The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined

Answer: (b) the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments

The 1919 Act (Montagu–Chelmsford reforms) provided for subjects to be classified as 'central' and 'provincial'. This marked out what the Governor-General in Council and the Indian legislature handled, and what the provincial governments and legislatures handled. So it defined the jurisdiction of the central and provincial governments.

• ✗ (a) The Act made no separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislature. It dealt with the executive and legislative structure, including dyarchy in the provinces and a bicameral Centre.
• ✓ (b) The Act enabled rules to classify subjects as central and provincial 'for the purpose of distinguishing the functions' of local governments and legislatures from those of the Governor-General in Council and the Indian legislature. The Devolution Rules then drew up the lists.
• ✗ (c) The Act did not lay down a clear definition of the powers of the Secretary of State and the Viceroy. What it clearly marked out was the division of subjects between the Centre and the provinces.
• ✗ (d) Option (b) is correct, so 'None of the above' cannot be right.

Remember · The 1919 Act classified subjects into central and provincial lists (via Devolution Rules) and introduced dyarchy in the provinces. It did not separate the judiciary from the legislature.

Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2015, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). · Report an error