The Government of India Act 1935 and Congress rule, 1937-1939

O Level Pakistan Studies History · The emergence of Pakistan: 1905 to 1939. A short explanation of the idea, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid, a worked example and practice questions with answers.

Test this topic freeAll O Level Pakistan Studies History topics

The idea

The Government of India Act 1935 was the last British constitution for India. Its main change was provincial autonomy: dyarchy ended in the provinces and elected ministers ran almost all provincial subjects. A federation with the princely states was planned but never started.

Both the Congress and the League disliked the Act but fought the 1937 elections. The Congress won clearly and formed ministries in most provinces. The League did badly, which showed Jinnah that it must become a mass party.

Many Muslims found Congress rule (1937 to 1939) hostile to their culture. When the ministries resigned, Jinnah called a Day of Deliverance.

Rules to remember

Common mistake

Students often say the 1935 Act introduced dyarchy in the provinces. It did the opposite: it ended dyarchy in the provinces. Dyarchy in the provinces came with the 1919 reforms.

Worked example

The Muslim League did poorly in the 1937 elections. Explain how this defeat could still help the League.

  1. The result showed Jinnah that the League had little support among ordinary Muslim voters and had to be reorganised.
  2. Congress rule then gave Muslims direct experience of government by a Hindu-majority party, which many found unfair.
  3. Jinnah used these complaints to win members and turn the League into a mass party.

Answer: The defeat was a warning that led to reorganisation, and Congress rule gave the League the support it had lacked in 1937.

Practice questions

Try each one, then open the answer.

1. Which report set out Muslim League complaints about Congress rule?

  1. A
    the Nehru Report (1928)
  2. B
    the Simon Report (1930)
  3. C
    the Pirpur Report (1938)
  4. D
    the Radcliffe Award (1947)
Show answer

Answer: C. The League's Pirpur Report listed grievances against the Congress ministries; the Shareef Report did the same for Bihar.

2. How did the Muslim League perform in the 1937 provincial elections?

  1. A
    it won most Muslim seats in the Punjab and Bengal
  2. B
    it won a majority of all seats in the United Provinces
  3. C
    poorly, winning a minority of Muslim seats
  4. D
    it formed governments in most of the provinces
Show answer

Answer: C. Regional parties such as the Unionists in the Punjab did better among Muslims. The result pushed Jinnah to rebuild the League.

3. Why was the federal part of the 1935 Act never put into effect?

  1. A
    too few princely states agreed to join
  2. B
    the League refused to take part in elections
  3. C
    the Congress won a majority and cancelled it
  4. D
    the British Parliament repealed it in 1937
Show answer

Answer: A. The federation could start only when enough princely states acceded; they held back, and the war in 1939 ended the plan.

More questions on this topic

Read the full notes

Keep going

← The Round Table Conferences and the Communal Award, 1930-1932The Second World War and the Pakistan Resolution, 1940 →All rules on one pageStuck? Ask a question