UPSC Prelims 2017 Q26: Modern History – Constitutional Developments & British Plans (1909 - 1947)
The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to
- (a) Define the jurisdiction of the Central and Provincial Governments.
- (b) Define the powers of the Secretary of State for India.
- (c) Impose censorship on national press.
- (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.
Answer: (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.
Explanation
Butler Committee (Indian States Committee), 1927
Headed by Sir Harcourt Butler, it examined relations between the Paramount Power (the British Crown) and the Indian princely States.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Set up | 1927 |
| Purpose | Clarify the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States |
| Key finding | Paramountcy must remain paramount: the Crown could intervene in States when needed |
| Further view | States should not be handed to an Indian government without their consent |
Checking the options:
| Other option | Why wrong |
|---|---|
| (a) Central-provincial jurisdiction | Dealt with by the 1919 Act and later the 1935 Act |
| (b) Powers of the Secretary of State | Not the Butler Committee's subject |
| (c) Press censorship | Handled by press laws, not this committee |
Answer: (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Central and provincial jurisdiction was set by the 1919 and 1935 Acts.
- (b) Incorrect. The Secretary of State's powers were not the Butler Committee's remit.
- (c) Incorrect. Press censorship came through press laws, not this committee.
- (d) CORRECT. The Butler Committee examined relations between the Paramount Power and the princely States.
Key point
Butler Committee (1927): relations between the British Crown (Paramountcy) and the princely States; concluded 'paramountcy must remain paramount'.
Remember
Butler Committee = princely States and Paramountcy.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the Butler Committee (princely States) with the Simon Commission (constitutional reform, also 1927).
- Thinking it dealt with Centre-province relations.
- Forgetting its line that paramountcy must remain paramount.
Exam tip
1927 had two bodies: Simon Commission (British India reforms) and Butler Committee (princely States).
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence, Ch 28 (The Freedom Struggle in Princely India)
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India