Question Discussion & Solution

• Indus Valley Civilization is the sole example of the Proto-Historical Phase in the Indian subcontinent.
• We consider this phase as proto-historical because modern historians have discovered scripts of that period but they have not deciphered it.

  S No	Phase	Script	Deciphered or not
  1	Pre Historical	No Script	Not Deciphered
  2	Proto Historical	Scripts exist	Not Deciphered
  3	Historical	Scripts exist	Deciphered

The correct answer is A. O. Hume.

Key Points

• The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 by A.O. Hume, an Englishman, and a retired civil servant. 
  • Indian National Congress was established in 1885.
  • The first session of INC was held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskriti College in Bombay.
  • It was presided over by Womesh Chandra Banerjee.
  • A.O. Hume never served as president of any INC session. 
• George Yule was a Scottish merchant in England and India who served as the fourth President of the Indian National Congress in 1888 at Allahabad. 
  • He was the first non-Indian to hold that office.
  • He was the founder of George Yule & Co. of London and headed Andrew Yule & Co., of Calcutta. He served as Sheriff of Calcutta and as President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce.
• Sir Henry Cotton belonged to a distinguished family who served India for five generations.
  • His great grandfather Joseph Cotton joined the East India Company's mercantile service in the middle of the 18th century and was a Director of the Company for 28 years.
  • He was the president of the INC session of 1903 at Bombay. 
• Sir William Wedderburn was appointed Acting Judicial Commissioner in Sind and Judge of the Sadar Court in 1874.
  • In 1882 he became the District and Sessions Judge of Poona. At the time of his retirement in 1887, he was the Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay.
  • He was the president of the INC session: 
    • ​Bombay Session of 1889
    • Allahabad Session of 1910

The correct answer is 1907 AD.

Key Points

•  Sarv Hitkarini Sabha was established by Gopal Das in 1907 AD.
  • This sabha did work for social and political awareness in people.
  • Putri Pathsala for women's education was established by this sabha.
  • Kabir Pathsala for untouchable's education was also established by this sabha.

Additional Information

• On 26 January 1930 AD, Chandanmal Bahad and Gopal Das hoisted the flag on Dharmstup (Churu's top Mountain).
• Gopal Das was the disciple of Pt. Kanhaiya Lal Dund.

The correct answer is Lord Cornwallis was alarmed at the .extent of power concentrated in the District Collector and felt that such - absolute power was undesirable in one person.

Key Points

• Provisions of Charter Act 1793
  • This Act continued the company’s rule over the British territories in India.
  • It continued the company’s trade monopoly in India for another 20 years.
  • The Act established that “acquisition of sovereignty by the subjects of the Crown is on behalf of the Crown and not in its own right,” which clearly stated that the company’s political functions were on behalf of the British government.
  • The company’s dividends were allowed to be raised to 10%.
  • The Governor-General was given more powers.
  • He could override his council’s decision under certain circumstances.
  • He was also given authority over the governors of Madras and Bombay.
  • When the Governor-General was present in Madras or Bombay, he would supersede in authority over the governors of Madras and Bombay.

​Additional Information

• In the Governor-General’s absence from Bengal, he could appoint a Vice President from among the civilian members of his Council.
• The composition of the Board of Control changed.
• It was to have a President and two junior members, who were not necessarily members of the Privy Council.
• The salaries of the staff and the Board of Control were also now charged to the company.
• After all expenses, the company had to pay the British government Rs.5 Lakhs from the Indian revenue annually.
• Senior company officials were barred from leaving India without permission.
• If they did so, it would be considered as a resignation.
• The company was granted the authority to grant licenses to individuals and company employees to carry on trade in India.
• This was known as ‘privilege’ or ‘country trade’.
• This led to shipments of opium to China.
• This Act separated the revenue administration and the judiciary functions of the company leading to the disappearance of Maal Adalats (revenue courts).

Agriculture in the Indus valley was solely dependent on good quality soil and advancements in farming techniques.

Key Points

Mehrgarh is considered to be one of the most important Neolithic sites in archaeology.

• Mehrgarh is of the Neolithic Site, lies on the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan, Pakistan.
• It is located near Balon Pass in Pakistan, which is a fertile plain.
• The site is located on the principal route between what is now Afghanistan and the Indus Valley.
• It is discovered in 1974 by an archaeological team.
• Evidence of farming and herding is found in Mehrgarh.
• Mehrgarh was a small farming and pastoralist village between 7000-5500 BC, with mud-brick houses and granaries. 
• Mehrgarh is probably the earliest known center of agriculture and herding in South Asia. 
• They cultivated six-row barley, einkorn and emmer wheat, jujubes, and dates.​

Hence, the correct answer is (4) Both A and B are true.