CAPF AC 2022 Q115: Modern History – British Administration & Economic Policies
- (a) Benaras
- (b) Kanpur
- (c) Mirzapur
- (d) Patna
Answer: (c) Mirzapur
Explanation
Mirzapur and the railway
How to think: before the railways, goods moved by river.
Mirzapur on the Ganga collected cotton and cotton goods from the Deccan and sent them down the river.
When a railway linked the Deccan directly to Bombay, the cotton went to Bombay and Mirzapur lost its trade.
| Effect of railways on towns | Example |
|---|---|
| Old river trading town declined | Mirzapur on the Ganga |
| New railway towns grew | Jamalpur, Waltair, Bareilly |
| Port cities expanded | Bombay, Calcutta, Madras |
The larger point: railways from 1853 shifted trade away from river routes and old market towns.
Every railway station became a collection point for raw materials and a distribution point for imported goods.
Answer: (c) Mirzapur.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Benaras remained an important religious and trading city.
- (b) Incorrect. Kanpur grew as a railway and leather-textile centre.
- (c) CORRECT. Mirzapur declined when the railway link to Bombay took away its cotton trade.
- (d) Incorrect. Patna stayed an administrative centre.
Key point
NCERT (Colonial Cities): Mirzapur on the Ganges, which specialised in collecting cotton and cotton goods from the Deccan, declined when a railway link was made to Bombay. Railway towns: Jamalpur, Waltair, Bareilly. First railway: Bombay to Thane, 1853.
Remember
Mirzapur lost its cotton trade to the Bombay railway.
Common mistakes
- Marking Kanpur, which actually grew in the railway age.
- Thinking railways helped every existing town equally.
- Not linking Mirzapur with the cotton trade of the Deccan.
Exam tip
Educated guess: Benaras, Kanpur and Patna are still big cities today. The one that shrank into a smaller town is Mirzapur.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part III, Chapter 12: Colonial Cities (what happened to cities during the colonial period)
- Bipan Chandra, History of Modern India — The Economic Impact of British Rule (railways)