History of Indian Forensics - Answers

History of Indian Forensics Quiz  Crafted by - 

1. Dr. Sumit Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman FIRST Dialogue, Dean School of Forensic Science & Risk Management

2. Mr. Phaneendar B N, CEO, Clue 4 Evidence Foundation

3. Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Singh, CEO, SIFS INDIA 

Ques 1 - When and where the first Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory was established in India?

(a) Calcutta Presidency 1847

(b) Madras Presidency 1847

(c) Calcutta Presidency, 1849

(d) Madras Presidency 1849

Explanation- The first chemical examiner’s laboratory in India came into existence in Madras in the year 30th October 1849 with P. Thomas Ray as first chemical examiner who was a surgeon. Similar laboratories were established at Calcutta in the year 1853, followed by Agra (1864), and Bombay (1870). All these laboratories maintained a network across British India. 

Ques 2 - The ‘Historic Contract’ executed in the district of Hooghly on July 17, 1858, which bears the first-known official and legal use of fingerprints was agreed and approved by:

(a) Sir William James Hershel & Sir Edward Richard Henery

(b) Sir William James Hershel & Rajyadhar Konai

(c) Sir Edward Richard Henery & Rajyadhar Konai

(d) Hem Chandra Bose & Azizul Haq

Explanation- Sir William James Herschel was one of the first to advocate the use of fingerprinting in the identification of criminal suspects. While working for the Indian Civil Service, he began to use thumbprints on documents as a security measure to prevent the then-rampant repudiation of signatures in 1858. In 1877 at Hooghly (near Calcutta) he instituted the use of fingerprints on contracts and deeds and he registered government pensioners’ fingerprints to prevent the collection of money by relatives after a pensioner’s death. William James Herschel served as a magistrate at Nuddea, India. At his request, local businessman Rajyadhar Konai made a hand print on the back of a contract July 17, 1858.

Ques 3 - Major C A Myspratt Williams assumed the office as the first Chief Inspector of Explosives to Government of India on 9th September, 1898 with his headquarter located at:

(a) Nagpur

(b) Madras

(c) Visakhapatnam

(d) Cochin 

Explanation- In 1898, the British Government decided to appoint the first Chief Inspector of Explosives as an independent authority and Major C A Myspratt Williams took over the charge as the Chief Inspector of Explosives on 9th September 1898, with his headquarters at Nagpur (First Annual Report, Department of Explosives, 1900). Initially the Chief Inspector of Explosives was being assisted by the Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent of the Ordinance Factories at Ishapur and Kirkee. Later for better functioning, another five offices at Calcutta, Bombay, Agra, Madras and Gwalior and three sub offices at Shivkashi, Gomia and Asansol were established (Nanda and Tiwari, 2001, pp. 1–25). 

Ques 4 - Who was the first Indian to be appointed as Government Examiner of Questioned Documents?

(a) Mr. S N Sen

(b) Mr. B Lal

(c) Mr. N. Dasgupta

(d) Mr. Santokh Singh

Explanation- 1906- Mr. C.R. Hardless was appointed as Handwriting Expert for the Government of India in Shimla. Mr. F. Brewester replaced Mr. C.R. Hardless and designated as Government Examiner of Questioned Documents.

1920- Mr. R. Stott was appointed as Assistant Government of Questioned Documents.

1925- Mr. F. Brewester retired and Mr. R. Stott took over as the Government Examiner of Questioned Documents.

1944- Mr. V O J Hodgster retired and Mr. S N Sen, in 1949, the first Indian to hold his post as Government Examiner of Questioned Documents. 

Ques 5 - When & where the first Central Fingerprint Bureau was established?

(a) Calcutta, 1897

(b) Shimla, 1905

(c) Delhi, 1956

(d) Calcutta, 1956 

Explanation- The idea that fingerprints could be used as a means of personal identification was first put forward by Sir William Herschel, District Magistrate of Hooghly District, of Bengal province in 1858. It was then that Sir Edward Richard Henry, the Inspector General of Police, Lower Bengal with the able assistance of two Indian officers namely, Khan Bahadur Azizul Haque and Rai Bahadur Hemchandra Bose, developed a system of classification of fingerprints, thereby discarding the anthropometric system of identification. The first ever Finger Print Bureau in the world was established at Writer's Building at Calcutta (now Kolkata) in the year 1897. 

Ques 6 - The nodal body of Indian forensics, the Directorate of Forensic Science (now DFSS) was established in which year?

(a) 1947

(b) 1998

(c) 2002

(d) 2001 

Explanation - The Directorate of Forensic Science services (DFSS) was created in the year 2002 by Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, after bifurcation from BPR&D, based on the recommendations of National Human Rights Commission and Padmanabhaiah Committee on Police Reforms on December 31, 2002. It has six Central Forensic Science Laboratories under its control located at Chandigarh, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Guwahati and Bhopal.

Ques 7 - Who inaugurated the first Forensic Science University & First Police University (Raksha Shakti University) of India in the year 2009 and 2010 respectively?

(a) Dr. Manmohan Singh

(b) Mr. Narendra Modi

(c) Mr. Rajnath Singh

(d) Mr. P. Chidambaram 

Explanation- RSU is a model security educational university located in Gandhinagar, Gujrat, India. The first internal security institute of India & was established by the Government of Gujrat in 2009. The Institute was inaugurated by the former CM of Gujrat, Shri. Narendra Modi on 22 July 2010. 

Ques 8 - Who prepared the perspective plan for Indian forensics in the year 2010-11?

(a) Dr. Gopal Ji Mishra & Dr. B. R. Sharma

(b) Dr. B. R. Sharma & Dr. M.S. Rao

(c) Dr. C. Damodaran& Dr. Gopal Ji Misra

(d) All CFSL Directors as the committee members 

Explanation- In July 2010, ‘The Perspective Plan for Indian Forensics’ was presented to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi by the team of two consultants Dr. Gopal Ji Misra & Dr. C. Damodaran. It includes the study of Organizational structure, strategy for development, plans for the future forensics, personnel policy, HRD, technology & manpower gaps, PG diploma & M.Sc. courses in forensic science and other issues related.

Ques 9 - Which Institute in India was the first to launch academic programmes in forensic science and when?

(a) Panjabi University, Patiala, 1972

(b) Sagar University, 1959

(c) Panjabi University, Patiala, 1959

(d) Sagar University, 1972 

Explanation - Forensic science education in India beginning with Sagar University in 1959. In 1950, the UNESCO realized the significance of teaching of criminal justice at the college / university levels in Asia and in 1955. University of Sagar first responded to the consensus held in London and as a result this department was established on 18th July 1959. The former Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High court, Justice GP Bhat was the first head of department.

Ques 10 - Who among the following was the first to become chief forensic scientist in India?

(a) Dr. RK Tiwari

(b) Dr. M.S. Rao

(c) Dr. RYP Bhatia

(d) Dr. Bibha Rani Ray 

Explanation- Dr. MS Rao- 1st Director-cum-Chief Forensic Scientist

Dr. SK Jain- Current Director-cum-Chief Forensic Scientist

List of Chief Forensic Scientists, Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS)- 

- Dr. RYP Bhatia

- Dr. RK Tewari

- Dr. MS Rao

- Dr. (Mrs.) Bibha Rani Ray

- Dr. CN Bhattacharyya

- Dr. VK Kashyap