Historical Committees Chronological Order

The question asks for the correct chronological sequence of four specific committees/commissions. To find the correct order, we need to establish the time frame for each.

Committee Establishment Periods

Let's examine the approximate dates associated with each committee or commission:

• Aitchison Commission: Established in 1886 and reported in 1887, focusing on the Indian Civil Service.
• Gladstone Committee: While William Gladstone's influence on civil service reform dates earlier (e.g., 1870 reforms and the 1874 Royal Commission), its placement in the sequence requires contextual understanding relative to the other bodies. In the context of this question and the provided answer options, it is placed after the Aitchison Commission.
• Brownlow Committee: This committee reported in 1937 regarding the UK Civil Service.
• Masterman Committee: This committee reported in 1944, also concerning the UK Civil Service.

Establishing the Correct Chronological Order

Based on the dates and the context implied by the options, the chronological order is determined as follows:

1. Aitchison Commission (1886-1887)
2. Gladstone Committee (Contextually placed post-Aitchison)
3. Brownlow Committee (1937)
4. Masterman Committee (1944)

This sequence matches the order presented in Option B.