Arrange the following Social Legislations of British rule in chronological order:
1. Abolition of infanticide by British Regulation
2. Abolition of Sati by Lord William Bentinck
3. Abolition of infanticide by Lord Wellesley
4. Abolition of slavery under Regulation X by the Bengal Government
Choose the correct option:
Last updated Aug 8, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option B —
1, 3, 4, 2
To arrange these social legislations chronologically, we look at the specific years and regulations enacted during the British Raj:
• 1. Abolition of infanticide by British Regulation (1795 & 1804): Female infanticide was first declared illegal by the Bengal Regulation XXI of 1795 and later by the Regulation III of 1804. These were the earliest formal steps taken against this social evil.
• 3. Abolition of infanticide by Lord Wellesley (1802): While the general regulations were passing, Lord Wellesley specifically issued a ban on the custom of sacrificing the first-born child in the Ganges (specifically at Sagar Island) through a regulation in 1802.
• 4. Abolition of slavery under Regulation X by the Bengal Government (1811): The Bengal Government passed Regulation X in 1811, which prohibited the importation of slaves into the territories of the Presidency of Fort William from foreign countries. (Note: Total abolition of slavery in India came later via the Act of 1843).
• 2. Abolition of Sati by Lord William Bentinck (1829): One of the most famous social reforms, the Sati Abolition Act (Regulation XVII), was passed by Lord William Bentinck in December 1829, initially applying to the Bengal Presidency and later extended to Madras and Bombay.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
