Sati Regulation Act, 1829 – Abolition of widow immolation in Bengal, later extended to Bombay and Madras .
1. Legal Name & Enactment
Officially called Bengal Sati Regulation XVII, 1829.
Promulgated on December 4, 1829, by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck for the Bengal Presidency .
2. Purpose & Significance
Declared sati (widow immolation) illegal and punishable under criminal law—equating acts of violence or compulsion to culpable homicide, with provisions for death penalty in severe cases .
Marked the first major social reform by the British in India .
3. Role of Key Individuals
Lord Bentinck acted decisively after consulting army officers and judges and resisting opposition .
Supported strongly by Raja Rammohan Roy, who had campaigned since the 1810s, using religious texts and activism to challenge the practice .
4. Social Context & Opposition
The law declared that Hindu religious texts never mandated sati, calling the practice “revolting to human nature” .
Groups like the Dharma Sabha (led by Radhakanta Deb) opposed the ban as interference in religious affairs; they appealed to the Privy Council in 1832, but the ban was upheld .
5. Extension & Legacy
Extended to Bombay (1827) and Madras (1830) in slightly altered forms, then to all of British India .
Set a precedent for deeper social reforms: Widow Remarriage, Infanticide laws, Age of Consent, etc. .
Widow Remarriage Act, 1856 – Legalised remarriage among Hindu widows, driven by reformers like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and supported by Brahmo Samaj .
The Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856, legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows in British India. It was enacted during Governor-General Lord Dalhousie’s tenure and implemented by his successor Lord Canning.
Key points for UPSC/STATE PCS/SSC:
Championed by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who cited Hindu scriptures to challenge orthodox opposition.
Passed on 26 July 1856, despite resistance from conservative Brahmins who claimed it violated Hindu customs.
Under the Act, widows who remarried retained rights in their second husband’s property but lost claims over the deceased first husband’s estate.
Significance: A landmark in the movement for social reform in colonial India, part of broader 19th-century efforts alongside the abolition of sati (1829) and female education promotion.
Age of Consent Act, 1891 – Raised minimum age of sexual consent to 12 years for girls, following the Rukhmabai case .
📚 Background
In late 19th-century India, the minimum age for consummation of marriage was not legally defined.
Social reformers like Behramji Malabari campaigned against child marriage and early consummation, highlighting health hazards and exploitation of minor girls.
The tragic case of Phulmoni Dasi, an 11-year-old Bengali girl who died in 1889 from injuries caused by her much older husband's sexual intercourse, sparked nationwide outrage.
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📜 Enactment
Introduced by the British colonial government and passed as the Age of Consent Act, 1891 (Act X of 1891).
Raised the minimum age of consent for sexual intercourse for girls from 10 years to 12 years.
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⚖️ Key Provisions
Made it a criminal offence (rape) for a husband to consummate marriage with a wife below 12 years of age, even if married.
Punishable under IPC Section 376 with imprisonment or fine.
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🌱 Significance
First major legislative step to protect minor girls within the domain of marriage.
Strengthened by voices of Indian social reformers advocating against child marriage.
Sparked intense debate on colonial intervention vs. religious customs, with orthodox conservatives opposing the law as interference in Hindu tradition.
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📌 Criticism & Limitations
Did not abolish child marriage itself; merely regulated consummation age.
Implementation remained poor due to social conservatism and lack of awareness.
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🔥 Historical Impact
Set the stage for later reforms:
Sarda Act (1929) – Set marriage age at 14 (girls) and 18 (boys).
Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Acts in post-independence India.
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✅ UPSC Answer Points
Link to 19th-century social reform movements & nationalist awakening.
Highlight colonial dilemmas: humanitarian image vs. accusations of religious interference.
Note legal but limited practical impact in reducing child marriage.
Child Marriage Restraint (Sarda) Act, 1929 – Set minimum marriage ages: girls ≥14, boys ≥18 .
📚 Background
Early 20th century: child marriage widely prevalent in India.
Reformers like Har Bilas Sarda, supported by women activists and nationalist leaders, campaigned to set minimum marriage age.
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📜 Enactment
Introduced by Har Bilas Sarda (a judge & legislator).
Passed in September 1929, came into force in April 1930.
Popularly called Sarda Act.
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⚖️ Key Provisions
Minimum marriage age fixed at:
14 years for girls
18 years for boys
Punishable with fine & imprisonment for adult men marrying minors, guardians or priests facilitating such marriages.
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🌱 Significance
First law in colonial India regulating marriage age.
Result of rising women’s movement, social reform campaigns & growing nationalist demand for social change.
Considered milestone in history of women & child rights in India.
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📌 Limitations
Did not declare child marriages invalid; only penalized involved parties.
Social enforcement weak; law often ignored in rural/conservative areas.
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🔥 Later Developments
Minimum ages raised later (through amendments):
15 (girls) & 18 (boys) in 1949.
18 (girls) & 21 (boys) in 1978 amendment.
MCQs on Social Reform Acts in British India
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1️⃣ The Sati Regulation Act was enacted in:
A) 1829
B) 1856
C) 1891
D) 1929
✅ Answer: A
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2️⃣ Who was instrumental in the passage of the Sati Regulation Act, 1829?
A) Lord Dalhousie
B) Lord Canning
C) Lord William Bentinck
D) Lord Ripon
✅ Answer: C
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3️⃣ The Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act was passed in:
A) 1829
B) 1856
C) 1891
D) 1929
✅ Answer: B
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4️⃣ Which social reformer campaigned strongly for the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act?
A) Raja Rammohan Roy
B) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
C) Jyotirao Phule
D) B.R. Ambedkar
✅ Answer: B
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5️⃣ The Age of Consent Act, 1891 raised the age of consent from 10 to:
A) 12 years
B) 14 years
C) 16 years
D) 18 years
✅ Answer: A
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6️⃣ The immediate trigger for the Age of Consent Act was the tragic death of:
A) Phulmoni Dasi
B) Tarabai Shinde
C) Pandita Ramabai
D) Rokeya Sakhawat
✅ Answer: A
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7️⃣ The Child Marriage Restraint Act (Sarda Act) fixed minimum marriage age at:
A) 12 (girls), 16 (boys)
B) 14 (girls), 18 (boys)
C) 16 (girls), 21 (boys)
D) 18 (girls), 21 (boys)
✅ Answer: B
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8️⃣ Who introduced the Child Marriage Restraint Act in the British Indian legislature?
A) Har Bilas Sarda
B) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
C) Dadabhai Naoroji
D) Mahadev Govind Ranade
✅ Answer: A
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9️⃣ Which of the following Acts did NOT abolish child marriage but penalized it?
A) Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856
B) Age of Consent Act, 1891
C) Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929
D) Sati Regulation Act, 1829
✅ Answer: C
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10️⃣ Which Act was associated with Lord Canning's tenure?
A) Sati Regulation Act
B) Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act
C) Age of Consent Act
D) Child Marriage Restraint Act
✅ Answer: B
ब्रिटिश भारत में सामाजिक सुधार अधिनियमों पर MCQs (हिंदी में)
1️⃣ सती निषेध अधिनियम कब पारित हुआ?
A) 1829B) 1856C) 1891D) 1929उत्तर: A
2️⃣ सती प्रथा को समाप्त कराने में किसका योगदान प्रमुख था?
A) लॉर्ड डलहौजीB) लॉर्ड कैनिंगC) लॉर्ड विलियम बेंटिकD) लॉर्ड रिपनउत्तर: C
3️⃣ विधवा पुनर्विवाह अधिनियम कब पारित हुआ?
A) 1829B) 1856C) 1891D) 1929उत्तर: B
4️⃣ विधवा पुनर्विवाह अधिनियम के लिए किस समाज सुधारक ने अभियान चलाया?
A) राजा राममोहन रायB) ईश्वरचंद्र विद्यासागरC) ज्योतिराव फुलेD) बी.आर. अम्बेडकरउत्तर: B
5️⃣ 1891 के आयु सहमति अधिनियम ने सहमति की उम्र 10 से बढ़ाकर कितनी की?
A) 12 वर्षB) 14 वर्षC) 16 वर्षD) 18 वर्षउत्तर: A
6️⃣ आयु सहमति अधिनियम के पीछे तात्कालिक कारण कौन था?
A) फूलमनी दासीB) ताराबाई शिंदेC) पंडिता रमाबाईD) रोकेया सखावतउत्तर: A
7️⃣ शारदा अधिनियम ने विवाह की न्यूनतम आयु कितनी निर्धारित की?
A) लड़कियाँ 12, लड़के 16B) लड़कियाँ 14, लड़के 18C) लड़कियाँ 16, लड़के 21D) लड़कियाँ 18, लड़के 21उत्तर: B
8️⃣ शारदा अधिनियम किसने प्रस्तुत किया?
A) हर बिलास शारदाB) गोपाल कृष्ण गोखलेC) दादाभाई नौरोजीD) महादेव गोविंद रानाडेउत्तर: A
9️⃣ निम्न में से किस अधिनियम ने बाल विवाह समाप्त नहीं किया, बल्कि दंडनीय अपराध बनाया?
A) विधवा पुनर्विवाह अधिनियम, 1856B) आयु सहमति अधिनियम, 1891C) बाल विवाह निषेध अधिनियम, 1929D) सती निषेध अधिनियम, 1829उत्तर: C
10️⃣ किस अधिनियम का सम्बन्ध लॉर्ड कैनिंग के कार्यकाल से है?
A) सती निषेध अधिनियमB) विधवा पुनर्विवाह अधिनियमC) आयु सहमति अधिनियमD) बाल विवाह निषेध अधिनियमउत्तर: B
