CBSE SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2025

Class 12 – History (Course C)

Chapter 1: Colonialism and the Countryside – Exploring Official Archives
Maximum Marks: 40 (Chapter-wise Test)
Time: 90 Minutes
(Based on CBSE Board Examination Format)

Section A – Very Short Answer Questions (1 × 5 = 5 marks)

(Answer in about 20–30 words each)

Q1. What were the main features of the Permanent Settlement introduced in Bengal in 1793?
Answer:

• Introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793.
• Recognized zamindars as permanent landowners.
• Fixed revenue to be paid to the British government annually.
• Revenue rate was frozen permanently.
• Zamindars had to collect rent from peasants.
  (1 mark)

Q2. Who were the ryots in colonial India?
Answer:

• Ryots were the actual cultivators or peasants under the Ryotwari System.
• They paid revenue directly to the government.
• Recognized as owners of their plots but burdened by high taxes.
  (1 mark)

Q3. What was the main cause of the Deccan Riots of 1875?
Answer:

• Heavy debt and exploitation by moneylenders (mahajans).
• High interest rates, fraudulent accounting, and land seizures led to peasant unrest.
  (1 mark)

Q4. What was the role of the Deccan Riots Commission?
Answer:

• Formed in 1878 to investigate causes of the Deccan Riots.
• Collected testimonies and evidence from peasants, moneylenders, and officials.
• Suggested reforms like limiting interest rates and protecting peasants.
  (1 mark)

Q5. Define the term “Official Archives.”
Answer:

• Official archives are collections of administrative records, reports, and correspondence maintained by the colonial state.
• They serve as primary sources for studying history.
  (1 mark)

Section B – Short Answer Questions (3 × 4 = 12 marks)

(Answer in about 80–100 words each)

Q6. Explain the effects of the Permanent Settlement on the zamindars and peasants of Bengal.

Answer:

• Many zamindars failed to pay revenue and lost land in auctions (Sunset Law).
• Absentee landlordism developed as zamindars moved to cities.
• Peasants faced high rents, forced labour, and eviction threats.
• Agricultural investment was low; productivity remained stagnant.
• The system created tension and frequent conflicts between zamindars and peasants.
  (3 marks)

Q7. What were the key features of the Ryotwari System in the Deccan region?

Answer:

• Introduced by Thomas Munro; revenue collected directly from ryots.
• Each cultivator was recognized as landholder.
• Revenue assessed on soil quality and crop type, revised periodically.
• No middlemen like zamindars.
• However, rates were high and inflexible, causing indebtedness and land loss.
  (3 marks)

Q8. What legal measures were taken after the Deccan Riots to help the peasants?

Answer:

• Based on the Deccan Riots Commission Report, Deccan Agriculturists’ Relief Act (1879) was passed.
• Limited interest rates and restricted land transfer to non-agriculturists.
• Allowed peasants to challenge unfair debts in court.
• Provided some legal protection from moneylenders.
  (3 marks)

Q9. How do official archives help historians understand colonial rural life?

Answer:

• Contain detailed administrative records, reports, and surveys.
• Provide data on land ownership, tax, and social relations.
• Reflect colonial perspectives but also hints of peasant voices.
• When read critically, they reveal resistance, grievances, and everyday struggles.
  (3 marks)

Section C – Long Answer Questions (5 × 3 = 15 marks)

(Answer in about 150–200 words each)

Q10. Describe the reasons behind the introduction of the Permanent Settlement in Bengal.

Answer:

• After acquiring Diwani rights in 1765, the East India Company sought stable revenue.
• Frequent collection failures and peasant distress made annual settlements unreliable.
• British officials, inspired by English landownership ideals, believed permanent landlords would invest in improvement.
• Cornwallis and Shore designed a system giving hereditary rights to zamindars in exchange for fixed revenue.
• The system aimed to ensure regular income to the state and encourage agricultural progress.
• However, it failed as zamindars neglected land development and exploited peasants.
  (5 marks)

Q11. Discuss the causes, course, and consequences of the Deccan Riots of 1875.

Answer:
Causes:

• High revenue demand under the Ryotwari System.
• Heavy indebtedness due to fall in cotton prices after 1865.
• Exploitation by moneylenders with unfair accounting and high interest.

Course:

• Started in Supa village (Ahmednagar) in May 1875.
• Peasants attacked moneylenders’ houses and burnt debt records.
• Spread to Poona and surrounding districts.
• Movement remained organized and non-violent toward officials.

Consequences:

• Government realized the problem was economic, not political.
• Formed the Deccan Riots Commission (1878).
• Later, the Deccan Agriculturists’ Relief Act (1879) was passed.
• Marked the first recognition of peasant grievances by the colonial state.
  (5 marks)

Q12. Evaluate the role of official records in reconstructing the history of colonial India.

Answer:

• British administration generated extensive records — surveys, reports, legal documents.
• These archives reveal economic policies, social hierarchies, and state control.
• They show how the colonial state viewed peasants and land systems.
• However, they reflect biases, ignoring native perspectives.
• Historians use the method of “reading against the grain” to uncover hidden realities and peasant voices.
• Thus, official archives are crucial, though incomplete, sources for understanding colonial India.
  (5 marks)

Section D – Source-Based Question (8 marks)

(Answer all parts)

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:

“In Supa village, peasants assembled and went to the houses of moneylenders. They demanded to see account books. When the moneylenders refused, the peasants burnt the books and bonds. They took oaths not to pay back loans taken on unfair terms. Yet, they did not harm the government officers or the police.”

(a) Identify the historical event described here.
Answer: The Deccan Riots of 1875 in the Bombay Deccan region.
(1 mark)

(b) What were the main grievances of the peasants?
Answer: Exploitation by moneylenders, high interest rates, fraudulent accounts, and loss of land due to unpaid debts.
(2 marks)

(c) How did the colonial government respond to this event?
Answer:

• Established the Deccan Riots Commission in 1878 to investigate causes.
• Later enacted the Deccan Agriculturists’ Relief Act (1879).
  (2 marks)

(d) What does the passage tell us about the nature of peasant protest?
Answer:

• It was organized, disciplined, and selective.
• Focused on economic justice, not rebellion against the state.
  (2 marks)

(e) What can historians learn from such official accounts?
Answer:

• They offer insights into peasant life, resistance patterns, and colonial responses.
• Reveal the complexity of rural society and administrative attitudes.
  (1 mark)

Section E – Map-Based Question (Optional, 5 marks)

Q13. On an outline map of India, locate and label the following:**
(a) Bengal (region of Permanent Settlement)
(b) Madras Presidency (Ryotwari region)
(c) Bombay Deccan (Deccan Riots region)
(d) Poona (center of peasant resistance)
(e) Calcutta (center of colonial administration)

(Each correct location – 1 mark = 5 marks)

Marking Scheme Summary