Changes in Administrative structure during British period
In the beginning, the Company left the administration of its possessions in India in Indian hands, confining its activities to supervision. But soon found `that British aims were not adequately served by following old methods of administration. Consequently, the Company took all aspects of administration in its own hand.
British administration in India was based on three pillars :
The civil service was brought into existence by Lord Cornwallis. The whole administrative machinery was corrupted when Lord Cornwallis first came to India in 1786.He tried to purify the very structure of the civil services by bringing about a number reforms in it. He enforced the rules against private trade and acceptance of presents and bribes by officials with strictness. Cornwallis also laid down a rule that promotion in the civil service would be on the basis of seniority so that its members would remain independent of outside influence. He did not have faith in the efficiency and honesty of Indians. Therefore he appointed only Europeans to all higher posts. In 1800 Fort William College was established at Calcutta during the Governor-Generalship of Lord Wellesley to train the young officers recruited for civil services. In 1806, the Directors of the Company shifted the venue of the training of civil service officers from Calcutta to the East Indian College at Haileybury in England.
Merit was made the basis of selection to the public services for the first time by the Charter Act of 1833. A committee was appointed under Lord Macaulay in 1834 for implementation of this provision. The committee suggested fixing the maximum age for eligibility to the examination at 18 years. But it was not implemented. Till 1853 all appointments to the civil service were made by the Directors of the East India Company. But the Charter Act of 1853 decreed that all recruits to the civil service were to be selected through a competitive examination. The Indian Civil Service gradually developed into one of the most efficient and powerful civil service in the world. Its members exercised vast power and often participated in the making of policy. They protected the British interests in India by their honesty, diligence and untiring hard work. Undoubtedly, the Indian Civil Service was the main pillar of the British East India Company. Along with the civil service, the army and police system under the British also needs to be mentioned here. The army was the instrument through which the Indian powers were conquered. It defended the British Empire in India from foreign rivals and safeguarded British supremacy from internal revolts. With the help of their army, the British were able to extend their empire in Asia and Africa too.
The majority of the Company’s army consisted of Indian soldiers, recruited chiefly from the area at present included in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Its affairs were, however controlled exclusively by the British. The British recruited a large number of Indians soldiers as the British soldiers were much expensive. Moreover, the Population of Britain was perhaps too small to provide the required number of soldiers. A large number of soldiers in the army could pose a grave danger to the British administration. In order to strike a balance, only the English were appointed to high posts and a certain number of British troops were maintained to keep the Indian soldiers under control. The credit for creating an effective police system also goes to Lord Cornwallis. Prior to this the Zamindars were responsible for the Maintenance of Law and Order in their areas. Cornwallis relieved them of this duty. He established a regular police force to maintain law and order. Cornwallis modernized the old system of thanas. He divided the districts of Bengal into various circle or thanas in 1792, headed by a Daroga, who was an Indian. Later the post of the District Superintendent of Police was created to head the police organization in a district. Once again, Indians were excluded from all senior posts. The village watchmen performed the duty of police in the villages. The village was responsible for the maintenance of the village watchman.
Army
Up to the Revolt, an even for a long time after that, the presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras maintained separate armies under separate army commanders. Although the Commander- in-Chief of Bengal Army became nominally the head of the military forces in India, the Governments of Bombay and Madras managed their own forces.
The ‘1857 revolt’ forced the British Government to introduce changes in the structure of army. Several steps were taken to minimize, if not completely eliminate, the capacity of Indian soldiers to revolt.
The domination of army by its European branch was carefully granted through raising the proportion of Europeans to Indians and was fixed at ‘one to two’ in the Bengal Army, and two to five in the Madras and Bombay armies.
The European troops were kept in key geographical and military positions.
The crucial branches of army like artillery and later in 20th century, tanks and armoured crops were put exclusively in European hands.
The older policy of excluding Indians from the officers’ corps was strictly maintained. Till 1914 no Indian could rise higher than the rank of a subedar.
The organization of the Indian section of the army was based on the policy of ‘balance and counter-poise’ or ‘divide and rule’ so as to prevent the chance of uniting against in an anti- British uprising.
Discrimination on the basis of caste, region and religion was practised in recruitment to the any. A fiction was created that Indians consisted of ‘martial’ and ‘non-martial’ classes. Soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, Central India and South India, who had first helped the British to conquer India but later participated in the revolt, were declared to be non-martial.
The police
Cornwallis had created the police system, which was one of the most popular strengths for the British rule. Cornwallis relieved the zamindars of their police functions and established a regular police force to maintain law and order. Interestingly, this put India ahead of Britain where a system of police had not developed yet. Cornwallis established a system of circles or thanas headed by a daroga, who was an Indian. Later, the post of the District Superintendent of Police was mated to head the police organization in a district. Once again, Indians were excluded from all superior posts. In the villages the duties of the police continued to he performed by village-watchmen who were maintained by the villagers. The police gradually succeeded in reducing major crimes such as dacoity. One of its major achievements was the suppression of thugs who robbed and killed travelers on the highways, particularly in Central India. The police also prevented the organization of a large-scale conspiracy against foreign control, and when the national movement arose, the police were used to suppress it.
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The Mughal Empire was a Muslim empire that ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent from the early 16th to the mid-18th centuries. The empire was founded by Babur, a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan, who invaded India from Central Asia in 1526. Babur defeated the Lodhi Dynasty at the First Battle of Panipat and established his capital at Agra.
The Mughal Empire reached its zenith under the reign of Akbar the Great (1556-1605). Akbar was a brilliant military strategist and a wise administrator. He expanded the empire to include much of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. He also promoted religious Tolerance and built a number of magnificent buildings, including the Taj Mahal.
After Akbar’s death, the Mughal Empire began to decline. The empire was plagued by internal conflicts and external threats. In 1739, the Persian ruler Nadir Shah invaded India and sacked Delhi. The Mughal Empire never recovered from this blow.
In the late 18th century, the British East India Company began to exert control over parts of India. The company was a trading company that had been granted a charter by the British government in 1600. The company’s initial goal was to trade with India, but it soon began to acquire territory.
In 1757, the British East India Company defeated the Nawab of Bengal at the Battle Of Plassey. This victory gave the company control of Bengal, one of the richest provinces in India. The company continued to expand its territory, and by the early 19th century, it controlled most of India.
The British East India Company ruled India as a virtual colony. The company’s officials were responsible for all aspects of government, including law and order, Taxation, and Education. The company also had a monopoly on trade with India.
The British rule of India was unpopular with many Indians. The company’s officials were often corrupt and inefficient. They also discriminated against Indians, both Hindus and Muslims. In 1857, a group of Indian soldiers revolted against the British. This rebellion, known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, was the largest uprising against British rule in India.
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major turning point in the history of British India. The rebellion led to the end of the British East India Company’s rule in India. In 1858, the British government took direct control of India.
The British government ruled India as a colony for the next 90 years. During this time, India was administered by a British governor-general. The governor-general was assisted by a council of Indian and British officials. The British government also established a number of legislative councils in India. These councils were made up of Indian and British representatives, and they had some power to make laws.
In the early 20th century, there was a growing movement for Indian independence. This movement was led by a number of Indian leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1947, the British government granted India independence. India was partitioned into two dominions, India and Pakistan.
The independence of India was a major event in world history. It marked the end of British rule in India and the beginning of a new era for the Indian people.
Conclusion
The history of India is long and complex. It is a history of conquest, resistance, and independence. The Mughal Empire, the British East India Company, and the Indian Rebellion of 1857 are all important events in Indian history. These events shaped the modern nation of India.
Here are some frequently asked questions and short answers about the changes in administrative structure during the British period:
What were the main changes in the administrative structure during the British period?
The main changes in the administrative structure during the British period were the introduction of a centralized Bureaucracy, the creation of a new judicial system, and the introduction of a new system of education.
What was the impact of these changes on Society/”>Indian Society?
The impact of these changes on Indian society was profound. The centralized bureaucracy led to the development of a new class of Indian administrators, who were often educated in British schools and universities. The new judicial system led to the development of a new system of law, which was based on British law. The new system of education led to the development of a new class of Indian intellectuals, who were often educated in British schools and universities.
What were the positive and negative effects of these changes?
The positive effects of these changes included the development of a new class of Indian administrators, the development of a new system of law, and the development of a new class of Indian intellectuals. The negative effects of these changes included the disruption of traditional Indian society, the loss of Indian cultural identity, and the exploitation of Indian Resources by the British.
What were the long-term effects of these changes?
The long-term effects of these changes are still being felt today. The development of a new class of Indian administrators led to the development of a new Indian nation-state. The development of a new system of law led to the development of a new Indian legal system. The development of a new class of Indian intellectuals led to the development of a new Indian culture.
What are some of the challenges that India faces today as a result of these changes?
Some of the challenges that India faces today as a result of these changes include the challenge of developing a strong and stable Democracy, the challenge of developing a strong and independent economy, and the challenge of developing a strong and united national identity.
The British East India Company was formed in the year: (A) 1600 (B) 1602 (C) 1608 (D) 1612
The first Governor-General of India was: (A) Warren Hastings (B) Robert Clive (C) Lord Cornwallis (D) Lord Dalhousie
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was also known as: (A) The Sepoy Mutiny (B) The First War of Independence (C) The Indian Mutiny (D) The Great Revolt
The British government took over the administration of India from the British East India Company in the year: (A) 1858 (B) 1860 (C) 1862 (D) 1864
The Indian Councils Act of 1861 provided for the establishment of: (A) Legislative Councils at the provincial level (B) Legislative Councils at the central level (C) Both legislative councils at the provincial and central levels (D) None of the above
The Indian Councils Act of 1892 provided for the expansion of the legislative councils and for the introduction of indirect Elections. (A) True (B) False
The Indian Councils Act of 1909, also known as the Morley-Minto Reforms, provided for the introduction of limited direct elections to the legislative councils. (A) True (B) False
The Government of India Act of 1919, also known as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, introduced dyarchy at the provincial level. (A) True (B) False
The Government of India Act of 1935 introduced provincial autonomy and a federal System of Government. (A) True (B) False
The Indian Independence Act of 1947 granted independence to India and Pakistan. (A) True (B) False