BPSC CCE Prelims
Constitutional and Administrative Developments Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Constitutional and Administrative Developments
Topic Breakdown: Scroll →
Which Commission accentuated the discontent in all the political groups and parties for not associating any Indian member in it?
Detailed Explanation:
Simon Commission (1928) was an all-British seven-member body with no Indian representation, sent to review constitutional reforms.
Its exclusion of Indians sparked nationwide boycotts and the famous "Simon Go Back" protests, uniting Congress, Muslim League and other parties in opposition.
Cripps Mission (1942) consulted Indian leaders; Welby Commission (1895) examined military expenditure; Cabinet Mission (1946) included Indian participation in discussions.
Who became Chief Minister of Bihar in March 1939?
Detailed Explanation:
Shri Krishna Singh (also known as Sri Babu) became the Chief Minister of Bihar in March 1939 under the Government of India Act, 1935.
He later served as the first Chief Minister of independent Bihar (1947–1961), the longest-serving Chief Minister in Bihar's history. Anugraha Narain Singh was his Deputy Chief Minister, while Rajendra Prasad became India's first President, not a Chief Minister.
Which of the following was not one of the features of the Government of India Act, 1935?
Detailed Explanation:
The Government of India Act, 1935 introduced three major constitutional features: Reconstruction of the Governor-General's Executive Council to include Indian representatives, Provincial Autonomy granting self-government to provinces in transferred subjects, and Proposal for an All-India Federation combining British Indian provinces and princely states.
"Appraisal of the Act of 1935" refers to evaluating or reviewing the Act itself, which was not a feature of the Act but rather an external analytical process. The Act was a constitutional framework, not a self-assessment mechanism.
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The Congress took a critical stand over the Montford Reforms in 1918, which led to break up with the old moderate remnants (Sapru, Jayakar, and Chintamani) who formed the
Detailed Explanation:
The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919), not 1918, created a rift in the Indian National Congress when moderates like Tej Bahadur Sapru, M.R. Jayakar, and C.Y. Chintamani supported the reforms while the Congress adopted a more critical stance.
These moderates broke away and formed the Indian National Liberal Federation (1918-1919) to work within the constitutional framework provided by the reforms.
The Servants of India Society (1905) was founded earlier by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and the Swaraj Party (1923) was formed later by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru after the Non-Cooperation Movement.
The Cabinet Mission was sent to India for which of the following?
- To establish a national government
- To work out a constitutional arrangement for the transfer of power
- To work out the details of Jinnah demand for Pakistan
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Cabinet Mission 1946 aimed to keep India united, not establish a national government.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: The mission's primary objective was to work out a constitutional mechanism for transfer of power from British to Indian hands.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The mission rejected the Pakistan demand and instead proposed a three-tier federal structure to accommodate Muslim concerns while maintaining unity.
Who among the following was not a member of the Cabinet Mission sent to India in 1946 AD?
Detailed Explanation:
The Cabinet Mission 1946 comprised three members: Lord Pethick-Lawrence (Secretary of State for India), Stafford Cripps (President of the Board of Trade), and A. V. Alexander (First Lord of the Admiralty).
Ramsay MacDonald was a former British Prime Minister (1924, 1929–1935) who had no role in the 1946 mission; he died in 1937, nearly a decade before the mission arrived in India.
Therefore, Ramsay MacDonald was not a member of the Cabinet Mission, making Option 1 the correct answer.
In which year was the first sitting of the Bihar Legislative Council convened?
Detailed Explanation:
The Bihar Legislative Council was established under the Government of India Act, 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms), which introduced separate provincial legislatures. Bihar was carved out as a separate province from Bengal in 1912, and its first Legislative Council convened in 1913.
The year 1911 marks Bihar's announcement as a separate province, 1914 is post-establishment, and 1919 relates to the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms—none match the actual first sitting.
Therefore, the first sitting was held in 1913, making Option 2 the correct answer.
The split system in the Indian administration relates to
Detailed Explanation:
The Split System was introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1861, separating policy formulation (reserved for the Governor-General and Executive Council) from policy implementation (handled by departments headed by Indian members).
This system marked the beginning of decentralization in British Indian administration, allowing controlled Indian participation in executive functions while retaining British control over legislative and policy decisions.
Therefore, the Split System relates to Policy/Implementation division, making Option 3 the correct answer.
Who participated in all the three Round Table Conferences?
Detailed Explanation:
B. R. Ambedkar was the only leader who participated in all three Round Table Conferences (1930, 1931, 1932) as a representative of the Depressed Classes.
Gandhi attended only the Second RTC (1931) after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Madan Mohan Malaviya participated in the Second and Third RTCs. Maulana Azad did not attend any conference as Congress boycotted the First RTC and he was not part of Gandhi's delegation in the Second.
Therefore, only Ambedkar attended all three, making Option 3 the correct answer.