The correct answer is: a) Strict isolation from the outside world.
The British designated the Naga Hills as an “Excluded Area” in 1935. This meant that the Naga people were not subject to the same laws and regulations as other parts of British India. The British government also did not interfere in the traditional governance of the Naga Hills. This policy of isolation was designed to protect the Naga people from outside influences and to allow them to maintain their traditional way of life.
Option b) is incorrect because the British did interfere in the traditional governance of the Naga Hills. They appointed British officials to oversee the administration of the region and to ensure that the Naga people did not violate British law.
Option c) is incorrect because the British did not impose harsh colonial laws on the Naga people. The British government was concerned about the welfare of the Naga people and did not want to impose laws that would be harmful to them.
Option d) is incorrect because the British did not promote rapid economic development in the Naga Hills. The British government was more concerned with maintaining order and stability in the region than with promoting economic development.