Q13. Who was the first Governor-General of India?

(a) Robert Clive

(b) Warren Hastings

(c) Lord Dalhousie

(d) Lord Wellesley

The correct answer Answer: (b) Warren Hastings

The correct answer is Warren Hastings, who became the first Governor-General of India in 1773.

• Before 1773, the East India Company’s administration in India was managed separately in the presidencies of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras.
• The Regulating Act of 1773 passed by the British Parliament made Bengal the most important presidency and created the post of Governor-General.
• Warren Hastings, who had been the Governor of Bengal, was appointed as the first Governor-General of India.

Reforms introduced by Warren Hastings:

1. Judicial Reforms – He established courts like the Supreme Court in Calcutta and reorganized civil and criminal courts.
2. Revenue Reforms – He improved the revenue collection system and introduced measures to check corruption.
3. Administrative Reforms – He strengthened the Company’s control over Indian territories and streamlined governance.
4. Military Reforms – Hastings reorganized the army to maintain British dominance.

Warren Hastings laid the foundation of British administration in India. He is remembered as the first important architect of the British colonial system, which gradually expanded across the country.