2010 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2010 · General Studies

Question 85: History and Culture

By a regulation in 1793, the District Collector was deprived of his judicial powers and made the collecting agent only. What was the reason for such regulation ?

aLord Cornwallis felt that the District Collector’s efficiency of revenue collection would enormously increase without the burden of other work
bLord Cornwallis felt that Judicial power should compulsorily be in the hands of Europeans while Indians can be given the job of revenue collection in the districts
cLord Cornwallis was alarmed at the extent of power concentrated in the District Collector and felt that such absolute power was undesirable in one person
dThe judicial work demanded a deep knowledge of India and a good training in law and Lord Cornwallis felt that District Collector should be only a revenue collector

AnswerThe answer is (c).

Under the Cornwallis Code of 1793 the District Collector lost his judicial and magisterial powers and kept only revenue collection, while civil courts were put under judges. Cornwallis feared that combining revenue, magisterial and judicial power in a single official put too much power in one pair of hands, open to abuse, and so he separated them. Remember: Cornwallis Code, 1793 = separation of revenue and judicial functions.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Efficiency of collection was a side effect, not the stated reason.
  • (b) The code did not reserve judicial power for Europeans as the reason for the change.
  • (c) Right: he was alarmed at so much power in one official.
  • (d) Training in law was not the stated reason.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2010, General Studies, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.