Under the British constitutional setup for India, the “Commissioners for the Affairs of India” were collectively known by which official name?

Introduction / Context:
This question is from the constitutional and administrative history of British rule in India. Over time, the British Parliament introduced various bodies to regulate the East India Company and, later, to control the governance of India. One such body created by Pitt's India Act of 1784 was the set of Commissioners for the Affairs of India. Knowing the common name by which this group was known is a favourite point in competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The phrase used is “Commissioners for the Affairs of India”.
• We must identify their commonly used institutional name.
• Options mention Court of Directors, Board of Directors, Board of Control and Board of Merchants.
• We assume familiarity with Pitt's India Act and the structure it created.

Concept / Approach:
Pitt's India Act of 1784 established a dual system in which the East India Company's Court of Directors continued to handle commercial matters, while a new body called the Board of Control oversaw political and civil affairs in India on behalf of the British government. The members of this body were officially titled Commissioners for the Affairs of India, but in practice and in textbooks they are commonly referred to as the Board of Control. This arrangement increased parliamentary and Crown supervision over the Company without immediately abolishing its authority.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Pitt's India Act, 1784, created the Board of Control in Britain to supervise the East India Company's political activities.Step 2: Note that the official name for the members of this board was “Commissioners for the Affairs of India”.Step 3: Recognise that the Court of Directors already existed as the Company's own management body, responsible mainly for commercial business.Step 4: Understand that “Board of Directors” and “Board of Merchants” are generic terms not used as the standard constitutional label for this body in exam literature.Step 5: Therefore, the Commissioners for the Affairs of India are best known collectively as the Board of Control.

Verification / Alternative check:
Constitutional history texts and exam guides on British rule in India consistently state that Pitt's India Act created a Board of Control, officially made up of Commissioners for the Affairs of India, to supervise the Company. They also explain how this Board worked alongside the Court of Directors. MCQs that ask this question almost always phrase the correct answer simply as “Board of Control”, confirming the association.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Court of Directors: This was the pre-existing governing body of the East India Company itself, not the new supervisory commissioners appointed by the British government.Board of Directors: A generic term that could describe the Court of Directors but not the specific constitutional entity created by Pitt's India Act.Board of Merchants: Not a recognised institutional term in the constitutional history of British India; it does not correspond to “Commissioners for the Affairs of India”.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the Company's own organs (like the Court of Directors) with the British government's oversight bodies. Because the words “directors” and “commissioners” both suggest management, some candidates choose the wrong option. To avoid this, remember the division clearly: Court of Directors – Company's internal commercial body; Board of Control (Commissioners for the Affairs of India) – British government's supervisory body created under Pitt's India Act.

Final Answer:
The Commissioners for the Affairs of India were collectively known as the Board of Control.