SSC · Railway
The Criminal Tribes Act, under which many communities were branded as 'born criminals' and placed under police surveillance, was passed in:
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Answer: Option B — 1871
Detailed Solution
The Criminal Tribes Act was passed by the British government in 1871.
About the Act:
- It allowed the government to declare certain communities (tribes, castes or groups) as "criminal tribes", on the assumption that they were hereditary or habitual criminals ("born criminals").
- Members of these communities had to register with the police, report to the police regularly, and could not move freely without a pass.
- They could be confined to particular areas or settlements.
- Many nomadic communities, such as wandering traders, pastoralists, entertainers and forest communities, were listed under the Act.
NCERT on the Criminal Tribes Act:
- NCERT notes that in 1871, the colonial government in India passed the Criminal Tribes Act.
- By this Act, many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists were classified as Criminal Tribes.
- They were stated to be criminal by nature and birth.
- Once this Act came into force, these communities were expected to live only in notified village settlements.
- They were not allowed to move out without a permit, and the village police kept a continuous watch on them.
Why it was passed:
- The British were suspicious of nomadic people, who moved from place to place and were difficult to control and tax.
- The British wanted a settled population, which could be easily identified and administered.
Later developments:
The Act was extended to other parts of India, and was amended several times; a new Criminal Tribes Act was passed in 1924.
Repeal:
- After Independence, the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed in 1949 (effective 1952), and the communities were "denotified".
- They are now known as Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis); 31 August is observed by some as "Vimukta Diwas".
Why not the other options?
- ✗1857 was the year of the Revolt.
- ✗1891 was the year of the Age of Consent Act.
- ✗1924 was the year of a revised Criminal Tribes Act.
Quick tip
Remember: Criminal Tribes Act = 1871 (communities branded "born criminals"; NCERT on pastoralists); repealed 1949, communities denotified (Vimukta Jatis).
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British Acts & Policies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of British Acts & Policies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the constitutional and administrative acts passed during British rule, from the Regulating Act of 1773 and Pitt's India Act of 1784 to the Charter Acts, the Indian Councils Acts, the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935, and the Indian Independence Act of 1947, along with British economic, land revenue and education policies. Exam questions usually ask what a particular act introduced: the Indian Councils Act 1909 introduced separate electorates for Muslims, the Government of India Act 1919 brought dyarchy to the provinces, and the 1935 Act provided for a federation and provincial autonomy. Land revenue systems (Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari and Mahalwari) and education milestones such as Wood's Despatch (1854) are also tested. Practise the British acts and policies questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.