UPSC Prelims 2003 Q80: Modern History – Advent Of Europeans & British Expansion
With reference to the entry of European powers into India,
which one of the following statements is NOT correct?
- (a) The Portuguese captured Goa in 1499
- (b) The English opened their first factory in South India at Masulipatnam
- (c) In Eastern India, the English Company opened its first factory in Orissa in 1633
- (d) Under the leadership of Dupleix, the French occupied Madras in 1746
Answer: (a) The Portuguese captured Goa in 1499
Explanation
> Note for students: The exam asked which statement is NOT correct; Goa was captured by the Portuguese in 1510, so (a) is the answer.
European powers in India (NOT correct)
| Statement | Verdict |
|---|---|
| a. The Portuguese captured Goa in 1499 | Not correct — Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510; Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498 |
| b. English first factory in South India at Masulipatnam | Correct (1611) |
| c. English first factory in Orissa in 1633 | Correct (Hariharpur) |
| d. Dupleix's French occupied Madras in 1746 | Correct (La Bourdonnais, Dupleix) |
The question asks which statement is NOT correct: it is (a), since the Portuguese captured Goa in 1510. (The stored stem had dropped NOT; it is restored.)
Answer: (a) The Portuguese captured Goa in 1499.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Goa was captured in 1510, so this statement is wrong.
- (b) Incorrect. The English opened a factory at Masulipatnam in 1611.
- (c) Incorrect. The English opened a factory in Orissa in 1633.
- (d) Incorrect. The French occupied Madras in 1746.
Key point
Arrival at Calicut 1498; capture of Goa 1510; English 1600; Dutch 1602; French 1664.
Remember
Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510.
Common mistakes
- Reading the stem as asking for a correct statement.
- Mixing Vasco da Gama's 1498 arrival with the capture of Goa.
- Forgetting Albuquerque's 1510 conquest.
Exam tip
Vasco da Gama arrived in 1498 and Goa fell in 1510.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — Modern India
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India (Advent of the Europeans in India)