The Round Table Conferences were a series of pivotal meetings held between and in London between British officials and Indian leaders to discuss constitutional reforms for India. Despite long discussions, these sessions yielded limited immediate results, but they paved the way for the Government of India Act 1935. These events hold great value for students preparing for history and political science exams, offering insights into pre-independence talks and strategies.
🎯 In this chapter, you will understand:
- The main reasons why the three Round Table Conferences were organized.
- Key delegates from the princely states, Muslim League, Congress, and other groups.
- The disagreements that caused political stalemates during the meetings.
- How these talks led directly to the Government of India Act 1935.
💡 Why this topic matters: It highlights the critical shift where Indian leaders and British authorities negotiated constitutional powers as equals for the first time.
🧠 Core Idea: These three conferences shaped the constitutional architecture of colonial India, culminating in major legislative changes.
The Round Table Conferences in India: Background and Key Developments (–)
The British government initiated these discussions to address the shortcomings of the Simon Commission report. Lord Irwin and Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald led the efforts, inviting leaders from British India and the princely states.
Overview of the Conferences:
- (i) The sessions took place across three separate rounds between and .
- (ii) Discussions focused on responding to the political demands and future governance of the country.
- (iii) The talks laid the groundwork for the eventual draft of the Government of India Act 1935.
First Round Table Conference ( – )
The inaugural session brought together delegates from the princely states and diverse political groups to discuss a proposed federal structure for India.
Key Details and Participants of the First Session
This session marked the first instance where British officials and Indian delegates met on equal terms to deliberate on the future of India. King George V formally opened the conference, signifying a notable change in imperial diplomatic relations.
- (i) Date: –
- (ii) Location:London
- (iii) Opening: Formally inaugurated by King George V on
- (iv) Chair: British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Detailed Participant Breakdown
- (i) Indian Princely States:Maharaja of Alwar, Maharaja of Baroda, Nawab of Bhopal, Maharaja of Bikaner, Rana of Dholpur, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja of Nawanagar, Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaja of Rewa, Chief Sahib of Sangli, Sir Prabhashankar Pattani (Bhavnagar), Manubhai Mehta (Baroda), Sardar Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Khan (Gwalior), Akbar Hydari (Hyderabad), Mirza Ismail (Mysore), and Col. Kailas Narain Haksar (Jammu and Kashmir).
- (ii) Muslim League:Aga Khan III, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Muhammad Shafi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, A.K. Fazlul Huq, Hafiz Ghulam Hussain Hidayat Ullah, Dr. Shafa’at Ahmad Khan, Raja Sher Muhammad Khan of Domeli, and A.H. Ghuznavi.
- (iii) Hindu Mahasabha:B.S. Moonje, M.R. Jayakar, and Diwan Bahadur Raja Narendra Nath.
- (iv) Sikhs:Sardar Ujjal Singh and Sardar Sampuran Singh.
- (v) Depressed Classes:B.R. Ambedkar and Rettamalai Srinivasan.
- (vi) Other Groups: Parsis (Phiroze Sethna, Cowasji Jehangir, Homi Mody), Women (Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz, Radhabai Subbarayan), Liberals (Tej Bahadur Sapru, C.Y. Chintamani), along with representatives from Burma and Orissa.
- (v) Outcome: The conference reached a general agreement on forming an all-India federation with safeguards for finance and defense. However, overall progress was hindered because the Indian National Congress boycotted the session due to the ongoing Civil Disobedience Movement.
Second Round Table Conference ( – )
The second session included Mahatma Gandhi following political talks in India. However, it faced obstacles due to shifts in British leadership and disagreements over how minority communities should be represented.
Detailed Participants and Ideological Clashes
This session was significant because the Gandhi-Irwin Pact enabled Mahatma Gandhi to attend as the sole representative of the Indian National Congress. By the time he arrived, political dynamics in London had shifted with the rise of a new National Government in Britain.
- (i) Indian National Congress:Mahatma Gandhi, A. Rangaswami Iyengar, and Madan Mohan Malaviya.
- (ii) Indian Princely States:Maharaja of Indore, Maharaja of Kapurthala, Maharao of Kutch, alongside returning delegates from the first conference.
- (iii) Muslim Delegates:Muhammad Iqbal, Syed Ali Imam, and Maulvi Muhammad Shafi Daudi, joining Aga Khan III and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
- (iv) Industry and Labour:Ghanshyam Das Birla, Sir Purshottamdas Thakurdas, V. V. Giri, and N. M. Joshi.
The Deadlock and Resulting Announcements
The meetings reached a standstill mainly over the demand for separate electorates. Gandhi asserted that the Congress spoke for all of India, but leaders representing minority communities, including B.R. Ambedkar, contested this view.
- (i) Opposition from conservative politicians like Winston Churchill and changes in British politics created additional hurdles.
- (ii) Gandhi resisted separate electorates for minority groups, which caused a deadlock among delegates.
- (iii) Several rulers of the princely states showed hesitation toward joining the proposed federation.
Structural Announcements
- (i) Announcement of plans to form new Muslim-majority provinces (North-West Frontier Province and Sindh).
- (ii) Setting up of an Indian Consultative Committee.
- (iii) Formation of special committees to handle finance, voting rights (franchise), and princely states.
- (iv) The primary goal of granting immediate self-rule or freedom remained unresolved.
Third Round Table Conference ( – )
The final conference saw a reduced number of delegates and ended with few immediate breakthroughs. However, its reports directly shaped the upcoming constitutional reforms.
Final Session Participants and Lack of Consensus
Both the British Labour Party and the Indian National Congress chose not to participate, which limited the conference's scope and representation.
- (i) Indian Princely States Delegates:Akbar Hydari, Mirza Ismail, V.T. Krishnamachari, and Wajahat Hussain.
- (ii) Other Indian Representatives:Aga Khan III, B.R. Ambedkar, Nanak Chand Pandit, and Tej Bahadur Sapru.
Outcome and the Road to the 1935 Act
Despite low attendance, the delegates summarized their findings into an official White Paper published in . This document served as the operational draft for constitutional updates in India.
- (i) While direct results were minimal, proposals were formally presented in the White Paper.
- (ii) A Joint Select Committee reviewed these proposals, resulting in the enactment of the Government of India Act 1935.
⚡ Quick Revision Capsule: Delegate Overview Across Conferences
The table below summarizes the representative groups and key figures who attended each of the three Round Table Conferences in London.
| Conference | Category | Key Delegates & Representatives |
|---|---|---|
| First Round Table ( – , London) | Indian Princely States | Maharaja of Alwar, Maharaja of Baroda, Nawab of Bhopal, Maharaja of Bikaner, Rana of Dholpur, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja of Nawanagar, Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaja of Rewa, Chief Sahib of Sangli, Sir Prabhashankar Pattani (Bhavnagar), Manubhai Mehta (Baroda), Sardar Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Khan (Gwalior), Akbar Hydari (Hyderabad), Mirza Ismail (Mysore), Col. Kailas Narain Haksar (Jammu and Kashmir) |
| Muslim League | Aga Khan III, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Muhammad Shafi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, A.K. Fazlul Huq, Hafiz Ghulam Hussain Hidayat Ullah, Dr. Shafa’at Ahmad Khan, Raja Sher Muhammad Khan of Domeli, A.H. Ghuznavi | |
| Hindu Mahasabha | B.S. Moonje, M.R. Jayakar, Diwan Bahadur Raja Narendra Nath | |
| Sikhs | Sardar Ujjal Singh, Sardar Sampuran Singh | |
| Parsis | Phiroze Sethna, Cowasji Jehangir, Homi Mody | |
| Women | Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz, Radhabai Subbarayan | |
| Liberals | J.N. Basu, Tej Bahadur Sapru, C.Y. Chintamani, V.S. Srinivasa Sastri, Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad | |
| Depressed Classes | B.R. Ambedkar, Rettamalai Srinivasan | |
| Justice Party | Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, Bhaskarrao Vithojirao Jadhav, Sir A.P. Patro | |
| Labour | N.M. Joshi, B. Shiva Rao | |
| Indian Christians | K.T. Paul | |
| Anglo-Indians | Henry Gidney | |
| Europeans & Others | Sir Hubert Carr, Sir Oscar de Glanville (Burma), T.F. Gavin Jones, C.E. Wood (Madras), and representatives from provincial regions including Bihar, United Provinces, Orissa, Burma, and Sindh. | |
| Second Round Table ( – , London) | Indian National Congress | Mahatma Gandhi, A. Rangaswami Iyengar, Madan Mohan Malaviya |
| Indian Princely States | Maharaja of Alwar, Maharaja of Baroda, Nawab of Bhopal, Maharaja of Bikaner, Maharao of Kutch, Rana of Dholpur, Maharaja of Indore, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja of Kapurthala, Maharaja of Nawanagar, Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaja of Rewa, Chief Sahib of Sangli, Raja of Sarila, Sir Prabhashankar Pattani (Bhavnagar), Manubhai Mehta (Baroda), Sardar Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Khan (Gwalior), Sir Muhammad Akbar Hydari (Hyderabad), Mirza Ismail (Mysore), Col. K.N. Haksar (Jammu and Kashmir), T. Raghavaiah (Travancore), Liaqat Hayat Khan (Patiala) | |
| Muslim Delegates | Aga Khan III, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, A.K. Fazlul Huq, Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Shafi, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan, Syed Ali Imam, Maulvi Muhammad Shafi Daudi, Raja Sher Muhammad Khan of Domeli, A.H. Ghuznavi, Hafiz Hidayat Hussain, Sayed Muhammad Padshah Saheb Bahadur, Dr. Shafa’at Ahmad Khan, Jamal Muhammad, Nawab Sahibzada Sayed Muhammad Mehr Shah | |
| Hindu Groups | M.R. Jayakar, B.S. Moonje, Diwan Bahadur Raja Narendra Nath | |
| Liberals | J. N. Basu, C.Y. Chintamani, Tej Bahadur Sapru, V.S. Srinivasa Sastri, Chimanlal Harilal Setalvad | |
| Justice Party | Raja of Bobbili, Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, Sir A.P. Patro, Bhaskarrao Vithojirao Jadhav | |
| Depressed Classes | B.R. Ambedkar, Rettamalai Srinivasan | |
| Sikhs | Sardar Ujjal Singh, Sardar Sampuran Singh | |
| Parsis | Cowasji Jehangir, Homi Mody, Phiroze Sethna | |
| Indian Christians | Surendra Kumar Datta, A.T. Pannirselvam | |
| Industry | Ghanshyam Das Birla, Sir Purshottamdas Thakurdas, Maneckji Dadabhoy | |
| Labour | N. M. Joshi, B. Shiva Rao, V. V. Giri | |
| Women & Other Groups | Sarojini Naidu, Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz, Radhabai Subbarayan, Syed Sultan Ahmed, Bisheshwar Dayal Seth, and representatives from Burma, Sindh, Assam, Central Provinces, and NWFP. | |
| Third Round Table ( – , London) | Indian States | Akbar Hydari, Mirza Ismail, V.T. Krishnamachari, Wajahat Hussain, Sir Sukhdeo Prasad, J.A. Surve, Raja Oudh Narain Bisarya, Manubhai Mehta, Nawab Liaqat Hayat Khan, Fateh Naseeb Khan, L.F. Rushbrook Williams, Raja of Sarila, and other state representatives. |
| Other Representatives | Aga Khan III, B.R. Ambedkar, Ramakrishna Ranga Rao, Sir Hubert Carr, Nanak Chand Pandit, A.H. Ghuznavi, Henry Gidney, Hafiz Hidayat Hussain, Muhammad Iqbal, M.R. Jayakar, Cowasji Jehangir, N.M. Joshi, Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar, Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz, A.P. Patro, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Dr. Shafa’at Ahmad Khan, Sir Shadi Lal, Tara Singh Malhotra, Sir Nripendra Nath Sircar, Sir Purshottamdas Thakurdas, and Muhammad Zafarullah Khan. |
📝 Summary
The Round Table Conferences held between and highlighted the complexities of colonial political negotiations. Although they did not produce immediate political consensus, they provided crucial frameworks regarding an all-India federation, provincial autonomy, and rights for minority groups. Ultimately, these deliberations laid the groundwork for the Government of India Act 1935, making them essential study material for modern Indian history and political science examinations.
🚀 Quick Revision Points
Essential facts to review before examinations:
- (i) Three sessions took place in London between and .
- (ii) The Indian National Congress attended only the Second Conference, represented by Mahatma Gandhi.
- (iii) Key disputes centered on separate electorates and representation rights for minority communities.
- (iv) The official recommendations were published in the White Paper, shaping the Government of India Act 1935.
- 💡 Exam Tip: Focus on the reasons for Congress's absence in the First and Third Conferences, and know how the Gandhi-Irwin Pact facilitated Gandhi's participation in the Second session.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Why did the Indian National Congress skip the First Round Table Conference?
A1: The Congress boycotted the first session because it was leading the Civil Disobedience Movement across India at the time.Q2: What was the primary outcome of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact regarding these conferences?
A2: The pact led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement, allowing Mahatma Gandhi to represent the Indian National Congress at the Second Conference.Q3: How did these conferences influence subsequent Indian legislation?
A3: The discussions were compiled into a White Paper in , which served as the primary basis for drafting the Government of India Act 1935.
