Reconstitution of Viceroy’s Executive Council proposal — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2008
Which one of the following suggested the reconstitution of the Viceroy’s Executive Council in which all the portfolios, including that of War Members, were to be held by the Indian leaders?
- Simon Commission
- Simla Conference
- Cripps Proposal
- Cabinet Mission
Explanation
Option (b) is correct
- The Simla Conference (1945), based on the Wavell Plan, proposed a major overhaul of the Viceroy’s Executive Council. The key proposal was that all members of the Council, except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief (who held the War portfolio at that specific moment), would be Indian political leaders. While the Commander-in-Chief was still a British official, the intention was to have all other significant portfolios managed by Indians, a major step toward self-governance. The conference ultimately failed due to disagreements between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League over the method of selecting Muslim representatives.
Answer: (b) Simla Conference
