Question

Which of the following Acts had the provision of Indian Civil Services recruitment on the basis of competitive examination?
A. Charter Act of 1813
B. Government of India Act, 1858
C. Charter Act of 1853
D. Charter Act of 1833

Answer 1

HintCharter Act of 1853 was the last charter act passed for the East India Company. It was passed after the expiration of the Charter Act of 1833.

Complete step-by-step solution
Charter Act of 1853 had the provision of Indian Civil Services Recruitment on the basis of competitive examination. This act stated that Indian territories will still remain in the hand of the East India Company until the parliament directs something else. In this act, the British parliament reduced the number of directors of the East India Company(24 to 18). Of the 18 directors, 6 were elected by the crown. These acts provided a separate governor for the presidency of Bengal. This act also gave power to the court of directors to either constitute a new presidency or to appoint a lieutenant governor. Since no new presidency was created. This act directed the Governor General’s Office for legislative purposes. The Charter Act of 1833 had laid down the founding stone of Civil services in India. The act of 1833 directed the court of directors to nominate 4 times of the total vacancies in which only 1 should be selected by the competitive examination. Charter Act 1853 deprived the court of directors of this right of Indian civil servants’ appointment and took it under the regulations. It was to be called the birth of Civil service in India which was introduced in 1854.
The Charter Act of 1853 gave a hint that the rule of the company will not last much longer.

Hence, the correct option is option C.

NoteWarren Hastings laid the foundation of Civil services in India but Charles Cornwallis brought it into Action. Charles Cornwallis is also known as the “Father of Civil Services” in India.