Question No. 1
With reference to the position of the English East India Company (EIC) in India by the mid-18th century, consider the following statements:
1.The EIC’s financial power was superior to that of the most influential Indian merchant houses, allowing them to dictate terms of trade.
2.The EIC faced significant naval opposition from the Maratha naval chiefs, particularly the Angres of Colaba, which challenged the Company’s maritime dominance on the Western Coast.
3.The EIC’s territorial settlements, including Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, were governed by separate administrative councils, collectively known as Presidencies, which operated independently of each other.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 2
With reference to the establishment and nature of the French East India Company (Compagnie des Indes Orientales), consider the following statements:
1.The French Company was the first European trading entity in India that was entirely owned, financed, and controlled by the State, under the policy of Mercantilism enforced by Colbert.
2.The Company’s initial attempts to secure a foothold in India were unsuccessful until the establishment of the permanent factory at Surat in 1668.
3.The structure of the French Company, being state-controlled, granted it an advantage over the privately managed English EIC, as it had immediate access to royal military resources.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 3
With reference to the French trading centres in India, consider the following statements:
1.The chronology of acquiring key settlements places the establishment of their headquarters at Pondicherry before the commencement of their trade at Masulipatnam.
2.Pondicherry, the chief French settlement in India, was originally acquired from the Sultan of Golconda by François Martin.
3.The French factory at Chandernagore in Bengal was secured through a Farman from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and unlike the English, they were strictly forbidden from carrying out any fortification.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 4
Which of the following contributed to the early setbacks of the French East India Company in India before the arrival of Dupleix?
1.The loss of Pondicherry to the Dutch in 1693, which temporarily disrupted their main base of operations.
2.The company’s capital was heavily drawn from the national treasury, which frequently prioritized the funding of Louis XIV’s wars in Europe over colonial trade.
3.A major conflict with the Nawab of the Carnatic, which led to a trade embargo on all French goods in the Deccan.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Question No. 5
Which of the following factors were instrumental as underlying causes for the Anglo-French conflicts (Carnatic Wars) in India?
1.The strategic necessity for both powers to establish political control over the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of the Carnatic to secure exclusive trading privileges.
2.The global rivalry between Britain and France, which meant that any conflict in Europe would inevitably spill over into their respective colonies in India and North America.
3.The immense profits generated by the textile trade from the Coromandel Coast and Bengal, which made the region the most important theatre for European commercial dominance.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Question No. 6
In the context of the Anglo-French struggle for supremacy in India during the mid-18th century, consider the following statements:
1.The French military strategy under Dupleix focused on establishing territorial control and political influence over native rulers, a policy the English initially avoided.
2.The English possessed a clear advantage in naval power throughout the conflicts, allowing them to effectively sever the French line of communication with Europe when necessary.
3.The defeat of the French was a direct result of Dupleix’s failure to secure any of the key Presidency towns of the English—Madras, Bombay, or Calcutta.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 7
With reference to the events of the First Carnatic War (1746–1748), consider the following statements:
1.The war commenced with the French capturing the principal English trading centre of Madras with the help of naval support from the French admiral La Bourdonnais.
2.The Nawab of the Carnatic, Anwar-ud-din, intervened after the fall of Madras, ordering the French to restore the settlement to the English.
3.The French victory in the Battle of Wandiwash was the decisive event that secured the French hold on the Carnatic region, compelling the Nawab to withdraw his forces.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 8
With reference to the First Carnatic War (1746–1748) and its conclusion, consider the following statements:
1.The primary political cause of the war was the dynastic dispute over the succession to the Nizamship of Hyderabad, which fueled European intervention.
2.The war concluded without any territorial changes in India, as both sides restored each other’s captured posts.
3.The final treaty was part of a larger European settlement aimed at resolving the conflict arising from the War of the Austrian Succession.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 9
Which of the following statements correctly represents the significance and consequences of the First Carnatic War?
1.The Battle of St. Thome/Adyar established the principle that European powers were militarily superior to Indian rulers’ armies, shattering the long-held military prestige of the Nawab of the Carnatic.
2.It solidified the Anglo-French rivalry in India by demonstrating that the European conflict could be effectively waged on Indian soil, independently of Indian political intervention.
3.The war served as a clear proof that the coastal trading ports could be used as springboards for territorial expansion and political maneuvering in the Deccan hinterland.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Question No. 10
With reference to the Second Carnatic War (1749–1754), consider the following statements:
1.The war was characterized by Dupleix’s policy of exploiting the succession disputes in both the Nizamship of Hyderabad and the Nawabship of the Carnatic.
2.The initial French success involved placing their nominees, Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib, on the thrones of Hyderabad and Arcot, respectively, confirming their dominant position in the Deccan.
3.The turning point in the war was Robert Clive’s successful siege and defense of Arcot, which diverted the French and Chanda Sahib’s forces and neutralized the French strategic advantage.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
