1. When was the East India Company established?
A. 1599
B. 1600
C. 1612
D. 1620
Answer: B. 1600
Explanation: The East India Company was granted a royal charter by Queen Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, marking its establishment as a trading company.
2. What was the primary objective of the East India Company in its early years?
A. Colonization
B. Religious propagation
C. Trade and profit
D. Military expansion
Answer: C. Trade and profit
Explanation: The East India Company was initially established as a trading company to profit from trade in spices, textiles, and other goods with Asia.
3. Which event marked the beginning of the East India Company’s territorial control in India?
A. Battle of Buxar
B. Battle of Plassey
C. Regulating Act of 1773
D. Sepoy Mutiny
Answer: B. Battle of Plassey
Explanation: The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked the start of the Company’s political dominance in India when Robert Clive defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah.
4. The Dual System of Administration in Bengal was introduced by:
A. Warren Hastings
B. Robert Clive
C. Lord Cornwallis
D. Lord Wellesley
Answer: B. Robert Clive
Explanation: Robert Clive introduced the Dual System in 1765, where the Company controlled revenue collection, and the Nawab retained nominal authority.
5. The primary export item from India under East India Company rule was:
A. Tea
B. Cotton textiles
C. Spices
D. Opium
Answer: B. Cotton textiles
Explanation: Indian cotton textiles were in high demand in Europe and formed a significant portion of exports during the early years of Company rule.
6. Which policy allowed the East India Company to trade tax-free in Bengal?
A. Doctrine of Lapse
B. Permanent Settlement
C. Farman of 1717
D. Pitt’s India Act
Answer: C. Farman of 1717
Explanation: The Farman issued by Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar granted the East India Company duty-free trade in Bengal, leading to economic exploitation.
7. The economic exploitation by the East India Company led to the first major famine in India in:
A. 1757
B. 1769
C. 1783
D. 1805
Answer: B. 1769
Explanation: The Bengal Famine of 1769–1773 resulted from economic mismanagement, excessive revenue demands, and export-oriented policies.
8. The Regulating Act of 1773 was introduced to:
A. End Company rule in India
B. Restrict the Company’s monopoly
C. Regulate the East India Company’s administration
D. Establish British Crown rule in India
Answer: C. Regulate the East India Company’s administration
Explanation: The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first attempt by the British government to control and regulate the Company’s administration in India.
9. The Permanent Settlement of 1793 primarily affected:
A. Landlords
B. Peasants
C. Artisans
D. Traders
Answer: A. Landlords
Explanation: The Permanent Settlement fixed land revenue and recognized landlords as the proprietors of land, often at the cost of peasants.
10. What was the impact of the Company’s monopoly on Indian handicrafts?
A. Boosted production
B. Encouraged new techniques
C. Decline of traditional industries
D. No significant impact
Answer: C. Decline of traditional industries
Explanation: The Company’s policies favored British industrial goods, leading to the decline of traditional Indian handicrafts.
11. The East India Company was dissolved in:
A. 1857
B. 1858
C. 1860
D. 1870
Answer: B. 1858
Explanation: Following the Revolt of 1857, the British Crown assumed direct control of India, dissolving the East India Company in 1858.
12. Which Act abolished the Company’s trade monopoly in India?
A. Charter Act of 1813
B. Regulating Act of 1773
C. Charter Act of 1833
D. Government of India Act, 1858
Answer: A. Charter Act of 1813
Explanation: The Charter Act of 1813 ended the Company’s trade monopoly in India except for trade in tea and with China.
13. What was the primary reason for Britain’s interest in Indian agriculture during the East India Company’s rule?
A. Food security for Britain
B. Raw material for British industries
C. Preservation of Indian culture
D. Expansion of trade networks
Answer: B. Raw material for British industries
Explanation: Indian agriculture was exploited to produce raw materials like cotton and indigo for British industries.
14. The Ryotwari System was introduced by:
A. Lord Cornwallis
B. Thomas Munro
C. Robert Clive
D. Warren Hastings
Answer: B. Thomas Munro
Explanation: The Ryotwari System, introduced by Munro, directly collected revenue from the peasants, bypassing landlords.
15. Which system led to the commercialization of Indian agriculture?
A. Permanent Settlement
B. Mahalwari System
C. Ryotwari System
D. Zamindari System
Answer: D. Zamindari System
Explanation: The focus on cash crops for export under the Zamindari system transformed Indian agriculture, often leading to exploitation and poverty.
16. The East India Company’s policies led to the drain of wealth, as noted by:
A. Dadabhai Naoroji
B. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
C. R. C. Dutt
D. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Answer: A. Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji’s “Drain Theory” highlighted the economic exploitation and outflow of wealth from India to Britain.
