The Government of India Act 1858 is one of the most important topics of Modern History in India. Most of the questions are asked from this topic in every competitive exam such as UPSC, Railway, State PSC, SSC, CDS, NDA, etc...
It is an Act of the British Parliament that transfers the rule of East India Company in India to the British Crown.
Background:
British East India Company recently suppressed the Revolt of 1857. The British started thinking what were the reasons that caused the Indians to revolt.
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The people of India were not happy with the East India Company's Rule, whether it was a common man, princely states, or soldier.
Problems of Common Man with East India Company:
The common man was upset because he thought that these British want to change our religion because lots of Christian missionaries promoting their religion in India.
Along with this Britishers imposed new laws on India such as the widow remarriage act, etc...The British started studying English in schools.
Problems of Indian Soldiers with East India Company:
Indian Soldier was in the problem because he could neither keep a beard nor apply tilak.
The British used to send soldiers to fight several times across the sea. The people of that time believed that if someone crosses the sea, then his religion is corrupted.
When the British put the Enfield rifle in the hands of the soldiers, the soldiers are angry because the soldiers suspected that it had the flesh of cow and pig.
Problems of Princely States with East India Company:
The Princely States were also facing problems with East India company because princely states were ruling but they had to pay tax to Britishers due to annexation policies.
Seeing these conditions, the British government understood that East India Company is not being able to handle the rule in India. People also demanded that the British rule in India.
That why in British parliament one bill was passed on August 1858 whose name is an act of the better government of India and we are officially known as Government of India Act 1858.
Important Changes in Government of India Act 1858:
1.In this act, the rule of the British East India Company was abolished.
2.The second work was done, the Dual Government which was imposed in Pits India Act 1784 was abolished.
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Two bodies of Government were made in the Pits India Act i.e. Board of Directors and Board of Control. The Board of directors was used to watch commercial works and the board of control was used to watch political works.
3.Both the Board of Directors and the Board of Control bodies were removed and replaced by the Secretary of State.
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The Secretary of State used to be a cabinet minister in the British Parliament. The Secretary of State was responsible for the whole of India. Lord Stanley became the first Secretary of State who was previously the president of the board of control of the East India Company. The Secretary of State had a body of 15 people who helped him to handle the whole of India.
The Secretary of the state is a cabinet minister in Britain and worked from Britain. Viceroy's Position was added in India which will remain in India as an agent of the Secretary of state.
Earlier, the rule of India was handled by the Governor-General of India. Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India from 1856, he was made the first Viceroy of India.
This act was passed only in August 1858 but implemented in November 1858.
There were a lot of questions in the mind of the people of India about this act as the East India Company is going to go, the British Government is going to come.
The soldiers were thinking that if we used to work in the British East India Company earlier, now our job will be done or will be lost.
Therefore, on 1 November 1858, a huge Durbar was put up in Allahabad and called Princely States, Zamindaras, and lots of peoples.
Lord canning explained this act to the people on behalf of British Queen Victoria. This is also called Queen Proclamation.
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Lord Canning Explained that -
1. The ancient beliefs of all religions of India will be respected.
2. Honoring the footsteps of all the kings of India, the territorial expansion of British Rule was stopped.
3. All the Indians were given equal status in the Civil Services Examination.
4. New opportunities for education and progress will be made available to the middle-class people in India.
5. Those who were the first soldiers in the East India Company will be kept in the British Indian Army.
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