MCQs For NCERT Class 11 Economics Chapter 1 Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence

MCQs Class 11

Please refer to the following Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence Class 11 Economics MCQ Questions. These multiple choice questions have been prepared based on the latest examination pattern, NCERT book and syllabus issued by CBSE, NCERT and KVS. Students should go through all MCQ Questions for Class 11 Economics with answers as they will help them to prepare for the exams.

Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence Class 11 Economics MCQ Questions

Question. Which of the following social indicators contributed to the worsening of India’s demographic profile during the colonial period?
(a) Low Infant Mortality rate
(b) High Life expectancy
(c) Low Literacy rate
(d) Low Birth rate and Death rate

Answer

c

Question. Name the economist whose estimates on GDP and per capita income during the British rule were considered very significant.
(a) William Digby
(b) Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao
(c) Dadabhai Naroji
(d) Findlay Shirras

Answer

B

Question. The most important infrastructure developed during the British rule was:
(a) Airways
(b) Waterways
(c) Railways
(d) None of these

Answer

c

Question. Whose estimate of national income was considered very significant?
a. Dadabhai Naoroji
(b) William Digby
(c). RC Desai
(d) VKRV Rao.

Answer

D

Question. Initially, the industrial development was confined to the setting up of:
(a) Cotton textile mills
(b) Jute textile mills
(c) Cotton and jute textile mills
(d) Capital goods industry.

Answer

C

Question. In the history of demographic transition, which year is regarded as the year of great divide?
(a) 1901
(b) 1902
(C) 1921
(d) 1923.

Answer

A

Question. Major contribution to the GDP of the country on the eve of independence was from:
(a) Tertiary sector
(b) Primary Sector
(c) Secondary sector
(d) both Primary and secondary sector.

Answer

B

Question. Details about the population of British India were first collected in:
(a) 1871
(B) 1881
(C)1891
(D) 1901.

Answer

B

Question. The main interest of the Zamindar was:
(a) To collect rent
(b) To improve the condition of agriculture
(c) To produce food crops
(d) To produce cash crops.

Answer

A

Question. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869:
(a) Adversely affected the monopoly control of India’s foreign trade
(b) Reduced the cost of transportation of goods between India and Britain
(c) Enhanced inter-state trade in India
(d) Reduced the export of goods from India to Britain

Answer

B

Question. What was the principal source of occupation during the British rule?
(a) Agriculture
(b) Mining
(c) Manufacturing
(d) Trade and Commerce

Answer

A

Question. When was first official Census conducted in India?
(a) 1882
(b) 1881
(c) 1885
(d) 1886 

Answer

B

Question. On the eve of Independence, Indian economy was:
(a) Stagnant and backward
(b) Developed
(c) Self-reliant
(d) Capitalist

Answer

A

Question. In 1947, the growth rate of per capita income in India was approximately:
(a) 2%
(b) 1.5%
(c) 0.5%
(d) 2.5%

Answer

c

Question. Which of the following statements is not true about the foreign trade in context of Indian economy during the British rule?
(a) India became exporter of primary products and an importer of finished consumer goods and capital goods from Britain.
(b) India traded with many countries of the world despite discriminatory tariff policy pursued by the British government.
(c) India generated huge export surplus.
(d) Britain had a monopoly control over India’s foreign trade.

Answer

Question. Which industry suffered a major setback due to partition of India?
(a) Jute
(b) Silk
(c) Iron and steel
(d) Cotton

Answer

A

Fill in the blanks

Question. Partition of the country created serious problem of shortage of raw materials for __________ mills of Bengal.

Answer

jute mills

Question. Commercialisation of agriculture resulted in shifting the agricultural production from __________ crops to __________ crops.

Answer

food, cash

Question. __________ industry produces machine tools which are further used for producing consumer goods.

Answer

Capital goods

Question. __________ year is regarded as the year of great divide in the India’s demographic history.

Answer

1921

Question. After the year 1921, India entered the __________ stage of demographic transition.

Answer

Second

Question. The average literacy rate in India during the British rule was nearly __________ per cent.

Answer

16

Question. __________ sector accounted for the largest share of workforce in India during the British rule.

Answer

Agricultural

Question and Answer

Question. In context of Indian economy, which year is regarded as the defining year for the demographic transition from its first to the second stage?
                                                                                              Or
Why is 1921 considered as the year of great divide?

Answer

1921 is regarded as the great divide year in India’s demographic history because after 1921 India entered the second stage of demographic transition.

Question. What were the main reasons for the slow growth of population during the British rule?

Answer

The main reasons for the slow growth of population during the British rule were poverty, malnutrition, famines, epidemics and poor health facilities.

Question. What was the average literacy rate in India during the British rule?

Answer

The average literacy rate in India during British rule was less than 16 per cent.

Question. How was the infant mortality rate of India during the British rule quite alarming?

Answer

Infant mortality rate was 218 per thousand.

Question. What was the life expectancy in India during the British rule?

Answer

Life expectancy during the British rule was nearly 32 years.

Question. Which sector of the Indian economy accounted for the largest share of workforce during the colonial period?

Answer

Agricultural sector of the Indian economy accounted for the largest share of workforce during the colonial period.

Question. What was the main purpose behind construction of roads by the British?

Answer

(i) Mobilising the army within India
(ii) To transport raw materials from the countryside to the railway station or the port to send it to England

Question. When did the British introduce Railways in India?

Answer

The British introduce Railways in the year 1850.

Question. Give the names of some notable economists who estimated India’s per capita income during the British period.

Answer

Notable estimators of India’s national and per capita income during British rule were:
W. Digby; Findlay Shirras; Dadabhai Naoroji; K.T. Shah; Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao; R.C. Desai.

Question. State the growth of aggregate real output (or GDP) and per capita output during the first half of the 20th century in India.

Answer

The growth of aggregate real output was less than 2 per cent and the growth of per capita output was just half per cent during the first half of the 20th century in India.

Question. What was the most prominent cause of stagnation of the agricultural sector under the British rule?

Answer

The most prominent cause of the stagnation of agricultural sector was the new land revenue system that was introduced by the British rulers in India.

Question.What was the state of infrastructure at the time of independence.
Ans. 1. Roads
2.Railways
3.Water transport
4. Banking and Financial services
5.Communication
6.Education and Health.

Question.Briefly explain about Demographic Conditions on the eve of independence.
Ans. 1.Water and airborne diseases
2. Birth rate
3. Poverty
4. Illiteracy
5.Mortality rate
6.Life expectancy
7.Bengal famine

Question. What is occupational structure ? Briefly explain about it during British period ?
Ans. Occupational structure is the distribution of labour force in three main sectors of the economy –agriculture, industry and service.
1.Primary sector
2. Secondary sector
3. Territory sector

Question. What are capital goods industries?
Ans. Capital goods industry refer to those industries which can produce machine tools which are, in turn, used for producing articles for current consumption.

Question. Mention the most important infrastructure developed during British period.
Ans. It was the “Railways”, which were introduced by them.

Question. Give the meaning of life expectancy at birth.
Ans. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a new born infant is expected to live.

Question. State the features of Indian Economy at the time of Independence.
Ans. 1.Stagnant Economy
2. Lopsoded economy
3. Depleted economy
4. Backward economy
5.Dependent economy
6.Colonial economy
7.Semi feudal economy

Question. Explain four main causes of India’s agricultural stagnation during colonial period.
Ans. 1. Land revenue system
2.Low level of productivity
3.Commercialisation of agriculture
4.Starvation in the field of agriculture sector.
5.Lack of technology and resources.

Question. Was there any economic drain during the colonial period? Explain.
Ans. 1. Large export surplus
2. Introduction of railways
3. Competition from machine-made goods
4. Commercialisation of agriculture

Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence Class 11 Economics MCQ Questions