Question

When did the August Declaration take place?
a.15 August 1917
b.20 August 1917
c.12 March 1917
d.16 May 1917

Answer 1

Hint: The 1917 august declaration is synonymous to the Montagu Declaration, which promised a gradual development of self- governance institutions in India.

Complete step by step solution:
The 1917 august declaration is synonymous to the Montagu Declaration, which promised a gradual development of self- governance institutions in India.
Complete Solution: The August declaration is known to form the background of one of the most important events of our freedom struggle; The 1919 Government of India Act, although the impact was via the Mont-Ford reforms of 1918.
Let us have a look at what happened back in 1917.
We know that Sir Edwin Montagu was appointed the Secretary of State for India in 1917 and remained in that till the year of 1922. He was highly critical of the manner in which India was governed.
On that note, what we need to remember here is that 20th August 1917, Montagu presented the historic Montagu Declaration (also referred to as the August Declaration in various contexts) in the British Parliament. This declaration proposed the increased participation of Indians within the administration and therefore the development of self-governing institutions in India.
The keyword that you need to remember for this declaration is ‘responsible government’. The declaration was not upto the mark of the nationalist expectations and was heavily criticised in the Calcutta session of December 1917.
Hence, Option ‘b’, 20th August 1917 is the correct answer.

Note: Do not confuse this with the August offer of 1940, which was fulfilled by the then Viceroy of British India, Lord Linlithgow.