Q1. Which of the following royal charters initially granted the English East India Company a monopoly to trade with the East Indies?
British Imperialism and Early Resistance: RAS Prelims MCQs
50 RAS Prelims MCQs on British imperialism and early resistance follow the Company from its charter to the Mysore and Maratha wars. The Treaty of Allahabad, Dual Government, the four Anglo-Mysore wars, Tipu Sultan’s reforms and the Maratha struggle with the British are asked as facts, treaties and sequences.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 1–10 of 50 questions
Q2. What was the primary objective of the early English East India Company during its initial decades in India?
Explanation
During the seventeenth century, the Company functioned primarily as a commercial entity rather than a territorial power. Its focus remained on obtaining imperial farmans for duty-free trade and establishing secure storage houses known as factories. These early efforts were concentrated along coastal regions to facilitate efficient maritime commerce with Europe while avoiding direct political conflicts.
Q3. Which of the following statements correctly identifies a key early factory established by the East India Company?
Explanation
The English East India Company established its first permanent southern factory at Masulipatnam in 1611. This strategic port city allowed them to trade textile products from the Coromandel Coast. While they later acquired Madras in 1639 and built Fort St. George, Masulipatnam remains significant as their initial foothold for sustained commercial operations in the southern peninsula.
Q4. Match List I: (Key Figures) with List II: (Associated Events/Places) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Key Figures | Associated Events/Places |
|---|---|
| A. Thomas Roe | i. Founder of the English settlement at Calcutta |
| B. Job Charnock | ii. Ambassador to Jahangir’s court |
| C. Francois Martin | iii. Governor who fortified Bombay |
| D. Gerald Aungier | iv. Founder of the French settlement at Pondicherry |
Explanation
Thomas Roe visited Jahangir’s court to secure trade concessions, while Job Charnock founded the English settlement at Calcutta. Francois Martin established Pondicherry as a French stronghold, and Gerald Aungier fortified Bombay, shaping it into a major urban center. These individuals were instrumental in establishing European colonial outposts and defining the early administrative geography of the Indian subcontinent.
Q5. The primary reason for the East India Company shifting its western headquarters from Surat to Bombay in 1687 was:
Explanation
Bombay was transferred to the East India Company in 1668 by King Charles II. It offered a defensible island location and a deep-water natural harbor, making it far more strategically viable than the vulnerable riverine port of Surat. Consequently, the Company shifted its administrative and commercial headquarters to Bombay in 1687 to ensure better maritime defense.
Q6. What was the most significant legal and political consequence of the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) for the East India Company?
Explanation
The Treaty of Allahabad in 1765 revolutionized the status of the East India Company. By obtaining the Diwani rights from Shah Alam II, the Company gained the legal right to collect revenues from Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. This provided a massive financial base that supported further British territorial expansion and eliminated the need to import bullion from England.
Q7. Match List I: (Provisions of the Treaties of Allahabad) with List II: (Parties involved) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Provisions of the Treaties of Allahabad | Parties involved |
|---|---|
| A. Surrender of Allahabad and Kara | i. Shuja-ud-Daulah to Shah Alam II |
| B. Payment of Rs 50 lakh as war indemnity | ii. Shuja-ud-Daulah to the East India Company |
| C. Grant of Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa | iii. Shah Alam II to the East India Company |
| D. Provision of Rs 26 lakh annual pension | iv. East India Company to Shah Alam II |
Explanation
Under the dual treaties of 1765, Shuja-ud-Daulah surrendered Allahabad and Kara to the Mughal Emperor and paid a war indemnity to the Company. In return, Shah Alam II granted the Diwani rights of eastern provinces to the British. The Company then provided the Emperor with a fixed annual pension, establishing a new financial and political hierarchy in India.
Q8. The "Dual Government" system established in Bengal refers to the separation of which two functions?
Explanation
Robert Clive introduced the Dual Government system where the Company exercised Diwani rights, managing revenue and civil justice. Simultaneously, the Nawab retained Nizamat functions, which included maintaining internal peace, police, and criminal justice. This arrangement allowed the British to enjoy the benefits of power and wealth without assuming the direct responsibility or costs of local administration.
Q9. Identify the statement that does not represent an impact of the Dual Government in Bengal:
Explanation
The Dual Government system was characterized by extreme exploitation and administrative neglect. Since the Company had power without responsibility, revenue collection became predatory, leading to the ruin of the peasantry and the collapse of the weaving industry. This administrative vacuum and lack of public welfare measures contributed significantly to the devastation caused by the Great Bengal Famine of 1770.
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the Dual Government in Bengal:
I. It was instituted by Robert Clive in 1765.
II. The East India Company held the Diwani rights.
III. The Nawab of Bengal was responsible for Nizamat functions.
IV. It led to highly efficient and corruption-free revenue collection.
V. It was eventually abolished by Warren Hastings in 1772.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. It was instituted by Robert Clive in 1765.
II. The East India Company held the Diwani rights.
III. The Nawab of Bengal was responsible for Nizamat functions.
IV. It led to highly efficient and corruption-free revenue collection.
V. It was eventually abolished by Warren Hastings in 1772.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Robert Clive instituted the Dual Government in 1765, separating revenue collection from administrative duties. The Company controlled the finances while the Nawab handled judicial and police matters. However, the system was notorious for corruption and inefficiency. Recognizing its failure, Warren Hastings finally abolished the system in 1772 to bring Bengal under direct British administration and responsibility.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) Charter of 1600 |
| 2 | (a) Securing trading privileges and establishing factories |
| 3 | (c) The first permanent English factory in the South was established at Masulipatnam. |
| 4 | (a) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 5 | (c) Bombay offered a superior natural harbor and greater security than Surat. |
| 6 | (d) It granted the Company the Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. |
| 7 | (a) A-i, B-ii, C-iii, D-iv |
| 8 | (b) Diwani (revenue) and Nizamat (police and judicial) functions. |
| 9 | (b) Rapid agricultural development and prosperity of peasants |
| 10 | (a) I, II, III and V only |
Key facts from British Imperialism and Early Resistance
- The Charter of 1600 gave the English East India Company a trading monopoly; the Company moved its western headquarters from Surat to Bombay in 1687.
- By the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) the Company got the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa; Dual Government separated Diwani (revenue) from Nizamat (police and justice) and was ended by Warren Hastings.
- The Treaty of Madras ended the First Anglo-Mysore War; the Third War (1790-92) began with Tipu’s attack on the Raja of Travancore.
- Lord Cornwallis said after the Third Mysore War that the British had crippled their enemy without making friends too strong.
- David Baird led the assault on Seringapatam in 1799.
- Tipu Sultan planted a Tree of Liberty, set up a Board of Admiralty and tried to monopolise trade in goods like sandalwood and pepper.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on British Imperialism and Early Resistance?
This page has 50 practice MCQs on British Imperialism and Early Resistance (Modern Indian History). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
What did the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) give the Company?
The Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, meaning the right to collect revenue. This gave the Company financial control over the richest provinces of India and is seen as the real beginning of its political power.
What was Dual Government in Bengal?
A system in which the Company held the Diwani (revenue collection) while the Nawab kept the Nizamat (police and judicial functions). Power and responsibility were split, which led to misrule, and Warren Hastings abolished it.
What caused the Third Anglo-Mysore War?
Tipu Sultan’s attack on the Raja of Travancore, an ally of the British. The war ended in 1792 with the Treaty of Seringapatam, by which Tipu lost about half his territory.