British Expansion in India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Modern History)

Explanation

The Subsidiary Alliance was a diplomatic strategy introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798, aiming to maintain British control over Indian states.

Option (c) is correct: The Subsidiary Alliance aimed to establish British paramountcy over the Indian States and to ensure their military and political subservience to the British East India Company. Securing a fixed income for the company was not the primary objective of the system. Hyderabad was the first state to come under it. The native Indian ruler had to pay for the maintenance of the British army and if he failed to make the payment, a portion of his territory was taken away and ceded to the British. They could not engage in alliances with other powers without British consent.

Explanation

The 1793 regulation was introduced as part of Lord Cornwallis’s judicial and administrative reforms during his tenure as Governor-General of India. Statement (a) is incorrect: Cornwallis’s reforms aimed at revenue efficiency, but the primary goal of depriving the District Collector of judicial powers was to ensure systemic fairness and prevent the concentration of power. Statement (b) is incorrect: The policy was not based on a racial division of duties; instead, it focused on the principle of separating powers to prevent misuse. Statement (c) is correct: Lord Cornwallis was concerned about the concentration of power in the hands of the District Collector, who held both revenue and judicial authority. To prevent inefficiency and corruption, he restructured the system, separating executive and judicial functions. Statement (d) is incorrect: While judicial work required knowledge and training, Cornwallis’s decision was primarily driven by the need to separate powers rather than concerns about the qualifications of the District Collector.

Explanation

The British East India Company established forts to secure trade routes, defend against rival European powers, and later assert political control over territories.

Option (b) is correct: Fort St George Was constructed in 1644 in Madras (Chennai), was the first fort built by the British in India. It marked the beginning of British colonial expansion and served as a major administrative and military base for the East India Company in South India. Options(a), (c) and (d) are incorrect:

Fort William, located in Calcutta (now Kolkata), was built later in 1696 and served as the British administrative headquarters in Bengal. Fort St David, located near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, was acquired by the British in 1690 and became a secondary stronghold after Fort St George. Fort St Angelo in Kannur (Kerala), was constructed by the Portuguese, not the British.

Explanation

Option (c) is correct: The First Factory Act was enacted in 1881 during the tenure of Lord Ripon. It marked the beginning of labor reforms in India by limiting the working hours of women and children in factories. The act also allowed local governments to implement and enforce rules to ensure compliance, making it a significant step towards improving labor conditions. Options(a), (b) and (d) are incorrect:

Lord Lytton (1876-1880) is known for the Vernacular Press Act and the grand Delhi Durbar of 1877, he did not initiate labor reforms. Lord Bentinck (1828-1835) is famous for his abolition of Sati and other social reforms, his tenure predates the Factory Act. Lord Canning (1856-1862) was the first Viceroy of India, remembered for the Revolt of 1857 and administrative changes following it, but unrelated to the Factory Act.

Explanation

The governance of British India underwent significant changes over time, with key administrative reforms reshaping the roles and designations of officials.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Robert Clive, often referred to as the "founder of the British Empire in India," served as the Governor of Bengal twice (1757-1760 and 1765-1767). However, he was not the first Governor-General of Bengal. This title belongs to Warren Hastings, who was appointed as the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773.

Statement 2 is correct: William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India in 1833 under the Charter Act, which extended the Governor-General of Bengal’s authority to all British territories in India.

Explanation

Kochi, located on the Malabar Coast, was a key maritime hub during the colonial era due to its strategic location and spice trade. Over centuries, Kochi witnessed control by multiple European powers, including the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, each leaving a distinct mark on its history and architecture. Statement (a) is incorrect: The Dutch controlled Kochi after defeating the Portuguese in 1663, but their control ended long before India’s independence. Kochi later became a princely state under British suzerainty. Statement (b) is incorrect: The Portuguese built Fort Emmanuel in Kochi, not Fort William. Fort William, located in Kolkata, was constructed by the British. Statement (c) is incorrect: The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish control over Kochi in 1503. The Dutch defeated the Portuguese in 1663 and took over, but Kochi was never a Dutch colony before the Portuguese. Statement (d) is correct: Kochi remained a princely state under British indirect rule, but it was never fully integrated as a part of British India. The local rulers retained nominal control, and Kochi maintained its identity distinct from direct British colonies.

Explanation

The 18th century in India was a tumultuous period marked by battles involving European powers and Indian states, vying for dominance over trade, territory, and political control. Key battles during this era shaped the trajectory of British colonial rule and defined European influence in India. The Battle of Ambur (1749), during the Second Carnatic War, marked the start of Anglo-French rivalry, with the French backing Chanda Sahib and the British supporting Muhammad Ali. The Battle of Plassey (1757) saw Robert Clive’s British East India Company defeat Siraj-ud-Daulah, establishing British political control in India. The Battle of Wandiwash (1760), in the Third Carnatic War, ended French ambitions in India with a British victory. The Battle of Buxar (1764) secured British control over Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, defeating a coalition of the Nawab of Awadh, Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, and Mir Qasim.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of India, did not establish a regular police force. Instead, he reorganized the existing system of policing and appointed a superintendent of police for each district. The British-style police system was introduced later by Lord Cornwallis in 1786.

Statement 2 is correct: The Regulating Act of 1773 established the Supreme Court in Calcutta with jurisdiction over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, hearing civil, criminal, and commercial cases, and exercising both original and appellate jurisdiction.

Statement 3 is correct: The Indian Penal Code (IPC) was drafted by the first Law Commission of India established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833 under the chairmanship Thomas Babington Macaulay and was formally enacted in 1860 during the time of the British East India Company.

Explanation

The 18th and 19th centuries were marked by a series of wars between the British and various Indian powers as part of the British East India Company’s efforts to consolidate control.

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: AD 1767-69 marks the First Anglo-Mysore War, not the First Anglo-Maratha War. The First Anglo-Maratha War occurred later, from 1775 to 1782.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: AD 1790-92 corresponds to the Third Mysore War, fought between the British East India Company and Tipu Sultan.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: AD 1824-26 corresponds to the First Anglo-Burmese War, which resulted in British territorial expansion in Burma.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: AD 1845-46 marks the First Sikh War, not the Second Sikh War. The Second Sikh War occurred in 1848-49.

Explanation

The Charter Act of 1833 marked a significant milestone in British India’s administrative history. It centralized governance, abolished the East India Company’s trading activities, and initiated legislative reforms to consolidate British rule. Statement (a) is correct: The Charter Act of 1833 ended the trading activities of the East India Company. The company was transformed into a purely administrative body, and its commercial functions were abolished. Statement (b) is correct The act changed the title of the supreme authority in India to Governor-General of India in Council. William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India under this provision. Statement (c) is correct: The Charter Act of 1833 conferred all law-making powers on the Governor-General in Council, making it the sole legislative authority for all British territories in India. Statement (d) is incorrect:. The first Indian to be appointed as a Law Member in the Governor-General’s Council was Satyendra Prasad Sinha, but this happened much later under the Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms). The Charter Act of 1833 only created the post of a Law Member which was filled by British officials, such as Lord Macaulay.