Under the indigo system in Bengal, the 'nij' cultivation was a system in which:

Under the "nij" system of indigo cultivation in Bengal, the planter produced indigo on lands that he directly controlled, either by buying the land or renting it from other zamindars, and produced indigo by directly employing hired labourers.

NCERT on the nij system:

• NCERT notes that there were two main systems of indigo cultivation: nij and ryoti.
• Within the system of nij cultivation, the planter produced indigo in lands that he directly controlled.
• He either bought the land or rented it from other zamindars and produced indigo by directly employing hired labourers.

Problems with the nij system:

• The planters found it difficult to expand the area under nij cultivation.
• Planters attempted to lease in the land around the indigo factory, and evict the peasants from the area, but this always led to conflicts and tensions.
• Labour was not easy to mobilise; a large plantation required a vast number of hands to operate, and labour was needed precisely at the time when peasants were usually busy with their rice cultivation.
• As a result, until the late 19th century, planters were reluctant to expand the area under nij cultivation; less than 25 per cent of the land producing indigo was under this system.

The ryoti system:

• Under this system, the planters forced the ryots to sign a contract (satta) and gave them cash advances at low interest to produce indigo on at least 25 per cent of their land.
• The ryots were trapped in a cycle of debt, and the price they received was very low.

The Indigo Revolt (Blue Rebellion), 1859-1860:

• The ryots of Bengal refused to grow indigo and attacked the indigo factories.
• The play "Neel Darpan" (1860) by Dinabandhu Mitra described the oppression of the indigo planters.
• The government set up the Indigo Commission (1860), which held the planters guilty of coercion.
• Good to know
• The other options describe different arrangements.