The impact of the British Policies on the Paharias in the nineteenth…

The impact of the British Policies on the Paharias in the nineteenth century was:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → The most fertile soils became inaccessible to them

Option (1) The most fertile soils became inaccessible to them — Correct. Pushed back by the Santhals, the Paharias were confined to the dry interior and the barren upper hills. Their shifting agriculture depended on moving to new land, so when the most fertile soils became inaccessible to them, being part of the Damin, they could not sustain their mode of cultivation.

Option (2) They gave up their mobile life and settled down — Incorrect. This describes the Santhals, who gave up their earlier life of mobility and settled down.

Option (3) They started cultivating commercial crops — Incorrect. It was again the Santhals who cultivated a range of commercial crops for the market.

Option (4) They effectively dealt with traders and moneylenders — Incorrect. Dealing with traders and moneylenders is also part of the Santhals’ settled life, in contrast to the Paharias.

NCERT (2026-27): “2.2 The Santhals: Pioneer settlers … When the Santhals settled on the peripheries of the Rajmahal hills, the Paharias resisted but were ultimately forced to withdraw deeper into the hills. Restricted from moving down to the lower hills and valleys, they were confined to the dry interior and to the more barren and rocky upper hills. This severely affected their lives, impoverishing them in the long term. Shifting agriculture depended on the ability to move to newer and newer land and utilisation of the natural fertility of the soil. When the most fertile soils became inaccessible to them, being part of the Damin, the Paharias could not effectively sustain their mode of cultivation. When the forests of the region were cleared for cultivation the hunters amongst them also faced problems. The Santhals, by contrast, gave up their earlier life of mobility and settled down, cultivating a range of commercial crops for the market, and dealing with traders and moneylenders.”