Which of the following administrative measures taken by Lord Lytton was a factor in the rise of Indian Nationalism?

Question

Which of the following administrative measures taken by Lord Lytton was a factor in the rise of Indian Nationalism?

1. A. Ilbert Bill Controversy (1883)
2. B. Partition of Bengal (1905)
3. C. Formation of the Indian National Congress (1885)
4. D. Passing of the Vernacular Press Act (1878) (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — Passing of the Vernacular Press Act (1878)

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Passing of the Vernacular Press Act (1878).

Key Points

• Lord Lytton was Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880, and the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was his measure.
• The Act empowered the government to seize the printing presses and confiscate the material of Indian-language newspapers publishing "seditious" content, while exempting English-language papers entirely. Because of this openly discriminatory character it was nicknamed the "Gagging Act".
• The resentment it provoked among the educated Indian middle class was a direct stimulus to organised nationalist activity.

Additional Information

• Why the other options are wrong:
  • Ilbert Bill controversy (1883) — occurred under Lord Ripon, who succeeded Lytton. The Bill sought to allow Indian judges to try European defendants; the furious European agitation that forced its dilution taught Indians the value of organised protest.
  • Partition of Bengal (1905) — the work of Lord Curzon, and the trigger for the Swadeshi Movement.
  • Formation of the Indian National Congress (1885) — took place under Lord Dufferin, and was an effect rather than an administrative measure.
• Lytton's other unpopular acts:
  • The Arms Act, 1878, which required Indians to hold a licence for firearms while exempting Europeans.
  • Lowering the maximum age for the Indian Civil Service examination from 21 to 19, further reducing Indian access.
  • Holding the lavish Delhi Durbar of 1877 to proclaim Queen Victoria Empress of India while the Great Famine of 1876–78 was killing millions.
  • The abolition of import duties on British cotton textiles, which harmed Indian producers.
• The Vernacular Press Act was repealed by Lord Ripon in 1882. Ripon is also remembered for the Resolution on Local Self-Government (1882), which earned him the title "Father of Local Self-Government in India".