Lord William Bentinck

Following were the important provisions:

(i) The English East India Company ceased to be a commercial agency in India. In other words, it would function hereafter as the political agent for the Crown.

(ii) The Governor-General of Fort William was hereafter called ‘the Governor- General of India’. Thus, Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India’.

(iii) A Law Member was appointed to the Governor-General’s Council. T. B. Macaulay was the first Law Member of the Governor- General-in-Council.

(iv) The Act categorically stated ‘that no native of India, nor any natural born subject of His Majesty, should be disabled from holding any place, office, or employment, by reason of his religion, place of birth, descent or colour”. It was this enactment which laid the foundation for the Indianisation of public services.

After twenty years, the Charter Act of 1853 was passed and it was the last in the series of Charter Acts.

Reforms of Lord William Bentinck

The advent of Lord William Bentinck ushered in a new era in the annals of India in many ways. Although his tenure of office covered only a short span of seven years, it saw a period of enduring reforms. They may be classified as financial, administrative, social and educational.

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