Modern History of India Archives

181. Which one of the following commercial centres declined after mid-eight

Which one of the following commercial centres declined after mid-eighteenth century?

[amp_mcq option1=”Calcutta” option2=”Madras” option3=”Dhaka” option4=”Bombay” correct=”option3″]

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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.

The economic policies of the British East India Company and later the British Crown transformed India’s economy, leading to the decline of traditional manufacturing and trading centres and the rise of new port cities that served as nodes for exporting raw materials and importing finished goods from Britain.

182. Which one of the following is not a characteristic feature of the Indi

Which one of the following is not a characteristic feature of the Indian Independence Act, 1947?

[amp_mcq option1=”The Dominion of India got the residuary territory of India, excluding the provinces of Sind, Baluchistan, West Punjab, East Bengal and NWFP.” option2=”The Act sought to lay down a Constitution by the Legislative will of the British Parliament.” option3=”The Act proposed to set up two independent Dominions.” option4=”The Constituent Assembly of each Dominion was to have unlimited power to frame and adopt any Constitution.” correct=”option2″]

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The correct answer is B) The Act sought to lay down a Constitution by the Legislative will of the British Parliament.

Statement B is incorrect. The Indian Independence Act, 1947, did not lay down the Constitution for either India or Pakistan. Instead, it granted the respective Constituent Assemblies of the two Dominions full power to frame and adopt any Constitution they deemed fit. The Act merely provided the legal framework for the transfer of power and the creation of the Dominions.

A) is correct. The Act partitioned British India, designating the specified provinces (Sind, Baluchistan, West Punjab, East Bengal, NWFP, and parts of Assam) to Pakistan, and the rest constituting the Dominion of India.
C) is correct. The Act provided for the creation of two independent Dominions: India and Pakistan.
D) is correct. Section 8 of the Act explicitly stated that the Constituent Assembly of each Dominion was to have unlimited power to frame and adopt any Constitution and to repeal any existing British law, including the Independence Act itself.

183. Who among the following has not written about partition in his works?

Who among the following has not written about partition in his works?

[amp_mcq option1=”Saadat Hasan Manto” option2=”Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay” option3=”Bhisham Sahni” option4=”Narendranath Mitra” correct=”option2″]

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Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, a prominent Bengali writer, lived in the 19th century (1838–1894). He wrote extensively on various themes but passed away decades before the Partition of India in 1947. Therefore, he could not have written about Partition in his works.

The other writers listed are known for their works dealing with the Partition of India. Saadat Hasan Manto (Urdu) is famous for his short stories on Partition horrors. Bhisham Sahni (Hindi) wrote the acclaimed novel ‘Tamas’ on Partition. Narendranath Mitra (Bengali) also depicted the trauma of Partition in his writings.

Saadat Hasan Manto’s short stories like ‘Toba Tek Singh’, ‘Khol Do’, ‘Thanda Gosht’ are powerful narratives on Partition. Bhisham Sahni’s ‘Tamas’ is a seminal work on the communal violence during Partition. Narendranath Mitra’s works, such as ‘Mahanagar’ (later adapted into a film by Satyajit Ray), often reflected the social changes and dislocations, including those related to Partition and its aftermath. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s most famous works include ‘Anandamath’ and ‘Durgeshnandini’.

184. Who among the following in Congress represented the socialist view?

Who among the following in Congress represented the socialist view?

[amp_mcq option1=”Rajendra Prasad” option2=”Narendra Dev” option3=”Maulana Azad” option4=”Sardar Patel” correct=”option2″]

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The correct answer is B) Narendra Dev.

Acharya Narendra Dev was a prominent leader of the Congress Socialist Party (CSP), which was formed within the Indian National Congress in 1934. He was a key ideologue and advocate of democratic socialism in India and actively represented the socialist viewpoint within the Congress party’s discussions and policies.

Rajendra Prasad and Sardar Patel represented the more conservative and nationalist wing of the Congress. Maulana Azad was a secular nationalist and a senior statesman in the Congress, but not primarily identified with the socialist faction. Prominent socialist leaders in the Congress included Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Achyut Patwardhan, besides Narendra Dev.

185. Which of the following statements about India’s Independence is/are co

Which of the following statements about India’s Independence is/are correct?

1. The formal transfer of power on 15th August, 1947 heralding India’s Independence was announced by Lord Mountbatten.
2. Mahatma Gandhi was not present at the festivities in the capital on 15th August, 1947.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]

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The correct answer is C) Both 1 and 2.

– Statement 1: Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, presided over the transfer of power ceremony on August 15, 1947. He administered the oath of office to Jawaharlal Nehru as the first Prime Minister of independent India and read out messages including that from the King. The formal transfer of power involved these events announced and overseen by Mountbatten. This statement is correct.
– Statement 2: Mahatma Gandhi was not present in Delhi for the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 1947. He was in Calcutta (now Kolkata) at that time, engaged in efforts to control communal violence. This statement is correct.

While the capital was celebrating independence, Gandhi was fasting and praying in Calcutta, trying to bring peace between Hindus and Muslims in the wake of Partition-related violence.

186. Which of the following statements about town planning in British India

Which of the following statements about town planning in British India in early 19th century is/are correct?

1. The funds for town improvement were also raised through public lotteries.
2. The threats of epidemics gave an impetus to town planning in the early decades of 19th century.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option3″]

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The correct answer is C) Both 1 and 2.

– Statement 1: During the early 19th century in British India, especially in Presidency towns like Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, funds for urban development and improvement projects were indeed raised through public lotteries. The Lottery Committee in Calcutta (1817-1836) is a significant example, using lottery funds for projects like road construction, bridge building, and tank excavation. This statement is correct.
– Statement 2: The frequent outbreaks of devastating epidemics, such as cholera and plague, in Indian cities highlighted poor sanitation and overcrowding. These health crises prompted the British authorities to implement sanitary measures, improve drainage, and consider aspects of town planning to prevent future epidemics, particularly in the early 19th century, although more systematic town planning policies emerged later. This statement is correct.

Town planning efforts in British India evolved throughout the colonial period, driven by various factors including defense needs, commercial interests, administrative requirements, and public health concerns highlighted by epidemics. Early measures often focused on sanitation and infrastructure within limited areas.

187. Which one of the following statements about land tenure system is NOT

Which one of the following statements about land tenure system is NOT correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”During the British rule in India three categories of land tenure system, viz. Zamindari, Mahalwari and Ryotwari were introduced” option2=”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” option3=”Under the Mahalwari system, the agricultural lands belonged to the Government” option4=”Under Ryotwari system, the individual holders had the permanent rights over land and were directly responsible for payment of land revenue” correct=”option3″]

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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.

A) During the British rule, the three major land tenure systems were indeed Zamindari (or Permanent Settlement), Mahalwari, and Ryotwari.
B) Under the Zamindari system, the Zamindars were recognized as proprietors of the land and were responsible for collecting rent from the cultivators (ryots) and paying a fixed revenue to the British government.
D) Under the Ryotwari system, settlement was made directly with the individual cultivator (Ryot), who was recognized as the owner of the land and was directly responsible for the payment of land revenue to the government. This system gave Ryots permanent rights over land as long as they paid the revenue.

188. Which one of the following was the mandate of the Dhar Commission (194

Which one of the following was the mandate of the Dhar Commission (1948) ?

[amp_mcq option1=”To study the classification of States” option2=”To recommend whether the States can be re-organized on linguistic basis” option3=”To study the Centre-State relations” option4=”To examine whether Madras city can be transferred to Andhra” correct=”option2″]

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The mandate of the Dhar Commission (1948) was primarily to recommend whether the States can be re-organized on a linguistic basis.

The Linguistic Provinces Commission, headed by S.K. Dhar (hence known as the Dhar Commission), was appointed by the Constituent Assembly in June 1948. Its purpose was to examine the feasibility of reorganizing the states of India on linguistic lines. The Commission, however, recommended against linguistic reorganization and favoured reorganization on the basis of administrative convenience.

The recommendations of the Dhar Commission led to popular discontent, particularly in South India. This prompted the Congress to appoint another committee, the JVP Committee (Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya), which also opposed linguistic reorganization initially but later accepted it after the fast unto death by Potti Sriramulu for a separate Andhra state. This ultimately led to the formation of Andhra state in 1953 and the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

189. Which one of the following had created the office of the Secretary of

Which one of the following had created the office of the Secretary of State for India?

[amp_mcq option1=”The Councils Act 1861″ option2=”The Government of India Act 1858″ option3=”The Morley Minto Reforms” option4=”Montague Chelmsford reforms” correct=”option2″]

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The Government of India Act 1858 created the office of the Secretary of State for India.

Following the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the British Crown took direct control of India from the East India Company. The Government of India Act 1858 abolished the Board of Control and the Court of Directors and replaced them with the office of the Secretary of State for India, who was a member of the British cabinet and was assisted by a Council of India.

This Act marked a significant shift in the governance of India, establishing a direct link between the British Parliament and the Indian administration. The Secretary of State for India exercised the powers of the Crown relating to the government of India. The India Councils Act 1861, Morley-Minto Reforms (1909), and Montague-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) were subsequent constitutional reforms that further developed the legislative and administrative structure but did not create the office of the Secretary of State for India.

190. Which one of the following statements about the Colonial economy is NO

Which one of the following statements about the Colonial economy is NOT correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”The British presence inhibited indigenous capitalism” option2=”Laissez-faire actively promoted indigenous capitalism” option3=”The ‘white collective monopoly’ came earliest and remained most pronounced in Eastern India” option4=”The Bombay hinterland was difficult to penetrate before the construction of railways” correct=”option2″]

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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.

Statement A is correct; British policies led to deindustrialization and inhibited indigenous capital accumulation. Statement C is correct; the British agency houses established early dominance in Eastern India (Bengal) which became the center of colonial administration and trade. Statement D is correct; infrastructure like railways was built primarily to facilitate the movement of goods for colonial exploitation, making the interior accessible to ports like Bombay.