Class 8 Social Science Chapter 19 Solution (English Medium) – The East India Company and Its Reforms in India | SCERT Assam

Class 8 Social Science Chapter 19 – The East India Company and its Reforms – All Textual Solutions | ASSEB Assam (English Medium)

Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 19 – The East India Company and its Reforms Complete Textual Question Answers and Solutions (ASSEB / SEBA Assam – English Medium)

Chapter 19 of the Class 8 Social Science (History) curriculum, titled ‘The East India Company and its Reforms’, highlights how the British restructured Indian administration, society, and education to consolidate their vast empire. Prepared strictly according to the current syllabus of the ASSEB (Assam State School Education Board) and the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP), these comprehensive textual solutions cover every textbook exercise in detail. This core study resource includes Very Short Answers (VSA), Short Questions, Long Answers, and important extra examination notes. Brought to you strictly by Ospin Academy, these solutions are designed to be historically accurate, highly structured, and perfectly optimized for school examinations.

This chapter examines major administrative acts introduced by the British Parliament to control the Company, such as the Regulating Act of 1773 and Pitt’s India Act of 1784. It explores significant socio-educational changes, including the introduction of modern English education by Lord Macaulay, the establishment of railways and telegraphs under Lord Dalhousie, and landmark social reforms like the abolition of Sati by Lord William Bentinck with the active support of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Understanding these dual-natured reforms is essential for Class 8 students as they laid the administrative foundations of modern India while simultaneously serving colonial interests. Our expertly crafted study notes present complex historical acts and reforms in simple, point-wise formats to ensure effortless learning and excellent exam preparation.

What you will learn and find in these Textual Solutions:

• Detailed breakdown of the key provisions and significance of the Regulating Act of 1773 and Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
• Flawless answers for 1-mark objective questions (VSA) and concise summaries of educational policies for 2-3 mark short questions.
• Comprehensive, step-by-step point-wise solutions for 4-5 mark descriptive questions detailing the social reforms initiated by Lord William Bentinck and Indian reformers.
• Analysis of infrastructural developments like the introduction of railways, postal systems, and the civil services under Lord Cornwallis.
• Important extra practice questions and multiple-choice questions (MCQs) aligned directly with the current syllabus evaluation patterns.

Key Benefits of Ospin Academy’s Chapter 19 Solutions:

• 100% authentic and strictly mapped to the latest ASSEB/SEBA History syllabus guidelines.
• Written in highly accessible, straightforward English language ensuring students easily grasp underlying colonial administrative systems and score high marks.
• Systematically organized study notes ideal for completing daily assignments and executing rapid revisions before examinations.
• Includes frequently asked and highly probable examination questions curated specifically to boost student confidence.

Ospin Academy is dedicated to providing superior educational resources that make studying history engaging and straightforward. Master your Class 8 Social Science History syllabus today with our expertly structured solutions and achieve outstanding academic success.

Class 8 Social Science

Chapter – 19 Ospin Academy

The East India Company and its Reforms in India

Exercise

1. Answer the Following Questions:

(a) By what name do we know the working agenda of lord cornwallis?

Ans: The working agenda of Lord Cornwallis is known as the Cornwallis Code.

(b) Who had introduction the permanent settlement in India?

Ans: The permanent settlement in India was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793.

(c) Which Governor General had started the procedure of allotting land ownership to India?

Ans: The procedure of allotting land ownership, known as the Ryotwari System, was started by Thomas Munro.

(d) Who initiated modification in the education system based on wood ‘s dispatch?

Ans: The earliest form of education in India was religious. Education was imparted in Sanskrit, Arabic and Parsi languages. The Hindu students studied in Sanskrit schools or Gurukuls and the Muslim students went to Afadrasa and Maktab. The British too took interest in Indian education. In 1781 A.D., Warren Hastings opened a madras in Calcutta and to the year 1792 a British official named Jonathan Duncan opened a Sanskrit college in Varanasi. Grammar and Astrology were taught in these institutions in the traditional manner.

This was the time when the industrial revolution was taking place in England. To the imperialistic Bettish, India was a profitable colony which they wanted to use to their benefit. For this, they needed to introduce western idea of education in the English language. They wanted the common Indians to learn the English language so that the Company government could employ them at a low salary. So, the reforms they had introduced were in their self interest. As time went by, the British began to stress on the use of the English language. During the time of Lord William Bentinek, English was made the compulsory medium of education. In this way, the British made ise Indians. towards western education as a result of which the study of traditional languages like Sanskrit and Parse Declined The Governor General Lord Dalhousie introduced more reforms in Indian education.

(e) Who was the first woman autobiography of India?

Ans: Rashsundari Devi.

2. Match the two columns givens below:

A	B
Raja ram Mohan Roy	Prathna samaj
Ramakrishna paramhansa	Brahmo samaj
Sir syed Ahmed Khan	Arya Samaj
Govind Ranade	Aligarh movement
Dayanand Saraswati	Ramakrishna Mission

Ans:

A	B
Raja ram Mohan Roy	Brahmo samaj
Ramakrishna paramhansa	Ramakrishna Mission
Sir syed Ahmed Khan	Aligarh movement
Govind Ranade	Prathna Samaj
Dayanand Saraswati	Arya Samaj

3. Tick the correct answer:

(a) The east india company established itself as a strong political force during the reign of mughal emperor Farukfiyar/ bahadur shah II.

Ans: True.

(b) Warren Hastings/Lord Hastings bounded a madrasa in Calcutta in 1781 A.D.

Ans: True.

(c) The East India Company had formed its army to safeguard its interests/to annex new states.

Ans: True.

(d) The Anglo Indian College was established by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan/Nawab Abdul latif.

Ans: True.

(e) Dayanand Saraswati Raja Ram Mohan Roy wrote the book Satyarath Prakash.

Ans: True.

4. Write short notes on:

(a) Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

Ans: The most prominent among them was Raja Ram Mohan Roy of Bengal. Ram Mohan Roy wanted to build a casteless society. He was also against idol worship. In 1828 A.D. he founded the Brahmo Sabha which came to be known as the Brahmo Samaj in 1830 A. D. Later, he was joined by Debendra Nath Thakur, father of Kavigaru Rabindra Nath Thakur. Ram Mohan Roy had helped William Bentinck in abolishing evil practices like sati, female infanticide etc. He worked for the education of women and widow remarriage. Ram Mohan Roy her tried to reform another bad practice. During those day the Hindus, who ate with the Christians or went abroad Tor higher education were declared as outcasts by the Hindu society which often forced these highly educated people to embrace christianity. Ram Mohan Roy brought them to the Brahmo Samaj and kept them within the Hindu religion. The Indian society therefore, remans grateful to this liberal and progressive Indian. Two other note-worthy personalities of Brahmo Samaj are Akshay Kumar Datta and Keshav Chandra Sen. These men had introduced many revolutionary reforms in the Indian society.

(b) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

Ans: In the 19 century, western education had reached the Muslims also. In North India, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Nawab Abdul Latif and Syed Amir Ali took the lead in attracting the Muslim community to the English language and the new western thought. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan took the initiative to establish a college named Anglo Oriental College for the young Muslim men and women in Aligarh. Special importance was given to the subject science in this college. Now we know this college as the Aligarh Muslim University. Due to the efforts of these social reformers, many changes were made the Muslim society, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan created a mass awareness against the purdah system, child marriage and polygamy practised in the Muslim society. This reformist movement had begun in the city of Aligarh and so this movement is known as the Aligarh Movement.

(c) Swami Vivekananda.

Ans: You must have heard the name of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He was a priest in the Kali temple of Dakshineswar in Kolkata. Ramakrishna Paramhangsa did not go to schools or colleges. He believed in idol worship but was against ceremonial rituals and believed that God could be found only through devotion. He wanted everybody to be tolerant towards other religions. Narendra Nath Dutta, famous as Swami Vivekananda realised the value of Paramhangsa’s teachings and became his disciple. In 1897 A.D. Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission to spread Ramakrishna Paramhangsa’s teachings to the society.

(d) Dayanand Saraswati.

Ans: You have read about the reforms initiated by the Brahmo Samaj, Another society very similar to the Brahmo Samaj was the Arya Samaj. Arya Samaj was founded in 1875 A.D. in Punjab by social reformer Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Dayanand Saraswati too believed in God but not in idol worship. This society did not believe in the caste system. They opposed child marriage and supported widow remarriage. They claimed that sagar yatra was not opposed to Hinduism. Just as Islam accepted people of other religions into their religion, Dayanand Saraswati also said that people from different religions could become Hindus by converting to Hinduism. He called this Shuddhi

(e) Devendranath Thakur.

Ans: Ram Mohan Roy wanted to build a casteless society. He was also against idol worship. In 1828 A.D. he founded the Brahmo Sabha which came to be known as the Brahmo Samaj in 1830 A.D. Later, he was joined by Debendra Nath Thakur, father of Koviguru Rabindra Nath Thakur. Ram Mohan Roy had helped William Bentinck in abolishing evil practices like sati, female infanticide etc. He worked for the education of women and widow remarriage. Ram Mohan Roy also tried to reform another bad practice. During those days the Hindus, who ate with the Christians or went abroad for higher education were declared as outcasts by the Hindu society which often forced these highly educated people to embrace christianity. Ram Mohan Roy brought them to the Brahmo Samaj and kept them within the Hindu religion. The Indian society therefore, remains grateful to this liberal and progressive Indian. Two other note- worthy personalities of Brahmo Samaj are Akshay Kumar Dutta and Keshav Chandra Sen. These men had introduced many revolutionary reforms in Indian society.

5. Write within fifty words.

(a) Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in India? What were the terms and conditions?

Ans: The Permanent Settlement introduced by the Governor General Lord Cornwallis can be mentioned here. Under the permanent settlement, the farm land was divided into small plots and put under zamindars. These zamindars had to pay the Company a fixed amount as revenue. If they could not pay, the zamindari went to the Company. Through this system of revenue collection. Lord Cornwallis, in his seven year tenure made the Company treasury rich.

Another important aspect of the Permanent Settlement was the creation of a new class of zamindars. Under the Permanent Settlement, the land of those zamindars, who could not pay the revenue, was auctioned. Many rich people bought this land but these people had no direct connection with agriculture and they did not understand the problems of the farmers. They increased the tax on the poor peasants which they had to pay by taking loans. The British regarded this new class of landlords as the land owners. These landlords were also loyal to the British and in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 helped the British and not the Indians.

(b) Legal system introduced by the British in India.

Ans: The British also introduced a few changes in the legal system. Previously, different laws were followed in different parts of India. The East India Company made same laws compulsory. Lord Cornwallis also made a few changes for quick and efficient functioning of dewani and sadar courts. The High Court was established in Calcutta, Madras and I Bombay during Lord William Bentinck’s day and mother tongue was applied instead of Persian in the court Land Moyra or Lond Hastings appointed Indians in courts of law and increased the powers of the Indian Munsifs which had made him popular among the local people.

(c) What were reforms undertaken by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar?

Ans: Chandra Vidyasagar’s name can be mentioned here. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar of Bengal tried to spread the importance of women education for the development of a society. As a result of his efforts many women got the opportunity to educate themselves while at home in the mid 19th century. Raj Sundari Devi of Kolkata showed her keen interest towards getting education. She wrote an autobiography named Amar Jiban in Bengali. It is the first autobiography written by an Indian woman. On the other hand, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar took special measures for widow re- marriage and made his son marry a widow so that he could stand as an example in the society.