MCQs on “Colonial Impact on Indian Agriculture and Economy”

1. What was the primary objective of British economic policies in India during the colonial period?
   a) Industrialization of India
   b) Economic self-sufficiency
   c) Maximizing revenue for Britain
   d) Promoting local handicrafts
   Answer: c) Maximizing revenue for Britain
2. The introduction of the Permanent Settlement of 1793 led to the establishment of which class of intermediaries?
   a) Ryots
   b) Zamindars
   c) Peasants
   d) Talukdars
   Answer: b) Zamindars
3. Which system replaced the Permanent Settlement in some parts of India, allowing direct collection of land revenue by the government?
   a) Ryotwari System
   b) Mahalwari System
   c) Subsidiary System
   d) Dual Administration System
   Answer: a) Ryotwari System
4. Who among the following introduced the Mahalwari system?
   a) Lord Cornwallis
   b) Lord Wellesley
   c) Holt Mackenzie
   d) Sir Charles Napier
   Answer: c) Holt Mackenzie
5. Which British Governor-General was responsible for introducing the Permanent Settlement in Bengal?
   a) Lord Wellesley
   b) Lord Curzon
   c) Lord Cornwallis
   d) Lord Dalhousie
   Answer: c) Lord Cornwallis
6. Under the Ryotwari system, revenue was collected directly from which of the following?
   a) Zamindars
   b) Ryots (cultivators)
   c) Village headmen
   d) Merchants
   Answer: b) Ryots (cultivators)
7. Which crop’s cultivation was forced upon Indian farmers due to British colonial policies in the 19th century?
   a) Cotton
   b) Indigo
   c) Tea
   d) Jute
   Answer: b) Indigo
8. What was the main consequence of the commercialization of agriculture under British rule?
   a) Increased food security
   b) Decline in industrial production
   c) Over-dependence on cash crops
   d) Agricultural self-sufficiency
   Answer: c) Over-dependence on cash crops
9. The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60 occurred in which region of India?
   a) Punjab
   b) Bengal
   c) Gujarat
   d) Bihar
   Answer: b) Bengal
10. Which of the following terms refers to the economic drain from India to Britain during colonial rule?
    a) Wealth Transfer
    b) Economic Exhaustion
    c) Drain of Wealth
    d) Fiscal Drain
    Answer: c) Drain of Wealth
11. Who is associated with the “Drain Theory,” which highlighted the economic exploitation of India by Britain?
    a) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
    b) Dadabhai Naoroji
    c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
    d) Mahatma Gandhi
    Answer: b) Dadabhai Naoroji
12. The Deccan Riots of 1875 were primarily due to grievances related to which of the following?
    a) Heavy land revenue demands
    b) High prices of agricultural products
    c) Denial of employment
    d) British military campaigns
    Answer: a) Heavy land revenue demands
13. The ‘Blue Rebellion’ in 1859 is associated with the forced cultivation of which crop?
    a) Indigo
    b) Cotton
    c) Opium
    d) Tea
    Answer: a) Indigo
14. What was the primary feature of the British Colonial Railways system in India?
    a) Facilitating domestic trade
    b) Serving the transportation needs of the Indian population
    c) Export of raw materials to Britain
    d) Promoting local industries
    Answer: c) Export of raw materials to Britain
15. What was the principal aim of the British policy of land revenue collection in colonial India?
    a) Encourage agricultural production
    b) Establish trade relations
    c) Increase state revenue
    d) Provide welfare to the peasants
    Answer: c) Increase state revenue
16. Which British economic policy had the greatest impact on Indian textile weavers during the colonial period?
    a) Imposition of heavy taxes
    b) Banning of cotton trade
    c) Import of cheap British textiles
    d) Promotion of silk industry
    Answer: c) Import of cheap British textiles
17. What was the key result of the British economic policy of “Free Trade” in India?
    a) Industrial growth in India
    b) Decline of Indian handicrafts
    c) Increased export of Indian goods to Britain
    d) Self-sufficiency in agriculture
    Answer: b) Decline of Indian handicrafts
18. The British policy of economic exploitation resulted in which of the following for Indian peasants?
    a) Wealth accumulation
    b) Debt and poverty
    c) Industrial employment
    d) Political empowerment
    Answer: b) Debt and poverty
19. The Champaran Satyagraha in 1917 was launched to address issues related to which crop?
    a) Cotton
    b) Indigo
    c) Tea
    d) Jute
    Answer: b) Indigo
20. Which of the following Acts was passed in response to the Indigo Revolt of 1859?
    a) The Bengal Tenancy Act
    b) The Indigo Act of 1860
    c) The Indian Arms Act
    d) The Vernacular Press Act
    Answer: b) The Indigo Act of 1860
21. What was the primary consequence of British rule on Indian forests and forestry?
    a) Conservation of natural resources
    b) Large-scale deforestation for railways and plantations
    c) Preservation of wildlife
    d) Introduction of sustainable forestry practices
    Answer: b) Large-scale deforestation for railways and plantations
22. Who were the key beneficiaries of the Permanent Settlement introduced by Lord Cornwallis?
    a) Peasants
    b) Zamindars
    c) Artisans
    d) British officials
    Answer: b) Zamindars
23. Which of the following was a direct effect of colonial infrastructure development in India?
    a) Growth of Indian manufacturing
    b) Drain of wealth from India
    c) Increase in rural employment
    d) Flourishing of handicraft industries
    Answer: b) Drain of wealth from India
24. Which British policy led to the destruction of India’s traditional cottage industries?
    a) Heavy import duties on British goods
    b) Export promotion policies
    c) Free entry of British manufactured goods
    d) Investment in Indian industries
    Answer: c) Free entry of British manufactured goods
25. Which colonial practice exacerbated the plight of Indian peasants in the 19th century?
    a) Subsistence farming
    b) Tax-free agricultural practices
    c) Revenue farming
    d) High land revenue assessments
    Answer: d) High land revenue assessments
26. What was the primary aim of the British-imposed commercial crops policy?
    a) Improve food production
    b) Increase agricultural diversity
    c) Export cash crops to Britain
    d) Increase employment for Indian farmers
    Answer: c) Export cash crops to Britain
27. Which of the following systems allowed British companies to directly control Indian plantations and agricultural output?
    a) The Mahalwari System
    b) The Ryotwari System
    c) The Zamindari System
    d) The Indigo Planters’ System
    Answer: d) The Indigo Planters’ System
28. Which of the following was the primary reason for recurring famines during the British colonial period in India?
    a) Lack of agricultural technology
    b) Overdependence on cash crops
    c) Poor rainfall
    d) Low population
    Answer: b) Overdependence on cash crops
29. Who was the first Indian to highlight the issue of the economic drain from India to Britain?
    a) Mahatma Gandhi
    b) Dadabhai Naoroji
    c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
    d) Jawaharlal Nehru
    Answer: b) Dadabhai Naoroji
30. What was one of the significant consequences of the British emphasis on commercial agriculture in India?
    a) Growth of industrial towns
    b) Decline in food production
    c) Agricultural modernization
    d) Rural empowerment
    Answer: b) Decline in food production

These MCQs are designed to cover different aspects of the colonial impact on Indian agriculture and economy, helping in understanding the policies and their long-term consequences for Indian society.