UPSC Prelims 2004 · General Studies
Question 3: History and Culture
Consider the following statements: Some of the main features of the Government of India Act, 1935 were the
- 1.Abolition of diarchy in the Governor's provinces.
- 2.Power of the Governors to veto legislative action and to legislate on their own.
- 3.Abolition of the principle of communal representation.
Which of these statements given above is/are correct?
AnswerThe answer is (b).
The 1935 Act ended diarchy in the provinces and gave them autonomy under elected ministries, but it kept strong Governor's powers: veto over bills, ordinances, and in some cases the power to legislate by himself. Communal representation was not abolished; separate electorates were kept and even extended to more groups. Diarchy was in fact proposed for the Centre in a federation that never came into being.
- 1. Diarchy in the provinces was replaced by provincial autonomy.
- 2. Governors had special powers: veto, ordinances and legislation on their own.
- 3. Communal representation was retained and extended.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 2 is correct, (a) goes: it leaves 2 out.
What you needed to know: Governors had special powers: veto, ordinances and legislation on their own.
- Then, if you were sure statement 3 is not correct, (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 3.
What you needed to know: Communal representation was retained and extended.
Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statement 1.
This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Misses statement 2, which is also correct.
- (b) Correct: provincial diarchy was abolished and Governors kept veto and legislative powers.
- (c) Statement 3 is false; the Act kept and extended separate electorates.
- (d) Statement 3 is false, so all three cannot be correct.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2004, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.