The Government of India Act 1935 proposed which major reform?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
Establishment of federal government
Explanation
The Government of India Act 1935 was one of the most comprehensive and significant pieces of legislation passed by the British Parliament for India. Its most major proposal was the establishment of an "All India Federation" comprising both British Indian provinces and the Princely States. Although the federation part did not fully materialize due to the reluctance of the Princely States, the Act successfully introduced provincial autonomy, transferring administrative powers from the central government to the elected provincial governments.
Key Points
The Act introduced a three-fold distribution of legislative powers: the Federal List, the Provincial List, and the Concurrent List. It also abolished the system of dyarchy in the provinces and proposed its introduction at the center (though this center-level implementation was never fully realized). Furthermore, it paved the way for the establishment of the Reserve Bank of India and a Federal Court.
Important Questions and Answers
Question: Which act previously introduced the system of dyarchy in the provinces that the 1935 Act later abolished?
Answer: The Government of India Act of 1919, also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms.
Question: Did the All India Federation proposed by the 1935 Act become fully functional?
Answer: No, it never came into full operation because the Princely States did not agree to join the federation under the terms provided.