RAS question
Who was the Viceroy when the Indian National Congress was founded in 1885?
Correct answer: (C) Lord Dufferin.
Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy of India when the Indian National Congress was founded in 1885.
Explanation
The date is the key. The Governor General of Canada records Lord Dufferin's later career as including service as Viceroy of India from 1884 to 1888, so the 1885 founding of the Indian National Congress falls squarely within his tenure. Dufferin was initially open to a moderate political organisation, but became hostile as Congress demands grew. His period also saw the Public Service Commission, known as the Aitchison Commission, in 1886 for civil service reforms. The question therefore tests a precise chronology link, not just a name: INC founding in 1885 aligns with Dufferin, not the neighbouring viceroys.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Lord Lansdowne is wrong because his viceroyalty began in 1888, after the Indian National Congress had already been founded in 1885.
- (B) Lord Curzon is wrong because his tenure was 1899-1905, far later than the Congress founding year.
- (D) Lord Ripon is wrong because his tenure ended in 1884, one year before the Indian National Congress was founded.
Concept
This tests the Modern Indian History chronology of viceroys and early nationalist organisations. It recurs in RAS because early Congress politics, moderate constitutional demands, and British administrative responses are often asked through date-person matching.