Simon Commission (1927)

11. Who among the following had demanded first the dominion status for India? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

(a) Rajagopalachari and Sardar Patel
(b) Pt. Motilal Nehru and Govind Ballabh Pant
(c) Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and Jaykar
(d) Jawaharlal Nehru and Jagjeevanram

Correct Answer: (c) Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru and Jaykar

Solution:Pt. Motilal Nehru in March, 1926 demanded to call a representative conference to form a Constitution for Dominion status of India. However, the name of Govind Ballabh Pant has been mentioned with his (Pt. Motilal Nehru) name in the given option who was not related to it. Thus option (c) will be the correct answer because Tej Bahadur Sapru and Jaykar were the members of the Committee to prepare ‘Nehru Report.’

12. When did Simon Commission visit India? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1996 38th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1992]

(a) 1927
(b) 1928
(c) 1929
(d) 1931

Correct Answer: (b) 1928

Solution:Montagu-Chelmsford reform (Government of India Act, 1919) provided for a Constitutional Commission to review its working. Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 by the British Conservative Government under Stanley Baldwin to report on the working of the Indian Constitution established by the Government of India Act of 1919. The Commission consisted of seven members under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission did not consist of any Indian member, so Indians opposed and boycotted the commission calling it a "White Commission." Simon Commission reached Bombay on February 3, 1928.

13. The people of India agitated against the arrival of Simon Commission because: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2013]

(a) Indians never wanted the review of the working of the Act of 1919
(b) Simon Commission recommended the abolition of Dyarchy (Diarchy) in the Provinces
(c) There was no Indian member in the Simon Commission
(d) The Simon Commission suggested the partition of the country

Correct Answer: (c) There was no Indian member in the Simon Commission

Solution:Montagu-Chelmsford reform (Government of India Act, 1919) provided for a Constitutional Commission to review its working. Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 by the British Conservative Government under Stanley Baldwin to report on the working of the Indian Constitution established by the Government of India Act of 1919. The Commission consisted of seven members under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission did not consist of any Indian member, so Indians opposed and boycotted the commission calling it a "White Commission." Simon Commission reached Bombay on February 3, 1928.

14. Simon Commission was appointed in: [Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Mains) 2002]

(a) 1925
(b) 1927
(c) 1928
(d) 1930

Correct Answer: (b) 1927

Solution:Montagu-Chelmsford reform (Government of India Act, 1919) provided for a Constitutional Commission to review its working. Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 by the British Conservative Government under Stanley Baldwin to report on the working of the Indian Constitution established by the Government of India Act of 1919. The Commission consisted of seven members under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission did not consist of any Indian member, so Indians opposed and boycotted the commission calling it a "White Commission." Simon Commission reached Bombay on February 3, 1928.

15. Simon Commission in 1928 came to India with the purpose: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]

(a) To consider Administrative reform
(b) To improve Education
(c) To improve Agricultural sector
(d) To evaluate Military capacity

Correct Answer: (a) To consider Administrative reform

Solution:Montagu-Chelmsford reform (Government of India Act, 1919) provided for a Constitutional Commission to review its working. Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 by the British Conservative Government under Stanley Baldwin to report on the working of the Indian Constitution established by the Government of India Act of 1919. The Commission consisted of seven members under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission did not consist of any Indian member, so Indians opposed and boycotted the commission calling it a "White Commission." Simon Commission reached Bombay on February 3, 1928.

16. Simon Commission of 1927 was boycotted because: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2004 U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2003 I.A.S. (Pre) 1998]

(a) Congress felt that the people of India are entitled to Swaraj
(b) There was no Indian member in the Commission
(c) It supported the Muslim League
(d) There were differences among the members

Correct Answer: (b) There was no Indian member in the Commission

Solution:Montagu-Chelmsford reform (Government of India Act, 1919) provided for a Constitutional Commission to review its working. Simon Commission was appointed in November 1927 by the British Conservative Government under Stanley Baldwin to report on the working of the Indian Constitution established by the Government of India Act of 1919. The Commission consisted of seven members under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission did not consist of any Indian member, so Indians opposed and boycotted the commission calling it a "White Commission." Simon Commission reached Bombay on February 3, 1928.

17. In which of the following sessions of Muslim League, M.A. Jinnah put forth his 14-point proposal? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015]

(a) 1927
(b) 1928
(c) 1929
(d) 1930

Solution:The Fourteen Points proposal to protest the Nehru Report was proposed by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in March 1929 as a constitutional reform plan to safeguard the political rights of Muslims in a self-governing India.

The Fourteen Points
1. The form of the future constitution should be federal, with the residuary powers vested in the provinces
2. All provinces must be given equal Autonomy
3. All legislatures in the country and other elected bodies shall be constituted on the definite principle of adequate and effective representationof minorities in every province without reducing the majority in any province to a minority or even equality
4. In the Central Legislature, Muslim representation shall not be less than one-third
5. Representation of communal groups shall continue to be by means of the separate electorate at present it shall be open to any community, at any time, to abandon its separate electorate in favour of joint electorate
6. Any territorial distribution that might at any time be necessary shall not in any way affect the Muslim majority in Punjab, Bengaland NWFP provinces
7. Full religious liberty shall be guaranteed to all communities
8. No bill or resolution shall be passed in any legislature if three-fourths of the members of any community in that body oppose the bill
9. Separation of Sindh from Bombay
10. Reforms should be introduced in the NWFP and Balochistanon the same footings as in the other provinces
11. Muslims should be given an adequate share in all services, having due regard to the requirement of efficiency
12. The Constitution should embody adequate safeguards for the protection of Muslim culture, education, language, religion and personal laws, as well as for Muslim charitable institutions
13. One-third representation shall be given to Muslims in both central and provincial cabinets
14. No change will be made in the constitution without the consent of the provinces

18. The radical wing of the Congress Party with Jawaharlal Nehru as one of its main leaders founded the Independence for India League in opposition to [I.A.S. (Pre) 1995]

(a) The Gandhi-Irwin Pact
(b) The Home Rule Movement
(c) The Nehru Report
(d) The Montford Reforms

Correct Answer: (c) The Nehru Report

Solution:Youth and extremist Nationalists opposed the Nehru Report in the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru. They demanded to adopt complete Independence as the immediate goal. As a result, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose founded the "Independence for India League."

19. Who of the following was the President of 'All Parties' Conference held in February 1928? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]

Correct Answer: (b) Dr. M.A. Ansari

Solution:The 'All Party' Conference was held in February 1928 in Delhi. Dr. M.A. Ansari was the president of this conference. It was attended by the representatives of 29 organizations in response to the appointment of the Simon Commission and the challenge given by Lord Birkenhead, the then Secretary of State for India. This conference proposed to draft a constitution that provides for a responsible government in India. Other parties besides Congress in this conference were Hindu Mahasabha, Muslim League, Khilafat committee, etc.

20. With reference to the period of Indian freedom struggle which of the following was/were recommended by the ‘Nehru Report’? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2011]

Complete Independence of India.
Joint electorates for reservation of seats for minorities.
Provision of fundamental rights for the people of India in the Constitution.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b) 2 and 3

Solution:The Nehru Report (1928) recommended for the Dominion status of India in place of Complete Independence. It did not provide for separate electorates for any community or weightage for minorities. As regards the communal problem, Nehru Report provided for joint electorates for reservation of seats for minorities the report recommended joint electorates with reservation of seats for minorities. The report also defined the provision of Fundamental Rights including the right to give a speech, organize meetings, and make Organization. Thus, statement (1) is incorrect while the statement (2) and (3) are correct.