⚖️ Chapter 4: British Administrative Reforms

Acts, Governance & Four Pillars (1773-1858)

📜 Background: Need for Reforms

⚠️ Problems Before 1773

Parliamentary Investigation (1772):
Secret committee found massive corruption. British Parliament decided to regulate Company's affairs in India.

📋 Regulating Act of 1773

First Parliamentary intervention in Company's Indian affairs Super PYQ

🎯 Key Provisions

1. Governor-General of Bengal

  • Warren Hastings: First Governor-General of Bengal (1773-85) PYQ
  • Executive Council: 4 members to assist him
    • Philip Francis, Clavering, Monson, Barwell
    • Decisions by majority vote
    • Governor-General had casting vote in case of tie
  • Superiority: Governors of Bombay & Madras made subordinate to Bengal

2. Supreme Court at Calcutta (1774)

  • Established: Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta
  • Composition: 1 Chief Justice + 3 Judges
  • First Chief Justice: Sir Elijah Impey PYQ
  • Jurisdiction: Over British subjects & Company servants

3. Anti-Corruption Measures

  • Prohibited Company servants from private trade
  • Banned accepting gifts from Indians
  • Required declaration of assets by all officials

4. Court of Directors

  • Term fixed at 5 years (earlier annual election)
  • Company required to submit reports to British Parliament

❌ Defects of the Act

  • Vague Powers: No clear demarcation between Governor-General & Supreme Court
  • Council Conflicts: Governor-General often clashed with council members (Philip Francis vs Warren Hastings)
  • Supreme Court Overreach: Court interfered in revenue matters, angering Indians
  • No Indian Welfare: Act focused on Company, not Indian people

📋 Act of 1781 (Amending Act)

🎯 Key Provisions

  • Supreme Court's Power Reduced: Couldn't interfere in revenue matters
  • Governor-General's Authority: Clearly defined vis-a-vis Supreme Court
  • Protection to Officials: Company servants protected from court cases for official acts

📋 Pitt's India Act of 1784

Established dual control - Company + British Government Super PYQ

🎯 Key Provisions

1. Board of Control

  • Established: Board of Control in Britain (6 members)
  • Powers: Supervised Company's civil, military & revenue affairs in India
  • Significance: British Government gained direct control over Company

2. Dual Government

  • Court of Directors: Managed commercial affairs
  • Board of Control: Managed political affairs
  • Result: Joint rule by Parliament & Company began PYQ

3. Separation of Functions

  • Commercial: Trade & business
  • Political: Governance & administration
  • First Time: Company's Indian territory recognized as "British possession"

4. Governor-General's Powers

  • Given overriding powers over Governors of Bombay & Madras
  • Could override council in emergencies
Lord Cornwallis (1786-93):
• First Governor-General under Pitt's India Act
• Also made Commander-in-Chief of British Indian Army
• Given special powers to override council

📋 Charter Act of 1793

🎯 Key Provisions

  • Company's Charter: Extended for 20 years
  • Cornwallis Powers: Extended to all future Governors-General
  • Written Laws: Governance based on written laws, not personal whims
  • Indian Languages: Laws to be printed in Indian languages for people to understand
  • Salaries: Governor-General & council paid from Indian revenues

📋 Charter Act of 1813

🔥 Background

  • Industrial Revolution: British capitalists wanted free trade
  • Napoleon's Continental System: Blocked British trade with Europe
  • Adam Smith's Theory: Free trade ideas gaining popularity

🎯 Key Provisions

  • Trade Monopoly Ended: Company's monopoly on Indian trade ended Super PYQ
    • But retained monopoly on China trade (tea, opium)
  • Charter Extended: For 20 years
  • Christian Missionaries: Allowed to enter India with license
  • Education Fund: ₹1 lakh per year for education, literature & science PYQ
Significance: Opened India to British manufactured goods. Beginning of de-industrialization of India.

📋 Charter Act of 1833

Most comprehensive reform till date Super PYQ

🎯 Key Provisions

1. End of Commercial Activities

  • All Trade Monopoly Ended: Including China trade
  • Company: Became purely administrative body

2. Governor-General of India

  • Title Changed: Governor-General of Bengal → Governor-General of India
  • First: Lord William Bentinck (1833-35) PYQ
  • Centralization: All civil & military powers concentrated

3. Law Member

  • 4th Member: Added to Governor-General's Council for legislative purposes
  • First Law Member: Lord Macaulay PYQ
  • Indian Law Commission: Established to codify laws

4. Indian Civil Service

  • Section 87: No discrimination based on religion, caste, color, or place of birth Super PYQ
  • Reality: In practice, Indians rarely got high posts

5. Slavery

  • Steps taken for abolition of slavery in India
Codification of Laws:
• Indian Penal Code (IPC) - 1860
• Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) - 1861
• Civil Procedure Code (CPC) - 1859
All drafted by Macaulay's Law Commission

📋 Charter Act of 1853

Last Charter Act before 1857 Revolt

🎯 Key Provisions

1. No Fixed Term

  • First Time: Charter renewed without fixed time period
  • Reason: Company's future uncertain

2. Separation of Powers

  • Legislative Council: Separated from Executive Council PYQ
  • 6 New Members: Added for legislative work
  • Beginning: Of parliamentary system in India

3. Civil Service Reforms

  • Open Competition: Civil service exams made open to all Super PYQ
  • Macaulay Committee (1854): Recommended competitive exams
  • First Indian ICS: Satyendra Nath Tagore (1863) PYQ

4. Court of Directors

  • Reduced: From 24 to 18 directors
  • Crown Nominees: 6 directors appointed by British Crown
  • Patronage Ended: Directors lost power to appoint officials

5. Local Representation

  • 4 Members: From Madras, Bombay, Bengal, Agra (NWP) added to Legislative Council
  • First Time: Local representation in central legislature

🏛️ Four Pillars of British Administration

1. Civil Services

Creator: Lord Cornwallis

  • Banned private trade
  • Increased salaries (highest paid in world)
  • Promotions by seniority
  • Europeanization (1793): Posts above £500/year reserved for British
  • Training: Fort William College (Kolkata), Haileybury (England, 1806)

2. Army

Two Forces:

  • Queen's Army: Smaller, British troops
  • Company's Army: Larger, 86% Indian sepoys by 1857
  • Highest Indian Rank: Subedar
  • Martial Races: Pathans, Rajputs, Sikhs, Gorkhas preferred

3. Judiciary

Cornwallis Reforms:

  • Provincial Circuit Courts (4)
  • Sadar Diwani Adalat (Civil)
  • Sadar Nizamat Adalat (Criminal)
  • 1865: High Courts in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras
  • 1937: Federal Court

4. Police

Organized System:

  • District Magistrate (head)
  • Thanas at local level
  • Daroga (police station in-charge)
  • Used for suppressing dissent

📊 Quick Comparison of Acts

Act Year Key Feature
Regulating Act 1773 First Parliamentary intervention. Warren Hastings as Governor-General
Pitt's India Act 1784 Board of Control. Dual government began
Charter Act 1793 Extended Company charter. Written laws
Charter Act 1813 Trade monopoly ended (except China). ₹1 lakh for education
Charter Act 1833 All trade ended. Governor-General of India. Law Member added
Charter Act 1853 Open competition for ICS. Legislative Council separated

🎯 PYQ Sniper Shots

Q: Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal?
A: Warren Hastings (1773)
Q: Who was the first Governor-General of India?
A: Lord William Bentinck (1833)
Q: First Chief Justice of Supreme Court at Calcutta?
A: Sir Elijah Impey (1774)
Q: Which Act established Board of Control?
A: Pitt's India Act (1784)
Q: Which Act ended Company's trade monopoly with India?
A: Charter Act of 1813
Q: Which Act allocated ₹1 lakh for education?
A: Charter Act of 1813
Q: Who was the first Law Member of Governor-General's Council?
A: Lord Macaulay (1833)
Q: First Indian to pass ICS exam?
A: Satyendra Nath Tagore (1863)
Q: Which Act separated legislative and executive functions?
A: Charter Act of 1853
Q: Who created modern civil service in India?
A: Lord Cornwallis
UPPCS Modern India