Mysore (1831), Coorg (1834), Central Cachar (1834) on the plea of misgovernment. Concluded a treaty of perpetual friendship with Ranjit Singh.

Sir Charles Metcalfe (1834-1836)

• Passed the famous Press Law, which liberated the Press in India
• Lord Auckland (1836-42)
• Ist Afghan War (1836-42)-great blow to the prestige of the British in India

Lord Ellenborough (1842-44)

• Brought an end to the Afghan War
• Annexation of Sindh (1843)
• War with Gwalior (1843)

Lord Hardinge i (1844-48)

• Ist Anglo-Sikh war and the Treaty of Lahore, 1846. (Marked the end of Sikh Sovereignty in India).
• Gave preference to English educated in employment.

Lord Dalhousie (1848-56)

• Abolished of Title and Pensions
• Widow Remarriage Act (1856)

Wars

• Introduced Doctrine of Lapse ( Captured Satra (1848), Jaipur and Sambhalpur (1849), Baghat (1850), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853) and Nagpur (1854), Fought the Anglo Sikh War and annexed the whole of the Punjab
• 2nd Burmese War (1852) and annexation of Lower Burma of Pegu
• Annexation of Berar in 1853,
• Annexation of Oudh in 1856

Administrative reforms:

• Introduced the system of Centralized control in the newly acquired territories known as Bon-Regulation system
• Raised Gurkha regiments

Educational reforms:

• Recommended the Thomsonian system of Vernacular education for whole of the Northwestern provinces (1853)
• Wood’s Educational Despatch of 1884 and opening of Anglo-VernacularSchools and GovernmentColleges
• Universities were to be set up at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.  An EngineeringCollege was established at Roorkee

Public works:

• Started the first railway line in 1853 (connecting Bombay with Thana was laid down)
• Started electric telegraph service.  Laid the basis of the modern postal system
• Established a separate public works department was set up for the first time.
• Started work on the Grand Trunk Road and developed the harbours of Karachi, Bombay and Calcutta.

Lord canning (1856-62)

• The last Governor General and the first Viceroy
• Revolt of 1857
• Passed the Act of 1858, which ended the rule of the East India Company
• Withdrew Doctrine of lapse
• The Indian Councils Act of 1861 was passed, which proved to be a landmark in the constitutional history of India
• The Doctrine of Lapse was withdrawn.  The Indian Penal Code of Criminal Procedure (1859) was passed
• The Indian High Court Act (1861) was enacted.
• Income Tax was introduced for the first time in 1858
• The Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras founded in 1857
• The Indigo riots in Bengal

Lord Elgin i (1862-63)

• Wahabi Movement (Pan-Islamic Movement)

Sir john Lawrence (1864-69)

• Telegraphic communication was opened with Europe
• High Courts were established at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1865
• Expanded Canal works, railways
• Bhutan War (1865)
• Advocated State-managed railways
• Created the Indian Forests Department and reorganized the native judicial service

Lord Mayo (1869-72)

• Introduced financial decentralization of in India and made the first Provincial settlement in 1870
• He established the RajkotCollege at Kathiawar and MayoCollege at Ajmer for the Indian princes
• He organized the Statistical Survey of India
• He established the Department of Agriculture and Commerce
• He was the only viceroy to be murdered in office by a convict in the Andamans in 1872
• Introduction of State Railways

Lord Northbrook (1872-76)

• Kuka Movement of Punjab took rebellious turn during his period.

Lord Lytton (1878-80)

• ( The viceroy of reverse character)
• Most unpopular Governor-General
• Pursued free trade and abolished duties on 29 British manufactured goods which accelerated drain of India
• Arranged the Grand Darbar in Delhi (in 1877)  when the country was suffering from a severe famine
• Passed the Royal Title Act (1876) and Queen Victoria was declared as the Kaiser-a-Hind
• Arms Act (1878) made it mandatory for Indians to acquire license for arms
• Passed the infamous Vernacular Press Act (1878)
• Proposed the plan of Statutory Civil Service in 1878-79 and lowered the maximum age limit from 21 to 19 years
• The 2nd Afgan war which proved a failure

Lord Rippon (1880-84)

• He was appointed by the Liberal Party under Gladstone
• Repeal of the Vernacular Press Act, 1882
• The first Factory Act, 1881 to improve labour condition
• Resolution on Local self Government in 1882
• Resolution on Land revenue Policy
• Appointed Hunter Commission (for education reforms) in 1882
• The Ilbert Bill controversy erupted during his time.

Lord dufferin (1884-88)

• 3rd Burmese War (Annexation of upper and Lower Burma: 1885)
• Establishment of the Indian National Congress: 1885

Lord Lansdowne (1888-94)

• The Factory Act of 1891
• Categorization of Civil Services into imperial, provincial and subordinate
• Indian Council Act of 1892 (introduced elections which was indirect)
• Appointment of the Durand Commission to define the line between British India and Afghanistan.

Lord Elgin ii (1894-1899)

• The Santhal Uprising of 1899
• Convention delimiting the frontier between China and India was ratified
• Great famine of 1896-97
• Lyll Commission appointed after famine
• Assassination of two British officials by the Chapekar brothers in 1897

Lord Curzon (1899-1905)

• Appointed a Police Commission in 1902 under Andrew Frazer
• Set up the Universities Commission and accordingly the Indian Universities Act of 1904 was passed.
• Set up the Department of commerce and Industry
• Calcutta Corporation Act (1899)
• Passed the Indian Coinage and Paper currency Act (in 1899) and put India on a gold standard.
• Partition of Bengal took place in 1905 (It was cardinal blunder of Curzon)
• In 1890, a Sino British convention was organized to demarcate the boundary of the two nations
• He created the new North West Frontier Province between the administrative frontier and the Durand line

Lord Minto ii (1905-1910)

• Swadeshi Movement
• Surat session and split in the Congress (1907)
• Newspapers Act, 1908
• Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909
• Foundation of the Muslim League, 1906

Lord herding ii (1910-1916)

• Annulment of the partition of Bengal
• Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi
• Durbar in Delhi and Coronation of George V and Queen
• Establishment of Hindu Mahasabha by Madan Mohan Malviya , 1915

Lord Chelmsford (1916-21)

• Home Rule Movement launched by Tilak and Annie Besant
• Lukhnow Pact, 1916 between Congress and Muslim League
• Arrival of Gandhi, and Champaran Satyagraha; 1916
• Montague’s August Declaration (1917)
• 1918-Kheda Satyagraha and Satyagraha at Ahmedabad
• Government of India Act (1919)
• Constitutional Reform of 1919
• Repressive Rowlatt Acts (1919)
• Massacre at Jalianwala Bagh (1919)
• Addler Commission of Education in 1917
• Khilafat Movement
• Non-Cooperation Movement

Lord reading (1921-1926)

• Criminal Law Amendment Act and Abolition of cotton excise
• Repeal of Press Act (1910)and Rowlatt Act of 1919
• Chauri-Chaura incident
• Violent Mooplah rebellion in Kerala (1921)
• C.P.I. founded in 1921
• R.S.S. founded in 1925
• Nagpur Kakori robbery in 1925
• Holding of the simultaneous examination for the ICS in England and India from 1923
• Murder of Swami Sraddhanand

Lord Irwin (1926-1931)

• Simon Commission (announced )1927
• Butler Commission in 1927
• All India Youth Congress, 1928
• Nehru Report, 1928
• Lahore session of the congress and Poorna Swaraj declaration
• Civil Disobedience Movement 1930
• Dandi March (March 12th, 1930)
• Ist round Table Conference, 1930
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact March 5, 1931

Lord Willington (1931-1936)

• Civil Disobedience Movement
• Second Round Table Conference in September 1931
• Announcement of Communal Award (1932)
• Third Round Table Conference 1932
• Foundation of Congress Socialist Party, 1934
• Government of India Act, 1935
• Burma separated from India, 1935
• All India Kishan Sabha 1936

Lord Linlithgow (1936-1944)

• Ist General Election (1936-37)
• Congress ministries, 1937 and Resignation of Congress Ministries 1939
• Forward Block founded in 1939
• Deliverance day by Muslim League 1939
• Lahore Resolution, 1940
• August offer, 1940
• Cripps mission, 1942
• Quit India Movement, 1942

Lord Wavell (1943-1947)

• C.R.Formula 1944
• Wavell plan and Shimla Conference in 1945
• End of 2nd World War: 1945
• INATrails and the Naval mutiny, 1946
• Cabinet Mission, 1946 and acceptance of its proposals by Congress
• Direct Action Day by the Muslim League on the 16th August, 1946

Lord Mountbatten (mar-aug. 1947)

• Announced the 3 June, 1947 plan.
• June 3rd Plan announced (3rd June 1947)
• Introduction of Indian Independence Bill in the House of Commons
• Appointment of 2 boundary commissions under Sir Cryil Radcliffe

C Rajagopalachari

• The last Governor General of free India
• The only Indian Governor General remained in office from 21st June, 1948 to 25th January, 1950.

The regulating act, 1773

• First attempt by the British Parliament to regulate the affairs of the Company.
• End of Dual Government.
• Provided for centralization of Administration of Company’s territories in India.
• Governor of Bengal became Governor-general for all British territories in India.
• Governor General and council of 4 members appointed for Bengal.
• Bombay and Madras Presidency subordinated to Bengal presidency.
• Supreme Court to be set up at Calcutta. 

The Pitts India act, 1784

• This Act gave the British government the supreme control over Company’s affairs and its administration in India.
• n   Established dual system of governance.  Court of directors consisting of 24 members to look after commercial functions.
• Board of consisting of 6 parliamentary Commissioners appointed to control civil, military and revenue affairs of India.
• Strength of Governor general-in-council reduced to 3.
• Subordinated the Bombay and Madras presidency to Bengal in all questions of war, diplomacy and revenues.
• First effective substitution of Parliamentary Control over East India Company.

The Charter Act of 1793

• Company given monopoly of trade for 20 more years.
• Expenses and salaries of the Board of Control to be charged on Indian Revenue.
• Governor-General could override his Council.

The Charter Act of 1813

• Company deprived of its trade monopoly in India except in tea and trade with China.
• All Englishmen could trade with India subject to few restrictions.
• Rules and procedures made for use of Indian revenue.
• A sum of Rs. 1 lakh earmarked annually for education.

The Charter Act of 1833

• End of company’s trade monopoly even in tea and with China. Company was asked to close its business at the earliest.
• Governor-General Bengal to be Governor-General of India. (1st Governor-General of India – Lord William Bentick).
• Government of Madras and Bombay deprived of legislative powers.
• A fourth members, law members, added to council of Governor-General. 
• Government Service was thrown open to the people of India.
• All laws made by Governor General-in-council henceforth to be known as Acts and not regulations.

The Charter Act of 1853

• Extended life of the Company for an unspecified period.
• First time separate legislative machinery consisting of 12 members legislative council was created.
• Law member was made a full member of the Executive Council of the Governor General.
• Recruitment to Civil Services was based on open on annual competitive examination (excluding Indians).

The Government of India Act, 1858

• Rule of Company in India ended and that of the Crown began.
• System of double Government ended.  Court of Directors and Board of Control abolished.
• Secretary of State (a member of the British Cabinet) for India was created.  He was assisted by a 15- member council (India Council).  He was to exercise the powers of the Crown.
• Secretary of State governed India through the Governor-General.
• Governor-General was to be called the Victory and was the direct representative of the Crown in India.
• A unitary and highly centralized administrative structure was created. 

The Indian council act, 1861

• Policy of Association of Indians in legislation started.
• A fifth member, who was to be a jurist, was added to the Viceroy’s executive council.
• For legislation, Executive Council of Viceroy was enlarged by 6 to 12 members composed of half non-official members.  Thus foundations of Indian legislature were laid down.
• Legislative powers of the Presidency Government deprived in 1833 were restored.
• Viceroy could issue ordinances in case of emergency.

The Indian council act, 1892

• Though the majority of official members were retained, the non-officials members of the Indian Legislative Council were Bengal Chamber of Commerce and the Provincial Legislative Councils.  While the non-official members of the provincial council were to be nominated by certain local bodies such as universities, district boards, municipalities.
• Beginning of representative system in India.
• Council to have the power to discuss budget and of addressing questions to the Executive.

Indian council act, 1909 (Morley – minto act)

• Morley was the secretary of state, while Minto was the Indian Viceroy.
• Additional members in central legislative assembly were increased to 60.
• Introduced for the first time indirect elections to the Legislative Councils.
• Separate electorates were introduced for the Muslims.
• 27 non-officials seats were to be filled in by elections.  They were distributed as follows.
• By non-official members of the Provincial Legislative councils.
• By landholders of 6 province.
• By Muslims of 5 provinces.
• Alternately by Muslim landholders of UP/Bengal Chambers of commerce of Calcutta and Bombay.
• Muslims were to be elected by the Separate electorates.
• Resolutions could be moved before the budget was taken in its final form.  Supplementary questions could be asked. 

The Government of India Act, 1919

• Popularly known as Montague Chelmsford Reforms.
• The idea of “Responsible Government” was emphasised upon.
• Devolution Rules :  Subjects of administration were divided into two categories – “Central” and “Provincial”.  Subjects of all India importance (like railways and finance) were brought under the category of Central, while matters relating to the administration of the provinces were classified as provincial.
• Dyarchy system introduced in the Provinces.  The Provincial subjects of administration were to be divided into two categories “Transferred” and “Reserved” subjects. The transferred subjects were to be administrated by the Governor with the aid of Ministers responsible to the Legislative Council.  The Governor and his Executive Council were to administer the reserved subjects (Rail, Post, Telegraph, Finance, Law and Order etc.) without any responsibility to the legislature.
• An office of the High commissioner of India was created in London.
• Indian legislature became “bicameral” for the first time.
• Communal representation extended to Sikhs.
• Secretary of State for India now to be paid for British revenue.

The Government of India Act, 1935

• The Act was based on 2 basic principles, federation and parliamentary system.
• Provided for the establishment of an All India federation consisting of the BritishProvinces and the PrincelyStates.  The joining of Princely States was voluntary and as a result the federation did not come into existence.
• Dyarchy was introduced at the Centre (e.g. department of Foreign Affairs and Defence were reserved for the Governor General).  Provincial autonomy replaced Dyarchy in Provinces.  They were granted separate legal identity.
• It made a three-fold division of powers – Federal, Provincial and concurrent lists.  Residuary powers were to be with the Governor General.
• The Indian Council of Secretary of State for India was abolished.
• Principle of separate electorate was extended to include Anglo-Indians, Indian Christians and Europeans.
• A Federal Court was to be constituted with a chief Justice and 10 other judges.  This was set up in 1937.
• Sind and Orissa were created.
• Franchise was based on property qualifications.

Indian independence act, 1947

• This Act did not lay down any provision for the administration of India.
• Partition of India and the establishment of two dominions of India and Pakistan.
• Constituent Assembly of each Dominion would have unlimited powers to frame and adopt any constitution.
• The Suzerainty of the crown over Indian states was terminated.
• The office of the Secretary of State for India was to be abolished and his work was to be taken over by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs.