Spectrum Test: Expansion & Consolidation of British Power in India- 1 - UPSC MCQ

• The First Anglo Mysore War concluded with the Treaty of Madras, making the first statement correct.
• The Second Anglo Maratha War did not result in the Treaty of Salbai; rather, the Treaty of Salbai concluded the First Anglo Maratha War.
• The Fourth Anglo Mysore War did not end with the Treaty of Seringapatam; the Treaty of Seringapatam was associated with the Third Anglo Mysore War.

Therefore, statements 2 and 3 are incorrect.

1. Mir Jafar - Became Nawab after the Battle of Plassey: Correct. Mir Jafar became the Nawab of Bengal after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The English, led by Robert Clive, formed an alliance with him and other traitors to Siraj-ud-Daulah, which resulted in the latter's defeat and execution.

2. Mir Kasim - Signed the Treaty of Allahabad: Incorrect. Mir Kasim was not involved in the Treaty of Allahabad. The treaty was concluded by Robert Clive in 1765 with the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II after the Battle of Buxar.

3. Robert Clive - Led the English forces at the Battle of Buxar: Incorrect. The English forces at the Battle of Buxar were led by Major Hector Munro, not Robert Clive. Clive was instrumental in securing British interests but did not lead this specific battle.

4. Shah Alam II - Issued a Farman granting Diwani rights to the East India Company: Correct. Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor, issued the Farman in 1765, granting the Diwani (revenue collection rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the East India Company as part of the arrangements after the Treaty of Allahabad.

Thus, only pairs 1 and 4 are correctly matched.

Statement-I correctly describes the significance of the Battle of Plassey in 1757, where the English victory established their military dominance in Bengal, marking the beginning of British rule in India.
Statement-II accurately portrays the outcome of the Battle of Buxar in 1764, where the English forces led by Major Hector Munro defeated the combined armies of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Awadh, and Shah Alam II, positioning the English as contenders for supremacy in India. The Battle of Buxar indeed consolidated the English as a significant power in northern India. Thus, both statements are correct, and Statement-II logically explains the implications of the Battle of Plassey in the broader context of Indian history.

• Robert Clive introduced the dual system of government – Correct
  In 1765, after the Battle of Buxar, Robert Clive introduced the Dual System of Government in Bengal. Under this system, the British East India Company had the Diwani rights (revenue collection), while the Nizamat functions (law and order) remained with the Nawab. This allowed the Company to control revenue without being directly responsible for administration.

• For the exercise of Diwani functions, the Company appointed Deputy Diwans – Correct
  To manage Diwani (civil revenue) functions, the British East India Company appointed Deputy Diwans, typically Indian officials, under the nominal authority of the Nawab but effectively reporting to the Company.

Therefore, Correct Answer - Option C

1. Diwani rights - Nomination of deputy subahdar: This pair is incorrectly matched. Diwani rights refer to the rights to collect revenue. The Company exercised the Diwani rights as the diwan, whereas the nomination of the deputy subahdar was related to the Nizamat rights.

2. Nizamat rights - Police and judicial functions: This pair is correctly matched. Nizamat rights indeed pertain to police and judicial functions. The Company exercised Nizamat rights through its right to nominate the deputy subahdar, who was responsible for these functions.

3. Treaty of Madras - First Anglo-Mysore War: This pair is correctly matched. The Treaty of Madras was concluded in 1769 after the First Anglo-Mysore War, providing for the exchange of prisoners and mutual restitution of conquests.

4. Treaty of Mangalore - Third Anglo-Mysore War: This pair is incorrectly matched. The Treaty of Mangalore was concluded after the Second Anglo-Mysore War, not the Third. The Treaty of Mangalore was signed in 1784, and it involved a mutual restitution of territories captured during the war.

Thus, pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched.

Statement-I is correct: The dual system of government introduced in Bengal by Robert Clive (1765) created a division between the East India Company (which had the Diwani, or revenue collection rights) and the Nawab (who held the Nizamat, or administration of law and order). This led to inefficient governance and severe hardship for the people of Bengal.

Statement-II is incorrect: Haidar Ali was indeed a formidable opponent of the British and resisted them in many battles, but he died in 1782, a decade before the Treaty of Seringapatam was signed in 1792. It was his son, Tipu Sultan, who fought the British in the Third Anglo-Mysore War and ceded significant territory to the British in the Treaty of Seringapatam. Therefore, Statement-II is factually wrong.

Therefore,Correct Answer -Option B

1. Inept leadership

2. Defective nature of the state

3. Loose political set-up

4. Inferior military system

5. Unstable economic policy

6. Superior English diplomacy and espionage’

7. Progressive English outlook

1. Peace of Paris - 1783: This pair is correctly matched. The Peace of Paris in 1783 marked the end of the American Revolutionary War and is considered the beginning of Britain's 'second empire' phase, focusing on East Asia and Africa.

2. Battle of Plassey - 1761: This pair is incorrectly matched. The Battle of Plassey took place in 1757, not 1761. It was a decisive victory for the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal and marked the start of British rule in India.

3. Third Battle of Panipat - 1761: This pair is correctly matched. The Third Battle of Panipat occurred in 1761 between the Maratha Empire and the Durrani Empire (led by Ahmad Shah Abdali). It was one of the largest battles of the 18th century in India.

4. Alivardi Khan becomes Nawab of Bengal - 1741: This pair is correctly matched. Alivardi Khan became the Nawab of Bengal in 1741 after defeating the then Nawab, Sarfaraz Khan.

Thus, pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched, making a total of three correctly matched pairs.

Haidar Ali became de facto ruler of Mysore in 1761. Hence, statement 2nd is incorrect. 

Haidar Ali fulfilled that need and usurped the royal authority by becoming the de facto ruler of Mysore in 1761. Hence, statement 1st Correct. 

Treaty of Bassein (1802) Under the treaty, the Peshwa agreed: 

1. To receive from the Company a native infantry (consisting of not less than 6,000 troops), with the usual proportion of field artillery and European artillerymen attached, to be permanently stationed in his territories.

2. To cede to the Company territories yielding an income of Rs 26 lakh.

3. To surrender the city of Surat.

4. To give up all claims for Chauth on the Nizam's dominions.

5. To accept the Company's arbitration in all differences between him and the Nizam or the Gaekwad.

6. Not to keep in his employment Europeans of any nation at war with the English.

7. To subject his relations with other states to the control of the English