Question No. 1
With reference to British-Burma relations during the 19th and 20th centuries, consider the following statements:
1.The expansionist policy of the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma, particularly under King Bodawpaya, brought the Burmese into direct territorial conflict with the British in the North-East frontier of India.
2.The primary British interest in Burma was motivated by the strategic need to protect the Bay of Bengal from French naval incursions and to secure access to Burma’s vast teak forests.
3.Burma remained a part of the British Indian administration until it achieved full independence in 1948, following the end of World War II.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question No. 2
Regarding the First Anglo-Burmese War and the subsequent Treaty of Yandabo, consider the following statements:
1.The war was triggered by the Burmese occupation of the island of Shahpuri near Chittagong and their threats to the British protectorates of Cachar and Jaintia.
2.By the Treaty of Yandabo, the Burmese King ceded the coastal provinces of Arakan and Tenasserim but retained control over Assam and Manipur.
3.The treaty mandated the presence of a British Resident at the Burmese capital of Ava, marking the beginning of formal British political influence in Burma.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question No. 3
With reference to the Second Anglo-Burmese War under Lord Dalhousie, consider the following statements:
1.The war was largely the result of commercial disputes involving British timber merchants in Rangoon and the perceived “arrogance” of the Burmese Governor of Rangoon.
2.Following the war, the British annexed Lower Burma (Pegu) through a formal treaty signed by the new Burmese King, Mindon.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 4
Consider the following statements regarding the Third Anglo-Burmese War during the viceroyalty of Lord Dufferin:
1.The immediate cause was a dispute between the Burmese government and the Bombay-Burma Trading Corporation over a fine related to timber extraction.
2.The British feared that King Thibaw was negotiating a secret treaty with the French to allow French trade and military influence via the Mekong River.
3.Following the war, Upper Burma was annexed, and the Burmese monarchy was abolished, with King Thibaw being exiled to India.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question No. 5
Regarding the “Forward Policy” of Lord Curzon toward Tibet, consider the following statements:
1.Curzon’s policy was driven by the fear of a secret Russian mission led by the monk Agvan Dorjieff to the Dalai Lama, which he viewed as a threat to India’s northern security.
2.The Younghusband Mission (1903-04) was initially sent as a peaceful trade delegation but transformed into a military expedition after the Tibetans refused to negotiate.
3.At the time of the mission, the British officially recognized Tibet as an independent state, ignoring the nominal suzerainty of China.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question No. 6
With reference to the terms of the Treaty of Lhasa signed after the Younghusband Mission, consider the following statements:
1.Tibet was required to pay a war indemnity of 75 lakh rupees, during which time the British were to occupy the Chumbi Valley for 75 years.
2.The treaty prohibited Tibet from ceding any territory or granting concessions for railways or telegraphs to any foreign power without British consent.
3.Three trade marts were established at Yatung, Gyantse, and Gartok to facilitate British commercial interests.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question No. 7
With reference to the British policy toward Afghanistan in the 19th century, consider the following statements:
1.The British viewed Afghanistan as a vital “buffer state” against the potential overland expansion of the Russian Empire toward India.
2.Under the “Masterly Inactivity” policy, the British actively intervened in Afghan succession disputes to ensure a pro-British Amir was always on the throne.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 8
Regarding the Forward Policy of Governor-General Lord Auckland toward Afghanistan, consider the following statements:
1.The policy aimed at replacing the reigning Amir, Dost Mohammed, with the former ruler Shah Shuja, whom the British believed would be more subservient.
2.This policy was prompted by the arrival of a Russian envoy (Vitkevich) in Kabul and the Persian siege of Herat, which was suspected to have Russian backing.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Question No. 9
With reference to the Tripartite Treaty signed between the British, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and Shah Shuja, consider the following statements:
1.Shah Shuja agreed to renounce all claims to Afghan territories already occupied by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, including Peshawar.
2.The British agreed to pay an annual subsidy to Shah Shuja to maintain a permanent British force in Kabul.
3.Shah Shuja promised to conduct his foreign relations with the Sikhs and the British only through British mediation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Question No. 10
Consider the following statements regarding the course and outcome of the First Anglo-Afghan War:
1.The British initial success in capturing Kabul and installing Shah Shuja was followed by a massive popular uprising led by Akbar Khan, the son of Dost Mohammed.
2.The British retreat from Kabul in January 1842 is considered one of the greatest military disasters in British history, with only one survivor (Dr. Brydon) reaching Jalalabad.
3.After the war, the British permanently annexed the Kandahar province to create a new administrative zone in the North-West.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
