WBCS Preliminary Question – 2023
29. The first cotton textile mill in India was set up in
(1818)
(A) Kolkata – Ghusuri
(B) Kolkata – Sinthimore
(C) Nagpur
(D) Thane
Answer: (A) Kolkata – Ghusuri
Explanation: The Bowreah (Ghusuri) Cotton Mill near Howrah (1818) is regarded as India’s first cotton textile mill. Though it did not run long, it predates the Bombay Spinning & Weaving Company (1854), which is often cited as the first successful mill. Hence, Ghusuri (Howrah, near Kolkata) with the year 1818 is correct.
41. Name the first newspaper in India.
(A) Parthenon
(B) Digdarshan
(C) Bengal Gazette / Hicky’s Gazette / Hicky’s Bengal Gazette
(D) Samachar Darpan
Answer: (C) Bengal Gazette / Hicky’s Gazette / Hicky’s Bengal Gazette
Explanation: James Augustus Hicky started the Bengal Gazette in Calcutta in 1780. It was India’s first printed newspaper. Samachar Darpan (1818) was among the earliest Bengali newspapers but not the first newspaper in India.
66. Which of the following British Act envisages the parliamentary system of government in India?
(A) Charter Act of 1793
(B) Charter Act of 1813
(C) Charter Act of 1853
(D) Charter Act of 1833
Answer: (C) Charter Act of 1853
Explanation: The Charter Act, 1853, separated the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s Council and added legislative members. This laid a structural groundwork resembling a parliamentary style of deliberation, a key step towards representative institutions later developed under the 1861/1892/1909 Acts and the 1935 Act.
129. Who started Faraizi movement in Bengal?
(A) Titumir
(B) Kunwar Singh
(C) Digambar Singh
(D) Haji Shariyatullah
Answer: (D) Haji Shariyatullah
Explanation: The Faraizi movement was initiated by Haji Shariyatullah in early 19th-century Bengal. It urged Muslims to follow the Farāʾiḍ (obligatory duties) and opposed exploitative practices of landlords and indigo planters, with a strong socio-religious reform thrust.
132. Which Mughal emperor granted ‘Farman‘ in 1717 to the British East India Company?
(A) Bahadur Shah II
(B) Shah Alam II
(C) Farrukshiyar
(D) Muhammad Shah
Answer: (C) Farrukshiyar
Explanation: Emperor Farrukhsiyar’s Farman (1717) granted the Company significant trade privileges, including duty-free trade for goods passed with dastaks. This concession strengthened the Company’s commercial and political foothold in Bengal.
149. In India the first Paper Mill was set up in West Bengal at
(1832)
(A) Srirampur
(B) Bansberia
(C) Kulti
(D) Budge Budge
Answer: (A) Srirampur
Explanation: An early modern paper mill was established at Serampore (Srirampur) in the 19th century to support the burgeoning print culture around the Serampore Mission Press. The date often cited in state board/competitive sources for the first Indian paper mill is 1832 at Serampore.
179. The first cotton textile mill in India was set up in
(A) 1820
(B) 1812
(C) 1840
(D) 1818
Answer: (D) 1818
Explanation: The earliest cotton mill effort is linked to Bowreah (Ghusuri), near Howrah, set up in 1818. While long-term success came later with Bombay’s mills (from 1854), the question asks the first setup year, which is 1818.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2022
84. Who was the founder of Tattwabodhini Sabha in Bengal?
(A) Dadoba Pandurang
(B) Debendranath Tagore
(C) Radha Kanta Deb
(D) Keshab Chandra Sen
Answer: (B) Debendranath Tagore
Explanation: Founded in 1839, the Tattwabodhini Sabha revitalized the Brahmo movement after Rammohan Roy. Debendranath Tagore emphasized Upanishadic monotheism, ethical reform, and education, later merging the Sabha with the Brahmo Samaj.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2021
28. The names of Sidho and Kanho are associated with which rebellion?
(1856–57)
(A) Chuar rebellion
(B) Sannyasi rebellion
(C) Santhal rebellion
(D) Kol rebellion
Answer: (C) Santhal rebellion
Explanation: Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu led the Santhal Hul (uprising) beginning June 1855 against exploitative landlords, moneylenders, and officials in the Damin-i-Koh region. It is a landmark Adivasi resistance before 1857.
44. Who wrote the drama Neel Darpan?
(1858–59)
(A) Harishchandra Mukherjee
(B) Girishchandra Ghosh
(C) Dwijendralal Roy
(D) Dinabandhu Mitra
Answer: (D) Dinabandhu Mitra
Explanation: Neel Darpan portrayed the oppression of Bengali peasants by indigo planters. Its English translation by Michael Madhusudan Dutt (under Rev. James Long’s patronage) stirred public opinion and controversy in colonial Bengal.
52. Who was the Mughal emperor during the Revolt of 1857?
(A) Aurangzeb
(B) Mir Qasim
(C) Bahadur Shah II
(D) Sarfaraz Khan
Answer: (C) Bahadur Shah II
Explanation: Bahadur Shah Zafar (II) became the symbolic leader of the 1857 uprising when rebels in Delhi proclaimed him Emperor. After the revolt’s suppression, he was exiled to Rangoon in 1858.
112. Who founded the Asiatic Society in Calcutta?
(1784)
(A) Alexander Cunningham
(B) John Stuart Mill
(C) William Jones
(D) David Hare
Answer: (C) William Jones
Explanation: Sir William Jones established the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784 to advance Oriental studies. It catalyzed systematic research on Indian languages, history, law, and natural sciences.
144. When was the University of Calcutta established?
(24 Jan)
(A) 1911
(B) 1817
(C) 1854
(D) 1857
Answer: (D) 1857
Explanation: The University of Calcutta was incorporated on 24 January 1857, along with Bombay and Madras Universities, following Wood’s Despatch (1854). It modeled the affiliating system for higher education.
153. What was the original name of Titumir?
(A) Syed Amanullah Khan
(B) Syed Mir Nasar Ali
(C) Syed Amir Ali
(D) Syed Mir Muhammad Khan
Answer: (B) Syed Mir Nasar Ali
Explanation: Titu Mir (Syed Mir Nisar/Nasar Ali) led a peasant-based movement in Bengal, erecting the famous bamboo fort (Banser Kella). He opposed oppressive zamindars and colonial allies and died in 1831 combating Company forces.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2020
30. The English established their first factory in India at
(A) Bombay (B) Surat (C) Sutanuti (D) Madras
Answer: (B) Surat
Explanation: In 1613, the English East India Company obtained permission under Jahangir and set up its first factory at Surat, Gujarat. It became their key Mughal‐port base before expansion to the west and east coasts.
32. What was the Act III, 1872? (Special Marriage Act)
(A) Social Reform Act (B) Jury Act (C) Revenue Act (D) Executive Act
Answer: (A) Social Reform Act
Explanation: Act III of 1872 is the Special Marriage Act (first version), enabling inter-caste/inter-faith civil marriages without religious rites. It was a landmark social reform pre-dating the 1954 Act.
47. In which Act yearly Rs.1 lakh was allotted for the education of Indians?
(A) 1813 Charter Renewal Act (B) 1773 Regulating Act (C) 1784 Pitt’s India Act (D) 1833 Charter Renewal Act
Answer: (A) 1813 Charter Renewal Act
Explanation: The 1813 Charter earmarked ₹1 lakh annually to promote education and allowed missionaries to operate, marking the state’s first formal commitment to Indian education.
72. In which year was India’s first cotton textile industry set up in Ghusuri near Kolkata? (Fort Gloster, Howrah)
(A) 1818 (B) 1821 (C) 1819 (D) 1823
Answer: (A) 1818
Explanation: The Bowreah (Ghusuri) Cotton Mill near Howrah was set up in 1818—India’s earliest cotton mill attempt. Though not long-lived, it preceded Bombay’s successful mills (from 1854).
118. Who was the founder of the Tattabodhini Sabha? (1839)
(A) Debendranath Tagore (B) Rammohon Roy (C) Keshabchandra Sen (D) Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
Answer: (A) Debendranath Tagore
Explanation: Founded in 1839 to revive Brahmo ideas after Rammohan, it emphasized Upanishadic monotheism, ethics, and education; it soon merged with the Brahmo Samaj.
127. When was the Hindu College founded? (20 Jan)
(A) 1800 (B) 1817 (C) 1855 (D) 1857
Answer: (B) 1817
Explanation: Established on 20 January 1817 (later Presidency College/University), it became the cradle of the Young Bengal movement and modern Western education in Bengal.
135. Under whose Governor Generalship were the Railways introduced in India? (1848–56)
(A) Lord Wellesley (B) Lord Cornwallis (C) Lord Canning (D) Lord Dalhousie
Answer: (D) Lord Dalhousie
Explanation: Dalhousie’s 1853 Railway Minute envisaged trunk lines; the first passenger run was in 1853 (Bombay–Thane), with rapid expansion under his tenure.
142. Through which Educational Report did Calcutta University come into existence? (1854)
(A) Macaulay’s Minute (B) Hunter Commission (C) Charter Act (D) Wood’s Despatch
Answer: (D) Wood’s Despatch
Explanation: Wood’s Despatch (1854) recommended an affiliating university model and a graded education system, leading to the 1857 incorporation of Calcutta University.
146. Who was the Governor General during the annulment of Sati? (4 Dec 1829)
(A) Lord Bentinck (B) Lord Hastings (C) Lord Dalhousie (D) Lord Canning
Answer: (A) Lord Bentinck
Explanation: By Regulation XVII of 1829, Bentinck banned sati in Bengal Presidency—an epochal social reform supported by Indian reformers like Rammohan Roy.
147. Who planted the ‘Tree of Liberty‘ at Seringapatam?
(A) Hyder Ali (B) Tipu Sultan (C) Chin Qilich Khan (D) Murshid Quli Khan
Answer: (B) Tipu Sultan
Explanation: Tipu’s Jacobin Club ties symbolized Franco-Mysorean friendship; the “Tree of Liberty” reflected his admiration for revolutionary France.
173. Who started the first English Newspaper in India? (1780)
(A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak (B) Raja Rammohan Roy (C) J. A. Hicky (D) Lord William Bentinck
Answer: (C) J. A. Hicky
Explanation: Hicky’s Bengal Gazette (1780, Calcutta) was India’s first printed newspaper, initiating the subcontinent’s press history.
183. Who was Birjis Kader?
(A) The Nizam of Hyderabad (B) The Nawab of Oudh (C) The Mughal Emperor (D) The Nawab of Bengal
Answer: (B) The Nawab of Oudh
Explanation: Installed during 1857 by Begum Hazrat Mahal, Birjis Qadr (Birjis Kader) was proclaimed Wali (Nawab) of Awadh after Wajid Ali Shah’s deposition.
193. What was meant by ‘Kherwari Hul‘? (June 1855)
(A) Chuar movement (B) Paik revolt (C) Santhal movement (D) Indigo revolt
Answer: (C) Santhal movement
Explanation: Kherwarī Hul refers to the Santhal uprising against exploitative zamindars, moneylenders, and colonial officials—an Adivasi assertion before 1857.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2019
57. Between whom were the Carnatic Wars fought? (1742–1763)
(A) French EIC and English EIC (B) French EIC and Dutch EIC (C) Dutch EIC and Portuguese (D) English EIC and Dutch
Answer: (A)
Explanation: The three Carnatic Wars in South India pitted the British and French (with Indian allies). The British victory at Wandiwash (1760) ended French military ambitions.
60. Who led the sepoys at Kanpur in 1857?
(A) Tantia Tope (B) Rani Lakshmibai (C) Nana Sahib (D) Kunwar Singh
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Nana Sahib (Dhondu Pant) emerged as the principal leader at Kanpur; Tantia Tope later supported him militarily across Central India.
61. The Asiatic Society of Bengal was founded by (1784)
(A) C. F. Andrews (B) Raja Rammohan Roy (C) Sir William Jones (D) William Marshal
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Jones’s Society institutionalized Oriental studies, lexicography, law, and natural sciences—foundational to Indology.
66. The Battle of Buxar was fought in (21 Oct)
(A) 1762 (B) 1764 (C) 1768 (D) 1772
Answer: (B)
Explanation: The Company defeated Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daulah, and Shah Alam II, leading to the 1765 Diwani—true cornerstone of British power in Bengal.
67. With whose permission did the English set up their first factory in Surat? (1613)
(A) Akbar (B) Jahangir (C) Shah Jahan (D) Aurangzeb
Answer: (B)
Explanation: After Thomas Roe’s embassy, imperial farmans permitted Company trade; Surat became the primary Mughal-port base.
68. When did Vasco-da-Gama come to India? (21 May 1498)
(A) 1498 (B) 1409 (C) 1496 (D) 1492
Answer: (A)
Explanation: He landed at Calicut via the Cape route, inaugurating Europe–India direct sea trade.
196. Which battle established the supremacy of British rule in India?
(A) Plassey, 1757 (B) Buxar, 1764 (C) 3rd Mysore War, 1790–92 (D) 4th Mysore War, 1799
Answer: (B)
Explanation: While Plassey laid foundations, Buxar conferred legal-fiscal authority (Diwani), consolidating Company supremacy.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2018
41. Who among the following was associated with the French?
(a) Haidar Ali (b) Safdar Jang (c) Mir Qasim (d) Tipu Sultan
Answer: (d) Tipu Sultan
Explanation: Both Haidar and Tipu sought French help, but Tipu’s alliance and military modernization with French officers are most emblematic.
61. Leader of Lucknow during the revolt of 1857 was
(a) Bahadur Shah (b) Liyaqat Ali (c) Nana Sahib (d) Begum Hazrat Mahal
Answer: (d)
Explanation: She organized resistance in Awadh, proclaimed Birjis Qadr, and led Lucknow’s defense after annexation.
64. Which Governor General advocated rapid railway construction in India?
(a) Cornwallis (b) Dalhousie (c) Hardinge (d) Hastings
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Dalhousie’s Railway Minute planned trunk lines and uniform gauges, catalyzing the rail network.
68. Who first came to India for trading purposes?
(a) The French (b) The Dutch (c) The Portuguese (d) The English
Answer: (c)
Explanation: The Portuguese arrived at the close of the 15th century, predating the Dutch (1605), English (1608/13), and French (1664).
76. Who was the Nawab of Bengal at the time of Battle of Buxar (1764)?
(a) Mir Qasim (b) Mir Jafar (c) Nizam-ud-Daulah (d) Shuja-ud-Daulah
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Mir Qasim, allied with Shuja-ud-Daulah (Awadh) and Shah Alam II, confronted the Company at Buxar.
85. Who was the editor of the ‘Hindoo Patriot’? (1853)
(a) Surendranath Banerjee (b) Motilal Ghosh (c) Sisir Kumar Ghosh (d) Harish Chandra Mukherjee
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Girish Chandra Ghosh founded it (1853), but Harish Chandra Mukherjee became its famed editor (1855–61), crusading against indigo oppression.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2017
89. Dewan Velu Thampi’s rebellion took place in
(A) Awadh (B) Kashmir (C) Travancore (D) Mysore
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Velu Thampi Dalawa led an anti-Company uprising in Travancore (1808–09), issuing the Kundara Proclamation.
91. The custom of ‘Sati’ was banned in
(A) 1795 (B) 1800 (C) 1829 (D) 1858
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Banned by Bentinck’s Regulation XVII (1829) in Bengal; later extended across presidencies.
96. The title ‘Raja’ was conferred on Rammohan Roy by
(A) Jahandar Shah (B) Mohammad Shah (C) Akbar II (D) Bahadur Shah Zafar
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Akbar II honored Rammohan, who was also sent as envoy regarding royal pension issues.
104. With which revolt are the names of Sidhu and Kanhu associated? (1856)
(A) Santhal (B) Chakma (C) Khasi (D) Indigo
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu led the Santhal Hul (from June 1855) in Damin-i-Koh against exploitative structures.
105. Who was Governor General at the outbreak of 1857?
(A) William Bentinck (B) Lord Cornwallis (C) Lord Canning (D) Lord Dalhousie
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Canning oversaw suppression, the 1858 Act, and the proclamation transferring power to the Crown.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2016
68. The English set up their first factory on Indian soil in 1613 at – (Gujarat)
(A) Goa (B) Surat (C) Calicut (D) Madras
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Surat became the Company’s first Mughal-era factory/touchpoint, central to early trade.
71. Ranjit Singh was a leader of the
(A) Sukerchakia misl (B) Bhangi misl (C) Kanheya misl (D) Gobind misl
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Ranjit Singh united misls, founded the Sikh Empire (1799), and ruled till 1839.
76. Tipu’s final defeat came at the hands of
(A) Lord Wellesley (B) Lord Cornwallis (C) Lord Dalhousie (D) John Shore
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Tipu died defending Seringapatam in 1799 during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War led by Wellesley.
93. Who organised the ‘Council of Barabhais’? (1773)
(A) Madhav Rao Narayan (B) Baji Rao II (C) Mahadji Scindia (D) Nana Phadnavis
Answer: (D)
Explanation: Nana Phadnavis, the “Maratha Chanakya,” formed the confederate council to safeguard Maratha interests.
95. With David Hare and Alexander Duff, who established Hindu College at Calcutta? (1817)
(A) Derozio (B) Vidyasagar (C) Keshab Chandra Sen (D) Raja Rammohan Roy
Answer: (D)
Explanation: Hindu College (1817) was co-founded by Indian reformers and European patrons; Duff later founded a separate institution.
126. During whose Governor-Generalship was the ICS introduced? (1786–93)
(A) Lord Dalhousie (B) Lord Curzon (C) Lord William Bentinck (D) Lord Cornwallis
Answer: (D)
Explanation: Cornwallis reorganized administration and created the covenanted civil service—earning the title “Father of Civil Service.”
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2015
27. In which year was the Pitt’s India Act passed?
(A) 1773 (B) 1781 (C) 1784 (D) 1858
Answer: (C)
Explanation: It created the Board of Control, bringing Company affairs under closer parliamentary oversight.
31. Which language was replaced by English as the official language in 1835?
(A) Arabic (B) Persian (C) Turkish (D) Urdu
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Following Macaulay’s Minute and Bentinck’s decision, English replaced Persian in courts and administration.
34. Treaty of Bassein was signed between whom and when?
(A) Peshwa Baji Rao II & the English, 1802 (B) Tipu & the English, 1784 (C) Marathas & Abdali, 1761 (D) Ranjit Singh & the English, 1809
Answer: (A)
Explanation: The treaty made the Peshwa a subsidiary ally, precipitating the Second Anglo-Maratha War.
37. During the uprising of 1857, which part of India was largely unaffected?
(A) Bengal (B) Punjab (C) Awadh (D) All of the above
Answer: (B)
Explanation: Though contingents from Punjab fought for the British, large-scale rebellion there was limited; Awadh was a major center, Bengal comparatively quieter.
40. When was the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act passed? (26 July)
(A) 1856 (B) 1817 (C) 1838 (D) 1867
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Championed by Vidyasagar, Act XV of 1856 legalized widow remarriage across Company territories.
51. Who introduced the system of Civil Services?
(A) Lord Hardinge (B) William Bentinck (C) Warren Hastings (D) Lord Dalhousie
Answer: (C)
Explanation: Hastings initiated administrative structuring; Cornwallis perfected the covenanted service. Many state keys credit Hastings for “introducing” the system.
55. Who was Titumir?
(A) Wahabi Movement (B) Faraji Movement (C) Sepoy Mutiny (D) Indigo Revolt
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Titu Mir (Syed Mir Nasar Ali) led a Wahhabi-inspired peasant resistance, famed for his bamboo fort, against oppressive zamindars.
58. Who introduced the railways and telegraphs in India? (1848–56)
(A) Lord Dalhousie (B) Lord Canning (C) Lord Hardinge (D) Lord Ripon
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Dalhousie’s tenure saw the first passenger train (1853) and the electric telegraph network’s start.
68. The First Maratha War took place during the tenure of
(A) Warren Hastings (B) William Bentinck (C) Marquess Cornwallis (D) Charles Canning
Answer: (A)
Explanation: The First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–82) ended with the Treaty of Salbai.
71. Tattwabodhini Sabha was founded by (1839)
(A) Debendranath Tagore (B) Sivanath Sastri (C) Keshab Chandra Sen (D) Raja Ramohan Roy
Answer: (A)
99. Who was known as the Liberator of the Press? (15 Sept 1835)
(A) Bentinck (B) Macaulay (C) Hastings (D) Metcalfe
Answer: (D)
Explanation: As acting Governor-General, Metcalfe liberalized press restrictions, earning the epithet.
118. Who was the main inspirator for the Young Bengal Movement? (Hindu College)
(A) Rammohan Ray (B) Derozio (C) Debendranath Tagore (D) David Hare
Answer: (B)
123. Who is called a traditional modernizer? (Amales Tripathi)
(A) Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar (B) Vivekananda (C) Rammohan Roy (D) B. G. Tilak
Answer: (C)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2014
143. Who organised “The Council of Barbhai”? (1773)
(A) Nana Phadnavis (B) Madhav Rao Narayan (C) Baji Rao II (D) Mahadji Scindia
Answer: (A)
160. The centre of Portuguese power in India was
(A) Cochin (B) Calicut (C) Bijapur (D) Goa
Answer: (D)
164. Who was the Governor-General during the revolt of 1857?
(A) Canning (B) Dalhousie (C) Elgin (D) Ripon
Answer: (A)
170. Who founded the Asiatic Society? (1784)
(A) David Hare (B) Alexander Duff (C) H. V. Derozio (D) William Jones
Answer: (D)
178. Which is known as the ‘Magna-Carta’ of English Education in India? (Wood’s Despatch)
(A) Charter Act of 1813 (B) 1882 Commission Report (C) 1904 Universities Act (D) Educational Despatch of 1854
Answer: (D)
199. Who among the following was not an active leader of the Brahmo Samaj? (20 Aug 1828)
(A) Devendranath Tagore (B) Keshab Chandra Sen (C) Akshay Kumar Datta (D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (D)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2013
140. In which year was the Asiatic Society founded? (15 Jan)
(A) 1784 (B) 1785 (C) 1794 (D) 1796
Answer: (A)
146. Who said: ‘Sab Lal ho Jayega’? (1801–39)
(A) Guru Gobind Singh (B) Ajit Singh (C) Tegh Bahadur (D) Ranjit Singh
Answer: (D)
149. Where did the Bhil revolt take place? (1818)
(A) Chhotanagpur (B) Singhbhum (C) Satara (D) Khandesh
Answer: (D)
150. Who introduced the ‘Sunset Law’? (Permanent Settlement)
(A) Warren Hastings (B) Lord Cornwallis (C) Lord Bentinck (D) Lord Canning
Answer: (B)
151. Who was the leader of the Tariqa movement in Bengal? (Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya)
(A) Dudu Mian (B) Titu Mir (C) Haji Shariatullah (D) Sayyid Ahmad
Answer: (D)
155. The ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ was introduced by –
(A) Lord Wellesley (B) Lord Dalhousie (C) Lord Canning (D) Lord Linlithgow
Answer: (B)
158. Which place did the Santhal call Damin-i-Koh? (Jharkhand)
(A) Dhalbhum (B) Palamau (C) Rajmahal hills (D) Hazaribag
Answer: (C)
160. Tipu’s final defeat came at the hands of
(A) Lord Wellesley (B) Lord Cornwallis (C) Lord Dalhousie (D) John Shore
Answer: (A)
164. In which year was the Widow-Remarriage Act passed? (16 July)
(A) 1829 (B) 1833 (C) 1856 (D) 1890
Answer: (C)
169. Which Act allowed Christian Missionaries to enter India?
(A) Charter Act of 1793 (B) Charter Act of 1813 (C) Charter Act of 1833 (D) Pitt’s India Act of 1784
Answer: (B)
199. The first jute mill was set up in India in – (Acland Mill, Rishra)
(A) 1920 (B) 1850 (C) 1800 (D) 1755
Answer: Correct year is 1855 at Rishra (Acland Mill), which is not among the options.
Explanation: India’s first jute mill started at Rishra in 1855. If the exam intended 1850, it’s a known mismatch; standard history texts cite 1855.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2012
26. Who was the Editor of ‘Hindu Patriot’?
(A) Harischandra Mukherjee (B) Krishna Mitra (C) Bipin Chandra Pal (D) Shivnath Shastri
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Founded by Girish Chandra Ghosh (1853), it was most famously edited by Harish Chandra Mukherjee (1855–61).
141. The Santhal Revolt took place in the year (Murmu Brothers)
(A) 1855 (B) 1857 (C) 1859 (D) 1871
Answer: (A)
181. Permanent settlement introduced in Bengal – (Cornwallis)
(A) 1791 (B) 1792 (C) 1793 (D) 1794
Answer: (C)
184. Why is 1761 important in Indian history? (14 Jan 1761)
(A) Company became Diwan of Bengal (B) Marathas defeated at Third Battle of Panipat (C) Occupation of Delhi by Company (D) Death of Haider Ali
Answer: (B)
189. Who introduced the system of Subsidiary Alliance? (Nizam, 1798)
(A) Lord Wellesley (B) Warren Hastings (C) Lord Cornwallis (D) Sir John Shore
Answer: (A)
193. Who succeeded Murshid Quli Khan as the ruler of Bengal? (1740)
(A) Sarfaraz Khan (B) Shaukat Jung (C) Alivardi Khan (D) Shuja-ud-Din
Answer: (D)
196. When did Lord Dalhousie annex Awadh?
(A) 1848 (B) 1857 (C) 1853 (D) 1856
Answer: (D)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2011
40. Who introduced Permanent Settlement? (1793)
(A) Lord Cornwallis (B) Warren Hastings (C) John Shore (D) Lord Bentinck
Answer: (A)
73. Who is called ‘the Morningstar’ of Indian Renaissance? (1772–1833)
(A) Rabindranath Tagore (B) Raja Rammohan Roy (C) M. K. Gandhi (D) Swami Vivekananda
Answer: (B)
105. ICS was introduced during the Governor-Generalship of (1786–93)
(A) Lord Dalhousie (B) Lord Curzon (C) Lord William Bentinck (D) Lord Cornwallis
Answer: (D)
148. When was University of Calcutta founded?
(A) 1854 (B) 1857 (C) 1860 (D) 1874
Answer: (B)
152. Which Indian ruler was made the prisoner of the Revolt of 1857?
(A) Rani Lakshmi Bai (B) Nana Saheb (C) Bahadur Shah Zafar (D) None of the above
Answer: (C)
165. The first political society under British rule in India was (1838)
(A) Brahmo Samaj (B) Arya Samaj (C) Bengal Landholders’ Society (D) None
Answer: (C)
183. The policy of Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by
(A) Dalhousie (B) Canning (C) Wellesley (D) Warren Hastings
Answer: (C)
187. The main inspiration of the Young Bengal movement was
(A) Raja Rammohan Roy (B) H. V. Derozio (C) Debendranath Tagore (D) David Hare
Answer: (B)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2010
64. Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh was signed in
(A) 1807 (B) 1809 (C) 1811 (D) 1813
Answer: (B)
66. Prohibition of Sati (Regulation XVII) was enacted in
(A) 1829 (B) 1830 (C) 1835 (D) None
Answer: (A)
88. Main inspiration of the Young Bengal movement?
(A) Rammohan (B) Derozio (C) Debendranath (D) David Hare
Answer: (B)
89. Who is called “A traditional moderniser”? (Amales Tripathi)
(A) Vidyasagar (B) Swami Vivekananda (C) Rammohan Roy (D) B. G. Tilak
Answer: (C)
90. The capital of Tipu Sultan was at
(A) Mysore (B) Seringapatam (C) Sringeri (D) Belur
Answer: (B)
98. Governor-General who decided in favour of Western education in India? (Macaulay Minute 1835)
(A) Cornwallis (B) Bentinck (C) Ripon (D) Curzon
Answer: (B)
99. Governor-General when Widow Remarriage Act was passed?
(A) Ripon (B) Canning (C) Dalhousie (D) Bentinck
Answer: (B)
122. The first to be designated as Governor-General of India was (1773–85)
(A) Lord Clive (B) Sir John Shore (C) Warren Hastings (D) Lord Cornwallis
Answer: (C)
130. Who is called “Sher-e-Punjab”? (1780–1839)
(A) Ranjit Singh (B) Amar Singh (C) Lala Lajpat Rai (D) Bhagat Singh
Answer: (A)
150. Who founded the “School Book Society”? (1817)
(A) William Jones (B) Hyde East (C) D. Bethune (D) David Hare
Answer: (B)
163. The Diwani of Bengal was granted to Clive in
(A) 1757 (B) 1765 (C) 1772 (D) 1784
Answer: (B)
176. The Medical College in Kolkata was established in
(A) 1829 (B) 1835 (C) 1858 (D) 1884
Answer: (B)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2009
95. Name the first Bengali newspaper (1818, Serampore)
(A) Samachar Darpan (B) Samvad Kaumudi (C) Samvad Prabhakar (D) Tattvabodhini Patrika
Answer: (A)
Explanation: Samachar Darpan (1818) from Serampore Mission Press is the first Bengali newspaper; Sambad Kaumudi (1821) came later under Rammohan.
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2008
27. The East India Company secured the Diwani from
(A) Suja-ud-Daulah (B) Aurangzeb (C) Bahadur Shah I (D) Shah Alam II
Answer: (D)
30. Who was the Governor General at the time of the Sepoy Mutiny?
(A) Lord Hastings (B) Wellesley (C) Dalhousie (D) Canning
Answer: (D)
50. The Civil Service was brought into existence in India by
(A) Warren Hastings (B) Cornwallis (C) Dalhousie (D) Ripon
Answer: (B)
57. Who was the Governor General when the first Anglo-Burmese war started?
(A) George Barlow (B) Lord Hastings (C) Lord Minto (D) Lord Amherst
Answer: (D)
58. The Calcutta University was founded in the year
(A) 1855 (B) 1856 (C) 1857 (D) 1858
Answer: (C)
36. Sidhu was associated with the
(A) Sannyasi Rebellion (B) Kol Rebellion (C) Munda Rebellion (D) Santhal Rebellion
Answer: (D)
83. Permanent Settlement was a feature of
(A) Zamindari System (B) Mahalwari System (C) Ryotwari System (D) None
Answer: (A)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2007
29. Who was the first secretary of the Brahmo Sabha?
(A) Chandrasekhar Deb (B) Tarachand Chakraborti (C) Prasanna Tagore (D) Dwarakanath Tagore
Answer: (B)
61. Who was called “Chanakya of Maratha Politics“?
(A) Baji Rao II (B) Balaji Viswanath (C) Nana Phadnavis (D) Maharaja Scindia
Answer: (C)
76. Who founded Asiatic Society of Bengal?
(A) William Jones (B) Drinkwater Bethune (C) David Hare (D) Lord Ripon
Answer: (A)
101. Who was inspiration behind Young Bengal Movement?
(A) Madhusudan Dutt (B) Henry Vivian Derozio (C) Krishnamohan Banerjee (D) Ramgopal Ghosh
Answer: (B)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2006
68. Who is called the prophet of New India?
(a) Sri Ramakrishna (b) Mahatma Gandhi (c) Suredranath Banerjee (d) Rammohan Roy
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Rammohan Roy—often styled “Prophet of New India” and “Father of Indian Renaissance”—pioneered social-religious reform and modern ideas.
70. Governor General when Widow Remarriage Act was passed?
(a) Lord Bentinck (b) Lord Dalhousie (c) Lord Canning (d) Lord Ripon
Answer: (c)
74. The Regulating Act was passed by
(a) Bengal Council (b) Company’s Govt. (c) British Parliament (d) Privy Council
Answer: (c)
81. Who is called “A traditional modernizer”? (Author: Amales Tripathi)
(a) Vidyasagar (b) Swami Vivekananda (c) Rammohan Roy (d) B.G. Tilak
Answer: (c)
108. ‘Digdarshan’ monthly was published by
(a) Marshman (b) Rammohan Roy (c) Sisir Kumar Ghosh (d) Dwarakanath Tagore
Answer: (a)
122. Lord William Bentinck became Governor General in
(a) 1820 (b) 1825 (c) 1828 (d) 1830
Answer: (c)
145. Who annexed Punjab into British Dominion? (1849)
(a) Elgin (b) Dalhousie (c) Minto (d) Morley
Answer: (b)
150. The Times of India was first published in (Mumbai)
(a) 1875 (b) 1861 (c) 1862 (d) 1838
Answer: (b)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2005
28. Main inspiration behind the Young Bengal Movement?
(a) Derozio (b) Rammohan (c) Debendranath (d) David Hare
Answer: (a)
97. Governor-General of India during the Revolt of 1857?
(a) Lord Dalhousie (b) Lord Canning (c) Lord Lytton (d) Lord Ripon
Answer: (b)
113. In which year was the Treaty of Bassein signed?
(a) 1765 (b) 1792 (c) 1802 (d) 1805
Answer: (c)
153. Who was proclaimed Emperor of India during the Revolt of 1857?
(a) Bahadur Shah II (b) Tantia Topi (c) Nana Saheb (d) Mangal Pandey
Answer: (a)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2004
63. Which battle dashed the hopes of Dupleix to establish an empire in India?
(A) First Carnatic War (B) Second Carnatic War (C) Third Carnatic War (Wandiwash) (D) Battle of Plassey
Answer: (C)
Explanation: The British victory at Wandiwash (1760) broke French military power in the south; Dupleix’s imperial designs collapsed.
78. Governor General who decided in favour of Western education in India? (1835)
(A) Cornwallis (B) Ripon (C) Bentinck (D) Curzon
Answer: (C)
117. The founder of the Atmiya Sabha was (1815)
(A) Raja Rammohan Roy (B) Devendranath Tagore (C) Keshab Sen (D) Rajnarayan Bose
Answer: (A)
134. Who founded the “School Book Society”? (1817)
(A) David Hare (B) Hyde East (C) William Jones (D) Bethune
Answer: (B)
152. ‘Samachar Darpan’ was published by (1818)
(A) Bhabani Charan Bandyopadhyay (B) Tarachand Datta (C) Hansh Chandra Mukherjee (D) J. C. Marshman
Answer: (D)
153. Who was the Governor General who enacted widow remarriage in India? (Act XV, 1856)
(A) Lord Bentinck (B) Lord Dalhousie (C) Lord Ripon (D) Lord Canning
Answer: (D)
180. What was the name of the first Bengali Newspaper? (1818, William Carey)
(A) Sambad Kaumudi (B) Samachar Darpan (C) Tattabodhini Patrika (D) Sambad Prabhakar
Answer: (B)
186. “Sab Lai/Lal ho Jayega” — who said this?
(A) Ranjit Singh (B) Alivardi Khan (C) Haider Ali (D) Tipu Sultan
Answer: (A)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2003
32. Royal Asiatic Society was founded in (William Jones)
(A) 1784 (B) 1761 (C) 1771 (D) 1791
Answer: (A)
35. Hindu Female School was founded by (Bethune School/College, 1849)
(A) Madanmohan Tarkalankar (B) Bethune (C) Derozio (D) Parichand Mitra
Answer: (B)
52. Who introduced Dual Government in Bengal?
(A) Warren Hastings (B) Lord Clive (C) Vansittart (D) Cornwallis
Answer: (B)
58. The East India Company received its Charter from (1600)
(A) Queen Elizabeth (B) James I (C) Charles I (D) Queen Victoria
Answer: (A)
90. Tattwabodhini Patrika was started by (1843)
(A) Madhusudan Datta (B) Vidyasagar (C) Ramtanu Lahiri (D) Debendranath Thakur
Answer: (D)
102. English as the medium of instruction among Indians was officially announced in
(A) 1825 (B) 1835 (C) 1845 (D) 1855
Answer: (B)
112. The first Bengali newspaper is
(A) Samachar Darpan (B) Samachar Chandrika (C) Sambad Prabhakar (D) Banga Darshan
Answer: (A)
142. Titumir was associated with the movement.
(A) Wahabi (B) Faraji (C) Aligarh (D) Ahmadiya
Answer: (A)
170. First Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University was
(A) William (James) Colvile (B) Ritchie (C) Erskine (D) Maine
Answer: (A)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2002
33. Who pioneered the 19th Century Renaissance in India?
(A) Raja Rammohan Roy (B) Radhakanta Deb (C) Keshab Sen (D) Devendranath Tagore
Answer: (A)
42. The most significant battle in establishing British supremacy in India was
(A) Wandiwash (B) Plassey (C) Buxar (D) Seringapatam
Answer: (C)
97. Open competition for civil services was introduced in
(A) 1813 (B) 1833 (C) 1853 (D) 1858
Answer: (C)
127. Who called the 1857 revolt “a planned war of national independence”?
(A) Sir John Seeley (B) R. C. Majumdar (C) V. D. Savarkar (D) Benjamin Disraeli
Answer: (C)
129. Which is the first Bengali Newspaper?
(A) Samachar Darpan (B) Sambad Kaumudi (C) Sambad Prabhakar (D) Jugantar
Answer: (A)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2001
28. What was the Wahabi movement?
(A) Rebellious Movement led by S. A. Brelvi (B) Movement to organize people (C) Move to oppose religious attitude (D) None
Answer: (A)
88. Who among the following was not a leader of the Revolt of 1857?
(A) Nana Saheb (B) Rani Lakshmi Bai (C) Man Singh (D) Kunwar Singh
Answer: (C)
104. Who abolished the Dual Government in Bengal? (1773)
(A) Clive (B) Holwell (C) Warren Hastings (D) Cornwallis
Answer: (C)
128. The East India Company set up its first factory in the South at
(A) Madras (B) Telangana (C) Masulipatnam (D) Hyderabad
Answer: (C)
132. Pitt’s India Government Act, meant to remove defects of the Regulating Act, was passed in
(A) 1781 (B) 1782 (C) 1784 (D) 1786
Answer: (C)
WBCS Preliminary Question – 2000
91. Who founded the Asiatic Society in Calcutta?
(A) William Jones (B) Lord Bentinck (C) David Hare (D) Drinkwater Bethune
Answer: (A)
92. Which was the first newspaper in Bengali?
(A) Sambad Kaumudi (B) Sambad Prabhakar (C) Samachar Darpan (D) Tatwabodhini Patrika
Answer: (C)
93. Who founded the Atmiya Sabha?
(A) Rammohan Roy (B) Debendranath Tagore (C) Shibnath Shastri (D) Keshab Chandra Sen
Answer: (A)
145. Who first unfurled the flag of the revolt of 1857?
(A) Nana Saheb (B) Tantia Tope (C) Rani Lakshmi (D) Mangal Pande
Answer: (D)
