Decline, Rise of British Competitive Exams
22 questions · Pakistan Studies
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Question 1 of 22
Which British Governor-General is associated with the controversial 'Doctrine of Lapse' policy for annexing Indian princely states?
ExplanationLord Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848-1856) implemented the Doctrine of Lapse, annexing princely states that lacked a natural heir, a policy that fueled resentment before 1857.
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Question 2 of 22
Which act, passed in 1784, further strengthened British government control over East India Company administration through a Board of Control?
ExplanationPitt's India Act (1784) established a Board of Control, increasing direct government oversight over Company affairs, building on the earlier Regulating Act.
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Question 3 of 22
Which economic policy of the British, involving the systematic increase of land revenue demands and changes in land tenure (e.g., Permanent Settlement), significantly impacted Indian agrarian society?
ExplanationBritish land revenue policies, such as the Permanent Settlement of 1793 in Bengal (creating a class of Zamindar landlords), significantly reshaped Indian agrarian relations.
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Question 4 of 22
Who was the powerful Sikh ruler whose death in 1839 led to instability and eventual British annexation of Punjab?
ExplanationMaharaja Ranjit Singh built a powerful, unified Sikh Empire in Punjab; his death in 1839 led to succession struggles that the British eventually exploited.
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Question 5 of 22
Which of the following describes the political status of India immediately after the failure of the 1857 uprising?
ExplanationAfter 1857, the British Crown took direct control (ending Company rule), and the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was exiled, formally ending even nominal Mughal authority.
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Question 6 of 22
Which British general led the conquest and annexation of Sindh in 1843?
ExplanationSir Charles Napier led British forces to annex Sindh in 1843, following battles at Miani and Hyderabad.
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Question 7 of 22
Which of the following was a significant longer-term economic effect of British colonial rule often highlighted in historical analysis?
ExplanationHistorians widely note that British colonial policies contributed to the decline of traditional Indian industries (such as handloom textiles) as the subcontinent became a source of raw materials and market for British manufactured goods.
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Question 8 of 22
Which Mysore ruler fought multiple wars against the British and died defending his capital Seringapatam in 1799?
ExplanationTipu Sultan, the 'Tiger of Mysore', died in 1799 at the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War's climactic Battle/Siege of Seringapatam.
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Question 9 of 22
Which of the following best describes the annexation of Awadh (Oudh) by the British in 1856, a key grievance before 1857?
ExplanationThe 1856 annexation of Awadh, justified by claims of misgovernment by Lord Dalhousie's administration, was a major grievance contributing to unrest ahead of 1857.
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Question 10 of 22
In which year was Punjab annexed by the British, following the Anglo-Sikh Wars?
ExplanationPunjab was annexed in 1849, after the Second Anglo-Sikh War, ending the Sikh Empire founded by Ranjit Singh.
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Question 11 of 22
What major event in 1857 is variously described as a 'mutiny', 'rebellion', or 'War of Independence' against British rule?
ExplanationThe 1857 uprising began with a sepoy mutiny at Meerut and spread across northern India, involving both military and civilian resistance to British rule.
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Question 12 of 22
Which treaty followed the Battle of Buxar and granted the East India Company Diwani rights over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa?
ExplanationThe Treaty of Allahabad (1765) formalized the grant of Diwani (revenue collection rights) to the East India Company by Emperor Shah Alam II.
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Question 13 of 22
Which title did Queen Victoria eventually adopt in relation to India, reflecting direct Crown rule?
ExplanationQueen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1876, formalizing direct British Crown sovereignty over the subcontinent.
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Question 14 of 22
Which British Governor-General is associated with the 'Subsidiary Alliance' system, used to bring Indian princely states under indirect British control?
ExplanationLord Wellesley (Governor-General 1798-1805) pioneered the Subsidiary Alliance system, requiring allied Indian rulers to accept British troops and control over their foreign policy.
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Question 15 of 22
Which battle in 1757 is generally regarded as the starting point of British political dominance in India?
ExplanationThe Battle of Plassey (1757), where Robert Clive defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula of Bengal, is widely seen as the foundational event for British political control in India.
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Question 16 of 22
Who led the East India Company's forces to victory at the Battle of Plassey?
ExplanationRobert Clive commanded the British East India Company's forces at Plassey, defeating Siraj-ud-Daula with the help of internal betrayal (notably by Mir Jafar).
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Question 17 of 22
The Battle of Buxar (1764) was fought between the British and a coalition that included which three parties?
ExplanationThe coalition at Buxar (1764) united the Mughal emperor, the Nawab of Awadh, and the deposed Nawab of Bengal against the British, but was decisively defeated.
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Question 18 of 22
Which act, passed by the British Parliament in 1858, transferred control of India from the East India Company directly to the British Crown?
ExplanationThe Government of India Act 1858, passed after the 1857 uprising, ended East India Company rule and established direct British Crown administration.
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Question 19 of 22
Which Bengali commander's betrayal significantly contributed to the British victory at Plassey?
ExplanationMir Jafar, a commander in Siraj-ud-Daula's army, conspired with the British and withheld his forces during the battle, in exchange for being installed as the new Nawab.
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Question 20 of 22
Which immediate grievance is commonly cited as a spark for the sepoy mutiny at Meerut in 1857?
ExplanationThe controversy over the Enfield rifle cartridges, rumored to be greased with animal fat objectionable to both Hindu and Muslim sepoys, is widely cited as the immediate spark for the 1857 mutiny.
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Question 21 of 22
Which of the following regional powers fought a prolonged series of wars (the Anglo-Maratha Wars) against British expansion before eventual defeat?
ExplanationThe Maratha Confederacy fought three major wars (Anglo-Maratha Wars) against the British between the late 18th and early 19th centuries before their eventual subjugation.
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Question 22 of 22
Which British parliamentary act, passed in 1773, was among the first attempts to regulate East India Company affairs?
ExplanationThe Regulating Act of 1773 was an early British parliamentary measure to bring the East India Company's Indian administration under greater government oversight.
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