UPSC Previous Year Question | Prelims GS | 2026

Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856: 1. The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts. 2. A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856 assuming that the taluqdars were outsiders. 3. The British believed in taking revenue directly from the peasants by removing the taluqdars. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 2 and 3 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. 2 only

Answer

Correct Answer

2 and 3 only

Explanation

After the annexation of Awadh in 1856, the British carried out a Summary Settlement that largely treated the taluqdars as intermediaries whose claims could be bypassed. The British attempted to establish direct revenue relations with cultivators or village communities. Statement 1 is incorrect because the taluqdars were not simply allowed to retain their arms and forts; the British policy included disarming them and weakening their fortified positions.

Topics: awadh, british rule, land revenue system, modern history