Important Questions for CBSE Class 11 Economics Chapter 1

Important Questions for CBSE Class 11 Economics Chapter 1 Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence. This chapter is outlined by the expert economics teachers from the latest version of CBSE (NCERT) books.

CBSE Class 11 Economics Chapter-1 Important Questions

Question 1

When was the first census data compiled during the British Raj?

a. 1882

b. 1881

c. 1981

d. 1985

Answer: b. 1881

Question 2

What was the life expectancy during British India, and what is it today?

Answer: As per the government-issued data, the life expectancy during British India was 32 years, and it is 68 years today.

Question 3

Mention one significance of the Suez Canal.

Answer: The Suez Canal was opened in the year 1869, which drastically reduced the cost of transportation of goods between Britain and India.

Question 4

When were the railways introduced in India?

a. 1830

b. 1860

c. 1853

d. 1900

Answer: c. 1853

Question 5

What was the IMR (Infant mortality rate) during British India?

Answer: It was 218 per 1000.

Question 6

What is muslin?

Answer: Muslin is considered as one of the best fabrics that are available today. It is the softest and purest fabric across the globe. It originated years ago, and it got the name from a British Indian Port known as Maisolos.

Question 7

In which century did the iron and steel industries begin?

a. 19th century

b. 17th century

c. 20th century

d. 14th century

Answer: c. 20th century

Question 8

Which industries were adversely affected during the partition of India?

Answer: The textile and jute industries

Question 9

What is the export surplus?

Answer: The total amount of goods and services that a nation exports which is in excess of the commodities and services that it imports is known as the export surplus.

Question 10

When did the commercialisation of agriculture begin in India?

Answer: The commercialisation of agriculture began in India during the British Rule.

Question 11

What are the changes that railway has brought in India?

Answer: The notion of railways was raised in the early 1830s. The British had initiated the linking of the three ports of Madras, Bombay, and Kolkata by a railway line. It certainly helped India in coping with the cultural and geographical barriers, and the people could travel long distances.

Question 12

Write a note on the zamindari system in India.

Answer: Zamindari system was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in India in the year 1793 via the Permanent Settlement Act (PSA). It was introduced in the provinces of Varanasi, Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. The zamindars were considered and recognised as the landlords as long as they paid the revenue to the East India Company regularly.

British primarily adopted three types of land tenure systems, namely:

• Zamindari system: On an average, it covered 19% of the total area under the British rule – Benaras, NWFP divisions, Bihar, and Bengal.
• Ryotwari system: It covered about 51% of the area under the British rule – Madras, Bombay, and Assam.
• Mahalwari system: It covered 30% of the area under the British rule – Major parts of NWFP, central provinces, and Punjab.

Question 13

Name a few individuals who tried to estimate colonial India’s per capita income.

Answer: Some individuals like Dadabhai Naoroji, R.C. Desai, Findlay Shirras, V.K.R.V. Rao, and William Digby tried to estimate such figures.

Question 14

How did the export surplus lead to an economic drain of wealth during colonial rule?

Answer: Export surplus was an instrument to perpetuate the drain of wealth from India to Britain. The surplus amount that was earned by India through exports was siphoned off to the colonial British under various expenses such as home charges, the military payments, or remittances of British residents and officials in India to Britain.

Question 15

What was the % of labour that was employed in the manufacturing and service sector in pre-independent India?

Answer: 10% of the workforce was engaged in manufacturing and 18% was engaged in the service sector.

Question 16

What is GDP?

Answer: Gross domestic product (GDP) is the monetary value of all the finished commodities and services manufactured within a nation’s frontiers in a particular time period. Though GDP is normally measured on an annual basis, it can be computed on a quarterly basis as well.

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