Government of India Act 1919: Understanding Transferred Subjects

The Government of India Act of 1919 introduced a significant constitutional reform in British India known as 'dyarchy'. This system divided the powers of the provincial governments between two sets of authorities: the Governor and his Executive Council (handling 'Reserved Subjects') and the Indian ministers (handling 'Transferred Subjects'). The goal was to gradually introduce responsible government.

Dyarchy Explained: Reserved vs. Transferred Subjects

Under the dyarchy system:

• Reserved Subjects: These were considered crucial for the administration and remained under the direct control of the Governor and his executive council, who were not accountable to the provincial legislature.
• Transferred Subjects: These subjects were handed over to the ministers chosen from the elected members of the provincial legislative council. These ministers were accountable to the legislature.

Analysis of Subjects under the 1919 Act

Let's examine the subjects listed in the options based on their classification under the Government of India Act of 1919:

• Local self-government: This typically included municipal corporations, district boards, and local village administration. It was generally classified as a Transferred Subject, managed by Indian ministers.
• Police: Matters related to law and order, including the police department, were considered vital for maintaining control. Therefore, the Police was classified as a Reserved Subject, remaining under the Governor's authority.
• Health: Public health, sanitation, and medical administration fell under the purview of transferred departments. Thus, Health was a Transferred Subject.
• Education: The administration of education, including primary, secondary, and higher education, was assigned to Indian ministers, making it a Transferred Subject.

Conclusion on Non-Transferred Subjects

Based on the structure of dyarchy introduced by the Government of India Act of 1919, the Police department was kept under the control of the Governor as a reserved subject. Subjects like Local self-government, Health, and Education were transferred to the control of Indian ministers.