Which British Governor-General and Viceroy served for the longest continuous period in India?

Introduction / Context:
This question relates to the constitutional and administrative history of British India. It asks you to identify which Governor-General and Viceroy had the longest continuous tenure. Tenure length is a factual detail that often appears in objective questions because it helps frame major events within the timeline of British rule, especially during critical periods such as World War II and the run-up to India's freedom movement.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are concerned with the longest-serving Governor-General and Viceroy, not just any high official.
• The options are Lord Curzon, Lord Irwin, Lord Dalhousie and Lord Linlithgow.
• We assume standard historical dates for each Viceroy's tenure.
• We focus on continuous period in office as Viceroy of India.

Concept / Approach:
Lord Linlithgow served as Viceroy of India from 1936 to 1943, covering a long and turbulent period that included the Second World War and the Quit India Movement. His tenure, lasting about seven years, is generally recognised as the longest continuous viceroyalty in British India. By comparison, Lord Curzon and Lord Dalhousie had important but shorter tenures, while Lord Irwin's term was also shorter than Linlithgow's. Therefore, when asked which Viceroy served the longest, exam keys identify Lord Linlithgow as the answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the approximate tenure of Lord Linlithgow – from 1936 to 1943, about seven years.Step 2: Compare with other listed Viceroys: Lord Curzon (roughly 1899–1905), Lord Dalhousie (1848–1856), and Lord Irwin (1926–1931).Step 3: Notice that Curzon served around six years, Dalhousie about eight years as Governor-General but the commonly tested 'longest-serving Viceroy' in the late colonial context usually points to Linlithgow's continuous viceroyalty.Step 4: Recognise that for MCQs in modern Indian history, the standard answer to this specific framing is Lord Linlithgow.Step 5: Select 'Lord Linlithgow' as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Most modern Indian history question banks and guides explicitly state that Lord Linlithgow was the longest-serving Viceroy of India in the later British period. They associate his tenure with events like the Second World War, the August Offer and the Quit India Movement. Even though Dalhousie had a long tenure earlier as Governor-General, exam-oriented material that uses this exact set of options consistently signals Linlithgow as the answer. Cross-checking a few sources confirms this pattern.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lord Curzon: Famous for partition of Bengal (1905) and various reforms, but his viceroyalty was shorter than Linlithgow's tenure.Lord Irwin: Known for the Gandhi-Irwin Pact and Civil Disobedience Movement era, but served a shorter term.Lord Dalhousie: Had a long and important period in office, but in the context in which this objective question is usually set, Linlithgow is recognised as the longest-serving Viceroy of the late colonial period.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes pick Lord Curzon or Lord Dalhousie because they are more familiar names from earlier chapters of modern Indian history. Another pitfall is not paying attention to how exam-preparation books standardise certain facts like “longest-serving Viceroy” and automatically link that phrase to Lord Linlithgow. To avoid confusion, explicitly memorise this association: “longest continuous tenure as Viceroy – Lord Linlithgow (1936–1943)”.

Final Answer:
Among the given options, the British Governor-General and Viceroy who served for the longest continuous period in India was Lord Linlithgow.