CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The Revolt of 1857 occurred approximately one century after the:
A. Battle of Plassey
B. Third Battle of Panipat
C. Battle of Buxar
D. Annexation of Punjab
Correct Answer: A
The Battle of Plassey took place in 1757, exactly one hundred years before the uprising.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Which statement best describes the political climate before 1857?
A. Many rulers and elites feared further British annexation
B. The Company had stopped expansion
C. All princes supported the Doctrine of Lapse
D. The Mughal emperor had restored central power
Correct Answer: A
Recent annexations created widespread uncertainty among princely families and traditional elites.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The Revolt of 1857 resulted from:
A. A combination of political, economic, military, social and religious grievances
B. Only one cartridge incident
C. Only Mughal ambition
D. Only foreign invasion
Correct Answer: A
The cartridge issue triggered unrest, but deeper causes had accumulated over decades.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The Bengal Army before 1857 recruited heavily from:
A. Awadh and the upper Gangetic plain
B. Southern Africa
C. Scotland only
D. Burma only
Correct Answer: A
A large proportion of sepoys came from high-caste rural communities in Awadh and neighbouring regions.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Which factor connected political annexation with the military revolt?
A. Many Bengal Army sepoys came from annexed Awadh
B. The army was recruited only in Britain
C. Awadh had no soldiers
D. The Mughal emperor commanded British troops
Correct Answer: A
The annexation of Awadh directly affected the homes, families and social status of many sepoys.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The introduction of social reforms by the British was sometimes viewed by conservative groups as:
A. Interference in religious and social customs
B. Support for Mughal sovereignty
C. A return to Maratha rule
D. A purely economic measure
Correct Answer: A
Even reforms with humanitarian aims were interpreted by some as evidence of unwanted cultural interference.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Which fear contributed to the religious causes of the Revolt of 1857?
A. Forced conversion to Christianity
B. Forced conversion to Buddhism
C. A ban on all schools
D. Restoration of Mughal taxation
Correct Answer: A
Missionary activity and social legislation created suspicion that the British intended to undermine Indian religions.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Indian sepoys resented the British army because of:
A. Discrimination in pay, promotion and service conditions
B. Excessive political representation
C. Control of Parliament
D. Higher salaries than Europeans
Correct Answer: A
Indian soldiers faced limited promotion and unequal treatment compared with European troops.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The General Service Enlistment Act of 1856 alarmed sepoys because it could require them to:
A. Serve overseas
B. Give up all pay
C. Join the Royal Navy permanently
D. Move to Britain with families
Correct Answer: A
Many high-caste soldiers feared overseas service would violate religious and caste practices.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Heavy land-revenue demands before 1857 mainly affected:
A. Peasants, landholders and taluqdars
B. Only European officers
C. Naval commanders
D. Foreign diplomats
Correct Answer: A
Revenue policies and the loss of customary rights created rural resentment.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Which economic group suffered because British manufactured goods competed with Indian products?
A. Traditional artisans and craftsmen
B. Only British investors
C. European soldiers
D. Afghan chiefs
Correct Answer: A
Colonial trade patterns weakened many local handicrafts and urban artisan occupations.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Before 1857, the British planned that successors of Bahadur Shah II would:
A. Lose the imperial title and leave the Red Fort
B. Rule all of India
C. Control the Company army
D. Receive Punjab
Correct Answer: A
Company policy sought to end the symbolic privileges and residence of the Mughal dynasty after Bahadur Shah's death.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Rani Lakshmibai's political grievance arose when the Company refused to recognize the adopted heir of:
A. Jhansi
B. Awadh
C. Hyderabad
D. Mysore
Correct Answer: A
Jhansi was annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse after the death of Raja Gangadhar Rao.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Nana Sahib's grievance against the Company concerned the refusal to continue the pension of:
A. Baji Rao II
B. Ranjit Singh
C. Wajid Ali Shah
D. Bahadur Shah Zafar
Correct Answer: A
Nana Sahib was the adopted son of the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, whose pension the Company refused to recognize for him.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The annexation of Awadh particularly angered:
A. Taluqdars, soldiers and court dependants
B. European merchants only
C. Portuguese missionaries
D. Maratha naval officers
Correct Answer: A
Annexation displaced the ruling elite and taluqdars, while many Bengal Army sepoys came from Awadh.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Which state was annexed in 1856 on the stated ground of misgovernment rather than the Doctrine of Lapse?
A. Awadh
B. Jhansi
C. Satara
D. Nagpur
Correct Answer: A
Awadh was annexed in 1856 after the Company alleged maladministration.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The Doctrine of Lapse is most closely associated with:
A. Lord Wellesley
B. Lord Dalhousie
C. Lord Canning
D. Warren Hastings
Correct Answer: B
Governor-General Lord Dalhousie used the doctrine to annex several princely states.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Which annexation policy created resentment among many Indian rulers before 1857?
A. Doctrine of Lapse
B. Subsidiary Alliance alone
C. Permanent Settlement
D. Ryotwari System
Correct Answer: A
Lord Dalhousie's Doctrine of Lapse allowed annexation when a ruler died without a recognized natural male heir.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
Who was Governor-General of India when the Revolt of 1857 began?
A. Lord Dalhousie
B. Lord Canning
C. Lord Ripon
D. Lord Curzon
Correct Answer: B
Lord Canning became Governor-General in 1856 and faced the uprising in 1857.
CSS - PMS - CCE - PCS - Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1857 - British Rule - End of Mughal Empire
The uprising commonly called the Revolt of 1857 began during the rule of the:
A. British East India Company
B. British Crown directly
C. Mughal Empire at full strength
D. French East India Company
Correct Answer: A
In 1857, most British-controlled territory in India was governed by the East India Company.