Which one of the following Forest Acts divided forests of India into reserved, protected and village forests ?
Forest Act 1864
Forest Act 1865
Forest Act 1866
Forest Act 1878
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2019
The correct answer is D) Forest Act 1878.
The British Indian government passed several Forest Acts to assert control over forests and regulate their use, primarily for timber extraction.
* The Indian Forest Act of 1865 was the first significant step towards monopolizing forest resources by the state. It applied to forests in British India and empowered the government to declare forests as government property.
* The more comprehensive Indian Forest Act of 1878 built upon the 1865 Act. It was enacted by the British colonial government based on recommendations from the German forester Dietrich Brandis.
* A key feature of the 1878 Act was the classification of forests into three categories:
* **Reserved Forests:** These were the most strictly controlled forests, intended primarily for timber production. Local people’s rights were severely restricted or extinguished.
* **Protected Forests:** These forests were also under government control, but some customary rights of local people (like collection of minor forest produce, grazing) might be allowed, often with restrictions.
* **Village Forests:** These were forests assigned to village communities, allowing for their use for local needs, but often still under government supervision.
* This classification system was a significant aspect of the 1878 Act, which aimed at systematic management and exploitation of forest resources while controlling local access and usage.
Therefore, the Forest Act of 1878 is the one that divided forests into reserved, protected, and village forests.
Which one of the following commercial centres declined after mid-eighteenth century?
Calcutta
Madras
Dhaka
Bombay
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Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2018
The correct answer is C) Dhaka.
After the mid-eighteenth century, particularly following the Battle of Plassey (1757) and the consolidation of British power, colonial trade policies and the rise of port cities favoured by the British led to the decline of many traditional inland commercial centres. Dhaka, a major trading city and centre for fine textiles like muslin under Mughal rule, experienced a significant decline as British trade patterns shifted towards Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, and traditional industries faced competition from British manufactured goods. Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, on the other hand, grew exponentially under British rule, becoming major Presidency towns and hubs of colonial administration and trade.
Which one of the following statements about land tenure system is NOT correct?
During the British rule in India three categories of land tenure system, viz. Zamindari, Mahalwari and Ryotwari were introduced
Under Zamindari system, land was held by one person or at the most by a few joint owners who were responsible for the payment of land revenue
Under the Mahalwari system, the agricultural lands belonged to the Government
Under Ryotwari system, the individual holders had the permanent rights over land and were directly responsible for payment of land revenue
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This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2017
The correct answer is C) Under the Mahalwari system, the agricultural lands belonged to the Government.
This statement is incorrect. Under the Mahalwari system, the land revenue settlement was made with the village community (Mahal) as a whole or with the headman of the village on behalf of the community. The agricultural lands typically belonged to the villagers collectively or individually within the village, and the community was jointly responsible for the payment of revenue, although the government fixed the revenue for the entire Mahal. The land did not belong to the Government.
Which one of the following statements about the Colonial economy is NOT correct ?
The British presence inhibited indigenous capitalism
Laissez-faire actively promoted indigenous capitalism
The 'white collective monopoly' came earliest and remained most pronounced in Eastern India
The Bombay hinterland was difficult to penetrate before the construction of railways
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2017
Statement B is NOT correct. While laissez-faire is theoretically minimal state intervention, in the context of colonial India, British economic policies were *not* truly laissez-faire in a way that equally benefited indigenous capitalism. The state actively intervened through policies regarding trade, tariffs, railways, and currency to favor British capital and goods, often hindering the growth of Indian industries and enterprise.
Colonial economic policy in India was characterized by a system designed to serve the interests of Britain, transforming India into a supplier of raw materials and a market for British manufactured goods. This often involved state intervention that created an unequal playing field disadvantageous to indigenous capital.
Consider the following statements:
- Statement-I: Dadabhai Naoroji argued that what was being drained out was ‘potential surplus’ that could generate more economic development in India if invested in India
- Statement-II: Imperialists believed that India was brought into the large capitalist world market and that was in itself a progress towards modernization
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements and the code?
Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is NOT the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2017
Statement I is true; Dadabhai Naoroji, through his ‘Drain Theory’, argued that British rule resulted in the systematic drain of wealth from India, representing a ‘potential surplus’ or investible capital that, if retained and invested in India, could have fueled its industrial and economic development. Statement II is true; Imperialists and colonial apologists frequently argued that British rule brought India into contact with the global capitalist system, promoting trade, infrastructure, and a degree of institutional modernization, which they presented as inherently progressive. Both statements are individually true, reflecting distinct viewpoints (nationalist critique vs. imperialist justification). However, Statement II does not explain why Dadabhai Naoroji developed his argument in Statement I. They represent contrasting analyses of the impact of British rule.
Dadabhai Naoroji critiqued the economic drain, while imperialists claimed modernization through integration into the world market; these are contrasting views, not cause and effect.
Which of the following is / are characteristic(s) of the Ryotwari system?
- 1. It was the brainchild of Thomas Munro
- 2. It was meant to reduce intermediaries
- 3. Cultivating peasants were gradually impoverished by the system
- 4. It was introduced in parts of Madras and Bengal Presidency
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
1 only
1, 2 and 3
2 and 4 only
2, 3 and 4
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2016
Statements 1, 2, and 3 are characteristic of the Ryotwari system. Statement 1: Thomas Munro, along with Charles Reed, was instrumental in developing and implementing the Ryotwari system. Statement 2: It aimed to establish a direct settlement between the government and the cultivator (Ryot), thereby reducing the role of intermediaries like Zamindars. Statement 3: While initially intended to benefit peasants, high revenue demands fixed by the state and rigid collection methods often led to the impoverishment of cultivating peasants. Statement 4 is incorrect; the Ryotwari system was primarily introduced in parts of the Madras and Bombay Presidencies, as well as Assam, but not Bengal Presidency (where the Permanent Settlement was prevalent).
The Ryotwari system established a direct relationship between the colonial state and the individual peasant cultivator regarding land revenue collection.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Permanent Settlement ?
The Permanent Settlement vested landownership rights in the Zamindar
The Permanent Settlement continued to pay attention to the customary occupancy rights of peasants
The burden of the high revenue assessment was shifted to the peasants under the Permanent Settlement
The condition of the actual cultivators of the land declined under Permanent Settlement
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2016
The Permanent Settlement, introduced in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis, explicitly ignored the customary occupancy rights of the peasants. It vested ownership rights in the Zamindars (landlords).
The Permanent Settlement created a new class of landlords (Zamindars) who were given proprietary rights over land in exchange for a fixed revenue payment to the state, largely disregarding the traditional rights of cultivators.
Which of the following statements with regard to construction of railways in colonial India by the British companies is/are NOT true ?
- 1. The companies were guaranteed a return of 5 per cent on their investment by Government of India
- 2. The railways were to be managed mainly by the Government
- 3. There was no system of preferential freight charges
- 4. The companies were to get the land free from the Government
1 and 3
2 and 3 only
4 only
2, 3 and 4
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2015
Let’s examine each statement regarding railway construction in colonial India by British companies:
1. The companies were guaranteed a return of 5 per cent on their investment by Government of India: This is TRUE. Under the ‘guarantee system’, private British companies were encouraged to invest in railways with a guaranteed minimum return, initially 5%, on their invested capital by the Indian government. This system proved costly for the Indian treasury.
2. The railways were to be managed mainly by the Government: This is NOT TRUE. Initially, the railways constructed under the guarantee system were managed by the private British companies themselves. Government management of railways became more prominent later, after the expiry or purchase of these companies’ contracts.
3. There was no system of preferential freight charges: This is NOT TRUE. There *was* a system of preferential freight charges which favored the export of raw materials and import of finished goods over the movement of domestic goods within India. This policy harmed Indian industries and promoted the colonial economic pattern.
4. The companies were to get the land free from the Government: This is TRUE. The land required for railway construction was provided free of cost by the Government of India to the companies.
The statements that are NOT true are 2 and 3.