2003 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 2003 · General Studies
Question 135: History and Culture
With reference to colonial rule in India, what was sought by the Ilbert Bill in 1883?
aTo bring Indians and Europeans on par as far as the criminal jurisdiction of courts was concerned
bTo impose severe restrictions on the freedom of the native press as it was perceived to be hostile to colonial rulers
cTo encourage the native Indians to appear for civil service examinations by conducting them in India
dTo allow native Indians to possess arms by amending the Arms Act
AnswerThe answer is (a).
The Ilbert Bill (1883), named after the Law Member Courtenay Ilbert, in Lord Ripon's time as Viceroy, proposed that Indian district magistrates and sessions judges could try Europeans in criminal cases, removing a racial disqualification. European opposition forced the government to compromise: Europeans got the right to be tried by a jury of whom at least half were European.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Correct: criminal jurisdiction over Europeans.
- (b) Press restrictions were the Vernacular Press Act of 1878, which Ripon repealed in 1882.
- (c) Civil service examinations in India were not the subject of the Ilbert Bill.
- (d) The Arms Act was not the subject of the Ilbert Bill.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2003, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.