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www.iasscore.in HISTORY | BRITISH GOVERNORS AND VICEROYS IN INDIA 1
BRITISH GOVERNORS
AND VICEROYS IN INDIA-
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN
THEIR RULE
GOVERNORS - GENERAL
1. Warren Hastings 1773-1785
Regulating Act of 1773
Supreme Council of Bengal
Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William (1774) was established
The Rohilla War of 1774.
Act of 1781, under which the powers of jurisdiction between the governor-general-in-council
and the Supreme Court at Calcutta, were clearly divided.
Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784)
Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
Stopped Mughal pension to Shah Alam II
Abolished the Dual System in Bengal (Which was introduced by Robert Clive).
James Augustus Hicky’s Bengal Gazette- First Indian newspaper published (in 1780)
The First Maratha War in 1775-82 and the Treaty of Salbai in 1782.
Second Mysore War in 1780-84.
Policy of Ring fence
Calcutta Madrasa founded(Aliah University)
Creation of collector post
The first Governor General to be prosecuted for impeachment. (As a consequence of his
involvement in First Rohilla War)
English Translation of Bhagwat Gita by Charles Wilkins
Strained relationships with Chait Singh, the Maharaja of Benaras, which led to Hastings’ subsequent
impeachment in England.
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2. Lord Cornwallis 1786-1793
Third Mysore War (1790-92) and Treaty of Seringa-patam (1792).
Cornwallis Code (1793) incorporating several judicial reforms, and separation of revenue
administration and civil jurisdiction.
Permanent Settlement of Bengal, 1793.
Europeanisation of administrative machinery and introduction of civil services.
Established lower courts and appellate courts
Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Benares (now Varanasi) established by Johnathan Duncan (then Governor
of Bombay)
Introduced Sunset Law
3. Sir John Shore 1793-1798
Charter Act of 1793.
Second Rohilla War 1794
Battle of Kharda between the Nizam and the Marathas (1795).
4. Lord Wellesley 1798-1805
Introduction of the Subsidiary Alliance System (1798); first alliance with Nizam of Hyderabad.
Fourth Mysore War (1799).
Second Maratha War (1803-05).
Fort William College at Calcutta (1800)
Censorship Act, 1799
Took over the administration of Tanjore (1799), Surat (1800) and Carnatic (1801).
Treaty of Bassein (1802).
5. Sir George Barlow 1805-1807
Vellore Mutiny (1806).
Bank of Calcutta (1806) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now State Bank of India)
6. Lord Minto I 1807-1813
Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh (1809).
7. Lord Hastings 1813-1823
Anglo-Nepal War (1814-16) and the Treaty of Sagauli, 1816.
Third Maratha War (1817-19) and dissolution of Maratha Confederacy; creation of Bombay
Presidency (1818)
Strife with Pindaris (1817-1818).
Treaty with Sindhia (1817).
Hindu College (now Presidency University) at Calcutta in 1817
www.iasscore.in HISTORY | BRITISH GOVERNORS AND VICEROYS IN INDIA 3
Establishment of Ryotwari System by Thomas Munro, governor of Madras (1820).
Establishment of Mahalwari System in Northern India (1822) which later broke down.
8. Lord Amherst 1823-1828
First Burmese War (1824-1826) and Treaty of Yandabo, 1826
Capture of Bharatpur (1826).
Establishment of Sanskrit College at Calcutta (1824)
9. Lord William Bentinck 1828-1835
He was the First Governor General of India
Abolition of sati and other cruel rites (1829)
Suppression of thugi (1830).
Saint Helena Act 1833 or Charter Act 1833 (Christian Missionaries get Exclusive rights to spread
Christianity in British India which included the present day Pakistan)
Resolution of 1835, and educational reforms and introduction of English as the official
language.
Annexation of Mysore (1831), Coorg (1834) and Central Cachar (1834).
Treaty of ‘perpetual friendship’ with Ranjeet Singh.
Abolition of the provincial courts of appeal and circuit set up by Cornwallis, appointment of
commissioners of revenue and circuit.
Mahalwari System reintroduced in Central India, Punjab and Western UP.
Kol Rebellion in 1831
10. Lord Metcalfe 1835-1836
New press law removing restrictions on the press in India.
Establishment of Calcutta Public Library in 1836 (now known as National Library of India)
11. Lord Auckland 1836-1842
First Afghan War (1838-42).
Death of Ranjit Singh (1839).
Bank of Bombay (1840) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now State Bank of India)
First Bengali daily newspaper Sambad Prabhakar was published in 1839
Tattwabodhini Sabha was formed by Debendranath Tagore in 1839
12. Lord Ellenborough 1842-1844
Annexation of Sindh (1843).
War with Gwalior (1843) (British defeat Marathas)
Bank of Madras (1843) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now State Bank of India)
Indian Slavery Act, 1843
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13. Lord Hardinge I 1844-1848
First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46) and the Treaty of Lahore (1846).
Treaty of Bhairowal (1846)
Establishment of Roorkee Engineering College (1847)
Social reforms including abolition of female infanticide and human sacrifice.
14. Lord Dalhousie 1848-1856
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49) and annexation of Punjab (1849).
Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) and annexation of Lower Burma or Pegu (1852).
Introduction of the Doctrine of Lapse and annexation of Satara (1848), Jaitpur and Sambhalpur
(1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854) and Awadh (1856).
“Wood’s (Charles Wood, President of the Board of Control) Educational Despatch” of 1854 and
opening of Anglo-vernacular schools and government colleges.
Railway Minute of 1853; and laying down of first railway line connecting Bombay and Thane in
1853.
Telegraph (4000 miles of telegraph lines to connect Calcutta with Bombay, Madras and Peshawar)
and postal (Post Office Act, 1854) reforms.
Ganges Canal declared open (1854); establishment of separate public works department in every
province.
Widow Remarriage Act (1856).
Charter Act, 1853
Bethune Collegiate School (1849) was established by JED Bethune
Santhal Rebellion (1855)
Religious Disabilities Act, 1856
15. Lord Canning 1856-1857
Establishment of three universities at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay in 1857.
Revolt of 1857.
www.iasscore.in HISTORY | BRITISH GOVERNORS AND VICEROYS IN INDIA 5
Viceroys
1. Lord Canning 1858-1862
Transfer of control from East India Company to the Crown, the Government of India Act, 1858.
‘White Mutiny’ by European troops in 1859.
Indigo Revolt in Bengal in 1859–60
Enactment of Indian Penal Code in 1860
Indian Councils Act of 1861.
Indian civil service act 1861
Formation of Imperial Civil Services
Establishment of Archaeological Survey of India
Introduced Portfolio System which gave foundation for Cabinet System
System of Budget introduced
2. Lord Elgin I 1862-1863
Wahabi Movement was supressed
Passing of High Courts Act, 1861 which set up of the High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay and
Madras
3. Lord John Lawrence 1864-1869
Bhutan War (1865)
Establishment of Shimla as India’s summer capital in 1863
Establishment of Allahabad High Court in 1866
4. Lord Mayo 1869-1872
Opening of the Rajkot College in Kathiawar and the Mayo College at Ajmer for political training
of Indian princes.
Establishment of Statistical Survey of India.
Establishment of Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
Assassinated by a Pathan Sher Ali Afridi
Started the Census.
Started Financial decentralization
Enacted IPC amendment-Sedition Act 1870 to tackle Wahabi Movement
Keshub Chandra Sen establishes Indian Reform Association
5. Lord Northbrook 1872-1876
Jyotiba Phule launches The Satyashodhak Samaj in Maharashtra
Dramatic Performances Act, 1876
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He resigned over Afghanistan question
Visit of Prince of Wales in 1875.
Trial of Gaekwar of Baroda.
Kuka Movement in Punjab.
6. Lord Lytton 1876-1880
The maximum age of ICS decreased from 21 to 19
Deccan agrarian relief act was passed in 1876
1st Delhi Durbar held in 1877
Famine of 1876-78 affecting Madras, Bombay, Mysore, Hyderabad, parts of central India and
Punjab; appointment of Famine Commission under the presidency of Richard Strachey (1878).
Royal Titles Act (1876), Queen Victoria assuming the title of ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’ or Queen Empress of
India.
The Vernacular Press Act (1878).
The Arms Act (1878).
The Second Afghan War (1878-80).
7. Lord Ripon 1880-1884
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
Foundation of Punjab university
First complete Census
Repeal of the Vernacular Press Act (1882).
The first Factory Act (1881) to improve labour conditions.
Continuation of financial decentralisation.
Government resolution on local self-government (1882).
Appointment of Education Commission under chairmanship of Sir William Hunter (1882).
The Ilbert Bill controversy (1883-84).
Rendition of Mysore.
8. Lord Dufferin 1884-1888
Bengal tenancy act
The Third Burmese War (1885-86).
Establishment of the Indian National Congress.
9. Lord Lansdowne 1888-1894
Age of consent act 1891, in which the marriage of below 12 years girl is prohibited
Factory Act (1891).
Categorisation of civil services into imperial, provisional and subordinate.
www.iasscore.in HISTORY | BRITISH GOVERNORS AND VICEROYS IN INDIA 7
Indian Councils Act (1892).
Setting up of Durand Commission (1893) to define the Durand Line between India and Afghanistan
(now between Pakistan and Afghanistan; a small portion of the line touches India in Pakistan
occupied Kashmir).
10. Lord Elgin II 1894-1899
Indian famine of 1896–1897 and set up of Second lyall commission on famine
Establishment of Ramakrishna Mission by Swami Vivekananda at Belur Math in 1897
Munda uprisings 1899
Bubonic plague spread in Bombay
Two British officials assassinated by Chapekar brothers (1897).
Lord Curzon 1899-1905
Indian famine of 1899–1900 and setting up of Rhird famine commission under Macdonell to re-
evaluate and recommend changes in the report.
PUSA agriculture institute in 1903
Benaras Hindu Girls School (Kanya Vidyalaya) was established by Annie Besant in 1904
Official Secrets Act 1904 to curb free press
2nd Delhi Durbar held in 1903
Appointment of Raleigh University Commission (1902)
The risings of the frontier tribes in 1897-98 led him to create the Northwestern frontier
province
Appointment of Police Commission (1902) under Sir Andrew Frazer to review police
administration.
Appointment of Universities Commission (1902) and passing of Indian Universities Act (1904).
Establishment of Department of Commerce and Industry.
Calcutta Corporation Act (1899).
Ancient Monuments Preservation Act (1904).
Partition of Bengal (1905).
Curzon-Kitchener controversy.
Younghusband’s Mission to Tibet (1904).
11. Lord Minto II 1905-1910
Morley–Minto reforms 1909, or the Indian Councils Act 1909
Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act, 1907 to curb the extremist movement
Indian Press Act, 1910
Jamsetji Tata established TISCO in 1907
Popularisation of anti-partition and Swadeshi Movements.
Split in Congress in the annual session of 1907 in Surat.
Establishment of Muslim League by Aga Khan (1906).
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12. Lord Hardinge II 1910-1916
Gandhiji came back to India from South Africa in 1915
A bomb was thrown at Gandhiji near Chandni chowk but he escaped unhurt
McMahon border line was created between India and China in 1914
Ghadar Mutiny (1915)
Creation of Bengal Presidency (like Bombay and Madras) in 1911.
Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911).
Establishment of the Hindu Mahasabha (1915) by Madan Mohan Malaviya.
Coronation durbar of King George V held in Delhi (1911).
13. Lord Chelmsford 1916-1921
Saddler commission on education reforms
Imperial Bank of India (now State Bank of India established in 1921)
Formation of Home Rule Leagues by Annie Besant and Tilak (1916).
Lucknow session of the Congress (1916).
Lucknow pact between the Congress and Muslim League (1916).
Foundation of Sabarmati Ashram (1916) after Gandhi’s return; launch of Champaran Satyagraha
(1916), Kheda Satyagraha (1918), and Satyagraha at Ahmedabad (1918).
Montagu’s August Declaration (1917).
Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms (1919)
Government of India Act (1919).
The Rowlatt Act (1919).
Jallianwalla Bagh massacre (1919).
Launch of Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movements.
Foundation of Women’s University at Poona (1916) and appointment of Saddler’s Commission
(1917) for reforms in educational policy.
Death of Tilak (August 1, 1920).
Appointment of S.P. Sinha as governor of Bihar (the first Indian to become a governor).
14. Lord Reading 1921-1926
Malabar rebellion (also known as Moplah Rebellion) in Kerala, first Ethnic Rebellion (1921)
Non-cooperation movement (1921–22)
Chauri Chaura incident (February 5, 1922) and the subsequent withdrawal of Non-Cooperation
Movement.
Rabindranath Tagore founded Visva-Bharati University in 1921
Lee commission for public services
RSS founded in 1925
Royal commission on agriculture
Criminal Law Amendment Act and abolition of cotton excise.
www.iasscore.in HISTORY | BRITISH GOVERNORS AND VICEROYS IN INDIA 9
Communal riots in Multan, Amritsar, Delhi, Aligarh, Arvi and Calcutta.
Kakori train robbery (1925).
Murder of Swami Shraddhanand (1926).
Establishment of Swaraj Party by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru (1922).
Decision to hold simultaneous examinations for the ICS both in Delhi and London, with effect
from 1923.
15. Lord Irwin 1926-1931
Death of Lala Lajpat Rai (1928)
Fourteen Points of Jinnah (1929)
First Round Table Conferences (1930)
Allahabad Address by Sir Muhammad Iqbal (1930)
Chittagong armoury raid in 1930
Execution of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar (1931)
Visit of Simon Commission to India (1928) and the boycott of the commission by the Indians.
An All-Parties Conference held at Lucknow (1928) for suggestions for the (future) Constitution of
India, the report of which was called the Nehru Report or the Nehru Constitution.
Appointment of the Harcourt Butler Indian States Commission (1927).
Murder of Saunders, the assistant superintendent of police of Lahore; bomb blast in the Assembly
Hall of Delhi (1929); the Lahore Conspiracy Case and death of Jatin Das after prolonged hunger
strike (1929), and bomb accident in train in Delhi (1929).
Lahore session of the Congress (1929); Purna Swaraj Resolution.
Dandi March (March 12, 1930) by Gandhi to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Dharasana Satyagraha (1930)
‘Deepavali Declaration’ by Lord Irwin (1929).
Boycott of the First Round Table Conference (1930)
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) and suspension of Civil Disobedience Movement.
16. Lord Willingdon 1931-1936
Pakistan Declaration (1933)
Reserve Bank of India established by passing The Reserve Bank of India Act 1934.
Second Round Table Conference (1931) and failure of the conference, resumption of Civil
Disobedience Movement.
Announcement of Communal Award (1932) under which separate communal electorates were
set up.
‘Fast unto death’ by Gandhi in Yeravada prison, broken after the Poona Pact (1932).
Third Round Table Conference (1932).
Launch of Individual Civil Disobedience (1933).
The Government of India Act of 1935.
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Establishment of All India Kisan Sabha (1936) and Congress Socialist Party by Acharya Narendra
Dev and Jayaprakash Narayan (1934).
Burma separated from India (1935).
17. Lord Linlithgow 1936-1944
Indian provincial elections (1937)
Indian entry into World War II (1939)
Day of Deliverance (1939)
Formation of Indian Legion (1942)
Bengal famine (1943)
First general elections (1936-37); Congress attained absolute majority.
Resignation of the Congress ministries after the outbreak of the Second World War (1939).
Subhash Chandra Bose elected as the president of Congress at the fifty-first session of the
Congress (1938).
Resignation of Bose in 1939 and formation of the Forward Bloc (1939).
Lahore Resolution (March 1940) by the Muslim League, demand for separate state for Muslims.
‘August Offer’ (1940) by the viceroy; its criticism by the Congress and endorsement by the Mulsim
League.
Winston Churchill elected prime minister of England (1940).
Escape of Subhash Chandra Bose from India (1941) and organisation of the Indian National
Army.
Cripps Mission’s Cripps Plan to offer dominion status to India and setting up of a Constituent
Assembly; its rejection by the Congress.
Passing of the ‘Quit India Resolution’ by the Congress (1942); outbreak of ‘August Revolution’; or
Revolt of 1942 after the arrest of national leaders.
‘Divide and Quit’ slogan at the Karachi session (1944) of the Muslim League.
18. Lord Wavell 1944-1947
Royal Indian Navy mutiny (1946)
C. Rajagopalachari’s CR Formula (1944), failure of Gandhi- Jinnah talks (1944).
Wavell Plan and the Shimla Conference (1945).
End of Second World War (1945).
Proposals of the Cabinet Mission (1946) and its acceptance by the Congress.
Observance of ‘Direct Action Day’ (August 16, 1948) by the Muslim League.
Elections to the Constituent Assembly, formation of Interim Government by the Congress
(September 1946).
Announcement of end of British rule in India by Clement Attlee (prime minister of England) on
February 20, 1947.
www.iasscore.in HISTORY | BRITISH GOVERNORS AND VICEROYS IN INDIA 11
19. Lord Mountbatten 1947-1948
June Third Plan (June 3, 1947) announced.
Introduction of Indian Independence Bill in the House of Commons.
Appointment of two boundary commissions under Sir Cyril Radcliff for the partition of Bengal
and Punjab.
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