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SATVIK SHARMAAIR 327· 2025

Question Q.2GS1GS1

British colonial rule had a profound impact on Indian agriculture, fundamentally altering the traditional economy which led to severe peasant resistance. Discuss.

Open scan (p.2)

Main Body

British had come to India with colonial & imperial ideology.

Post Battle of Plassey (1757), they got direct political authority over Bihar & Bengal.

Impact on on Indian Agriculture & altering of the traditional agrarian economy:

1Changed the revenue administration.
2Introduced District Collectors performed for district at administrative unit & g.g.
3Introduced new zamindari, Mhalwari, Permanent Settlement & Ryotwari.
4Permanent Settlement forced zamindars to extract exorbitant tax from peasant.
5New levies of exploitation emerged.
6Money lenders changing expansionist interest rates → "debt-trap" of already impoverished peasantry. (ED: Maidarpara Uprising)
7No incentive with zamindars to invest in agricultural productivity.
8"Absentee landlordism" emerged after auctioning of zamindari rights.
9Shift to commercial crops like indigo, tea in Assam from subsistence farming.
10Plantation at Indigo & tea in British companies forced peasants for these crops size indigo. (ED: Naxalbari play)

Hence, British policy impoverished peasantry & gave rise structural. (Diagram: British Peasant Impoverishment play)

160 words14 paragraphs

Diagram

Structure showing relationship between British policy and peasant impoverishment

  • Comprehensive coverage of policy mechanisms
  • Connection between policies and peasant resistance
  • Reference to specific uprisings
  • Good use of diagram

Topper

SATVIK SHARMA

AIR 3272025

Subject & Paper

GS1GS1

Topic

Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present

British Policies

Impact on Agriculture and Peasant Resistance

Writing Stats

160

Total words

14

Paragraphs

analytical

Tone