90. Which groups did the British increasingly recruit into the Indian Army after the Revolt of 1857?
[DSSSB MTS, 22 April 2026, Shift 1]
(A) South Indian tribal communities only
(B) Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans
(C) Peasants of Awadh and Bihar primarily
(D) Bengal zamindars
Answer: (B) Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans
Explanation: Colonial military recruitment shifted toward groups that officials classified as martial, particularly Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans. This policy reduced dependence on Bengal Army recruiting regions associated with the revolt and aimed to prevent collective resistance among units.
89. Which British policy caused the annexation of Jhansi and the refusal to recognise Rani Lakshmibai’s adopted son as successor?
[DSSSB MTS, 18 April 2026, Shift 1]
(A) Doctrine of Lapse
(B) Permanent Settlement
(C) Indian Councils Act
(D) Subsidiary Alliance
Answer: (A) Doctrine of Lapse
Explanation: Lord Dalhousie used the Doctrine of Lapse to annex states where the British refused to recognise an adopted successor. Jhansi was annexed in 1854 following Gangadhar Rao’s death. The decision became a central grievance motivating Lakshmibai’s opposition.
88. Who was the British Commander-in-Chief associated with the recapture of Lucknow during the Revolt of 1857?
[DSSSB MTS, 18 April 2026, Shift 1]
(A) Colin Campbell
(B) John Lawrence
(C) Lord Canning
(D) Lord Dalhousie
Answer: (A) Colin Campbell
Explanation: Sir Colin Campbell commanded major British operations in Awadh and led the recapture of Lucknow in March 1858. His troops operated with substantial reinforcements. The fall of Lucknow weakened organised rebel authority, though resistance elsewhere persisted for months.
87. Which event on 10 May 1857 marked the beginning of the widespread uprising?
[DSSSB MTS, 5 March 2026, Shift 2]
(A) Rebellion of sepoys at Meerut
(B) Execution of Tantia Tope
(C) Death of Kunwar Singh
(D) Capture of Gwalior fort
Answer: (A) Rebellion of sepoys at Meerut
Explanation: On 10 May 1857, Indian sepoys at Meerut rose against their British officers and released imprisoned comrades. Many rebels then marched to Delhi. The mutiny spread rapidly, turning accumulated political and social discontent into a wider rebellion.
86. Who wrote the book The Indian War of Independence, 1857?
[DSSSB MTS, 25 February 2026, Shift 3]
(A) S. B. Chaudhuri
(B) E. P. Thompson
(C) V. D. Savarkar
(D) Karl Marx
Answer: (C) V. D. Savarkar
Explanation: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar wrote a nationalist account presenting the events of 1857 as a war for Indian independence. Originally published abroad in 1909, the book challenged colonial descriptions that treated the events solely as a military mutiny.
85. In his speech on the Revolt of 1857, what explanation did Benjamin Disraeli emphasise?
[DSSSB MTS, 25 February 2026, Shift 3]
(A) A protest caused only by taxation
(B) Sudden disobedience by a few soldiers
(C) Deep and accumulated grievances
(D) Only the greased-cartridge controversy
Answer: (C) Deep and accumulated grievances
Explanation: Benjamin Disraeli argued in the British Parliament that the uprising could not be explained merely by an isolated military incident. His interpretation pointed to the accumulation of grievances under colonial policies, indicating that discontent extended beyond rifle cartridges.
84. What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?
[DSSSB MTS, 24 February 2026, Shift 3]
(A) Denial of promotions to Indian soldiers
(B) Introduction of cartridges allegedly greased with animal fat
(C) High land revenue demands alone
(D) Annexation of Awadh alone
Answer: (B) Introduction of cartridges allegedly greased with animal fat
Explanation: The immediate spark was the introduction of cartridges for the Enfield rifle, believed to use cow and pig fat. Their handling violated the religious sensibilities of Hindu and Muslim sepoys. Wider grievances explain why the discontent grew so rapidly.
83. At which place did Mangal Pandey attack British officers before being court-martialled?
[DSSSB MTS, 24 February 2026, Shift 3]
(A) Panihati
(B) Barrackpore
(C) Haldia
(D) Malda
Answer: (B) Barrackpore
Explanation: Mangal Pandey was a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry at Barrackpore. On 29 March 1857, he attacked British officers and was subsequently tried and hanged on 8 April. His actions preceded the larger outbreak at Meerut.
82. Consider these statements about the Revolt of 1857: (1) Several Sikh and Rajput rulers supported the British; (2) The Nizam of Hyderabad and Raja of Jodhpur supported the rebels; (3) Bahadur Shah Zafar served mainly as a symbolic leader. Which are correct?
[Madhya Pradesh Police Sub-Inspector, 21 January 2026, Shift 1]
(A) 1, 2 and 3
(B) 1 and 2 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 2 and 3 only
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: The Nizam of Hyderabad and the ruler of Jodhpur did not join the main rebellion, while several princely rulers aided the British. Bahadur Shah Zafar supplied symbolic imperial authority rather than effective unified command across the rebellion.
81. The Revolt of 1857 is often regarded in nationalist historical writing as which of the following?
[Madhya Pradesh Police Sub-Inspector, 16 January 2026, Shift 1]
(A) First War of Independence
(B) Anglo-Indian War
(C) Only a sepoy mutiny
(D) First Civil War
Answer: (A) First War of Independence
Explanation: Nationalist writers, notably V. D. Savarkar, described 1857 as India’s First War of Independence. Historians continue to debate its scale, objectives and regional variations. The label nevertheless reflects the participation of soldiers, rulers and sections of the population.
