The last of the East India Company's charter renewals, which separated legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General's Council and introduced open competition for the civil service.
- Separated the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General's Council for the first time; added six new members forming a separate legislative council (the Indian Central Legislative Council), which functioned somewhat like a mini-Parliament.
- Introduced an open competitive examination for recruitment to the covered civil services, opening the civil service to Indians in principle; the Macaulay Committee (1854) was appointed to give effect to this.
- Renewed the Company's powers to retain Indian territories but, unlike earlier charters, did not specify a fixed period, indicating the Company's rule was on probation and could be ended any time.
- Extended the Company's rule on a year-to-year basis rather than for the usual twenty years.
The separation of legislative and executive functions and the introduction of open competition for the civil service are distinguishing features frequently tested.
The 1853 Act introduced open competition for the civil service in principle; the first Indian to qualify, Satyendranath Tagore, did so only in 1863, and full implementation came later.
1853: separated legislative from executive functions; open competitive exam for the civil service; no fixed renewal period.