INDIAN ADMINISTRATION
Administrative Reforms since 1919
The Government of India Act, 1919 introduced dyarchical
reforms in the provincial government, bisecting the subjects into
reserved and transferred. The former part was to be controlled
by the Governor with half of his ICS advisers, while the latter
transferred half was to be administered by a responsible Indian
minister under a variety of restraints and constraints.
The reforms relaxed central control over provincial
governments without any conscious division of federal nature.
The central legislature was made bicameral and more
representative. It also introduced the bicameral system and
demarcated the central and provincial subjects. The central list
consisted of important subjects such as defence, foreign affairs,
tariff and customs, and railways—post and telegraphs, income
tax, currency and coinage, all India services, etc. The Provincial
list included local self-government, public health, public works,
education, water supply, irrigation agriculture, land revenue,
police, forests, justice, excise & fisheries, etc. The Provincial
subjects were further divided into "resolved" and "transferred"
subjects. The reserved' subject being important, were placed
under the charge of counselors, who along with the governor
were made responsible to the Secretary of State and the
Central legislature. The administration of "transferred" subjects
was entrusted to the ministers responsible for the Provincial
Legislative Council.
The distribution of executive power between the Governor-
General in-Council and the governor acting on the advice of his
ministers responsible to the provincial legislative council was
called diarchy. This reform reduced the control of the Secretary
, of State for India, over the central and provincial administration
so far as the "transferred" subjects were concerned; but as
regards "reserved" subjects, there had been no change. This
Act was a step to provide an opportunity for Indians to take
charge of departments of the provincial administration, not as
nominated ones but as the elected leaders of legislatures. This
new scheme was based on three principles. First, the central
and provincial spheres were demarcated and distinguished
from each other. Second, the provinces were considered to be
the most suitable for the experiment of self-government. Third,
an attempt was made to give an effective voice to the people in
the conduct of the Central Government.
The Government of India Act in 1919, created the All India
Services replacing the imperial civil services format. This act
also advocated the setting up of Public Service Commissions in
India. The provincial civil services were under the control of the
provincial governments. Lee Commission and the Royal
Commission on superior civil services are especially
recommended for the establishment of central services.
Subordinate services were advocated for removal from the
classification of civil services and transferred to the regional
levels for conducting exams and filling up of positions only by
Indians. So, it was a system to prevent Indians from entering
the higher civil services as everybody could not afford to go to
England for training and exam purposes and the lower levels
were more approachable and attainable by the Indians. Al
English as a compulsory language offered little scope of
success for non-westernized Indians. o the recommendation of
the Lee Commission, the first Public Service Commission was
set up in Allahabad in 1925. The Lee Commission
recommended that 40-40 per cent of Europeans and Indians fill
up the superior ICS and the rest 20% be filled up with
promotions from the provincial Indian subordinate services.
Thus he advocated 60% Indians. This led to the Britishers
Administrative Reforms since 1919
The Government of India Act, 1919 introduced dyarchical
reforms in the provincial government, bisecting the subjects into
reserved and transferred. The former part was to be controlled
by the Governor with half of his ICS advisers, while the latter
transferred half was to be administered by a responsible Indian
minister under a variety of restraints and constraints.
The reforms relaxed central control over provincial
governments without any conscious division of federal nature.
The central legislature was made bicameral and more
representative. It also introduced the bicameral system and
demarcated the central and provincial subjects. The central list
consisted of important subjects such as defence, foreign affairs,
tariff and customs, and railways—post and telegraphs, income
tax, currency and coinage, all India services, etc. The Provincial
list included local self-government, public health, public works,
education, water supply, irrigation agriculture, land revenue,
police, forests, justice, excise & fisheries, etc. The Provincial
subjects were further divided into "resolved" and "transferred"
subjects. The reserved' subject being important, were placed
under the charge of counselors, who along with the governor
were made responsible to the Secretary of State and the
Central legislature. The administration of "transferred" subjects
was entrusted to the ministers responsible for the Provincial
Legislative Council.
The distribution of executive power between the Governor-
General in-Council and the governor acting on the advice of his
ministers responsible to the provincial legislative council was
called diarchy. This reform reduced the control of the Secretary
, of State for India, over the central and provincial administration
so far as the "transferred" subjects were concerned; but as
regards "reserved" subjects, there had been no change. This
Act was a step to provide an opportunity for Indians to take
charge of departments of the provincial administration, not as
nominated ones but as the elected leaders of legislatures. This
new scheme was based on three principles. First, the central
and provincial spheres were demarcated and distinguished
from each other. Second, the provinces were considered to be
the most suitable for the experiment of self-government. Third,
an attempt was made to give an effective voice to the people in
the conduct of the Central Government.
The Government of India Act in 1919, created the All India
Services replacing the imperial civil services format. This act
also advocated the setting up of Public Service Commissions in
India. The provincial civil services were under the control of the
provincial governments. Lee Commission and the Royal
Commission on superior civil services are especially
recommended for the establishment of central services.
Subordinate services were advocated for removal from the
classification of civil services and transferred to the regional
levels for conducting exams and filling up of positions only by
Indians. So, it was a system to prevent Indians from entering
the higher civil services as everybody could not afford to go to
England for training and exam purposes and the lower levels
were more approachable and attainable by the Indians. Al
English as a compulsory language offered little scope of
success for non-westernized Indians. o the recommendation of
the Lee Commission, the first Public Service Commission was
set up in Allahabad in 1925. The Lee Commission
recommended that 40-40 per cent of Europeans and Indians fill
up the superior ICS and the rest 20% be filled up with
promotions from the provincial Indian subordinate services.
Thus he advocated 60% Indians. This led to the Britishers
