Establishment of British Rule in India- Colonialism in India

VidyaarOctober 9, 20260166 views

150. Which battle in 1757 marked the Company’s rise to political power in Bengal?

[RRB Technician Grade III, 10 March 2026, Shift 3]

(A) Battle of Plassey

(B) Battle of Seringapatam

(D) Battle of Buxar

Answer: (A) Battle of Plassey

Explanation: Plassey was fought on 23 June 1757, when Robert Clive defeated Siraj ud-Daulah. The ensuing change of nawab helped the East India Company move from commerce toward political control in Bengal. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

149. What immediate confrontation helped precipitate the Battle of Plassey?

[RRB NTPC UG, 17 June 2026, Shift 1]

(A) A dispute about Company tax privileges

(B) Mughal administrative reform

(D) The French conquest of Bengal

Answer: (C) Siraj ud-Daulah’s capture of Calcutta

Explanation: In 1756 Siraj ud-Daulah seized Calcutta amid conflict over Company fortifications and privileges. The Company recaptured the settlement before Clive marched against the nawab, culminating in the Battle of Plassey in 1757. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

148. Which battle of 1757 became a turning point in Company control of Bengal?

[RRB NTPC Graduate, 18 March 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Battle of Wandiwash

(B) Battle of Plassey

(D) Third Carnatic War

Answer: (B) Battle of Plassey

Explanation: Plassey gave the East India Company decisive influence over the Bengal nawabship. Buxar followed in 1764 and strengthened its military position further; the Diwani grant of 1765 subsequently provided revenue authority. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

147. Which arrangement best describes the Dual Government introduced in Bengal in 1765?

[RRB NTPC UG, 7 May 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Company handled revenue while the nawab retained nominal administration

(B) Company and French shared Bengal

(D) Company completely withdrew from administration

Answer: (A) Company handled revenue while the nawab retained nominal administration

Explanation: Under Robert Clive’s arrangement, the Company exercised Diwani, or revenue collection, while the nawab formally retained Nizamat functions. The division obscured responsibility and enabled Company influence without corresponding administrative accountability. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

146. The Treaty of Allahabad followed which battle?

[MP Police Sub-Inspector, 16 January 2026, Shift 2]

(A) Battle of Plassey

(B) Battle of Wandiwash

(D) Battle of Buxar

Answer: (D) Battle of Buxar

Explanation: After the 1764 Battle of Buxar, the 1765 Allahabad settlement secured the Company’s Diwani rights in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. It transformed military success into a durable fiscal foundation for British expansion. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

145. Through the Treaty of Allahabad, the East India Company obtained Diwani rights over which provinces?

[RRB NTPC UG, 17 June 2026, Shift 2]

(A) Bengal, Bihar and Orissa

(B) Punjab, Sindh and Kashmir

(D) Bombay, Madras and Bengal

Answer: (A) Bengal, Bihar and Orissa

Explanation: Emperor Shah Alam II granted the Company revenue-collecting authority in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in 1765. That income supported Company administration and military campaigns, linking colonial political dominance with provincial fiscal resources. The change made access to land revenue a decisive support for the Company’s expanding military power.

144. During which years was the First Anglo-Mysore War fought?

[SSC GD Constable, 29 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) 1767–1769

(B) 1780–1784

(D) 1799

Answer: (A) 1767–1769

Explanation: The First Anglo-Mysore War took place during 1767–1769 under Haidar Ali. It ended with the Treaty of Madras in 1769, restoring territories and providing for mutual defence, although the relationship remained unstable. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

143. Who earned the epithet “Tiger of Mysore”?

[SSC GD Constable, 4 May 2026, Shift 3]

(A) Haidar Ali

(B) Alivardi Khan

(D) Mahadji Scindia

Answer: (C) Tipu Sultan

Explanation: Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore from 1782 until his death defending Seringapatam in 1799. His military reforms, rockets and resistance to British power made the tiger a prominent element of his political symbolism. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

142. Which city served as the principal seat of the Peshwas?

[SSC GD Constable, 5 May 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Mumbai

(B) Nagpur

(D) Aurangabad

Answer: (C) Pune (Poona)

Explanation: Pune developed into the principal political centre of the Peshwas, who became the dominant executive figures of the Maratha polity. Satara remained associated with the Chhatrapati, while powerful Maratha houses held other regional centres. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

141. Which power was a major focus of Aurangzeb’s extended Deccan campaigns?

[SSC GD Constable, 6 May 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Rajputs

(B) Marathas

(D) Portuguese

Answer: (B) Marathas

Explanation: Aurangzeb’s long Deccan commitment involved conflicts with the Marathas as well as campaigns against the Deccan sultanates. Resistance and prolonged warfare placed immense demands on Mughal armies, finance and administration. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

140. Which combination of the following descriptions of Maratha society is correct:
(A) Shivaji’s military following;
(B) Deshmukhs;
(C) mobile pastoral groups;
(D) Kunbi cultivators?

[CTET Social Science, 7 February 2026, Afternoon]

(A) Only C and D

(B) A, B, C and D

(D) Only A and C

Answer: (B) A, B, C and D

Explanation: Maratha political society incorporated warrior lineages, hereditary local officials such as deshmukhs, cultivating Kunbi communities and mobile groups. These overlapping social networks helped the emergent state obtain military personnel and agrarian resources. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

139. What was the chief political importance of Shivaji’s coronation in 1674?

[UP PGT History, 9 May 2026]

(A) It abolished the Maratha army

(B) It established sovereign royal legitimacy

(D) It transferred his capital to Delhi

Answer: (B) It established sovereign royal legitimacy

Explanation: The coronation at Raigad publicly affirmed Shivaji as an independent Chhatrapati. Ritual legitimacy supported a distinct kingship, administrative offices and the right to exercise sovereign authority amid competition with the Mughals and Deccan powers. Administrative organisation and effective use of regional geography were central to the Maratha state’s durability.

138. Which combination best characterises Shivaji’s methods of warfare and defence?

[UP PGT History, 9 May 2026]

(A) Only mass cavalry assaults on open plains

(B) Fortified strongholds, mobile warfare and a coastal navy

(D) Abandonment of hill forts

Answer: (B) Fortified strongholds, mobile warfare and a coastal navy

Explanation: Shivaji built a flexible military system employing quick movement, intelligence and hill forts. His coastal fortifications and naval initiatives sought to guard the Konkan against rivals and maritime powers, making geography central to defence. Administrative organisation and effective use of regional geography were central to the Maratha state’s durability.

137. Which longer-term development is most closely associated with Shivaji’s state-building?

[UP PGT History, 9 May 2026]

(A) Only a religious movement without institutions

(B) A unified empire across all India immediately

(D) Permanent submission to the Mughal Empire

Answer: (C) Durable governance, forts, mobile warfare and maritime defence

Explanation: Shivaji’s reign laid foundations for military organisation, revenue administration and a network of defensible forts. Subsequent Maratha expansion developed far beyond his original territories, although political forms evolved significantly after his death. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

136. Match the terms with their meanings: (a) Chauth; (b) Sardeshmukhi; (c) Ashtapradhan; (d) Mokasa.

[UPHESC Assistant Professor (History), 19 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) a–25%, b–10%, c–eight ministers, d–service land grant

(B) a–10%, b–25%, c–eight forts, d–customs duty

(D) a–land tax, b–naval levy, c–eight generals, d–salt tax

Answer: (A) a–25%, b–10%, c–eight ministers, d–service land grant

Explanation: Chauth typically represented a one-fourth levy, while Sardeshmukhi was an additional ten per cent claim. Ashtapradhan denoted Shivaji’s eight-member ministerial framework; Mokasa related to revenue assignments for military or administrative service. Administrative organisation and effective use of regional geography were central to the Maratha state’s durability.

135. Put these events in order:
Shivaji’s coronation (a),
Balaji Vishwanath’s appointment as Peshwa (b),
Third Battle of Panipat (c),
Treaty of Purandar (d)

[UPHESC Assistant Professor (History), 19 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) a–b–d–c

(B) a–d–b–c

(D) d–b–a–c

Answer: (C) d–a–b–c

Explanation: Purandar was signed in 1665, Shivaji was crowned in 1674, Balaji Vishwanath became Peshwa in 1713 and the Third Battle of Panipat occurred in 1761. The sequence charts major stages of Maratha development. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

134. Which land-revenue arrangement was established in Bengal under Cornwallis in 1793?

[OSSSC Forest Guard, 23 April 2026]

(A) Ryotwari system

(B) Mahalwari system

(D) Taluqdari system

Answer: (C) Permanent Settlement

Explanation: The Permanent Settlement fixed the Company’s revenue demand from zamindars and recognised them as landholders under prescribed conditions. Its design reshaped rural property and collection practices but did not ensure security for cultivators. The revenue question was fundamental to the economic effects of Company administration on cultivators.

133. What central responsibility did zamindars have under Bengal’s Permanent Settlement?

[SSC GD Constable, 30 April 2026, Shift 2]

(A) Collect revenue and remit the fixed demand to the Company

(B) Serve only as military commanders

(D) Directly appoint the Governor-General

Answer: (A) Collect revenue and remit the fixed demand to the Company

Explanation: Introduced in 1793, the settlement assigned zamindars responsibility for remitting fixed land revenue. Failure could lead to estate sales. Because government demand remained fixed, changes in agricultural output affected landlords and peasants differently. The revenue question was fundamental to the economic effects of Company administration on cultivators.

132. What was the chief purpose of the Regulating Act of 1773?

[OSSSC, 29 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) To place Company affairs under greater parliamentary oversight

(B) To declare Indian independence

(D) To abolish land revenue

Answer: (A) To place Company affairs under greater parliamentary oversight

Explanation: The Act represented Parliament’s first major effort to supervise the East India Company’s Indian territories. It created a Governor-General of Bengal with a council and provided for a Supreme Court at Calcutta. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

131. Which law of 1773 first significantly regulated the Company’s Indian administration?

[RRB NTPC Graduate, 24 March 2026, Shift 3]

(A) Pitt’s India Act, 1784

(B) Government of India Act, 1858

(D) Charter Act, 1813

Answer: (C) Regulating Act, 1773

Explanation: The Regulating Act asserted parliamentary control over major aspects of Company governance. It formalised the Governor-General of Bengal and council and laid the basis for stronger supervision of the presidencies. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

130. Which legislation provided for the Supreme Court of Judicature at Calcutta, established in 1774?

[RRB NTPC Graduate, 22 March 2026, Shift 2]

(A) Regulating Act, 1773

(B) Indian Councils Act, 1861

(D) Government of India Act, 1935

Answer: (A) Regulating Act, 1773

Explanation: The Supreme Court at Fort William in Calcutta began functioning in 1774 under provisions of the Regulating Act. The new judicial institution frequently clashed with the Company’s executive and existing legal practices. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

129. Which Act authorised a Supreme Court at Calcutta consisting of a chief justice and three judges?

[RRB Technician, 6 March 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Charter Act, 1813

(B) Regulating Act, 1773

(D) Pitt’s India Act, 1784

Answer: (B) Regulating Act, 1773

Explanation: Under the Regulating Act of 1773, the Supreme Court was established in 1774 with a chief justice and three puisne judges. This was an early attempt to define judicial authority in British-administered Bengal. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

128. Which feature correctly describes the Regulating Act of 1773?

[UPHESC Assistant Professor (History), 19 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Governor-General of Bengal with a council, with Bombay and Madras subordinated in specified matters

(B) Direct election of an Indian legislature

(D) Appointment of the first Viceroy

Answer: (A) Governor-General of Bengal with a council, with Bombay and Madras subordinated in specified matters

Explanation: The 1773 statute elevated Bengal’s governor to Governor-General, working with a council. It also introduced greater coordination among Company presidencies and parliamentary scrutiny, although administrative ambiguities persisted. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

127. Which Governor-General’s administrative reforms are associated with a civil service framework, courts and a codified set of regulations?

[UPHESC Assistant Professor (History), 19 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Lord Cornwallis

(B) Robert Clive

(D) Lord Curzon

Answer: (A) Lord Cornwallis

Explanation: Cornwallis reorganised Company civil administration, judicial institutions and policing during his governorship. The Cornwallis Code of 1793 became a significant milestone in colonial bureaucracy, while its racial exclusions shaped later government service. The office and its responsibilities changed repeatedly as British power expanded beyond the Bengal Presidency.

126. Which Act transferred British India from Company administration to the British Crown?

[DSSSB Primary Teacher, 16 February 2026, Shift 3]

(A) Charter Act, 1833

(B) Government of India Act, 1858

(D) Indian Councils Act, 1909

Answer: (B) Government of India Act, 1858

Explanation: The Government of India Act of 1858 followed the uprising of 1857. It ended the East India Company’s governmental role, introduced the Secretary of State for India and placed administration under the Crown. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

125. Which legislation formally ended the East India Company’s rule in India?

[SSC GD Constable, 22 May 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Government of India Act, 1858

(B) Charter Act, 1813

(D) Regulating Act, 1773

Answer: (A) Government of India Act, 1858

Explanation: The 1858 Act transferred political control from the Company to the British Crown. The governor-general additionally functioned as viceroy, and a secretary of state in Britain oversaw Indian government matters. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

124. Which annexation policy was used by Dalhousie in cases involving the absence of a recognised natural heir?

[UP Police Sub-Inspector, 14 March 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Doctrine of Lapse

(B) Subsidiary Alliance

(D) Permanent Settlement

Answer: (A) Doctrine of Lapse

Explanation: Dalhousie applied the Doctrine of Lapse to annex certain princely states when an adopted successor was not recognised as entitled to rule. Satara and Jhansi became prominent examples of this controversial policy. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

123. Which Governor-General is particularly associated with the Doctrine of Lapse?

[DSSSB MTS, 25 March 2026, Shift 3]

(A) Lord William Bentinck

(B) Lord Dalhousie

(D) Warren Hastings

Answer: (B) Lord Dalhousie

Explanation: Dalhousie served as governor-general from 1848 to 1856. His use of the Doctrine of Lapse enabled annexation of selected dependent states, contributing to discontent among dispossessed ruling families. The office and its responsibilities changed repeatedly as British power expanded beyond the Bengal Presidency.

122. Under the Doctrine of Lapse, what circumstance could lead to annexation of a dependent princely state?

[UPHESC Assistant Professor (History), 19 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) A ruler died without a recognised natural heir

(B) A state built a new fortress

(D) A ruler signed a trade treaty

Answer: (A) A ruler died without a recognised natural heir

Explanation: The doctrine rejected succession through adoption in selected cases unless permitted by the paramount power. It differed from subsidiary alliances, which involved stationing British troops and accepting diplomatic restrictions. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

121. In which year did the East India Company annex Satara?

[SSC GD Constable, 18 May 2026, Shift 1]

(A) 1848

(B) 1853

(D) 1858

Answer: (A) 1848

Explanation: Satara was annexed in 1848 under Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse after the succession was rejected. Its annexation is one of the earliest and best-known instances of the policy. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

120. Which policy was invoked in the annexation of Jhansi following the dispute over Lakshmibai’s adopted son?

[DSSSB MTS, 18 April 2026, Shift 1]

(A) Subsidiary Alliance

(B) Doctrine of Lapse

(D) Permanent Settlement

Answer: (B) Doctrine of Lapse

Explanation: After the death of Gangadhar Rao in 1853, the Company refused to recognise the adopted heir’s claim to the throne of Jhansi. Annexation helped fuel resentment that became prominent during 1857. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

119. In which year was Punjab finally annexed by the East India Company?

[SSC GD Constable, 30 April 2026, Shift 3]

(A) 1836

(B) 1841

(D) 1856

Answer: (C) 1849

Explanation: Punjab was annexed on 29 March 1849 after the Second Anglo-Sikh War and the Company’s victory at Gujrat. The annexation terminated the Sikh kingdom that Maharaja Ranjit Singh had consolidated. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

118. Which colonial annexation doctrine was abandoned following the uprising of 1857?

[OSSSC, 30 April 2026]

(A) Doctrine of Lapse

(B) Subsidiary Alliance

(D) Ryotwari System

Answer: (A) Doctrine of Lapse

Explanation: The Crown’s post-1857 approach gave greater assurances to princes about succession and treaty rights. The Doctrine of Lapse was abandoned in practice, reflecting British efforts to secure loyalty from princely states. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

117. Which nationalist thinker wrote Poverty and Un-British Rule in India and explained the drain of wealth?

[RRB NTPC Graduate, 19 March 2026, Shift 3]

(A) Dadabhai Naoroji

(B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

(D) M. G. Ranade

Answer: (A) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji argued that colonial institutions transferred Indian resources abroad through salaries, pensions, remittances and other channels. His drain theory became central to the economic criticism of British imperial rule. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

116. In what year did Maharaja Ranjit Singh die?

[SSC MTS 2025 paper, held 18 February 2026, Shift 3]

(A) 1839

(B) 1842

(D) 1851

Answer: (A) 1839

Explanation: Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in Lahore on 27 June 1839. Political instability following his death weakened the Sikh court and army command, preceding the Anglo-Sikh conflicts of 1845–46 and 1848–49. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

115. Which Bengal commander’s defection contributed decisively to Siraj ud-Daulah’s defeat at Plassey?

[SSC MTS 2025 paper, held 9 February 2026]

(A) Mir Jafar

(B) Mir Qasim

(D) Shuja ud-Daulah

Answer: (A) Mir Jafar

Explanation: Mir Jafar, a senior commander in the nawab’s army, entered into an arrangement with the Company and withheld effective support at Plassey. The Company subsequently installed him as nawab. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

114. Which military approach was particularly associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj?

[Delhi Police Head Constable 2025 paper, held 8 January 2026]

(A) Guerrilla and mobile warfare

(B) Exclusive naval bombardment

(D) Reliance solely on war elephants

Answer: (A) Guerrilla and mobile warfare

Explanation: Shivaji exploited difficult terrain, intelligence networks and swift mounted forces. These techniques, supported by forts and local knowledge, helped his army challenge larger Deccan and Mughal forces. Administrative organisation and effective use of regional geography were central to the Maratha state’s durability.

113. Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal in 1793?

[Delhi Police Head Constable 2025 paper, held 9 January 2026]

(A) Warren Hastings

(B) Lord Cornwallis

(D) Lord Curzon

Answer: (B) Lord Cornwallis

Explanation: Lord Cornwallis introduced the settlement fixing the land-revenue demand on zamindars. The policy aimed to secure predictable Company income but encouraged changes in rural property rights and landlord–cultivator relations. The revenue question was fundamental to the economic effects of Company administration on cultivators.

112. Which pairing of an event and its year is incorrect?

[MPPSC Assistant Professor History Paper II, 1 June 2025]

(A) Robert Clive’s second Bengal governorship: 1762–1764

(B) Warren Hastings as Governor-General: 1773–1785

(D) Lord Wellesley as Governor-General: 1798–1805

Answer: (A) Robert Clive’s second Bengal governorship: 1762–1764

Explanation: Clive returned as governor of Bengal during 1765–1767, not 1762–1764. During his second term he implemented the dual administrative arrangement in Bengal after the Company acquired Diwani rights. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

111. Which battle marked the start of East India Company political dominance in Bengal?

[OSSSC CRE Preliminary, 13 October 2025, Shift 2]

(A) Battle of Plassey

(B) Battle of Talikota

(D) Battle of Khanwa

Answer: (A) Battle of Plassey

Explanation: The 1757 victory at Plassey enabled Company interference in Bengal’s succession and financial affairs. Although the 1764 Battle of Buxar expanded its control, Plassey had already altered the regional balance of power. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

110. Siraj ud-Daulah opposed the East India Company at which battle?

[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 19 August 2025]

(A) Battle of Plassey

(B) Battle of Buxar

(D) Third Battle of Panipat

Answer: (A) Battle of Plassey

Explanation: Siraj ud-Daulah, nawab of Bengal, confronted the Company under Robert Clive at Plassey in June 1757. Defections among sections of his command were instrumental in his defeat and the installation of Mir Jafar. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

109. In which year was Shivaji formally crowned Chhatrapati?

[SSC Stenographer, 7 August 2025]

(A) 1665

(B) 1674

(D) 1713

Answer: (B) 1674

Explanation: Shivaji’s coronation took place at Raigad on 6 June 1674. It asserted his independent royal position after decades of military and political consolidation in the western Deccan. Administrative organisation and effective use of regional geography were central to the Maratha state’s durability.

108. Which victory in 1757 is associated with the beginning of Company rule in Bengal?

[RPF Constable, 18 March 2025]

(A) Battle of Buxar

(B) Battle of Plassey

(D) Battle of Kirkee

Answer: (B) Battle of Plassey

Explanation: The Company’s victory at Plassey displaced Siraj ud-Daulah and gave British merchants extensive political leverage. Revenue powers were formalised later, after the Battle of Buxar and the Allahabad settlement of 1765. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

107. Which Mysore ruler was called the Tiger of Mysore?

[CSIR Junior Secretariat Assistant, 18 May 2025]

(A) Tipu Sultan

(B) Haidar Ali

(D) Chikka Devaraja

Answer: (A) Tipu Sultan

Explanation: Tipu Sultan succeeded Haidar Ali in 1782 and fought against expanding British influence. He died defending his capital Seringapatam in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

106. Which agreement ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War?

[CSIR Junior Secretariat Assistant, 18 May 2025]

(A) Treaty of Madras

(B) Treaty of Mangalore

(D) Treaty of Salbai

Answer: (B) Treaty of Mangalore

Explanation: The Treaty of Mangalore was concluded in March 1784 between the Company and Tipu Sultan. It generally restored captured territories and prisoners, ending fighting that had begun during Haidar Ali’s reign. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

105. By which treaty was the First Anglo-Mysore War concluded?

[BPSC Assistant Section Officer Preliminary, 10 September 2025]

(A) Treaty of Allahabad

(B) Treaty of Salbai

(D) Treaty of Lahore

Answer: (C) Treaty of Madras

Explanation: The First Anglo-Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Madras in April 1769. Haidar Ali’s military pressure near Madras compelled a settlement including reciprocal restitution and commitments of assistance. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

104. Who led Mysore during the First Anglo-Mysore War?

[DSSSB Assistant Section Officer, 19 August 2025]

(A) Haidar Ali

(B) Tipu Sultan

(D) Nana Phadnavis

Answer: (A) Haidar Ali

Explanation: Haidar Ali led the Mysore kingdom during the 1767–1769 conflict with Company forces and their shifting allies. His son Tipu later became ruler in 1782 during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

103. Consider these statements on Ryotwari revenue administration: (1) associated with Thomas Munro; (2) settlement directly with cultivators; (3) first trials in areas formerly controlled by Tipu. Which are correct?

[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 22 August 2025]

(A) Only 1 and 2

(B) Only 2 and 3

(D) Only 1 and 3

Answer: (C) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation: Ryotwari settlement assessed individual cultivators rather than zamindars. Alexander Read and Thomas Munro developed early experiments in territories acquired from Mysore; the system later spread through the Madras Presidency. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

102. Which rebellion was followed by the end of East India Company government in India?

[RPF Constable, 17 March 2025]

(A) Revolt of 1857

(B) Indigo Revolt

(D) Moplah Rebellion

Answer: (A) Revolt of 1857

Explanation: The uprising of 1857 exposed serious weaknesses in Company governance. Britain then enacted the Government of India Act, 1858, transferring authority to the Crown and restructuring the machinery of imperial administration. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

101. Which of these three historical figures were successive nawabs of Bengal in the mid-eighteenth century?

[RRB NTPC Undergraduate, 9 September 2025]

(A) Siraj ud-Daulah, Mir Jafar and Mir Qasim

(B) Shivaji, Sambhaji and Rajaram

(D) Ranjit Singh, Duleep Singh and Sher Singh

Answer: (A) Siraj ud-Daulah, Mir Jafar and Mir Qasim

Explanation: Siraj ud-Daulah was defeated at Plassey in 1757. The Company placed Mir Jafar on the throne and later replaced him with Mir Qasim, whose conflict with British commercial privileges culminated in Buxar. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

100. Which British statute introduced dyarchy in the administration of Indian provinces?

[SSC CGL, 25 September 2025]

(A) Government of India Act, 1919

(B) Government of India Act, 1935

(D) Indian Councils Act, 1892

Answer: (A) Government of India Act, 1919

Explanation: The 1919 Act divided provincial subjects into reserved and transferred categories. The former remained under appointed executive control, while the latter were handled by ministers answerable to provincial legislatures. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

99. Arrange these events chronologically: Wandiwash (3), Nand Kumar’s execution (1), Treaty of Salbai (2), Tipu Sultan’s death (4).

[71st BPSC Preliminary, 13 September 2025]

(A) 3–1–2–4

(B) 1–3–2–4

(D) 2–3–4–1

Answer: (A) 3–1–2–4

Explanation: The Battle of Wandiwash occurred in 1760, Nand Kumar was executed in 1775, the Treaty of Salbai was concluded in 1782, and Tipu Sultan died in 1799. Mysore’s resistance was closely connected with diplomatic competition between British and French interests.

98. At which battle did Ahmad Shah Abdali defeat the Maratha army in 1761?

[OSSSC CRE Preliminary, 13 October 2025, Shift 2]

(A) Battle of Karnal

(B) Second Battle of Panipat

(D) First Battle of Panipat

Answer: (C) Third Battle of Panipat

Explanation: The Third Battle of Panipat occurred on 14 January 1761. The Afghan army of Ahmad Shah Durrani defeated the Maratha force commanded by Sadashivrao Bhau, temporarily checking Maratha expansion in northern India. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

97. The group of forts inscribed by UNESCO in 2025 under the name Maratha Military Landscapes of India is associated primarily with which polity?

[IB Security Assistant, 29 September 2025]

(A) The Maratha state

(B) The Mughal Empire

(D) The Vijayanagara Empire

Answer: (A) The Maratha state

Explanation: Maratha hill and coastal fortifications reflect innovative use of terrain and maritime geography. Several sites are closely associated with Shivaji and successors, illustrating the strategic foundations of Maratha regional power. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

96. In which year was the Third Battle of Panipat fought?

[CGPSC State Service Prelims, 11 February 2024]

(A) 1757

(B) 1761

(D) 1775

Answer: (B) 1761

Explanation: Maratha forces were defeated by Ahmad Shah Durrani on 14 January 1761. Heavy losses disrupted their northern ambitions, although Maratha political influence revived under later leaders. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

95. Which Afghan monarch fought the Marathas at the Third Battle of Panipat?

[RPF Sub-Inspector, 13 December 2024]

(A) Ahmad Shah Durrani

(B) Nadir Shah

(D) Shah Shuja

Answer: (A) Ahmad Shah Durrani

Explanation: Ahmad Shah Abdali, also called Durrani, led the invading Afghan army in 1761. The Marathas were commanded by Sadashivrao Bhau; alliances with northern Indian powers influenced the final outcome. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

94. When did the Third Battle of Panipat take place?

[WBCS Mains 2023 paper, held 18 August 2024]

(A) 1761

(B) 1740

(D) 1707

Answer: (A) 1761

Explanation: Fought on 14 January 1761, the battle involved the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Durrani’s coalition. Its outcome caused enormous military losses and a temporary contraction of Maratha activity in North India. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

93. In what year was the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War fought?

[SSC MTS, 11 November 2024]

(A) 1769

(B) 1784

(D) 1799

Answer: (D) 1799

Explanation: The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War took place in 1799 under Governor-General Wellesley. Tipu Sultan died in the fighting at Seringapatam, after which the Wodeyar dynasty was restored under British influence. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

92. When was the Third Anglo-Maratha War fought?

[PGCIL Diploma Trainee, 8 February 2024]

(A) 1767–1769

(B) 1775–1782

(D) 1817–1819

Answer: (D) 1817–1819

Explanation: The Third Anglo-Maratha War began in 1817 and concluded by 1818–19. The defeat of Peshwa Baji Rao II enabled the East India Company to abolish the Peshwaship and consolidate authority across large regions. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

91. Which of these battles was fought in 1761?

[SSC MTS, 15 October 2024, Shift 2]

(A) Battle of Buxar

(B) Battle of Wandiwash

(D) Second Battle of Panipat

Answer: (C) Third Battle of Panipat

Explanation: Panipat III was fought in January 1761 between a Maratha army and the coalition led by Ahmad Shah Abdali. The same year also saw late stages of British-French rivalry in South India. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

90. After which decisive battle did the East India Company increasingly appoint political Residents at Indian courts?

[DSSSB Jail Warder, 12 June 2024]

(A) Battle of Buxar

(B) Battle of Haldighati

(D) Battle of Khanwa

Answer: (A) Battle of Buxar

Explanation: The Battle of Buxar in 1764 demonstrated Company military superiority over the joint forces of Bengal, Awadh and the Mughal emperor. The Company increasingly used political agents to monitor and influence princely administrations. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

89. What was the government established by Maharaja Ranjit Singh commonly called?

[PSSSB Senior Assistant, 28 January 2024]

(A) Sarkar-i-Khalsa

(B) Ashtapradhan

(D) Diwani

Answer: (A) Sarkar-i-Khalsa

Explanation: Ranjit Singh consolidated the Sikh kingdom centred on Lahore and projected authority through the Sarkar-i-Khalsa. His administration drew together different religious and social communities while building a formidable professional army. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

88. During which years was the Second Anglo-Afghan War fought?

[SSC GD Constable, 27 February 2024]

(A) 1839–1842

(B) 1845–1846

(D) 1885–1887

Answer: (C) 1878–1880

Explanation: The Second Anglo-Afghan War began in 1878 after a frontier and diplomatic crisis. The conflict reflected British strategic anxiety about Russian influence in Central Asia and control of approaches to India. British decisions were also shaped by anxiety over imperial rivalry and the security of India’s frontier.

87. Which ruler fought against the British at the Battle of Porto Novo in 1781?

[SSC MTS, 28 October 2024]

(A) Haidar Ali

(B) Maharaja Ranjit Singh

(D) Baji Rao II

Answer: (A) Haidar Ali

Explanation: At Porto Novo in July 1781, British forces commanded by Eyre Coote defeated Haidar Ali’s army during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. The wider war continued until the 1784 Treaty of Mangalore. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

86. In which year did the First Anglo-Afghan War end?

[SSC JE, 7 June 2024]

(A) 1839

(B) 1842

(D) 1878

Answer: (B) 1842

Explanation: The First Anglo-Afghan War began in 1839 and ended in 1842 after severe British losses and retreat. The intervention sought to impose Shah Shuja while displacing Dost Mohammad Khan. British decisions were also shaped by anxiety over imperial rivalry and the security of India’s frontier.

85. The Battle of Plassey was fought between the Company and which Indian ruler?

[WBPSC Food Sub-Inspector, 16 March 2024]

(A) Siraj ud-Daulah

(B) Tipu Sultan

(D) Baji Rao II

Answer: (A) Siraj ud-Daulah

Explanation: The Bengal nawab Siraj ud-Daulah fought Company forces led by Robert Clive in June 1757. Mir Jafar’s non-cooperation was pivotal, and the nawabship passed under growing Company influence afterward. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

84. Which sepoy is closely associated with an early outbreak of the 1857 revolt at Barrackpore?

[SSC GD Constable, 21 February 2024]

(A) Mangal Pandey

(B) Birsa Munda

(D) Alluri Sitarama Raju

Answer: (A) Mangal Pandey

Explanation: Mangal Pandey attacked British officers at Barrackpore in March 1857 and was executed in April. His action preceded the large-scale uprising that began at Meerut in May. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

83. In which year did the Second Anglo-Burmese War begin?

[RRB Technician Grade I, 19 December 2024, Shift 3]

(A) 1852

(B) 1824

(D) 1885

Answer: (A) 1852

Explanation: The Second Anglo-Burmese War opened in 1852 amid tensions over maritime trade and colonial intervention. British victory led to annexation of Pegu, extending Company control over Lower Burma. Britain’s eastward expansion linked military conquest with the strategic pursuit of ports and river trade.

82. Arrange chronologically: A First Anglo-Burmese War; B First Anglo-Maratha War; C Second Anglo-Mysore War; D Anglo-Nepal War.

[CUET PG History, 13 March 2024, Shift 2]

(A) A–B–C–D

(B) A–D–C–B

(D) C–B–D–A

Answer: (C) B–C–D–A

Explanation: The First Anglo-Maratha War began in 1775, the Second Anglo-Mysore War in 1780, the Anglo-Nepal War in 1814 and the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824. These dates establish the sequence. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

81. Who commanded East India Company troops at the Battle of Buxar?

[SSC CGL, 17 July 2023, Shift 2]

(A) Robert Clive

(B) Hector Munro

(D) Lord Cornwallis

Answer: (B) Hector Munro

Explanation: Major Hector Munro commanded Company forces during the October 1764 battle. They defeated the alliance of Mir Qasim, Shuja ud-Daulah and Shah Alam II, clearing the way for the Treaty of Allahabad. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

80. Which Company officer commanded the British side in the Battle of Plassey?

[SSC CHSL 2022 paper, held 9 March 2023]

(A) Robert Clive

(B) Warren Hastings

(D) Charles Cornwallis

Answer: (A) Robert Clive

Explanation: Robert Clive led the Company army in 1757 against Bengal nawab Siraj ud-Daulah. The engagement was brief but politically consequential because the nawab’s commanders failed to coordinate effective resistance. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

79. Which battle is often described as the first decisive Company victory in Bengal?

[SSC MTS, 13 September 2023]

(A) Battle of Plassey

(B) Battle of Assaye

(D) Battle of Bhima Koregaon

Answer: (A) Battle of Plassey

Explanation: Plassey in 1757 provided the East India Company an influential position in Bengal. Military triumph combined with court intrigue, financial arrangements and replacement of the ruling nawab. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

78. Which displaced nawab of Bengal joined the coalition against the Company at Buxar?

[SSC CHSL, 3 August 2023]

(A) Mir Qasim

(B) Mir Jafar

(D) Siraj ud-Daulah

Answer: (A) Mir Qasim

Explanation: Mir Qasim challenged Company duty exemptions and interference, then allied with Awadh’s Shuja ud-Daulah and Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. Their combined forces lost the Battle of Buxar in 1764. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

77. In which year did Warren Hastings end the Dual Government in Bengal?

[SSC CHSL, 11 August 2023]

(A) 1757

(B) 1765

(D) 1784

Answer: (C) 1772

Explanation: Warren Hastings discontinued the dual arrangement in 1772, bringing revenue administration more directly under the Company. The system had separated nominal nawabi responsibility from Company fiscal power and proved ineffective. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

76. During whose Peshwaship did the Maratha polity reach a particularly extensive territorial position?

[SSC CGL, 2023]

(A) Balaji Baji Rao

(B) Moropant Pingle

(D) Ramchandra Pant Amatya

Answer: (A) Balaji Baji Rao

Explanation: Under Balaji Baji Rao, also called Nana Saheb Peshwa, Maratha influence spread widely across the subcontinent. The defeat at Panipat in 1761 was a decisive military setback during the final year of his leadership. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

75. Which treaty of 1775 involving Raghunath Rao helped trigger the First Anglo-Maratha War?

[SSC CGL, 2023]

(A) Treaty of Surat

(B) Treaty of Salbai

(D) Treaty of Purandar, 1665

Answer: (A) Treaty of Surat

Explanation: Raghunath Rao sought Bombay Presidency support through the Treaty of Surat in 1775 to secure the Peshwaship. The resulting intervention contributed to the First Anglo-Maratha War, resolved eventually by Salbai. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

74. Which Governor-General asserted British paramountcy while expanding Company power after 1813?

[SSC MTS, 13 September 2023]

(A) Lord Hastings

(B) Lord Curzon

(D) Lord Mayo

Answer: (A) Lord Hastings

Explanation: Francis Rawdon-Hastings served as Governor-General from 1813 to 1823. His administration fought the Anglo-Nepal War, the Pindaris and the final Anglo-Maratha conflict, reinforcing Company supremacy. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

73. Which Peshwa was the adoptive father of Nana Sahib, a leader during the uprising of 1857?

[SSC CGL, 17 July 2023, Shift 4]

(A) Baji Rao II

(B) Balaji Vishwanath

(D) Baji Rao I

Answer: (A) Baji Rao II

Explanation: Nana Sahib was adopted by the former Peshwa Baji Rao II, who lived on a British pension at Bithur. Disputes relating to succession and pension arrangements helped deepen dissatisfaction with Company rule. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

72. What share of assessed revenue was typically claimed as Chauth?

[CRPF Constable, 5 July 2023]

(A) One-tenth

(B) One-fourth

(D) One-half

Answer: (B) One-fourth

Explanation: Chauth literally meant one-fourth and was levied by Maratha authorities in various territories. It operated alongside Sardeshmukhi, an additional ten per cent claim, although actual collection varied with circumstances and political power. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

71. Which of the following was not a regular designation for a levy in the Maratha revenue system?

[UGC NET History, 28 February 2023]

(A) Chauth

(B) Sardeshmukhi

(D) Land revenue

Answer: (C) Nagabhaga

Explanation: Chauth and Sardeshmukhi were important claims associated with Maratha finance. Nagabhaga does not correspond to those standard levies. Understanding these terms prevents confusion between agrarian assessments and political tribute. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

70. Which treaty ended the First Anglo-Burmese War?

[UPSC NDA General Ability, 16 April 2023]

(A) Treaty of Yandabo

(B) Treaty of Salbai

(D) Treaty of Amritsar

Answer: (A) Treaty of Yandabo

Explanation: The Treaty of Yandabo of 1826 concluded the first war between British India and Burma. Burma ceded territory including Arakan and Tenasserim, while the Company gained an enhanced position along India’s eastern frontier. Britain’s eastward expansion linked military conquest with the strategic pursuit of ports and river trade.

69. Which Governor-General initiated the British invasion associated with the First Anglo-Afghan War?

[SSC JE Civil, 11 October 2023]

(A) Lord Auckland

(B) Lord Dalhousie

(D) Lord Wellesley

Answer: (A) Lord Auckland

Explanation: Lord Auckland’s administration launched the invasion of Afghanistan in 1839 under the Forward Policy. British forces initially restored Shah Shuja but later faced revolt and a disastrous withdrawal from Kabul. British decisions were also shaped by anxiety over imperial rivalry and the security of India’s frontier.

68. During which Governor-General’s administration was Punjab annexed after the Second Anglo-Sikh War?

[SSC JE Civil, 10 October 2023]

(A) Lord Dalhousie

(B) Lord Cornwallis

(D) Lord Curzon

Answer: (A) Lord Dalhousie

Explanation: Lord Dalhousie became governor-general in 1848. British victory in the Second Anglo-Sikh War led to annexation of Punjab in 1849 and the deposition of the young Maharaja Duleep Singh. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

67. Where was the First Anglo-Afghan War primarily fought?

[DDA Junior Engineer, 28 March 2023]

(A) Afghanistan

(B) Burma

(D) Mysore

Answer: (A) Afghanistan

Explanation: The British expedition entered Afghanistan in 1839 to install Shah Shuja on the throne. Fierce resistance and the withdrawal from Kabul made the campaign one of Britain’s most notorious imperial reverses. British decisions were also shaped by anxiety over imperial rivalry and the security of India’s frontier.

66. Which Peshwa signed the Treaty of Bassein with the Company in 1802?

[SSC Stenographer, 12 October 2023]

(A) Baji Rao II

(B) Baji Rao I

(D) Madhav Rao I

Answer: (A) Baji Rao II

Explanation: Baji Rao II agreed to a subsidiary alliance under the Treaty of Bassein in December 1802. This undermined Maratha autonomy and contributed to the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

65. In which year did the Third Battle of Panipat occur?

[SSC MTS, 4 September 2023, Shift 2]

(A) 1761

(B) 1707

(D) 1751

Answer: (A) 1761

Explanation: The battle was fought on 14 January 1761 between the Maratha forces and Ahmad Shah Durrani’s army. It inflicted enormous losses on the Marathas and temporarily curbed their northern expansion. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

64. Which of these wars started in 1852?

[CRPF Constable Technical, 12 July 2023, Shift 2]

(A) Second Anglo-Mysore War

(B) Second Anglo-Maratha War

(D) Second Anglo-Afghan War

Answer: (C) Second Anglo-Burmese War

Explanation: The Second Anglo-Burmese War began in 1852 under Dalhousie’s administration. The British subsequently annexed Pegu in Lower Burma, improving access to the Irrawaddy delta and expanding colonial territory. Britain’s eastward expansion linked military conquest with the strategic pursuit of ports and river trade.

63. Match these events to their years: Second Anglo-Afghan War (A), Third Anglo-Burmese War (B), Treaty of Gandamak (C), Kuka uprising (D).

[UGC NET History, 16 June 2023, Shift 2]

(A) A–1878, B–1879, C–1885, D–1872

(B) A–1885, B–1878, C–1872, D–1879

(D) A–1885, B–1878, C–1879, D–1872

Answer: (C) A–1878, B–1885, C–1879, D–1872

Explanation: The Second Anglo-Afghan War began in 1878, the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885, the Treaty of Gandamak was signed in 1879 and the Kuka uprising took place in 1872. British decisions were also shaped by anxiety over imperial rivalry and the security of India’s frontier.

62. Which agreement ended the First Anglo-Maratha War?

[UPSC CDS General Knowledge, 16 April 2023]

(A) Treaty of Surat

(B) Treaty of Purandar

(D) Treaty of Salbai

Answer: (D) Treaty of Salbai

Explanation: The Treaty of Salbai signed in 1782 concluded the first war between the East India Company and the Marathas. It brought a period of relative stability following the conflict over succession to the Peshwaship. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

61. Which Anglo-Maratha War led to the absorption of the Peshwa’s domains into the Bombay Presidency?

[SSC CHSL, 2 August 2023, Shift 1]

(A) Fourth Anglo-Maratha War

(B) Third Anglo-Maratha War

(D) First Anglo-Maratha War

Answer: (B) Third Anglo-Maratha War

Explanation: The Third Anglo-Maratha War of 1817–1818 ended the position of Peshwa Baji Rao II. Large areas of his territories were taken into British administration, substantially expanding the Bombay Presidency. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

60. Who abolished the dual administrative system in Bengal?

[SSC MTS, 11 July 2022]

(A) Warren Hastings

(B) Robert Clive

(D) Lord Dalhousie

Answer: (A) Warren Hastings

Explanation: Warren Hastings ended the Dual Government in Bengal in 1772. Responsibility for revenue collection and civil governance passed into more direct Company management following the difficulties of divided authority. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

59. Consider the statements: (1) Tipu Sultan was known as the Tiger of Mysore; (2) he ruled Mysore from 1782 to 1799. Which is correct?

[SSC MTS, 22 July 2022]

(A) Only statement 1

(B) Only statement 2

(D) Neither statement

Answer: (C) Both statements

Explanation: Both statements are historically accurate. Tipu inherited power in 1782 after Haidar Ali’s death and ruled until the British capture of Seringapatam in 1799, when he was killed in battle. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

58. Which British commander won the Battle of Plassey against Siraj ud-Daulah?

[DSSSB, 30 March 2022]

(A) Robert Clive

(B) John Nicholson

(D) Henry Havelock

Answer: (A) Robert Clive

Explanation: Robert Clive led the East India Company army at Plassey. The 1757 victory changed Bengal’s political order and gave the Company extensive influence over its successor nawab and treasury. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

57. In which year did Tipu Sultan become ruler of Mysore?

[DSSSB Primary Teacher, 23 March 2022]

(A) 1761

(B) 1769

(D) 1799

Answer: (C) 1782

Explanation: Tipu succeeded his father Haidar Ali in 1782, while the Second Anglo-Mysore War was still in progress. His subsequent reign combined military resistance, diplomacy and changes to administration and commerce. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

56. The Treaty of Sugauli was concluded between British India and which country?

[DSSSB Junior Secretariat Assistant, 3 April 2022]

(A) Nepal

(B) Burma

(D) Bhutan

Answer: (A) Nepal

Explanation: The Treaty of Sugauli was settled after the Anglo-Nepal War of 1814–1816. It defined territorial concessions and British-Nepalese relations, including arrangements for a British representative in Kathmandu. The resulting frontier settlement reshaped British relations with Himalayan states for many subsequent decades.

55. Which legislation established the Board of Control to supervise Company political affairs?

[Odisha Police Sub-Inspector, 6 July 2022]

(A) Pitt’s India Act, 1784

(B) Regulating Act, 1773

(D) Government of India Act, 1858

Answer: (A) Pitt’s India Act, 1784

Explanation: Pitt’s India Act introduced a Board of Control representing the British government while the Company retained a Court of Directors. This created a form of dual supervision over administration and imperial policy. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

54. What principle was followed under Lord Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse?

[Odisha Police Sub-Inspector, 9 July 2022]

(A) Annexation when an heir was not recognised

(B) Tax remission after drought

(D) Payment of Chauth to rulers

Answer: (A) Annexation when an heir was not recognised

Explanation: Under the Doctrine of Lapse the Company could take over a dependent state where a ruler died without an acknowledged natural heir and adoption was not accepted. The policy sharpened princely resentment. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

53. At which battle did Ahmadullah Shah’s forces defeat the British troops commanded by Henry Lawrence?

[RRB NTPC CBT 2, 15 June 2022, Shift 3]

(A) Third Battle of Panipat

(B) Battle of Plassey

(D) Battle of Buxar

Answer: (C) Battle of Chinhat

Explanation: The Battle of Chinhat occurred near Lucknow in June 1857. Rebel forces decisively defeated a British-led column, demonstrating the strength of anti-Company resistance during the uprising. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

52. Who succeeded Shivaji as ruler after his death in 1680?

[RRB NTPC Stage II, 17 June 2022, Shift 3]

(A) Sambhaji

(B) Shahu

(D) Balaji Vishwanath

Answer: (A) Sambhaji

Explanation: Sambhaji, Shivaji’s elder son, became the next Maratha Chhatrapati. His reign was characterised by continued confrontation with Aurangzeb’s expanding Deccan campaign and ended with his execution in 1689. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

51. In what year was the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act passed under British rule?

[RRB Group D, 18 September 2022]

(A) 1829

(B) 1856

(D) 1891

Answer: (B) 1856

Explanation: The Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856 legally enabled widow remarriage within the communities covered by the statute. It followed sustained campaigning by reformers including Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

50. Which nineteenth-century canal shortened travel between Britain and India?

[RRB Group D, 6 October 2022]

(A) Suez Canal

(B) Panama Canal

(D) Corinth Canal

Answer: (A) Suez Canal

Explanation: The Suez Canal opened in 1869, linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas. It dramatically shortened the maritime journey between Europe and India, strengthening imperial communications, trade and strategic transport. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

49. Which Charter Act ended the Company’s trade monopoly in India except for tea and commerce with China?

[RRB Group D, 24 August 2022]

(A) Charter Act of 1813

(B) Charter Act of 1793

(D) Regulating Act of 1773

Answer: (A) Charter Act of 1813

Explanation: The Charter Act of 1813 opened most Indian trade to private British merchants, while exceptions remained for tea and China trade. The 1833 Charter Act ended the Company’s remaining commercial activities. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

48. India’s first passenger railway service began between Bombay and which station?

[RRB NTPC CBT 2, 12 June 2022]

(A) Thane

(B) Surat

(D) Nashik

Answer: (A) Thane

Explanation: In April 1853 a passenger train travelled from Bombay’s Bori Bunder to Thane. The service became a starting point for a railway system that subsequently linked markets, ports and administrative centres. Transport investment affected both civilian economic life and the military reach of the colonial state.

47. Which regulation empowered the British authorities to detain certain persons without ordinary judicial trial in 1818?

[RRB NTPC CBT 2, 12 June 2022]

(A) Bengal State Prisoners Regulation III of 1818

(B) Regulating Act of 1773

(D) Charter Act of 1853

Answer: (A) Bengal State Prisoners Regulation III of 1818

Explanation: Bengal Regulation III of 1818 authorised preventive detention under executive orders. It exemplified coercive provisions of colonial law used in the name of maintaining security and public order. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

46. Which Charter Act explicitly renewed Company territorial authority while treating it as held in trust for the British Crown?

[RRB Group D, 29 September 2022]

(A) Charter Act, 1853

(B) Regulating Act, 1773

(D) Indian Independence Act, 1947

Answer: (A) Charter Act, 1853

Explanation: The 1853 renewal separated elements of executive and legislative functions and continued Company rule without fixing a conventional twenty-year term. It preceded the Crown takeover of 1858. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

45. The Marathas faced which Afghan ruler at the Third Battle of Panipat?

[Delhi Police Head Constable, 19 October 2022, Shift 3]

(A) Nadir Shah

(B) Ahmad Shah Abdali

(D) Humayun Mirza

Answer: (B) Ahmad Shah Abdali

Explanation: Ahmad Shah Abdali, founder of the Durrani kingdom, defeated the Maratha forces at Panipat in January 1761. The battle saw Maratha commander Sadashivrao Bhau and many senior leaders killed. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

44. Which Governor-General annexed Lower Burma following the Second Anglo-Burmese War?

[DSSSB Junior Secretariat Assistant, 4 April 2022, Shift 3]

(A) Lord Hastings

(B) Lord Auckland

(D) Lord Canning

Answer: (C) Lord Dalhousie

Explanation: Lord Dalhousie oversaw the war of 1852 and annexation of Pegu in Lower Burma. The acquisition helped Britain dominate coastal trade routes and further extend its territorial reach into Southeast Asia. Britain’s eastward expansion linked military conquest with the strategic pursuit of ports and river trade.

43. Against which Bengal nawab did Robert Clive’s Company forces fight at Plassey in 1757?

[SSC CGL Tier I, 9 December 2022, Shift 3]

(A) Nizam of Awadh

(B) Siraj ud-Daulah

(D) Shaan Nawab

Answer: (B) Siraj ud-Daulah

Explanation: Clive’s Company forces fought Siraj ud-Daulah, Bengal’s reigning nawab, on 23 June 1757. Mir Jafar’s political bargain with the British helped ensure the nawab’s defeat. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

42. Which of these wars took place in 1845–1846?

[SSC GD Constable, 25 November 2021, Shift 3]

(A) First Anglo-Sikh War

(B) First Anglo-Maratha War

(D) Second Anglo-Sikh War

Answer: (A) First Anglo-Sikh War

Explanation: The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought in 1845–1846. British victory at Sobraon led to the Treaty of Lahore, placing severe restrictions on the Sikh kingdom. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

41. Who was nawab of Bengal when the Battle of Plassey occurred?

[RRB NTPC, 1 February 2021]

(A) Siraj ud-Daulah

(B) Mir Qasim

(D) Murshid Quli Khan

Answer: (A) Siraj ud-Daulah

Explanation: Siraj ud-Daulah succeeded Alivardi Khan in 1756. His disputes with the Company produced the 1757 campaign, and defeat at Plassey brought his reign to a sudden end. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

40. In which year did the Company receive the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa?

[RRB NTPC, 11 February 2021]

(A) 1757

(B) 1764

(D) 1773

Answer: (C) 1765

Explanation: The Mughal emperor granted the Company Diwani rights in 1765, following Buxar and the Treaty of Allahabad. Revenue collection helped finance the Company’s military and political presence. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

39. Which city was the capital of Tipu Sultan’s kingdom of Mysore?

[RRB NTPC, 9 March 2021]

(A) Seringapatam (Srirangapatna)

(B) Pune

(D) Arcot

Answer: (A) Seringapatam (Srirangapatna)

Explanation: Srirangapatna, on an island in the Kaveri River, served as Tipu Sultan’s political and military centre. It became the scene of his final resistance and death in 1799. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

38. During what years was the Third Anglo-Mysore War fought?

[RRB NTPC, 21 January 2021]

(A) 1767–1769

(B) 1780–1784

(D) 1817–1818

Answer: (C) 1790–1792

Explanation: The Third Anglo-Mysore War involved Tipu Sultan against the Company and allied Indian powers. The Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792 obliged Mysore to cede a large share of its territory. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

37. Who explained colonial poverty through the drain of wealth theory?

[RRB NTPC, 5 April 2021]

(A) Dadabhai Naoroji

(B) Mahatma Gandhi

(D) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

Answer: (A) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation: Naoroji argued that colonialism extracted Indian wealth through remittances and government expenditure benefiting Britain. His economic critique was influential in the early national movement and demands for self-government. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

36. Which Indian state first entered a Subsidiary Alliance under Wellesley?

[RRB NTPC, 3 April 2021]

(A) Hyderabad

(B) Punjab

(D) Mysore

Answer: (A) Hyderabad

Explanation: The Nizam of Hyderabad accepted the subsidiary arrangement in 1798. It involved British troops maintained at the ruler’s expense and restrictions on independent foreign relations. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

35. In which year was the Third Battle of Panipat fought?

[Punjab Police Jail Warder, 29 August 2021, Shift 6]

(A) 1762

(B) 1763

(D) 1769

Answer: (C) 1761

Explanation: The Maratha and Durrani armies fought on 14 January 1761. While the battle marked a major Maratha defeat, successors later rebuilt much of the confederacy’s influence. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

34. Who defeated the Marathas at the Third Battle of Panipat?

[Army Soldier GD, 25 February 2021, Berhampore]

(A) Aurangzeb

(B) Ahmad Shah Abdali

(D) Sher Shah Suri

Answer: (B) Ahmad Shah Abdali

Explanation: Ahmad Shah Durrani, also called Abdali, won the battle of January 1761. His Afghan coalition benefited from northern Indian allies, while the Marathas suffered severe logistical and political difficulties. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

33. Which of these Shivaji-related event–year pairs is incorrect?

[RPSC Assistant Professor History, 24 September 2021]

(A) Control of Jawali — 1647

(B) Control of Purandar fort — 1648

(D) Treaty of Purandar — 1665

Answer: (B) Control of Purandar fort — 1648

Explanation: The 1648 dating for control of Purandar is the mismatched pairing in the recorded question. Shivaji raided Surat in 1664 and signed the Treaty of Purandar with Jai Singh in 1665. Administrative organisation and effective use of regional geography were central to the Maratha state’s durability.

32. Under which Governor-General did India’s first passenger railway service commence?

[WBCS Prelims, 2020]

(A) Lord Wellesley

(B) Lord Cornwallis

(D) Lord Dalhousie

Answer: (D) Lord Dalhousie

Explanation: The Bombay–Thane railway began operating in 1853 while Lord Dalhousie was governor-general. Railway development subsequently expanded under imperial patronage, facilitating movement of goods, soldiers and people. Transport investment affected both civilian economic life and the military reach of the colonial state.

31. Place in chronological order: (1) Clive’s return to India, (2) Treaty of Allahabad, (3) Battle of Buxar, (4) Warren Hastings became Governor-General.

[UPPSC RO/ARO General Studies, 20 September 2020]

(A) 3–2–1–4

(B) 3–1–2–4

(D) 2–1–4–3

Answer: (B) 3–1–2–4

Explanation: Buxar occurred in October 1764. Clive returned for his second governorship in 1765, preceding the Allahabad treaty that August. Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1773. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

30. In which year was Punjab annexed by the East India Company?

[SSC CPO, 24 November 2020]

(A) 1842

(B) 1846

(D) 1856

Answer: (C) 1849

Explanation: Punjab was annexed in 1849 after the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The fall of the Sikh kingdom expanded Company authority to the northwest frontier, with administration overseen under Dalhousie. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

29. Which additional Maratha levy amounted to approximately ten per cent?

[Delhi Police Constable, 2 December 2020]

(A) Sardeshmukhi

(B) Chauth

(D) Zakat

Answer: (A) Sardeshmukhi

Explanation: Sardeshmukhi was generally calculated as an additional ten per cent claim made by Maratha authorities. It was distinct from Chauth, the one-fourth levy often demanded from territories outside direct Maratha government. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

28. How many major wars did the East India Company fight against Mysore?

[RRB NTPC, 30 December 2020]

(A) Two

(B) Three

(D) Five

Answer: (C) Four

Explanation: Four Anglo-Mysore Wars were fought: 1767–69, 1780–84, 1790–92 and 1799. They culminated in the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan and installation of a British-influenced Mysore government. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

27. In which year was the Battle of Koregaon Bhima fought?

[MPTET Varg II Social Science, 3 March 2019, Shift 2]

(A) 1718

(B) 1818

(D) 1857

Answer: (B) 1818

Explanation: The Battle of Bhima Koregaon occurred on 1 January 1818 during the Third Anglo-Maratha War. A Company force including Mahar soldiers resisted troops of Peshwa Baji Rao II near Pune. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

26. With which conflict is the Treaty of Gandamak associated?

[RPF Constable, 12 February 2019]

(A) Second Anglo-Burmese War

(B) Balkan War

(D) Second Anglo-Afghan War

Answer: (D) Second Anglo-Afghan War

Explanation: The Treaty of Gandamak was signed in 1879 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. It gave Britain substantial influence over Afghanistan’s foreign relations, but the settlement was soon disrupted by further conflict. British decisions were also shaped by anxiety over imperial rivalry and the security of India’s frontier.

25. Which treaty ended the First Anglo-Burmese War?

[SSC CGL, 10 June 2019, Shift 2]

(A) Treaty of Purandar

(B) Treaty of Salbai

(D) Treaty of Yandabo

Answer: (D) Treaty of Yandabo

Explanation: Signed in February 1826, the Treaty of Yandabo ended the costly First Anglo-Burmese War. Burma ceded Arakan and Tenasserim and renounced claims in parts of northeast India. Britain’s eastward expansion linked military conquest with the strategic pursuit of ports and river trade.

24. Which levy in the Maratha revenue system was an additional ten per cent assessment?

[SSC CPO, 2019]

(A) Sardeshmukhi

(B) Chauth

(D) Rahdari

Answer: (A) Sardeshmukhi

Explanation: Sardeshmukhi was a supplementary ten per cent demand framed as a right of superior revenue authority. Chauth was a separate one-fourth assessment often levied as political tribute. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

23. In which Anglo-Mysore War was Tipu Sultan killed?

[RPF Constable, 5 February 2019]

(A) First

(B) Second

(D) Fourth

Answer: (D) Fourth

Explanation: Tipu died during the British storming of Seringapatam in May 1799, ending the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. The settlement reduced Mysore and restored the Wodeyar dynasty under British supervision. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

22. The Treaty of Sugauli was concluded between the Company and which people or state?

[Bihar Police Sub-Inspector, 2019]

(A) Nepalese (Gurkhas)

(B) Marathas

(D) Burmese

Answer: (A) Nepalese (Gurkhas)

Explanation: The agreement settled the 1814–1816 Anglo-Nepal War. Nepal ceded territories including Kumaon and Garhwal, while British authority along the Himalayan frontier substantially increased. The resulting frontier settlement reshaped British relations with Himalayan states for many subsequent decades.

21. The early development of Shimla as a military hill station was linked with which campaign?

[CDS General Knowledge, 3 February 2019]

(A) Anglo-Maratha War

(B) Anglo-Burmese War

(D) Anglo-Afghan War

Answer: (C) Anglo-Gurkha War

Explanation: The Anglo-Gurkha conflict of 1814–1816 heightened British attention to Himalayan routes and cantonments. Shimla subsequently developed as a strategic hill station and eventually became the summer capital of British India. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

20. The Third Battle of Panipat was fought between which two political powers?

[SSC MTS, 6 August 2019, Shift 1]

(A) Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori

(B) Akbar and Hemu

(D) Maratha and Durrani empires

Answer: (D) Maratha and Durrani empires

Explanation: The 1761 encounter pitted the Maratha confederate army against Ahmad Shah Durrani’s coalition. Its immediate result was a severe Maratha military defeat, but the confederacy later revived. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

19. Match treaties and dates: (A) Allahabad; (B) Mangalore; (C) Salbai; (D) Madras.

[UPPSC Civil Services, 2019, Paper I]

(A) A–1765, B–1784, C–1769, D–1782

(B) A–1784, B–1765, C–1769, D–1782

(D) A–1784, B–1765, C–1782, D–1769

Answer: (C) A–1765, B–1784, C–1782, D–1769

Explanation: Allahabad was signed in 1765, Mangalore in 1784, Salbai in 1782 and Madras in 1769. These treaties followed Buxar, the Second Anglo-Mysore War, the First Anglo-Maratha War and the First Anglo-Mysore War respectively. Its consequences are best understood through the treaty negotiations and Company revenue arrangements that followed.

18. In which year was the Treaty of Salbai signed?

[RRB Group D, 15 November 2018]

(A) 1769

(B) 1775

(D) 1802

Answer: (C) 1782

Explanation: The Treaty of Salbai of 1782 ended the First Anglo-Maratha War and established a comparatively long peace between the Company and Maratha authorities. Its arrangements recognised important territorial and political compromises. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

17. In which year was the Treaty of Bassein signed between the British and the Peshwa?

[RRB Group D, 8 October 2018]

(A) 1775

(B) 1782

(D) 1818

Answer: (C) 1802

Explanation: The Treaty of Bassein was signed in December 1802 by Baji Rao II. By accepting a British subsidiary force, the Peshwa alienated other Maratha chiefs and precipitated further Anglo-Maratha conflict. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

16. Which nawab moved Bengal’s administrative centre from Dhaka to Murshidabad?

[RRB Group D, 5 November 2018]

(A) Murshid Quli Khan

(B) Siraj ud-Daulah

(D) Mir Qasim

Answer: (A) Murshid Quli Khan

Explanation: Murshid Quli Khan established Murshidabad as the seat of Bengal’s administration in the early eighteenth century. The city later became a central arena of Company–nawab politics preceding Plassey. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

15. In which year was Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India?

[RRB Group D, 12 October 2018]

(A) 1858

(B) 1877

(D) 1901

Answer: (B) 1877

Explanation: Queen Victoria received the title Empress of India under the Royal Titles Act of 1876, and the Delhi Durbar proclaimed it in 1877. This symbolised the consolidation of Crown rule after 1858. The legislation illustrates expanding parliamentary involvement in the structures and powers of colonial government.

14. Who introduced Dual Government in Bengal in 1765?

[SSC JE Electrical, 29 January 2018]

(A) Robert Clive

(B) Warren Hastings

(D) Lord Wellesley

Answer: (A) Robert Clive

Explanation: Robert Clive established a system that gave the Company financial control through Diwani while assigning nominal governmental responsibility to the nawab. Warren Hastings abolished it in 1772. This division of financial and governing duties became a major controversy in early colonial administration.

13. Who established Fort William College in Calcutta?

[CDS General Knowledge, 18 November 2018]

(A) Warren Hastings

(B) Lord Cornwallis

(D) William Bentinck

Answer: (C) Richard Wellesley

Explanation: Lord Wellesley founded Fort William College in 1800 to prepare Company officials for administrative duties. It promoted language learning and translations while supporting the expanding colonial bureaucracy. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

12. Which pairing is incorrect?

[UPPSC Civil Services, 2017, Paper I]

(A) Hector Munro — Battle of Buxar

(B) Lord Hastings — Anglo-Nepal War

(D) Lord Cornwallis — Third Anglo-Maratha War

Answer: (D) Lord Cornwallis — Third Anglo-Maratha War

Explanation: The Third Anglo-Maratha War was fought under Lord Hastings, not Cornwallis. Cornwallis governed during the Third Anglo-Mysore War; the other listed associations are broadly correct. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

11. Which Governor of Madras negotiated the Treaty of Mangalore with Tipu Sultan?

[MPPSC Assistant Professor History, 2017]

(A) Lord Harris

(B) Lord Hamilton

(D) Lord Stephenson

Answer: (C) Lord Macartney

Explanation: Lord Macartney served as Governor of Madras during 1781–1785. The 1784 Treaty of Mangalore ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War and generally restored the territorial positions held before the war. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

10. Who replaced Siraj ud-Daulah as nawab of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey?

[SSC CGL, 22 August 2017]

(A) Mir Jafar

(B) Mir Qasim

(D) Shuja ud-Daulah

Answer: (A) Mir Jafar

Explanation: Mir Jafar was installed as nawab after the Company’s victory in June 1757. His elevation illustrates how commercial interests came to intervene directly in Bengal’s court politics. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

9. In which years did the First Anglo-Burmese War take place?

[RRB NTPC, 28 April 2016, Shift 3]

(A) 1892–1893

(B) 1885–1886

(D) 1852–1853

Answer: (C) 1824–1826

Explanation: The First Anglo-Burmese War lasted from 1824 to 1826. Frontier disputes and Burmese expansion near Assam and Manipur led to conflict, which concluded through the Treaty of Yandabo. The result needs to be distinguished from other campaigns fought in nearby regions and decades.

8. Maharaja Ranjit Singh belonged to which Sikh misl?

[WBCS Preliminary, 2016]

(A) Sukerchakia

(B) Bhangi

(D) Gobind

Answer: (A) Sukerchakia

Explanation: Ranjit Singh inherited leadership connected with the Sukerchakia misl. He consolidated competing Sikh confederacies and built an independent kingdom with Lahore as its political centre. This history belongs to the Company’s final phase of major territorial conquest in northwestern India.

7. The Battle of Plassey was fought near which river in Bengal?

[RRB NTPC, 4 April 2016]

(A) Bhagirathi

(B) Godavari

(D) Yamuna

Answer: (A) Bhagirathi

Explanation: Plassey lies near the Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganga in Bengal. The 1757 battle marked a major shift in the relationship between the East India Company and the Bengal nawabship. This episode helped shape the transfer of influence from Bengal’s court to Company officials and allied merchants.

6. Which treaty concluded the Third Anglo-Mysore War?

[RRB NTPC, 29 April 2016]

(A) Treaty of Madras

(B) Treaty of Mangalore

(D) Treaty of Salbai

Answer: (C) Treaty of Seringapatam

Explanation: The Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792 forced Tipu Sultan to surrender substantial territory and pay indemnity following defeat by British, Maratha and Hyderabad forces. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

5. Who defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat?

[RRB NTPC, 18 April 2016]

(A) Ahmad Shah Abdali

(B) Tipu Sultan

(D) Siraj ud-Daulah

Answer: (A) Ahmad Shah Abdali

Explanation: The Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani, widely known as Abdali, defeated the Maratha army at Panipat in 1761 with allies drawn from northern Indian powers. The episode illustrates shifting political alliances as the Company advanced against powerful regional Indian states.

4. Which English monarch granted the charter establishing the East India Company in 1600?

[RRB NTPC, 19 April 2016]

(A) Elizabeth I

(B) James II

(D) Victoria

Answer: (A) Elizabeth I

Explanation: Queen Elizabeth I granted the Company its royal charter on 31 December 1600. The corporation initially pursued Asian commerce, long before acquiring its major Indian territorial powers. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

3. The colonial-era theory of downward filtration was associated with which sector?

[RPSC RAS Prelims, 2013]

(A) Railways

(B) Education

(D) Poverty alleviation

Answer: (B) Education

Explanation: Downward filtration described the British expectation that Western education imparted to a small elite would eventually reach wider society. Critics argued that the policy neglected mass education and reinforced administrative inequalities. The result needs to be distinguished from other campaigns fought in nearby regions and decades.

2. Arrange these uprisings in chronological order: (i) Bengal sepoy mutiny, (ii) Kutch rebellion, (iii) Vellore mutiny, (iv) Santhal uprising, (v) Kol uprising.

[RPSC RAS Prelims, 2013]

(A) (i), (iii), (ii), (v), (iv)

(B) (ii), (iii), (i), (v), (iv)

(D) (iii), (ii), (i), (v), (iv)

Answer: (A) (i), (iii), (ii), (v), (iv)

Explanation: The listed dates are Bengal sepoy unrest in 1764, Vellore in 1806, Kutch in 1819, the Kol rising beginning around 1829–31 and the Santhal uprising in 1855. The Company moved over time from a trading corporation into a territorial and revenue-collecting power.

1. Which statements correctly match war and date: (1) First Anglo-Maratha War—1767–69; (2) Third Anglo-Mysore War—1790–92; (3) First Anglo-Burmese War—1824–26; (4) Second Anglo-Sikh War—1845–46?

[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary, 2004]

(A) 2 and 4

(B) 3 and 4

(D) 2 and 3

Answer: (D) 2 and 3

Explanation: The Third Anglo-Mysore War was fought in 1790–1792, and the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824–1826. The First Anglo-Maratha War was 1775–1782; 1845–1846 describes the First, not Second, Anglo-Sikh War. The military conflict was part of a prolonged contest over sovereignty and Company influence in southern India.

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