UPSC Previous Year Question | Prelims GS | 2019

Consider the following statements about 'the Charter Act of 1813': 1. It ended the trade monopoly of the East India Company in India except for trade in tea and trade with China. 2. It asserted the sovereignty of the British Crown over the Indian territories held by the Company. 3. The revenues of India were now controlled by the British Parliament. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer

Correct Answer

1 and 2 only

Explanation

The Charter Act of 1813 ended the Company's monopoly of Indian trade (except tea and the China trade) and asserted the sovereignty of the Crown over the Company's territories, while the Company retained the territories and their revenue for another 20 years. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Act did not place Indian revenues under the control of Parliament (it only required separate commercial and territorial accounts).

Topics: british constitutional developments, charter act of 1813, history, modern india