CAPF AC 2021 Q88: Modern History – British Administration & Economic Policies
Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?
| Settlement | Associated with |
|---|---|
| 1. Permanent Settlement | Lord Cornwallis |
| 2. Ryotwari Settlement | Thomas Munro |
| 3. Mahalwari Settlement | Holt Mackenzie |
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
British land revenue settlements
How to think: there were three settlements.
Learn each one with its person, year, region and who paid the revenue.
| Settlement | Associated with | Year | Region | Revenue paid by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent | Lord Cornwallis | 1793 | Bengal, Bihar, Odisha | Zamindar |
| Ryotwari | Thomas Munro and Alexander Read | 1820 | Madras, Bombay | Ryot (cultivator) directly |
| Mahalwari | Holt Mackenzie | 1822 | North-Western Provinces, Punjab | Village (mahal) through its headman |
All three pairs in the question are correctly matched.
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Pairs 2 and 3 are also correct, not only pair 1.
- (b) Incorrect. Pair 3 is also correct; Holt Mackenzie devised the Mahalwari system.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 1 is also correct; Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement.
- (d) CORRECT. All three settlements are matched with the right person.
Key point
Permanent Settlement: Cornwallis, 1793, zamindars, revenue fixed for ever. Ryotwari: Munro, 1820, direct with cultivators. Mahalwari: Holt Mackenzie, 1822, village as the unit; later revised by R. M. Bird and James Thomason.
Remember
Cornwallis: Permanent. Munro: Ryotwari. Mackenzie: Mahalwari.
Common mistakes
- Not recognising Holt Mackenzie, who is less famous than Cornwallis and Munro.
- Mixing up Mahalwari (village as unit) with Ryotwari (individual cultivator).
- Linking the Mahalwari system with William Bentinck, under whom it was only revised.
Exam tip
Educated guess: pairs 1 and 2 are the best-known facts of the chapter, so the answer is (b) or (d). NCERT names Holt Mackenzie for the mahalwari settlement of 1822, which settles it.
Sources
- NCERT Class VIII History — Our Pasts III, Chapter 3: Ruling the Countryside
- NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part III, Chapter 10: Colonialism and the Countryside