Which act of 1919 provided for responsible government in India?

The Government of India Act 1919 provided for the gradual introduction of responsible government in British India. Also known as the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, it was based on the 1917 declaration that Britain would work toward increasing Indian participation in government.

Its most important innovation was dyarchy in the provinces, introduced in 1921. Provincial subjects were divided into “reserved” and “transferred” areas. Governors and their executive councils retained control of crucial matters such as police, justice and finance, while Indian ministers handled areas including education, agriculture and public health.

The Act expanded legislative councils, introduced direct elections on a limited franchise and created a bicameral central legislature. It did not establish full self-government: the central executive remained answerable to the British authorities, and governors retained overriding powers. The Government of India Act 1935 later replaced provincial dyarchy with a broader system of provincial autonomy.