Charter Act of 1853

The 1853 Charter Act ended the Company’s patronage, enjoining recruitment to be through an open competition henceforth.

The Indians, however, were barred from high posts from the very beginning. Cornwallis thought, “Every native of Hindustan is corrupt.” The Charter Act of 1793 had reserved all posts worth 500 pounds per annum for the covenanted servants of the Company. The reasons for exclusion of Indians were—

● the belief that only the English could establish

administrative services serving British interests;

● the belief that the Indians were incapable, untrust- worthy and insensitive to the British interests;

● the fact there was high competition among the Europeans themselves for lucrative posts, so why offer them to the Indians.

Although the Charter Act of 1833 theoretically threw open the services to the Indians, the relevant provisions were never really implemented. After 1857, when the Indians claimed a share in higher services, the Proclamation of 1858 declared the British intention of including the Indians, freely and impartially, in offices under the civil service.