Q. Consider the following statements:

1. Robert Clive was the first Governor-General of Bengal.
2. William Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2007)
Answer: 2 only
Notes: Statement 1 is incorrect; Robert Clive was the first Governor of Bengal (1758–1760, 1765–1767) under the Company, not Governor-General. The Governor-General of Bengal began with Warren Hastings in 1773 via the Regulating Act. Statement 2 is correct; Lord William Bentinck (1828–1835) was the first Governor-General of India under the Charter Act of 1833, expanding authority over British India. Earlier, Hastings was Governor-General of Bengal only.