UPSC Prelims Research: Modern Indian History 2017

Q. Who among the following was/were associated with the introduction of Ryotwari Settlement in India during the British rule?

1. Lord Cornwallis
2. Alexander Read
3. Thomas Munro

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only

Ryotwari System:

• The ryotwari system was a land revenue system in British India introduced by Thomas Munro, which allowed the government to deal directly with the cultivator.
• A system that came to be known as the Ryotwari System, was devised by Captain Alexander Read and Sir Thomas Munro at the end of the 18^th century and introduced by the latter when he was governor of Madras Presidency (1819–26).
• Under the Ryotwari system, the land revenue was paid by the farmers directly to the state.
• In this system, the Individual cultivator called Ryot had full rights regarding sale, transfer, and leasing of the land.
  • The ryots could not be evicted from their land as long as they paid the rent.
• It was prevalent in most of southern India, first introduced in Tamil Nadu. It was later extended to Maharashtra, Berar, East Punjab, Coorg and Assam.
• The advantages of this system were the elimination of middlemen, who often oppressed villagers.

Zamindari System

• The zamindari system was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 through Permanent Settlement that fixed the land rights of the members in perpetuity without any provision for fixed rent or occupancy right for actual cultivators.
• Under the Zamindari system, the land revenue was collected from the farmers by the intermediaries known as Zamindars.
• The share of the government in the total land revenue collected by the zamindars was kept at 10/11^th, and the remainder going to zamindars.
• The system was most prevalent in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, UP, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Q. The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 provided for

(a) the participation of workers in the management of industries.

(b) arbitrary powers to the management to quell industrial disputes.

(c) an intervention by the British Court in the event of a trade dispute.

(d) a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.

Answer: (d) a system of tribunals and a ban on strikes.

Trade Disputes Act of 1929:

• The Trade Disputes Act of 1929 in India aimed to regulate industrial disputes and provided mechanisms for their resolution, including courts of inquiry and conciliation boards.
• It also placed restrictions on the right to strike, particularly in public utility services, requiring advance notice.
• The Act sought to ensure the continuity of essential services and prevent disruptions to the national economy.

Q. Consider the following statements:

1. The Factories Act, 1881 was passed with a view to fix the wages of industrial workers and to allow the workers to form trade unions.
2. N.M. Lokhande was a pioneer in organizing the labour movement in British India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Factories Act, 1881:

• Purpose:
  • The Factories Act, 1881 was enacted under the viceroyalty of Lord Ripon to improve the working conditions of laborers, focusing primarily on child labor.
• Children’s Employment Restrictions:
  • The Act prohibited the employment of children under the age of seven and limited the working hours for children under 12 years.
• Safety and Rest Provisions:
  • It introduced mandatory rest periods and required that dangerous machinery be fenced properly.
  • The Act introduced provisions for mandatory rest periods, including a one-hour break during the workday, and mandated four holidays per month for workers.
• No Mention of Wages or Trade Unions:
  • The Act did not address the fixation of wages or the formation of trade unions.
• Scope:
  • While the Act was a significant step, its scope was limited, applying only to factories using mechanical power and employing at least 100 workers.

N.M. Lokhande and the Labour Movement

• Labour Pioneer: Narayan Meghaji Lokhande was the father of trade union movement in India.
  • N.M. Lokhande was a key figure in organizing the labour movement in British India, especially in the textile industry.
• Social Work: He also worked on communal and caste-related issues affecting workers.

Q. The object of the Butler Committee of 1927 was to?

(a) Define the jurisdiction of the Central and Provincial Governments.

(b) Define the powers of the Secretary of State for India.

(c) Impose censorship on national press.

(d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.

Answer: (d) Improve the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian States.

Butler Committee,1927:

• The Butler Committee, officially the Indian States Committee, was formed in 1927 to investigate and clarify the relationship between the British Raj and the Indian Princely States.
• Led by Sir Harcourt Butler, it aimed to improve relations and address issues surrounding the British Government’s “paramountcy” over the states.
  • The committee was established to examine the nature of this relationship and address the concerns of the princely states about their sovereignty and future status.

Important Recommendations:

• The Committee advises that the Viceroy should represent the Crown in all dealings with the States. This proposed change is comparable with the new Imperial arrangement by which the Governor-General of a Dominion is High Commissioner for the Dominion’s Protectorates.
• It says that paramountcy must remain supreme.
• It says that British paramountcy preserves the princely state.
• The Committee sympathize with the fear of the Native Princes that their States might pass without their consent under a new Government in British India responsible to an Indian Legislature, and they plainly express the opinion that no such transference should be made without the consent of the Princes.
  • It also says that the state should not be transferred without their own agreement.

Q. Consider the following pairs:

1. Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association
2. Gazulu Lakshmi Narasu Chetty — Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha
3. Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Notes:

• British Indian Association:
  • It was founded in October 1851, at Calcutta. The association was formed in Calcutta by merging the Landholders’ Society and the Bengal British India Society.
  • Raja Radha Kanta dev was the first president of the British Indian Association while Debendranath Tagore was its Secretary.
  • The association was formed to advocate for Indian rights and representation.
  • Achievements:
    • The association’s recommendations were partially accepted by the Charter Act of 1853.
    • The association laid the groundwork for political advocacy and administrative reforms in British India.
    • It served as a precursor to the Indian National Congress.
• Madras Mahajana Sabha:
  • It was founded in May 1884.
  • It was established by M. Veeraraghavachariar, S. Ramaswami Mudaliar, and P. Anandacharlu. 
  • Madras Mahajana Sabha, along with the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, Bombay Presidency Association, and Indian Association, it’s considered a precursor to the Indian National Congress.
• Indian Association:
  • It was founded by Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose in 1876. 
  • Indian Association was the first avowed nationalist organization founded in British India.
  • The objectives of this Association were “promoting by every legitimate means the political, intellectual and material advancement of the people”.
  • It played a crucial role in fostering national consciousness and served as a forerunner to the Indian National Congress.
• Gazulu Lakshmi Narasu Chetty:
  • Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty was an Indian merchant and political activist who founded the Madras Native Association, one of the earliest Indian political associations, and the first Indian-owned newspaper in Madras, The Crescent.

Q. In the context of Indian history, the principle of `Dyarchy (diarchy)’ refers to

(a) Division of the central legislature into two houses.

(b) Introduction of double government i.e., Central and State governments.

(c) Having two sets of rulers; one in London and another in Delhi.

(d) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories.

Answer: (d) Division of the subjects delegated to the provinces into two categories.

The Montage-Chelmsford reforms 1919:

• Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy, and Edwin Montagu, the Secretary of State, in 1918, introduced constitutional reforms which led to the enactment of the Government of India Act of 1919.
• The Provincial Legislative Councils were enlarged and the majority of their members were to be elected.
• Under the system of Dyarchy, the provincial governments were given more powers.
  • Under Dyarchy some subjects, such as finance and law and order, remained under the direct control of the Governor and were called ‘reserved‘ subjects;
  • Other subjects, such as education, public health, and local self-government, were to be controlled by ministers responsible to the Legislatures and were called ‘transferred‘ subjects.

Q. With reference to Indian freedom struggle, consider the following events:

1. Mutiny in Royal Indian Navy
2. Quit India Movement launched
3. Second Round Table Conference

What is the correct chronological sequence of the above events?

(a) 1-2-3
(b) 2-1-3
(c) 3-2-1
(d) 3-1-2

Answer: (c) 3-2-1

Notes:

Second Round Conference

• The Second Round Conference opened in September 1931.
• Gandhi represented the Indian National Congress and Sarojini Naidu represented Indian women. 
• Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ghanshyam Das Birla, Muhammad Iqbal, Sir Mirza Ismail Diwan of Mysore, S K Dutta and Sir Syed Ali Imam were other people that attending the conference.

Quit India Movement

• The Quit India Movement, or August revolution (August Kranti), was launched at the Bombay session of the All-India Congress Committee or more simply by Gandhiji (Mahatma Gandhi) on 8 August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British Rule of India.

Royal Indian Navy Mutiny

• On February 18, 1946, a section of non-commissioned officers and sailors known as Ratings, serving in the Royal Indian Navy, mutinied against the British Officers.
• The mutiny started as a strike by the ratings to protest against the hardship regarding pay, food and racial discrimination.