Question

The British Indian Association was formed in ___________.
a. 1851
b. 1854
c. 1862
d. 1876

Answer 1

Hint: The British Indian Association was established to inform the British government about the problems faced by the Indians. It is a merger of Bengal British India Society and the Landholders’ Society.

Complete Answer:
The British Indian Association recommended various changes in the upcoming charters like the need for establishment of a different legislature, separation of judicial functions from the executive functions, reduction of salaries of higher officers, abolition of charges like Akbari, salt duty and stamp duties, etc. Some of these suggestions were taken into account when the Charter Act of 1853 accepted the addition of six new members to the governor-general’s council for legislative purposes. The President of the first committee was Raja Radhakanta Deb and the secretary was Debendranath Tagore.
Let us study the options now.
Option (a) 1851 was the year in which the Bengal British India Society and the Landholders’ Society amalgamated and the British India Society was formed. This is the correct option.
Option (b) In 1854, Charles Wood introduced the Magna-Carta of English Education in India. This had nothing to do with British India Society. Thus, it is an incorrect answer.
Option (c) The British India Society was established in 1852 which is ten years prior to 1862. So, this is also a wrong answer.
Option (d) In 1876, Surendranath Banerjee and Anand Mohan Bose had founded the Indian Association of Calcutta. Hence, this is also an incorrect answer.
Therefore, option ‘a. 1851’ is the correct option.

Note: The establishment of this association meant that the unity of Indians had been established and could not be ignored by the British.