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Question 73 of 73 · Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule
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The officials or political agents of the East India Company posted at the courts of Indian states to represent the Company's interests were called:

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Answer: Option B — Residents

Detailed Solution

The officials or political agents of the English East India Company who were posted at the courts of Indian states were called "Residents".

NCERT on Residents:

  • NCERT notes that after the Battle of Buxar (1764), the Company appointed Residents in Indian states.
  • They were political or commercial agents and their job was to serve and further the interests of the Company.
  • Through the Residents, the Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states.
  • They tried to decide who was to be the successor to the throne, and who was to be appointed in administrative posts.

Role of the Residents:

  • They kept a watch on the rulers and reported on their activities to the Governor-General.
  • They advised the rulers, and their "advice" often had to be followed.
  • They controlled the subsidiary forces stationed in the states under the Subsidiary Alliance.
  • They often interfered in matters of succession, appointments and administration.
  • In many states, the Resident became more powerful than the ruler himself.

Famous Residencies:

  • The Residency at Lucknow (Awadh), which was besieged during the Revolt of 1857.
  • The Residency at Hyderabad (the Koti Residency), built by James Achilles Kirkpatrick.
  • The Residency at Poona.
  • The Residency at Delhi (at the Mughal court).

After 1858:

  • Under the Crown, the system continued; Residents and Political Agents represented the British government in the princely states.
  • The states were grouped into "agencies", such as the Rajputana Agency and the Central India Agency, under Agents to the Governor-General.
  • The Political Department of the Government of India dealt with the princely states.
  • After Independence, the system ended with the integration of the princely states into India.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Collectors were in charge of revenue and administration in British districts.
  • ✗Gomasthas were agents who supervised weavers and other producers.
  • ✗Commissioners were in charge of divisions of districts.

Quick tip

Remember: Residents = Company's agents at the courts of Indian states (appointed after Buxar; interfered in succession and administration; NCERT); Lucknow Residency besieged in 1857.

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Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danes and French in India, the growth of the East India Company, and the battles, wars and treaties through which British power expanded, including the Battles of Plassey and Buxar, the Anglo-Mysore, Anglo-Maratha and Anglo-Sikh wars, and policies such as subsidiary alliance and the doctrine of lapse. Typical questions ask which battle was fought in which year and between whom, which treaty ended which war, and which Governor-General introduced a policy. For example, the Battle of Plassey (1757) was fought between Robert Clive and Siraj-ud-Daulah, and the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave the Company the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Practise the arrival of Europeans and expansion of British rule questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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