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East India Company – PYQ-Based Q&A

February 5, 2026
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1. Foundation & Early Trade

Q: In which year was the East India Company founded?

A: 1600

Q: Which monarch granted the charter to the East India Company?

A: Queen Elizabeth I

Q: What was the original nature of the East India Company?

A: A trading company

Q: Where did the Company first establish a factory in India?

A: Surat

Q: Which Mughal emperor granted trading rights to the Company?

A: Jahangir

Q: Who was sent as the English ambassador to Jahangir’s court?

A: Sir Thomas Roe

 

2. Expansion & Settlements 

Q: Which was the first British presidency in India?

A: Madras

Q: Fort St. George is associated with which city?

A: Madras (Chennai)

Q: Fort William was built in which city?

A: Calcutta

Q: Who founded Calcutta in 1690?

A: Job Charnock

Q: Bombay came under Company control in which year?

A: 1668

Q: Bombay was acquired from whom?

A: King Charles II of England

 

3. Political Power & Battles 

Q: Which battle marked the beginning of British political rule in India?

A: Battle of Plassey (1757)

Q: Who led the Company forces at Plassey?

A: Robert Clive

Q: Who was the Nawab defeated at Plassey?

A: Siraj-ud-Daulah

Q: Which battle firmly established Company rule in India?

A: Battle of Buxar (1764)

Q: Which Mughal emperor fought at the Battle of Buxar?

A: Shah Alam II

Q: Which treaty followed the Battle of Buxar?

A: Treaty of Allahabad (1765)

 

4. Administration & Revenue

Q: What were Diwani rights?

A: Rights to collect revenue

Q: Diwani rights were granted in which year?

A: 1765

Q: Diwani rights covered which regions?

A: Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha

Q: Who introduced the Permanent Settlement?

A: Lord Cornwallis

Q: Permanent Settlement was introduced in which year?

A: 1793

Q: Ryotwari system is associated with which administrators?

A: Thomas Munro and Alexander Read

Q: Mahalwari system was introduced by whom?

A: Holt Mackenzie

 

5. Acts & Constitutional Control 

Q: Which Act first regulated the East India Company?

A: Regulating Act, 1773

Q: Who became the first Governor-General of Bengal?

A: Warren Hastings

Q: Which Act introduced dual control?

A: Pitt’s India Act, 1784

Q: Which Act ended Company’s monopoly of Indian trade?

A: Charter Act, 1813

Q: Which Act ended Company’s trade with China?

A: Charter Act, 1833

Q: Which Act introduced open competition for civil services?

A: Charter Act, 1853

 

6. Decline & End

Q: Which revolt exposed the failure of Company rule?

A: Revolt of 1857

Q: The Revolt of 1857 is also called?

A: First War of Indian Independence

Q: Which Act ended Company rule in India?

A: Government of India Act, 1858

Q: Who became the first Viceroy of India?

A: Lord Canning

Q: Which authority replaced the East India Company after 1858?

A: British Crown

Q: When was the East India Company formally dissolved?

A: 1874

Q: The East India Company maintained what unique feature for a trading body?

A: A private army

Q: The Company’s headquarters in India was located at?

A: Calcutta

Q: The East India Company is best described as?

A: A trading company that became a colonial ruler

 

Timeline: East India Company

1600: East India Company received royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I
1608: First English ship Hector reached Surat
1613: First English factory established at Surat
1615: Sir Thomas Roe visited Jahangir’s court as English ambassador
1639: Fort St. George established at Madras
1661: Bombay given to Charles II as dowry by Portugal
1668: Bombay transferred to the East India Company
1690: Job Charnock founded Calcutta
1700: Fort William constructed at Calcutta
1757: Battle of Plassey marked the beginning of Company’s political rule
1764: Battle of Buxar established Company’s military supremacy
1765: Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha granted to the Company
1773: Regulating Act passed to control Company administration
1774: Warren Hastings appointed first Governor-General of Bengal
1784: Pitt’s India Act introduced dual control
1793: Permanent Settlement introduced by Lord Cornwallis
1813: Charter Act ended Company’s trade monopoly in India
1833: Charter Act ended Company’s trade with China and tea
1834: Company ceased to function as a commercial body
1853: Charter Act introduced open competition for civil services
1857: Revolt of 1857 broke out against Company rule
1858: Government of India Act transferred power to the British Crown
1861: Indian Councils Act initiated limited legislative participation
1874: East India Company formally dissolved