Q1. What was the primary objective behind the British construction of railways in India during the 19th century?
- To promote religious tourism and pilgrimage within India
- To foster internal trade and industrial growth among Indian businesses
- To link resource-rich regions with ports for exporting raw materials
- To create employment opportunities for rural Indian communities
Correct Option: 3. To link resource-rich regions with ports for exporting raw materials.
Explanation: The British built railways in India mainly to facilitate the extraction and export of raw materials like cotton and indigo to British factories. These railways connected interior production areas with major ports, serving imperial economic interests, not India’s internal development or industrial needs.
Q2. Who proposed the first major plan for Indian railway expansion, and when?
- Lord Wellesley in 1815
- George Stephenson in 1850
- Lord Dalhousie in 1853
- R.C. Dutt in 1860
Correct Option: 3. Lord Dalhousie in 1853.
Explanation: Lord Dalhousie, then Governor-General, was a strong advocate for railways and in 1853 proposed four major trunk lines to connect interiors with ports.
Q3. What financial model was used to build early railways in India?
- Guaranteed returns for private British investors
- Public-private partnerships with Indian princes
- Entirely state-funded projects
- Indian merchant guilds financed them
Correct Option: 1. Guaranteed returns for private British investors.
Explanation: Railway construction was financed by private British companies, with a guaranteed 5% return on investment backed by the Government of India, using Indian revenues.
Q4. How did the British postal reforms introduced by Lord Dalhousie affect common Indians?
- Increased communication costs
- Imposed luxury taxes on letters
- Created postal monopolies in cities only
- Made postal services more accessible and affordable
Correct Option: 4. Made postal services more accessible and affordable.
Explanation: Uniform postal rates (half an anna) were introduced, regardless of distance. This made communication more accessible compared to earlier rates that could cost up to four days’ wages.
Q5. What was the main source of revenue that funded British administration and expansion in India?
- Export duties
- Taxes from Indian peasants (land revenue)
- Profits from Indian textile exports
- Opium sales
Correct Option: 2. Taxes from Indian peasants (land revenue).
Explanation: The Indian peasant bore the primary tax burden, funding British administration, wars, and trade operations. This exploitative system was essential to British control over India.