RAS question
The Nehru Report (1928) differed from the subsequent Government of India Act, 1935 in that it demanded:
Correct answer: (A) Dominion status with joint electorates and fundamental rights.
The Nehru Report of 1928 demanded Dominion status for India, with joint electorates and fundamental rights.
Explanation
The Nehru Report, chaired by Motilal Nehru with Jawaharlal Nehru as secretary, asked for Dominion status, not Crown Colony status or a military arrangement with Britain. India was to have the same constitutional status within the British Empire as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the Irish Free State, with a responsible executive and Parliament. The Nehru Report included a fundamental-rights section, including equal rights for men and women. On representation, the report rejected separate electorates and recommended joint mixed electorates for the House of Representatives and the provincial legislatures. Jinnah opposed this approach, while Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru wanted Purna Swaraj instead of Dominion status.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Crown Colony status would have meant reduced autonomy, whereas the Nehru Report sought Dominion-style constitutional status and responsible government.
- (C) The report demanded Dominion status rather than Purna Swaraj, and it recommended joint mixed electorates instead of separate electorates.
- (D) The Nehru Report made no demand for a military alliance with Britain, and its relevant demands were constitutional and representative.
Concept
The constitutional politics of the late national movement often turned on the difference between Dominion status, Purna Swaraj, and communal representation. RAS repeats this area because reports, Acts, and Congress debates often hinge on one precise constitutional demand.