The direct effects of the Revolt of 1857 may be summed up in the following words: First, the Revolt of 1857 exposed the danger involved in allowing a commercial organization to rule over a country. Consequently the British Parliament by an Act transferred the control of the Indian government from the East India Company to the British Crown.
Secondly, Queen Victoria, by a Proclamation announced on 1 November 1858, directly assumed the responsibility of the Indian administration in her own hands. And it was in accordance with the Queen’s Proclamation that the honorific title of Viceroy was added to the Governor-general of India.
Thirdly, the Revolt of 1857 led to an extensive reorganization of the army and the civil administration. It must, however, be remembered that in spite of all these bold theoretical statements hardly any change occurred in the basic exploitative character of the British rule in India.