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British Policies and their Impact - Questions & Answers

I. Fill in the blanks:

1. By the Permanent Settlement, the zamindars became the owners of the land.
2. Ryotwari system of land revenue was made directly with the cultivators.
3. Dadabhai Naoroji exposed the drain of wealth from India to Great Britain.
4. The Charter Act of 1813 set apart funds for promoting the knowledge of modern sciences in India.
5. Lord William Bentinck made English the medium of instruction in its schools and colleges in 1835.

II. Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)

A. Choose the correct option.

1. Which of the following sets is incorrect?
(a) Permanent Settlement-Zamindari System.
(b) Mahalwari system- Collective ownership of land
(c) Ryotwari System- Cultivator is owner of the land
(d) Traditional System-farmer was owner of the land.
Answer: (d) Traditional System-farmer was owner of the land.

2. According to Lord Cornwallis' Permanent Settlement land revenue of Bengal and Bihar was fixed to an amount and date with hereditary zamindars as owners of the land which of the following is incorrect?
(a) 10/11 of the revenue was paid to the government.
(b) The cultivators became tenants
(c) In case more revenue was collected it was sent to the government treasuries.
(d) This system created a new class of people
Answer: (c) In case more revenue was collected it was sent to the government treasuries.

3. As a result of the British revenue system
(a) land become a saleable commodity.
(b) the structure of society began to break up
(c) the peasants suffered.
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d) all of the above.

4. British policies brought the decline of Indian industries because
(a) Indian industries were handloom and cottage industries
(b) they could not compete with cheaper mass-produced British goods.
(c) Indian products had higher duties.
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (d) All of the above.

5. In which of the following ways was there drain of wealth from India?
(a) Payment to British troops and officials
(b) High rate of revenue
(c) No duty levied on imports of British goods
(d) All of the above
Answer: (d) All of the above

6. Why did the British introduce western education in India?
(a) To expose Indians to western thoughts
(b) To introduce the principles of Renaissance in India
(c) To reduce expenditure on clerks from Britain
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (c) To reduce expenditure on clerks from Britain

B. Given below are two statements (P) and (Q). How are they related?

1. (P) The British annexed different parts of India.
(Q) The main aim of political conquests was to promote British interests.
(a) (P) is the reason for (Q).
(b) (P) is true, (Q) is false.
(c) (P) and (Q) are true.
(d) (P) and (Q) are false.
Answer: (c) (P) and (Q) are true.

2. (P) The British made the Indian economy subservient to their interests.
(Q) The British introduced modern means of transport and communication in India.
(a) (P) is the reason for (Q).
(b) (P) and (Q) are contradictory.
(c) (P) and (Q) are true.
(d) (P) and (Q) are false.
Answer: (c) (P) and (Q) are true.

III. Answer the following questions:

1. What was the Permanent Settlement of Revenue? State its two features.
Answer: The Permanent Settlement was a land revenue system introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 in Bengal and Bihar, where the land revenue was fixed on a permanent basis.
Two features of the system were:
1. The zamindars became the hereditary owners of the entire land in their zamindari.
2. The zamindars had to pay a fixed amount of revenue (10/11th) to the government by a fixed date, keeping the rest for themselves.

2. How was the Ryotwari system different from the Permanent Settlement?
Answer: The Ryotwari system was different from the Permanent Settlement in the following ways:
1. In the Ryotwari system, the settlement was made directly with the ryots (cultivators) who were recognised as owners, whereas in the Permanent Settlement, it was made with the zamindars.
2. In the Ryotwari system, the revenue was fixed for a period of 20 to 30 years and revised afterwards, whereas in the Permanent Settlement, the revenue was fixed permanently.

3. State any three effects of the revenue systems introduced by the British in India?
Answer: Three effects of the revenue systems were:
1. Impoverishment of Peasants: Peasants were exploited, forced to pay high revenue, and often evicted from their land.
2. Rise of Moneylenders: To pay revenue in time, peasants had to borrow money, leading to indebtedness.
3. Commercialisation of Land: Land became a saleable and transferable commodity, which could be mortgaged or sold.

4. How did the British exploit the Indian artisans and weavers?
Answer: The British exploited Indian artisans and weavers in the following ways:
1. They allowed British machine-made goods to enter India without duty, which were cheaper and finer than Indian handloom products.
2. They imposed high duties on goods exported from India to Britain to discourage Indian exports.
3. The British rulers did not patronise Indian craftsmen like the Indian princes did, leading to a loss of livelihood for many artisans.

5. What is meant by Drain of Wealth? How was India's wealth drained to Great Britain?
Answer: The transfer of wealth from India to England for which India got no proportionate return is called the Drain of Wealth.
India's wealth was drained to Great Britain through:
1. Transfer of a part of the huge land revenue collected.
2. Payment of high salaries to British officials and civil servants, a large portion of which was sent to England.
3. Expenditure on the British army stationed in India and fighting wars outside India.
4. Bribes, gifts, and profits from investments made by Company officials.

6. What was the traditional education system followed in India before the arrival of British? State any three reasons which made the British to change the educational policy in India?
Answer: Before the British, elementary education was given in pathshalas (Hindus) and maktabs (Muslims), focusing on reading, writing, and religious texts. Higher education was based on Sanskrit or Persian, confined to literature, law, and religion, excluding natural sciences.
Three reasons for the British to change the policy were:
1. To cut the cost of administration by employing educated Indians in clerical posts.
2. To create a class of educated Indians who would be loyal to British rule and expand the market for British goods.
3. Christian missionaries believed modern western education would assist in their work.

7. What was the impact of the introduction of modern western education in India?
Answer: The impact of modern western education was:
1. It helped Indians imbibe a modern, rational, democratic, and nationalist outlook.
2. It encouraged the study of India's past and gave birth to socio-religious reform movements.
3. It created a spirit of nationalism, though it neglected mass education and scientific/technical training.

IV. Picture Study

Study the picture and answer the following questions:
(a) What is depicted in the given picture?
Answer: The picture depicts the plight of the peasants and the collection of revenue under the British rule, showing a British official and impoverished villagers.

(b) How did the British change the living conditions of those depicted in the picture?
Answer: The British reduced the peasants to the status of tenants. They were oppressed, forced to pay high revenue, and lived at the mercy of landlords who could evict them if they failed to pay.

(c) What was the impact of these changes on the Indian economy?
Answer: The entire structure of rural society began to break up. Land became a saleable commodity, peasants became poor and indebted, and agriculture stagnated.


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Multiple Choice Questions - Test your understanding with these MCQs. Click "Show Answer" to reveal the correct answer.

Question 1What was the primary aim of British economic policies in India?

Correct Answer: To promote British economic interests

Question 2Which Governor-General introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793?

Correct Answer: Lord Cornwallis

Question 3Under the Permanent Settlement, who became the owners of the land?

Correct Answer: The Zamindars

Question 4What portion of the collected revenue did the Zamindar have to pay to the British government under the Permanent Settlement?

Correct Answer: 10/11th

Question 5In which regions was the Permanent Settlement primarily implemented?

Correct Answer: Bengal and Bihar

Question 6What happened to a Zamindar if he failed to pay the fixed revenue by the fixed date?

Correct Answer: He was evicted by the government

Question 7Which revenue system treated the village or estate as a collective unit for settlement?

Correct Answer: Mahalwari System

Question 8What does the term 'Mahal' refer to in the Mahalwari system?

Correct Answer: An estate comprising one or more villages

Question 9In the Mahalwari system, who was responsible for collecting revenue and giving it to British collectors?

Correct Answer: The Talukdar

Question 10The Ryotwari system involved a direct settlement between the government and which group?

Correct Answer: Ryots (cultivators)

Question 11Under the Ryotwari system, how much of the total produce was typically required as revenue?

Correct Answer: Half of the total produce

Question 12In which part of India was the Ryotwari system introduced after 1801?

Correct Answer: South-western India

Question 13How often was the revenue revised under the Ryotwari system?

Correct Answer: Every 20 to 30 years

Question 14What was a major social consequence of the British land revenue systems?

Correct Answer: A new class of landlords was created

Question 15How did land change as a result of British policies?

Correct Answer: It became a saleable and mortgagable property

Question 16Why did the Indian handloom industry decline in the 19th century?

Correct Answer: Competition from cheap machine-made British cloth

Question 17Which group's disappearance led to the loss of patronage for Indian craftsmen?

Correct Answer: Indian princes and nobles

Question 18What policy did the British use to discourage Indian exports to Britain?

Correct Answer: Imposing a high duty on Indian goods

Question 19How did the introduction of railways affect Indian industries?

Correct Answer: It made it easier to import cheap British goods and export raw materials

Question 20Who is the author of the book 'Poverty and un-British Rule in India'?

Correct Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji

Question 21What does 'Drain of Wealth' refer to?

Correct Answer: The transfer of wealth from India to England with no proportionate return

Question 22According to the text, how much was the Company required to pay the British Government annually starting in 1767?

Correct Answer: £400 lakhs

Question 23How did the British use the Diwani of Bengal to drain wealth?

Correct Answer: By investing revenue to buy Indian goods for export to Britain

Question 24What was the nature of higher education among Hindus in the 18th century?

Correct Answer: Based on Sanskrit literature and religion

Question 25In the 18th century, where was elementary education for Muslims typically imparted?

Correct Answer: In Maktabs situated in mosques

Question 26Why did the British want to employ educated Indians in administration?

Correct Answer: To cut the cost of administration

Question 27Who established the Calcutta Madrasa?

Correct Answer: Warren Hastings

Question 28Who founded the Hindu College at Calcutta?

Correct Answer: Raja Rammohan Roy

Question 29Which Act set apart one lakh rupees annually for promoting modern sciences in India?

Correct Answer: Charter Act of 1813

Question 30Who made English the medium of instruction in Indian schools and colleges in 1835?

Correct Answer: Lord William Bentinck

Question 31What is the 1854 official report on education commonly known as?

Correct Answer: Wood's Despatch

Question 32According to Wood's Despatch, what should be the medium of instruction at the primary level?

Correct Answer: Vernacular languages

Question 33In 1857, Universities were established in which three cities?

Correct Answer: Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras

Question 34What was a positive impact of modern education on Indians?

Correct Answer: They developed a modern, rational, and nationalist outlook

Question 35Who among the following was an Irish nationalist leader admired by educated Indians?

Correct Answer: Mazzini (mentioned as hero)

Question 36What was a major weakness of the British educational system in India?

Correct Answer: Neglect of mass education

Question 37By 1857, how many medical colleges were there in India?

Correct Answer: Three

Question 38Where was the only Engineering college in India located by 1857?

Correct Answer: Roorkee

Question 39The Engineering college at Roorkee was initially open only to which groups?

Correct Answer: Europeans and Eurasians

Question 40Before British rule, how were farmers usually paid revenue under the Mughals?

Correct Answer: In kind (produce)

Question 41In the traditional Indian system, who was the ultimate owner of the land?

Correct Answer: The ruler

Question 42What was the primary goal of the British regarding raw materials in India?

Correct Answer: To find cheap raw materials for British industries

Question 43Why did the British encourage Western education through English?

Correct Answer: To make Indians subservient to their interests

Question 44Under the Permanent Settlement, what was the status of the cultivators?

Correct Answer: Tenants of the zamindars

Question 45What happened to the ancestral rights of cultivators under the Permanent Settlement?

Correct Answer: They were lost

Question 46What social class was created to be 'loyal to the British'?

Correct Answer: New class of landlords

Question 47In the Mahalwari system, where was it primarily implemented?

Correct Answer: Uttar Pradesh, Central India, and Punjab

Question 48Why were the collectors in the Ryotwari system described as 'harsh'?

Correct Answer: They insisted on high revenue even if crops failed

Question 49What did cultivators do when they couldn't pay revenue due to crop failure?

Correct Answer: They depended on moneylenders

Question 50The division of land into smaller units was a result of what practice?

Correct Answer: Mortgaging land to borrow money
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True or False Questions - Determine whether each statement is true or false. Click "Show Answer" to reveal the correct answer.

Statement 1The primary aim of British economic policies was to promote the welfare of Indian peasants.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 2The British made the Indian economy subservient to their own interests.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 3Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 4Under the Permanent Settlement, the cultivators became the owners of the land.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 5The right of ownership for zamindars under Permanent Settlement was made hereditary and transferable.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 6In the Permanent Settlement, the zamindar had to pay 5/11th of the revenue to the government.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 7If a zamindar failed to pay revenue by a fixed date, he could be evicted by the government.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 8The Permanent Settlement was practiced in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 9The term 'mahal' refers to an estate comprising one or more villages.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 10In the Mahalwari system, revenue settlements were made with individual cultivators directly.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 11The head of the mahal who collected revenue was known as the talukdar.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 12The Mahalwari system was primarily introduced in south-western India.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 13In the Ryotwari system, the government made a direct settlement with the ryots.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 14Under the Ryotwari system, the revenue was fixed forever and never revised.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 15In the Ryotwari system, revenue often amounted to half of the total produce.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 16British land revenue systems created a new social class of landlords loyal to the British.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 17The British revenue systems improved the standard of living for most Indian peasants.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 18Under British rule, land became a saleable and mortgagable property.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 19The requirement to pay revenue in cash forced many peasants to turn to moneylenders.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 20The entire structure of rural society began to break up as land became a commodity.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 21Before the British, town craftsmen produced luxury goods that were often exported.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 22Traditional Indian craftsmen enjoyed the patronage of British officials from the start.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 23Indian handloom industries declined because they could not compete with cheap machine-made British cloth.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 24The British charged no duty on Indian goods exported to Britain.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 25British goods were allowed to enter India duty-free.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 26The introduction of railways made it harder for the British to import finished goods into India.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 27The transfer of wealth from India to England without proportionate return is called the Drain of Wealth.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 28Dadabhai Naoroji wrote the book 'Poverty and un-British Rule in India'.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 29A sum of £400 lakhs was paid annually to the British Government by the Company starting in 1767.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 30Indian rulers paid a heavy price for the British army under the Subsidiary system.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 31Lord Clive returned to England as a poor man after his service in India.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 32The Company used Indian revenue to purchase Indian goods for export to Britain.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 33Traditional education in 18th-century India included modern physical and natural sciences.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 34Elementary education for Hindus was imparted in pathshalas.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 35Maktabs were educational institutions situated in mosques for Muslims.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 36Higher education for Muslims in the 18th century was based on Sanskrit.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 37Girls' education was widespread in India before the arrival of the British.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 38Warren Hastings established the Calcutta Madrasa.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 39Jonathan Duncan established a Sanskrit College at Varanasi.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 40Raja Rammohan Roy was against the introduction of modern Western education.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 41The Charter Act of 1813 set apart one lakh rupees annually for modern sciences.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 42Lord William Bentinck made English the medium of instruction in schools and colleges.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 43In 1844, knowledge of English became mandatory for government employment.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 44Wood's Despatch was issued in the year 1854.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 45Wood's Despatch recommended that the primary level of instruction should be in English.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 46Universities were set up in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras in 1857.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 47Modern education helped promote a nationalist and secular outlook among Indians.

Correct Answer: True

Statement 48The British educational system emphasized mass education for all citizens.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 49By 1857, there were dozens of engineering colleges across India.

Correct Answer: False

Statement 50Modern education enabled Indians to revive India's cultural past in literature and art.

Correct Answer: True
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Fill in the Blanks - Complete the sentences by filling in the missing words. Click "Show Answer" to check your response.

Question 1The British annexed different parts of India and made India their ______.

Correct Answer: colony

Question 2The main aim of British economic policies was to promote British economic interests by extracting more ______.

Correct Answer: revenue

Question 3British policies aimed to find cheap ______ for their industries.

Correct Answer: raw materials

Question 4To facilitate trade, the British introduced modern means of ______ and communication.

Correct Answer: transport

Question 5Under the Mughals, farmers usually paid their revenue in ______.

Correct Answer: kind

Question 6In the traditional Indian system, the ______ was the final owner of the land.

Correct Answer: ruler

Question 7The British started collecting land revenue in the form of ______.

Correct Answer: money

Question 8The Permanent Settlement was introduced by ______ in 1793.

Correct Answer: Lord Cornwallis

Question 9Under the Permanent Settlement, the ______ became the owners of the entire land in their area.

Correct Answer: zamindars

Question 10The right of land ownership under the Permanent Settlement was made ______ and transferable.

Correct Answer: hereditary

Question 11In the Permanent Settlement, the zamindar had to pay ______ of the revenue to the government.

Correct Answer: 10/11th

Question 12The zamindar kept ______ of the collected revenue for himself under the Permanent Settlement.

Correct Answer: 1/11th

Question 13Under the Permanent Settlement, if a zamindar could not pay the revenue, he could be ______.

Correct Answer: evicted

Question 14Under the new British systems, cultivators of the land lost their ______ rights.

Correct Answer: ancestral

Question 15The Permanent Settlement was practiced in Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and ______.

Correct Answer: Varanasi

Question 16An estate comprising one or more villages was called a ______.

Correct Answer: mahal

Question 17In the Mahalwari system, the settlement was made with the village as a ______.

Correct Answer: whole

Question 18The head of the mahal who collected revenue was called the ______.

Correct Answer: talukdar

Question 19The Mahalwari system was started in parts of Central India, the Punjab, and ______.

Correct Answer: Uttar Pradesh

Question 20In the Ryotwari system, the government made direct settlements with the ______.

Correct Answer: ryots

Question 21In the Ryotwari system, the cultivator was recognized as the ______ of the land.

Correct Answer: owner

Question 22Under Ryotwari, the revenue was fixed for a period of ______ years.

Correct Answer: 20 to 30

Question 23The Ryotwari system was introduced in the ______ part of India.

Correct Answer: south-western

Question 24When crops failed, cultivators often depended on ______ to pay the high revenue.

Correct Answer: moneylenders

Question 25Under British rule, land became a ______ property that could be mortgaged.

Correct Answer: saleable

Question 26The requirement of paying revenue in time led to the ______ of land into smaller units.

Correct Answer: division

Question 27The entire structure of ______ society began to break up as land became a commodity.

Correct Answer: rural

Question 28Village artisans like weavers and potters catered to the needs of the ______.

Correct Answer: villages

Question 29Craftsmen in towns produced ______ goods that were often exported.

Correct Answer: luxury

Question 30Traditional Indian craftsmen enjoyed the ______ of princes and nobles.

Correct Answer: patronage

Question 31Indian handloom industries could not compete with British industries where cloth was made by ______.

Correct Answer: machines

Question 32By the middle of the ______ century, the export of cotton and silk goods from India ceased.

Correct Answer: 19th

Question 33The British charged high ______ on goods exported from India to Britain.

Correct Answer: duty

Question 34British goods were brought into India without being charged any ______.

Correct Answer: duty

Question 35The introduction of the ______ made it easier to supply cheap Indian raw materials to British mills.

Correct Answer: railways

Question 36The transfer of wealth from India to England for which India got no proportionate return is called the ______.

Correct Answer: Drain of Wealth

Question 37______ exposed the exploitative nature of British rule and the drain of wealth.

Correct Answer: Dadabhai Naoroji

Question 38Dadabhai Naoroji wrote the book titled ______.

Correct Answer: Poverty and un-British Rule in India

Question 39In 1767, the Company had to pay a sum of ______ annually to the British Government.

Correct Answer: £400 lakhs

Question 40A huge sum of Indian money was spent on the British army fighting in Afghanistan and ______.

Correct Answer: Myanmar

Question 41Under the ______ system, English armies stayed in Indian states at the expense of Indian rulers.

Correct Answer: Subsidiary

Question 42Company officials collected wealth through ______ and gifts from Indian rulers.

Correct Answer: bribes

Question 43When ______ returned to England, he had amassed wealth yielding £40,000 interest annually.

Correct Answer: Clive

Question 44The Company used revenue collected in India to purchase goods for export; this was called ______.

Correct Answer: investments

Question 45In the 18th century, education for Hindus was imparted in ______.

Correct Answer: pathshalas

Question 46Muslim elementary education was given in ______ situated in mosques.

Correct Answer: maktabs

Question 47Higher education for Hindus was based on the ______ language.

Correct Answer: Sanskrit

Question 48Traditional learning was confined to religion, philosophy, law, and ______.

Correct Answer: logic

Question 49Traditional education excluded the study of physical and ______ sciences.

Correct Answer: natural

Question 50In the early 19th century, the British introduced Western education to cut the cost of ______.

Correct Answer: administration
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Short Answer Questions - Practice concise answers to these questions. Click "Show Answer" to reveal the response.
Question 1

What was the main aim of British economic policies in India?

Answer:
Promote British interests
Question 2

Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in 1793?

Answer:
Lord Cornwallis
Question 3

In which regions was Permanent Settlement primarily introduced?

Answer:
Bengal and Bihar
Question 4

Who became the owners of the land under the Permanent Settlement?

Answer:
Zamindars
Question 5

What share of revenue did the Zamindar pay to the British?

Answer:
10/11th
Question 6

What share of revenue did the Zamindar keep for himself?

Answer:
1/11th
Question 7

What was the status of cultivators under the Permanent Settlement?

Answer:
Tenants
Question 8

What does the word 'mahal' mean in the revenue system?

Answer:
Estate or village
Question 9

In the Mahalwari system, who collected the revenue?

Answer:
Talukdar
Question 10

In which region was the Mahalwari system started?

Answer:
Punjab and UP
Question 11

Who did the government settle with in the Ryotwari system?

Answer:
Ryots (cultivators)
Question 12

What portion of produce was paid as revenue in Ryotwari?

Answer:
Half
Question 13

How long was the revenue fixed for in the Ryotwari system?

Answer:
20 to 30 years
Question 14

Which system was introduced in south-western India?

Answer:
Ryotwari system
Question 15

Who did farmers turn to when they couldn't pay revenue?

Answer:
Moneylenders
Question 16

What happened to land as a result of British policies?

Answer:
Saleable property
Question 17

What led to the decline of Indian handicrafts?

Answer:
Machine-made British goods
Question 18

By what time did Indian cotton exports practically cease?

Answer:
Mid-19th century
Question 19

Whose patronage did Indian craftsmen lose?

Answer:
Princes and nobles
Question 20

What was not charged on British goods brought to India?

Answer:
Import duty
Question 21

What mode of transport helped British goods reach Indian markets?

Answer:
Railways
Question 22

What is the transfer of wealth from India to England called?

Answer:
Drain of Wealth
Question 23

Who exposed the Drain of Wealth theory?

Answer:
Dadabhai Naoroji
Question 24

What is the title of Dadabhai Naoroji's book?

Answer:
Poverty and un-British Rule in India
Question 25

What sum did the Company pay the British Govt annually in 1767?

Answer:
£400 lakhs
Question 26

Where did the British spend a huge sum of Indian money on war?

Answer:
Afghanistan and Myanmar
Question 27

Which system forced Indian rulers to pay for the British army?

Answer:
Subsidiary system
Question 28

What did Clive amass that yielded £40,000 interest annually?

Answer:
Wealth and property
Question 29

When did the Company get the Diwani of Bengal?

Answer:
1765
Question 30

Where was elementary education for Hindus imparted?

Answer:
Pathshalas
Question 31

Where was elementary education for Muslims imparted?

Answer:
Maktabs
Question 32

What language was Hindu higher education based on?

Answer:
Sanskrit
Question 33

What language was Muslim higher education based on?

Answer:
Persian
Question 34

What did traditional education exclude?

Answer:
Physical and natural sciences
Question 35

Who were seldom given education in traditional India?

Answer:
Girls
Question 36

Why did the British want educated Indians in administration?

Answer:
To cut costs
Question 37

Who established the Calcutta Madrasa?

Answer:
Warren Hastings
Question 38

Who established the Sanskrit College at Varanasi?

Answer:
Jonathan Duncan
Question 39

Which Act set apart one lakh rupees for education in 1813?

Answer:
Charter Act
Question 40

Who made English the medium of instruction in 1835?

Answer:
Lord William Bentinck
Question 41

When was Wood's Despatch issued?

Answer:
1854
Question 42

Who was the President of the Board of Control in 1854?

Answer:
Charles Wood
Question 43

What language was recommended for primary education by Wood?

Answer:
Vernacular languages
Question 44

Where were the first three universities established in 1857?

Answer:
Calcutta, Bombay, Madras
Question 45

What outlook did modern education help Indians imbibe?

Answer:
Nationalist and secular
Question 46

What began to be published in large numbers after 1850?

Answer:
Nationalist newspapers
Question 47

Who spread Indian culture to Western countries?

Answer:
Swami Vivekananda
Question 48

Name a Western thinker who influenced educated Indians.

Answer:
John Stuart Mill
Question 49

Name an Irish leader who became a hero for Indians.

Answer:
Mazzini
Question 50

What was the major weakness of the British education system?

Answer:
Neglect of mass education
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Long Answer Questions - Practice detailed answers to these comprehensive questions. Click "Show Answer" to reveal the response.
Question 1

What were the primary objectives of British economic policies in India?

Answer:
The main aim of the British was to promote their own economic interests at the cost of the Indian economy. Their objectives included: 1. Extracting the maximum possible land revenue from Indian peasants. 2. Securing a supply of cheap raw materials for British industries. 3. Expanding the Indian market to sell British manufactured goods. 4. Making the Indian economy subservient to the needs of Great Britain through structural transformations.
Question 2

Explain the features of the Permanent Settlement introduced by Lord Cornwallis.

Answer:
Introduced in 1793 in Bengal and Bihar, its features were: 1. Zamindars were recognized as the legal owners of the entire land in their zamindari. 2. The right of ownership was made hereditary and transferable. 3. The amount of land revenue to be paid to the government was fixed permanently. 4. Zamindars had to pay 10/11th of the collected revenue to the government and could keep 1/11th for themselves. 5. If a zamindar failed to pay by the fixed date, they could be evicted and their land sold.
Question 3

How did the Permanent Settlement affect the status of Indian cultivators?

Answer:
The Permanent Settlement had a devastating impact on cultivators: 1. They were reduced to the status of mere tenants on their own ancestral lands. 2. They lost their traditional ancestral rights to the land. 3. They were often oppressed and forced to pay exorbitant rents to the zamindars. 4. They faced constant fear of eviction if they failed to meet the high revenue demands.
Question 4

What was the Mahalwari system and how did it function?

Answer:
The Mahalwari system was a land revenue settlement where: 1. Revenue was settled with the village as a whole or with an estate called a 'mahal'. 2. It was applied in Uttar Pradesh, parts of Central India, and the Punjab. 3. The families in the village collectively claimed to be the landlords. 4. A headman or 'talukdar' was responsible for collecting the revenue from the village and handing it over to the British collectors.
Question 5

Describe the Ryotwari system and its impact on the peasants.

Answer:
Introduced in south-western India after 1801, its features and impacts were: 1. The government made a direct settlement with the individual cultivators (ryots). 2. The cultivator was recognized as the owner of the land. 3. Revenue was fixed at a very high rate, often amounting to half of the total produce. 4. While it gave ownership, the high revenue and harsh collection methods forced many peasants into the clutches of moneylenders when crops failed.
Question 6

What were the general effects of the various British land revenue systems on Indian rural society?

Answer:
The British revenue systems led to a breakdown of traditional rural society: 1. A new class of exploitative landlords was created who were loyal to the British. 2. Land became a saleable and mortgagable commodity for the first time. 3. It led to the excessive borrowing of money and the eventual mortgage of land to moneylenders. 4. Large estates were broken into smaller, less productive units. 5. The peasantry was largely impoverished and remained at the mercy of landlords.
Question 7

Why did the traditional Indian handicraft and cottage industries decline under British rule?

Answer:
The decline was caused by several factors: 1. Competition from cheaper and finer machine-made cloth imported from Britain. 2. Loss of patronage from Indian princes and nobles who were replaced by British officials. 3. Disparate trade policies where British goods entered India duty-free, while Indian exports to Britain faced high duties. 4. The development of railways which allowed British goods to penetrate deep into rural Indian markets.
Question 8

Define the 'Drain of Wealth' and explain its significance.

Answer:
The 'Drain of Wealth' refers to the constant transfer of Indian resources and wealth to England for which India received no proportionate economic or material return. This theory was famously exposed by Dadabhai Naoroji in his book 'Poverty and un-British Rule in India'. It highlighted how British rule was systematically impoverishing India by siphoning off its surplus revenue and resources.
Question 9

In what ways was India's wealth drained to Great Britain?

Answer:
Wealth was drained through multiple channels: 1. Transfer of a portion of the high land revenue collected from peasants. 2. Annual payments made by the East India Company to the British government (e.g., £400 lakhs starting in 1767). 3. Salaries of British civil servants and military officials sent back to England. 4. Expenses of the British army stationed in India and used for external wars in Afghanistan and Myanmar. 5. Bribes and gifts collected by Company officials from Indian rulers. 6. The 'investment' of Indian revenue to buy Indian goods for export to Britain.
Question 10

Describe the state of the traditional Indian education system in the 18th century.

Answer:
Before British intervention, the system was traditional: 1. Elementary education was provided in pathshalas (for Hindus) and maktabs (for Muslims). 2. Students focused on reading, writing, and memorizing religious texts. 3. Higher education was based on Sanskrit for Hindus and Persian for Muslims. 4. The curriculum was limited to literature, religion, law, philosophy, and logic. 5. It lacked the study of physical and natural sciences and did not encourage original thinking.
Question 11

Why did the East India Company decide to introduce modern Western education in India?

Answer:
The decision was driven by practical and political needs: 1. To produce a class of educated Indians who could fill low-level clerical posts in administration cheaply. 2. To expand the market for British goods by changing the tastes and values of Indians. 3. To reconcile Indians to British rule by glorifying British achievements and culture. 4. Missionaries believed it would facilitate the spread of Christianity. 5. Some Indian reformers saw it as a tool to modernize society.
Question 12

What role did Raja Rammohan Roy play in the promotion of modern education?

Answer:
Raja Rammohan Roy was a pioneer of modern education in India. He believed that Western education was the remedy for India's social and political ills. He founded the Hindu College at Calcutta (Kolkata) to provide instruction in Western sciences and humanities, and he actively supported the British move to make English the medium of higher instruction.
Question 13

Explain the significance of the Charter Act of 1813 regarding education.

Answer:
The Charter Act of 1813 was a turning point as it was the first time the British government officially recognized a responsibility for Indian education. It set apart an annual sum of one lakh rupees for the promotion of modern sciences and the encouragement of learned Indians, marking the beginning of state-sponsored modern education in India.
Question 14

Discuss the educational reforms introduced by Lord William Bentinck in 1835.

Answer:
In 1835, Lord William Bentinck made a landmark decision to make English the medium of instruction for schools and colleges in India. His government opened several English-medium institutions and established that applicants for government employment should possess a knowledge of English, thereby cementing the dominance of the English language in the Indian administrative and educational landscape.
Question 15

What were the key recommendations of Wood's Despatch of 1854?

Answer:
Often called the Magna Carta of English education in India, its recommendations were: 1. The Government should take full responsibility for mass education. 2. Vernacular languages should be the medium at the primary level. 3. Anglo-vernacular medium for middle/high schools and English medium for colleges. 4. Establishment of universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. 5. The diffusion of European knowledge and languages as the primary aim.
Question 16

How did modern education help in the birth of Indian nationalism?

Answer:
Modern education unintentionally fostered nationalism by: 1. Giving Indians a common language (English) to communicate across regions. 2. Exposing Indians to Western ideas of democracy, liberty, and rationalism. 3. Encouraging the study of European nationalist movements (e.g., Mazzini and Garibaldi). 4. Creating a class of intellectuals who could criticize British policies through newspapers. 5. Helping Indians rediscover and take pride in their own cultural past.
Question 17

What were the major limitations of the British educational system in India?

Answer:
Despite some benefits, the system had major flaws: 1. It almost completely neglected mass education, focusing only on a small elite. 2. The use of English as a medium created a wide gap between the educated elite and the common people. 3. There was a severe lack of focus on scientific and technical education. 4. Professional colleges (medical/engineering) were extremely few and often restricted to Europeans.
Question 18

Explain how the British made the Indian economy 'subservient' to their interests.

Answer:
The British transformed the Indian economy into a colonial one by: 1. Forcing India to be a supplier of raw materials (like cotton) for British factories. 2. Ensuring India remained a captive market for British manufactured goods. 3. Utilizing Indian tax revenue to fund British military conquests. 4. Discouraging the growth of indigenous Indian industries through biased tariff and trade policies.
Question 19

Describe the condition of artisans and weavers before the British arrival.

Answer:
Before the British, artisans were a vital part of the economy: 1. Village artisans (weavers, potters, carpenters) were self-sufficient and catered to local needs. 2. Town craftsmen produced high-quality luxury goods for export and domestic use. 3. They enjoyed high social status and the patronage of local kings and nobles. 4. Skills were passed down through generations within hereditary professions.
Question 20

What was the impact of the introduction of railways on the Indian economy?

Answer:
The railways had a dual impact: 1. They facilitated the quick transport of cheap raw materials from the interior of India to ports for export to Britain. 2. They allowed machine-made British goods to reach the remotest corners of India, further destroying local handicrafts. 3. While they modernized transport, they primarily served British commercial and military interests rather than Indian economic development.
Question 21

Compare the Ryotwari system with the Permanent Settlement.

Answer:
1. Ownership: In Permanent Settlement, the Zamindar was the owner; in Ryotwari, the Ryot (cultivator) was the owner. 2. Collection: In Permanent Settlement, the Zamindar collected revenue; in Ryotwari, the Government collected it directly. 3. Duration: Permanent Settlement was fixed forever; Ryotwari was revised every 20-30 years. 4. Social impact: Permanent Settlement created a loyal class of landlords; Ryotwari put peasants under the direct, often harsh, control of British collectors.
Question 22

Why did land become a commodity under British rule?

Answer:
Land became a commodity because: 1. The British introduced the legal right to sell and mortgage land to ensure revenue collection. 2. If a landholder could not pay the high revenue, they were forced to sell or mortgage the land to raise funds. 3. This was a departure from the traditional system where land usually stayed with the cultivator as long as revenue (in kind) was paid.
Question 23

What role did Christian missionaries play in the education sector?

Answer:
Missionaries were active proponents of Western education because: 1. They believed that modern education would undermine traditional Indian beliefs. 2. They saw it as a means to convert Indians to Christianity. 3. They established many schools and colleges that taught English and Western subjects alongside religious instruction.
Question 24

How did the British land revenue policies lead to the impoverishment of peasants?

Answer:
Impoverishment resulted from: 1. Unbearably high revenue demands that did not account for crop failures. 2. The requirement to pay revenue in cash, forcing peasants to sell crops at low prices. 3. The cycle of debt created by borrowing from moneylenders at high interest rates. 4. Frequent evictions and the loss of ancestral land rights.
Question 25

Discuss the impact of modern education on Indian vernacular languages.

Answer:
Modern education had a surprising positive impact on vernaculars: 1. Western learning and printing presses encouraged the production of new literary works in local languages. 2. Reformers used vernaculars to spread modern ideas to the masses. 3. It led to the growth of a nationalist press in languages like Bengali, Hindi, and Marathi, which helped unite the people.
Question 26

What was the significance of the year 1857 in the context of higher education?

Answer:
The year 1857 was significant because it saw the establishment of the first three modern universities in India: Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. These institutions were modeled on the University of London and became the centers for higher learning and the nursery for the future leaders of the Indian national movement.
Question 27

Explain the role of the 'Talukdar' in the Mahalwari system.

Answer:
In the Mahalwari system, the Talukdar acted as an intermediary. He was the head of the 'mahal' (village or estate) and was responsible for collecting the land revenue from the various families or cultivators within that mahal and delivering the total fixed amount to the British treasury.
Question 28

How did British trade policies discriminate against Indian textiles?

Answer:
The policies were designed to kill the Indian textile industry: 1. British textiles were allowed into India with virtually no import duties. 2. Indian textiles exported to Britain were burdened with extremely high protective duties. 3. This made Indian cloth more expensive in Britain and British cloth cheaper in India, leading to the ruin of Indian weavers.
Question 29

What was the 'un-British' nature of British rule according to Dadabhai Naoroji?

Answer:
Naoroji argued that the British rule in India was 'un-British' because it violated the British principles of fair play and justice. Instead of developing India, the administration was purely exploitative, focused on draining India's wealth and keeping its people in a state of chronic poverty, which was contrary to the enlightened image the British portrayed in Europe.
Question 30

Describe the impact of the Subsidiary Alliance on the finances of Indian states.

Answer:
The Subsidiary Alliance was a financial drain on Indian states: 1. Rulers had to pay for the maintenance of a British army within their territory. 2. Often, they had to cede large parts of their revenue-generating territory to the Company for this purpose. 3. This led to the bankruptcy of many Indian states and the impoverishment of their subjects to meet the British demands.
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Quick Review Flashcards - Click to flip and test your knowledge!
Question
What system of revenue collection provided the British with a regular income and created a new social class of landlords loyal to them?
Answer
The Permanent Settlement.
Question
Under the Permanent Settlement, who became the owners of the land, losing their ancestral rights?
Answer
The cultivators.
Question
In which regions of India was the Permanent Settlement in practice?
Answer
Bengal, Bihar, northern districts of Madras (Chennai), Odisha, and Varanasi.
Question
In the Mahalwari System, with whom were the revenue settlements made?
Answer
The village (mahal) as a whole or the families who collectively claimed to be the landlords of the village or estate.
Question
What was a 'mahal' in the context of the Mahalwari revenue system?
Answer
An estate comprising one or more villages.
Question
Who was the head of the 'mahal' who collected the revenue and gave it to the British collectors?
Answer
The talukdar.
Question
In which parts of India was the Mahalwari System started?
Answer
Uttar Pradesh, parts of Central India, and the Punjab.
Question
Which land revenue system involved the government making a direct settlement with the ryots or cultivators?
Answer
The Ryotwari System.
Question
Under the Ryotwari System, who was recognized as the owner of the land?
Answer
The cultivator.
Question
In the Ryotwari System, the land revenue was fixed for a period of _____ to _____ years and was revised afterwards.
Answer
20 to 30 years.
Question
In which part of India was the Ryotwari System introduced after 1801?
Answer
The south-western part of India.
Question
What was a major problem with the revenue fixed under the Ryotwari System?
Answer
The revenue fixed was very high, and the collectors were harsh.
Question
Due to high fixed revenue under the Ryotwari System, on whom did the cultivators become dependent when crops failed?
Answer
The moneylenders.
Question
What was one major effect of the new land revenue systems introduced by the British?
Answer
A new class of landlords was created.
Question
How did the new land revenue systems impact the peasants?
Answer
They were exploited and tortured.
Question
A key effect of the British revenue systems was that land became a _____ property.
Answer
saleable
Question
What economic consequence did land becoming a mortgageable property have on land holdings?
Answer
It gave rise to the borrowing of money on the mortgage of land and the division of land into smaller units.
Question
Why were landholders compelled to mortgage or dispose of their landed property under the British revenue systems?
Answer
Due to the requirement of the payment of revenue in time.
Question
What was the ultimate outcome for the peasants under the British land revenue systems?
Answer
The peasants became poor.
Question
What major societal change occurred as land became a commodity under British rule?
Answer
The entire structure of rural society began to break up.
Question
What was the primary reason for the decline of Indian handicrafts and cottage industries under British rule?
Answer
They could not compete with the cheaper, finer, mass-produced machines.
Question
How did the British export policy in the middle of the 19th century affect Indian textiles?
Answer
The export of cotton and silk goods from India practically ceased.
Question
What happened to the Indian artisans and craftsmen when British officials replaced Indian princes and nobles?
Answer
They lost their patrons.
Question
How did the British tariff policy disadvantage Indian goods?
Answer
No duty was charged on British goods brought into India, while goods exported from India to Britain had to pay a high duty.
Question
How did the British use India's market to their advantage, impoverishing Indian artisans?
Answer
India became a good market for the sale of British goods at the cost of Indian products.
Question
How did the development of railways in India contribute to the decline of Indian industries?
Answer
It became easier to supply cheap Indian raw material for British mills and import the finished goods from those mills.
Question
Define the 'Drain of Wealth' as exposed by Dadabhai Naoroji.
Answer
The transfer of wealth from India to England for which India got no proportionate economic return.
Question
Who exposed the exploitative nature of British rule in India and the concept of the 'Drain of Wealth'?
Answer
Dadabhai Naoroji.
Question
In which book did Dadabhai Naoroji provide statistics to prove the drain of India's wealth to Britain?
Answer
Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
Question
What was one major way wealth was drained from India related to land revenue systems?
Answer
High Rate of Land Revenue, where a part of this income was transferred to England.
Question
What annual payment was the British government required to receive from the Company, contributing to the drain of wealth?
Answer
A sum of £400,000, as per a law passed in 1767.
Question
How did the expenses of the British Army contribute to the drain of wealth from India?
Answer
A huge sum of money was spent on the British Army, which was staying in India to fight with Myanmar and Afghanistan.
Question
What was the Subsidiary System, and how did it drain wealth?
Answer
A system where Indian rulers paid a heavy price to maintain English army units in their state for their own protection.
Question
How did the salaries of Civil Servants contribute to the drain of wealth?
Answer
They were paid high salaries, and a large portion of their pay was sent to England.
Question
What financial activity by the Company, after getting the Diwani of Bengal in 1765, led to a drain of wealth?
Answer
The Company collected huge sums and made large investments.
Question
What was a significant source of wealth for Company officials like Clive, which contributed to the drain?
Answer
Bribes and gifts given by Indian rulers and businessmen.
Question
According to the text, how much wealth had Clive amassed upon his return to England?
Answer
Wealth that yielded £40,000 interest every year.
Question
What was the primary economic interest behind the British policies in India?
Answer
To promote their own economic interests, such as providing cheap raw material for industries in England.
Question
According to the 'Points to Remember', British policies changed the land revenue system to extract the _____ revenue from the peasants.
Answer
maximum
Question
According to Lord Cornwallis' Permanent Settlement, what fraction of the revenue was paid to the government by the zamindars?
Answer
10/11 of the revenue.
Question
Which of the following pairings is incorrect: Permanent Settlement - Zamindari System; Mahalwari System - Collective ownership; Ryotwari System - Cultivator is owner of the land; Traditional System - farmer was owner of the land?
Answer
Traditional System - farmer was owner of the land.
Question
What was a major consequence of the British revenue system on Indian society?
Answer
All of the above (land became a saleable commodity, the structure of society began to break up, the peasants suffered).
Question
What was a primary reason British policies brought the decline of Indian industries?
Answer
Indian industries were handloom and cottage industries that could not compete with cheaper mass-produced British goods.
Question
Which of the following was NOT listed as a way wealth was drained from India: Payment to British troops, High rate of revenue, No duty levied on imports of British goods, Indian products had higher duties?
Answer
Indian products had higher duties (This was a cause of industrial decline, not a direct method of wealth drain listed in that section).
Question
What was the primary reason the British introduced modern western education in India?
Answer
To obtain cheap labour for their operations in India.
Question
What was the purpose of Wood's Dispatch?
Answer
It set apart funds for promoting the knowledge of modern sciences in India.
Question
Who made English the medium of instruction in its schools and colleges in 1835?
Answer
The British government (influenced by figures like Macaulay).
Question
What system of revenue collection recognized the 'cultivator' as the owner of the land?
Answer
The Ryotwari System.
Question
In the _____ system, the zamindars became the owners of the land.
Answer
Permanent Settlement
Question
Under the Permanent Settlement, who were the original owners of the land that lost their ancestral rights?
Answer
The cultivators.
Question
What system of revenue collection provided the British with a regular income and created a new social class of loyal landlords?
Answer
The Permanent Settlement.
Question
In which regions of India was the Permanent Settlement in practice?
Answer
Bengal, Bihar, northern districts of Madras (Chennai), Odisha, and Varanasi.
Question
In the Mahalwari System, the revenue settlement was made with a village or an estate collectively called a _____.
Answer
mahal
Question
Who was responsible for collecting revenue from the village and giving it to the British collectors in the Mahalwari System?
Answer
The head of the mahal, the talukdar.
Question
In which parts of India was the Mahalwari System implemented?
Answer
Uttar Pradesh, parts of Central India, and the Punjab.
Question
Which British land revenue system made a direct settlement with the individual cultivators, or 'ryots'?
Answer
The Ryotwari System.
Question
Who was recognized as the owner of the land under the Ryotwari System?
Answer
The cultivator (ryot).
Question
For how long was the revenue fixed in the Ryotwari System before it was revised?
Answer
For a period of 20 to 30 years.
Question
Where was the Ryotwari System primarily introduced after 1801?
Answer
In the south-western part of India.
Question
What was a major issue with the amount of revenue fixed under the Ryotwari System?
Answer
The revenue fixed was very high.