Which Government of India Act first introduced the system of dyarchy (dual government) at the centre level in British India?

Introduction / Context:
During British rule, the constitutional development of India proceeded through a series of Acts passed by the British Parliament. Two important milestones were the introduction of dyarchy in the provinces and later the proposal of dyarchy at the centre. Dyarchy means a dual system of government in which certain subjects are reserved to officials while others are transferred to Indian ministers. This question asks which specific Act introduced dyarchy at the central or federal level, an important detail in the evolution of Indias constitutional history.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about dyarchy at the centre, not in the provinces.
• Options include the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935, the Indian Independence Act 1947, and the Indian Councils Act 1909.
• We assume awareness that different Acts introduced reforms at different levels of government.
• The focus is on identifying the Act that proposed or introduced dyarchy at the central or federal level.

Concept / Approach:
The Government of India Act 1919 introduced dyarchy in the provinces of British India. Under this scheme, provincial subjects were divided into reserved and transferred categories. However, dyarchy at the centre was not part of the 1919 Act. The Government of India Act 1935 went further and proposed the establishment of an all India Federation and introduced the idea of dyarchy at the centre, dividing federal subjects into reserved and transferred categories under the control of the Governor General and responsible ministers respectively. Although the federation under the 1935 Act was never fully implemented, the Act itself is the one that introduced dyarchy at the centre level.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Government of India Act 1919 is associated with dyarchy in the provinces, not at the centre.Step 2: Understand that the Indian Councils Act 1909, also called the Morley Minto Reforms, focused on enlarging legislative councils and introducing separate electorates, not dyarchy.Step 3: Note that the Indian Independence Act 1947 ended British rule and partitioned India but did not introduce dyarchy.Step 4: Recognise that the Government of India Act 1935 proposed an all India Federation and introduced dyarchy at the federal or central level.Step 5: Compare options and select Government of India Act 1935 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard Indian history and polity texts list the main features of the Government of India Acts. For 1919 they emphasise dyarchy in the provinces and the enlargement of provincial autonomy. For 1935 they list federal court, provincial autonomy, and dyarchy at the centre as key features. The Indian Independence Act 1947 is always described in terms of partition and independence. A careful reading of these summaries confirms that dyarchy at the centre is linked specifically with the Government of India Act 1935, not with the other Acts mentioned in the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Indian Independence Act 1947: This Act granted independence and created the Dominions of India and Pakistan. It did not introduce dyarchy at any level.
• Indian Councils Act 1909: Also called the Morley Minto Reforms, it expanded legislative councils and introduced separate electorates for Muslims but had no dyarchy provision.
• Government of India Act 1919: It introduced dyarchy in provinces, not at the centre. The question is specifically about dyarchy at the centre.

Common Pitfalls:
Because students often memorise that dyarchy was introduced by the 1919 Act, they sometimes overlook the important detail that this was at the provincial level only. When a question asks about dyarchy at the centre, the correct reference changes to the 1935 Act. Another confusion is to see any Government of India Act and assume that they all did the same thing. To avoid this, it helps to link key features with each Act: separate electorates with 1909, provincial dyarchy with 1919, and centre level dyarchy and federation with 1935.

Final Answer:
The system of dyarchy at the central or federal level in British India was introduced by the Government of India Act 1935.