The East India Company Rule – Revenue, Reforms GK MCQ section provides a comprehensive understanding of the key reforms and revenue policies implemented by the British East India Company during their rule in India. Through a series of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), this guide aims to enhance your knowledge of the economic, political, and administrative changes that shaped India’s history under colonial rule.
1. During the time of Governor-General Lord Ellenborough, which among the following acts declared slavery as illegal?
- Act VI
- Act V
- Act III
- Act VIII
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Answer: Act V
The Act V of 1843, during the tenure of Governor-General Lord Ellenborough, declared slavery as illegal in British India. This significant legal reform marked a step toward the abolition of slavery and the protection of individual rights.
2. Who among the following introduced the subsidiary alliance system in India?
- Lord Clive
- Lord Wellesley
- Lord Cunningham
- Lord Canning
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Answer: Lord Wellesley
The doctrine of subsidiary alliance was introduced by Lord Wellesley, who served as the British Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805. The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first Indian ruler to enter into such an alliance in 1798. The doctrine involved Indian rulers accepting the military protection of the British East India Company, but it often resulted in a loss of sovereignty.
3. During the company rule, the Hindu Widows Remarriage Act was drafted by_?
- Lord Canning
- Lord Dalhousie
- Lord Hardinge
- None of the above
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Answer: Lord Dalhousie
The Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, 1856 (also Act XV, 1856), was a crucial reform enacted on 25 July 1856 during the time of Lord Dalhousie. This act legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows in all jurisdictions of India under East India Company rule, bringing about a significant social change by allowing widows to remarry.
4. Under which among the following treaties, did the British East India Company secure the Diwani right of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa?
- Alinagar
- Faizabad
- Allahabad
- Benaras
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Answer: Allahabad
The Treaty of Allahabad, signed on 16 August 1765, was a direct outcome of the Battle of Buxar (1764). Robert Clive, the Governor General of Bengal, negotiated this separate treaty with Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II and Nawab of Awadh Shuja-ud-Daula. Under this treaty, the Mughal Emperor granted the Fiscal Rights (Diwani) over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the East India Company.
5. Who said that the British established a robber state in Bengal between 1765 and 1772?
- G. W. Forrest
- Lord Macaulay
- K. M. Panikkar
- Nand Lal Chatterji
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Answer: K. M. Panikkar
K.M. Panikkar, the Indian scholar, journalist, historian, administrator, and diplomat, noted that between 1765 and 1772, the British had effectively established a “robber state” where they freely plundered and looted under the pretext of their granted rights. This period represented a phase of exploitation and economic extraction by the British East India Company.
6. Mahalwari System of Revenue Settlement was introduced in which of the following?
- Bengal
- Bombay
- Madras
- North-west provinces
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Answer: North-west provinces
The Mahalwari system was introduced in various regions, including the North-west provinces, the Punjab, Delhi, parts of Central India, and Uttar Pradesh. In this system, land was not owned by individuals but by groups of estates or villages known as Mahals. The Mahal was collectively considered the landlord, and revenue was collected from the head of the Mahal, known as the Talukdar.
7. As per Warren Hastings reforms, which among the following courts was set up as an appeal court in criminal cases?
- Circuit court
- Provincial Court
- Sadar Diwani Adalat
- Sadar Nizamat Adalat
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Answer: Sadar Diwani Adalat
During Warren Hastings’ tenure, two courts were established in each district: the Diwani Adalat, responsible for deciding civil cases, and the Faujdari Adalat, which handled criminal cases. The Sadar Diwani Adalat served as a Court of Appeal for civil cases, providing a structured judicial system.
8. Which among the following was also known as the Western Presidency in the early times of the East India Company?
- Bombay
- Surat
- Panaji
- Pune
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Answer: Bombay
The Western Presidency, also known as the Surat Presidency, existed from 1612 to 1687 and included various factories on the west coast of India, such as Ahmadabad, Balasore, Bombay, and Hooghly. The presidency was terminated in 1687 when the seat of administration was moved to Bombay.
9. Under which among the following Governor-Generals of India, was the Public Works Department started in 1848?
- Lord Dalhousie
- Lord William Bentinck
- Lord Wellesley
- Lord Viscount Canning
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Answer:Lord Dalhousie
During Lord Cornwallis’s tenure, various administrative changes were implemented, including the dismissal of high Indian officials and the reservation of posts worth more than £500 a year for Europeans. His initiatives led to the establishment of the Indian Civil Service and the Europeanization of higher postings.
10. Lord William Bentinck is credited for which of the following in Indian History?
- Education reforms
- Laws
- Abolition of sati
- Local government
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Answer: Abolition of sati
Lord William Bentinck is credited with promoting the use of English as the medium of instruction and the court language, replacing Persian. This was part of his educational reforms, reflecting a broader shift in language policy.
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