Modern History of India

61. With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the follo

With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements :

  • 1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
  • 2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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The correct option is B.
Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Ryotwari system involved direct settlement with the cultivator (ryot), it often fixed high revenue demands, and exemptions or reductions during bad harvests were not guaranteed and depended on administrative discretion, often leading to hardship.
Statement 2 is correct. The Permanent Settlement introduced by Cornwallis in Bengal included a strict ‘Sunset Clause’. If the Zamindar failed to pay the fixed revenue by the specified date (sunset of the last day of payment), his Zamindari rights were forfeited, and the estate was auctioned off.
The Permanent Settlement (1793) was introduced in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. The Ryotwari Settlement was introduced primarily in Madras and Bombay Presidencies by Thomas Munro and others. Another major revenue system was the Mahalwari Settlement in North-Western Provinces, Punjab, and parts of Central India.

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62. With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the foll

With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements :

  • It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.
  • Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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The correct option is A, as only statement 1 is correct.
Statement 1 is correct. The Government of India Act, 1935, indeed proposed the establishment of an All India Federation comprising British Indian Provinces and the Princely States. However, this federal part of the Act was never fully implemented as the required number of Princely States did not accede to the federation. Statement 2 is incorrect. Under the Government of India Act, 1935, subjects like Defence and External Affairs (Foreign Affairs) were classified as “reserved subjects” and were kept under the direct control of the Governor-General, who was responsible to the British Crown, not the federal legislature.
The 1935 Act introduced provincial autonomy and dyarchy at the centre (though dyarchy was abolished at the provincial level). It also established the Federal Court and the Reserve Bank of India. While the federation part did not materialize, the provincial autonomy provisions and other parts of the Act had a significant impact and served as a basis for the Indian Constitution.

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63. Who was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before D

Who was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before Dr. Rajendra Prasad took over ?

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C. Rajagopalachari
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
T.T. Krishnamachari
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
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The correct option is D.
The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly of India was held on December 9, 1946. Following the French practice, the oldest member, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, was elected as the interim or provisional President of the Assembly. Later, on December 11, 1946, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the permanent President.
C. Rajagopalachari was a prominent leader and the last Governor-General of India. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. T.T. Krishnamachari was a member of the Drafting Committee.

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64. Consider the following statements: Statement-I: 7th August is declared

Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: 7th August is declared as the National Handloom Day.
Statement-II: It was in 1905 that the Swadeshi Movement was launched on the same day.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

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Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.
Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect.
Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct.
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Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.
National Handloom Day is celebrated on 7th August in India to honour the handloom weaving community and highlight the contribution of the sector to the country’s socio-economic development. This date was specifically chosen because it was on 7th August 1905 that the Swadeshi Movement was formally launched in Calcutta, which strongly advocated for the use of Indian-made goods, including handloom products, as a form of economic resistance against British rule.
The first National Handloom Day was celebrated on 7th August 2015. The Swadeshi Movement gained momentum following the Partition of Bengal. Promoting indigenous industries, particularly handlooms, became a crucial part of the movement, symbolizing self-reliance and national pride. Therefore, the historical significance of 7th August 1905 is directly linked to the promotion of handlooms, making Statement-II the correct rationale for establishing National Handloom Day on this date.

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65. With reference to the Indian History, Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst,

With reference to the Indian History, Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Walter Elliot were associated with

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archaeological excavations
establishment of English Press in Colonial India
establishment of Churches in Princely States
construction of railways in Colonial India
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All the individuals listed were prominent figures associated with archaeological excavations and studies in British India.
Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess, and Walter Elliot were all British scholars and administrators who made significant contributions to the field of archaeology, particularly in documenting, conserving, and excavating ancient sites across different parts of India during the colonial period.
James Burgess served as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Alexander Rea and A. H. Longhurst held positions like Superintendents within the ASI, focusing on regions like the Madras Presidency. Robert Sewell is well known for his historical works based on archaeological findings, notably on the Vijayanagara Empire. Walter Elliot was a civil servant who also contributed significantly to archaeology and epigraphy, especially in South India. Their work was foundational to the study of Indian history and art through its material remains.

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66. With reference to the establishment of a British settlement, which one

With reference to the establishment of a British settlement, which one of the following was/were adopted by the East India Company during the Charter Acts?

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The Charter Act of 1793
The Charter Act of 1833
Both of the above
None of the above.
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The question is awkwardly phrased (“adopted by the East India Company during the Charter Acts”). It likely refers to provisions *within* the Charter Acts that facilitated or governed the “establishment of a British settlement,” interpreted as the presence and residence of British subjects in India. The Charter Act of 1833 is particularly significant because it explicitly removed restrictions on European immigration and settlement in India. Previously, permission was often required. This opened up India for increased settlement by British individuals, not just those associated with the East India Company. The Charter Act of 1793 primarily renewed the Company’s charter and continued its control, without such a significant provision regarding private European settlement.
The Charter Act of 1833’s provision allowing free entry and settlement for Europeans in India had long-term implications for the demographic and social landscape, leading to increased British presence outside of administrative and military roles.
The opening of India to European settlement was a contentious issue for a long time, partly due to fears that it might undermine the Company’s authority or lead to conflicts. The 1833 Act reflected a changing policy direction driven by economic liberalism and the assertion of direct British control.

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67. By which one of the following Acts was the Governor General of Bengal

By which one of the following Acts was the Governor General of Bengal designated as the Governor General of India?

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The Regulating Act
The Pitt's India Act
The Charter Act of 1793
The Charter Act of 1833
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The Charter Act of 1833 is historically significant for centralizing the British administration in India. One of its key provisions was redesignating the Governor-General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India. Lord William Bentinck, who was the Governor-General of Bengal at the time, became the first Governor-General of India under this Act.
This Act marked a shift from the East India Company’s role as a trading body with administrative functions to a purely administrative and political entity governing on behalf of the British Crown. It further consolidated British control over India.
The Regulating Act of 1773 created the post of Governor-General of Bengal. Pitt’s India Act of 1784 distinguished between the Company’s commercial and political activities and established the Board of Control. The Charter Act of 1793 extended the Company’s charter for 20 years.

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68. With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:

With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:

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  • 1. The Dutch established their factories/warehouses on the east coast on lands granted to them by Gajapati rulers.
  • 2. Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
  • 3. The English East India Company established a factory at Madras on a plot of land leased from a representative of the Vijayanagara empire.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
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The correct option is B, as statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Dutch established factories on the east coast (Coromandel Coast), major settlements like Pulicat and Masulipatnam were primarily under the control of local rulers such as the Nayaks, the Qutb Shahis of Golconda, and later the Nawabs of Arcot/Carnatic. Gajapati rulers were significant further north in Odisha, but attributing the general establishment of Dutch factories on the entire east coast to land grants from them is inaccurate.
Statement 2 is correct. Alfonso de Albuquerque, the second Governor of Portuguese India, captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur (Yusuf Adil Shah) in 1510, establishing it as the capital of Portuguese India.
Statement 3 is correct. The English East India Company obtained the site of Madraspatnam in 1639 from Damarla Venkatadri Nayaka, a local chieftain who was a representative of the Vijayanagara Empire (under Peda Venkata Raya III). They built Fort St. George there.
The European trading companies sought permission and land grants from various local rulers and empires to set up their trading posts (factories) across India. The political landscape was fragmented, especially in the south after the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire, leading to interactions with multiple powers.

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69. With reference to the proposals of Cripps Mission, consider the follow

With reference to the proposals of Cripps Mission, consider the following statements :

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  • 1. The Constituent Assembly would have members nominated by the Provincial Assemblies as well as the Princely States.
  • 2. Any Province, which is not prepared to accept the new Constitution would have the right to sign a separate agreement with Britain regarding its future status.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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Statement 2 regarding the Cripps Mission proposals is correct, while statement 1 is incorrect.
– Statement 1: The Cripps Mission proposed that the Constituent Assembly would be formed by members elected by the provincial legislative assemblies (using proportional representation) and representatives nominated by the rulers of the princely states. The statement says “nominated by the Provincial Assemblies,” which is inaccurate; provincial representatives were to be elected.
– Statement 2: A crucial part of the Cripps offer was the provision that any province unwilling to accept the new constitution would have the right to retain its existing constitutional position, effectively meaning it could sign a separate agreement with the British government regarding its future status. This clause conceded the principle of India’s potential partition.
The Cripps Mission was sent by the British government in 1942 to secure Indian cooperation during World War II. The proposals offered Dominion Status after the war and the right of provinces to opt out, but they were rejected by both the Indian National Congress (due to lack of immediate transfer of power and the provision for partition) and the Muslim League (which did not find the provision for opting out explicit enough for Pakistan).

70. Consider the following freedom fighters : 1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh 2

Consider the following freedom fighters :

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  • 1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
  • 2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
  • 3. Rash Behari Bose

Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party ?

1 and 2
2 only
1 and 3
3 only
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Among the given freedom fighters, only Rash Behari Bose was actively associated with the Ghadar Party.
– The Ghadar Party was founded by Punjabi Indians in the United States and Canada with the aim of overthrowing British rule in India through armed revolution.
– Barindra Kumar Ghosh was a key figure in the revolutionary movement in Bengal, associated with the Alipore Bomb Case (1908). While a revolutionary, his primary work was not with the Ghadar Party based in North America.
– Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee was a revolutionary and one of the founding members of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) in North India (1924). He was not primarily associated with the Ghadar Party.
– Rash Behari Bose was a prominent Indian revolutionary who was involved in the Delhi Conspiracy Case (1912). He fled to Japan in 1915 and became actively involved with the Ghadar movement’s efforts from abroad, helping coordinate activities and attempting to send arms and men to India, especially after many original Ghadar leaders were arrested or killed. He later played a crucial role in forming the Indian National Army in East Asia during World War II.
The Ghadar Party planned a pan-Indian rebellion in 1915, coinciding with World War I, but the plan was foiled by British intelligence. Many Ghadarites were arrested and tried in the Lahore Conspiracy Cases.

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