In British Indian history, in which year was the Simon Commission appointed by the British government to review the working of the Government of India Act of 1919?

Introduction / Context:
The Simon Commission is an important episode in the history of the Indian freedom struggle. It was a group of British members of parliament sent to review constitutional progress in India. The commission became famous because it contained no Indian members and was widely opposed. This question focuses on the year in which the commission was appointed, which is a standard fact for examinations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The commission is the Simon Commission under Sir John Simon.
• The purpose was to review the Government of India Act of 1919.
• The question asks for the year of appointment, not the year of arrival or later events.

Concept / Approach:
The Government of India Act of 1919 provided for a review after ten years. The British government violated the original timeline slightly by appointing the commission earlier. The Simon Commission was appointed in 1927 and visited India in 1928. This difference in years often confuses students, so it is important to distinguish appointment from visit.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Government of India Act of 1919 was due for review around 1929. Step 2: Note that the British government appointed the Simon Commission ahead of schedule in 1927. Step 3: Remember that the commission actually visited India in 1928, which is another important but separate date. Step 4: Compare the options and locate 1927 among them. Step 5: Select 1927 as the correct year of appointment.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by remembering a simple pair: 1927 appointed, 1928 arrived in India. Many textbooks explicitly mention this pair because protests against the commission are linked to the later date, while constitutional history refers to the appointment date. Fixing both dates in memory helps you answer various related questions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, 1933, and Option B, 1939, are too late and relate to later constitutional developments including the Government of India Act of 1935 and the Second World War context. Option C, 1921, is far earlier than the scheduled review period. Option E, 1919, is the year of the earlier Act itself, not the review commission.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the appointment year with the year of arrival or with later constitutional acts. Another mistake is to connect the Simon Commission with the Government of India Act of 1935 rather than with the review of the 1919 Act. Always keep the two dates 1927 and 1928 clearly distinguished in your notes.

Final Answer:
The Simon Commission was appointed by the British government in 1927 to review the working of the Government of India Act of 1919.