Modern History (Part-I)

Total Questions: 50

41. Which one of the following statements is not correct? [2003]

Correct Answer: (a) Ali Mardan Khan introduced the system of revenue farming in Bengal.
Solution:Farrukhsiyar introduced revenue farming in Bengal.
On the eve of the British conquest of Bengal, agriculture was the primary source of income. Due to their mercantilist intentions, the British sought complete control over this sector, its production methods, and the individuals engaged in it, including the traditional zamindars and cultivators. Because land was one of the most important factors in agricultural productivity, Permanent Settlement was implemented initially, followed by two other land revenue systems. These policies altered the structure of Indian agriculture, resulting in agrarian stagnation, the growth of absentee landlordism, and peasant misery.
The Indian peasants had to bear the primary burden of funding the Company's trade and profits, the cost of administration, and the wars of British colonial expansion in India and abroad. In fact, if they hadn't levied her a hefty tax, the British would not have been able to conquer such a sizable nation as India.

42. Which one of the following provisions was not made in the Charter Act of 1833 ? [2003]

Correct Answer: (d) An Indian was to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General's Council.
Solution:Charter Act of 1833 provides for the appointment of a law member but not necessarily an Indian.
The British East India Company was initially granted a monopoly over trade and governance in the Indian subcontinent. However, by the early nineteenth century, concerns about corruption, inefficiency, and the need for reform prompted the passage of several Acts, including the Charter Act of 1833.
Before the Charter Act, the East India Company underwent several reforms, including the Regulating Act of 1773 and the Pitts India Act of 1784.
These Acts were intended to address administrative issues and increase control over the company's operations.
The Charter Act of 1833 was introduced to continue this process, providing a more comprehensive framework for governance.

43. With reference to colonial rule in India, what was sought by the Ilbert Bill in 1883? [2003]

Correct Answer: (a) To bring Indians and Europeans at par as far as the criminal jurisdiction of courts was concerned.
Solution:

The Ilbert Bill controversy of 1883 was an important event in British India's colonial history, highlighting the British administration’s deep-seated racial bias. The bill, introduced by Sir Courtney Ilbert, a legal member of the Viceroy’s Council under Lord Ripon’s administration, aimed to remove racial discrimination in the Indian judicial system.
However, the proposal faced fierce opposition from the European community in India, sparking widespread protests and eventually leading to a compromise. The Ilbert Bill controversy is remembered for its role in exposing the racial tensions in British India and the limitations of colonial justice.

44. . In India, the first Bank of limited liability managed by Indians and founded in 1881 was: [2003]

Correct Answer: (b) Oudh Commercial Bank
Solution:The first entirely Indian joint stock bank was the Oudh Commercial Bank, established in 1881 in Faizabad. It collapsed in 1958. The next was the Punjab National Bank was established in Lahore in 1895, which has survived to the present and is now one of the largest banks in India.

45. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? [2004]

List-I List-II 
1. AD 1767-69First Anglo-Maratha War
2. AD 1790-92Third Mysore War
3. AD 1824-26First Anglo-Burmese War
4. AD 1845-46Second Sikh War

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Correct Answer: (d) 2 & 3
Solution:First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–1782)
  • Opponents: British East India Company versus the Maratha Empire.
  • Cause: Internal Maratha power struggles and external British expansionism.
  • Outcome: The treaty restored peace and defined territorial boundaries, but the conflict marked the beginning of a longer struggle for supremacy in India.

First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846)

  • Opponents: Sikh Empire and the British East India Company.
  • Cause: British attempts to assert dominance over the expanding Sikh Empire.
  • Outcome: A British victory that resulted in the Sikh Empire ceding territory and agreeing to a British presence in the region.

Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849)

  • Opponents: Sikh Empire and the British East India Company.
  • Cause: Rising tensions following the Treaty of Lahore.
  • Outcome: A British victory that concluded with the formal annexation of the Punjab into British India.

46. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? [2004]

List-IList-II
(a) Pitt's India ActWarren Hastings
(b) Doctrine of LapseDalhousie
(c) Vernacular Press ActCurzon
(d) Ilbert BillRipon
Correct Answer: (c)
Solution:

The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was enacted to curtail the freedom of the Indian press and suppress criticism of British policies. Introduced in response to growing dissent, especially after the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80), the act reflected the British government’s attempt to silence opposition. Proposed by Lord Lytton, the then Viceroy of India, it specifically targeted newspapers published in Indian languages that voiced resistance to colonial rule.

The Vernacular Press Act, passed by the Viceroy’s Council in 1878, excluded English-language publications. It was designed to control seditious writing in ‘publications in Oriental languages’ across the country. However, widespread opposition to the act grew over time, leading to its eventual repeal in 1882 under Lord Ripon’s administration.

47. Consider the following Viceroys of India during the British rule: [2004]

1. Lord Curzon

2. Lord Chelmsford

3. Lord Hardinge

4. Lord Irwin

Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of their tenure?

Correct Answer: (a) 1, 3, 2, 4
Solution:
  • Lord Curzon (1899–1905): Known for the Partition of Bengal in 1905, which sparked the Swadeshi and boycott movements.
  • Lord Hardinge (1910–1916): His tenure saw the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911 and the annulment of the Partition of Bengal.
  • Lord Chelmsford (1916–1921): This period was marked by the enactment of the Rowlatt Act and the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre in April 1919, which was a pivotal moment in the freedom struggle.
  • Lord Irwin (1926–1931): His time as Viceroy included the Dandi March, the First Round Table Conference, and the signing of the landmark Gandhi-Irwin Pact in 1931.

48. Consider the following princely States of the British rule in India: [2004]

1. Jhansi

2. Sambalpur

3. Satara

The correct chronological order in which they were annexed by the British is:

Correct Answer: (c) 3, 2, 1
Solution:These princely states were annexed by Lord Dalhousie under Doctrine of Lapse. Jhansi 1854, Sambalpur-1849 and Satara-1848.
The Doctrine of Lapse was a policy implemented by the British East India Company in the mid-nineteenth century under the administration of Lord Dalhousie(1848 to 1856), the then Governor-General of India. This doctrine contributed significantly to the expansion of British territories in India by annexing princely states without a direct male heir.
Although the British saw it as a tool for administrative efficiency, Indian rulers despised the doctrine, which is credited with sparking the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After the rebellion, the doctrine was abandoned as part of efforts to reconcile with princely states.

49. Consider the following statements: [2004]

1. In the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated Ibrahim Lodi.

2. Tipu Sultan was killed in the Third Anglo-Mysore War.

3. Mir Jafar entered in a conspiracy with the English for the defeat of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 3 only
Solution:The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) was fought between the Maratha Empire and the Afghan army led by Ahmad Shah Abdali. Ibrahim Lodi was involved in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Tipu Sultan was killed in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, not the Third. Mir Jafar did conspire with the British, which led to the defeat of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey.

50. Which one of the following places did Kunwar Singh, a prominent leader of the Revolt of 1857 belong to? [2005]

Correct Answer: (a) Bihar
Solution:Kunwar Singh belonged to a royal Ujjaini house of Jagdispur, currently a part of Bhojpur district, Bihar state.

The Revolt of 1857, also known as the "First War of Independence," was the first significant attempt by Indians to end British imperialism. It started on 10 May 1857, first in the form of sepoy mutiny and later as a concerted effort by Indian rulers under the de jure supervision of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. As the Revolt of 1857 posed a considerable threat to British power, it was proved as a watershed movement for the British perspective towards India. They became more cautious in their approach towards administration, the nature of the army, differential treatment of the vast Indian communities, etc.

The Revolt of 1857 was mainly concentrated across the vast portions of northern India, engulfing the peasantry and other civilian populations that stood side-by-side with their leaders. Many prominent leaders of the Revolt and common mass fought bravely with the British forces..