Members of low ranked caste groups had to provide labour for a fixed number of days per year to the village zamindar or landlord. … While the same dominant castes were probably also cultivating castes in the pre-colonial period, they were not the direct owners of land. Instead, ruling groups such as the local kings or zamindars (landlords who were also politically powerful in their areas, and usually belonged to Kshatriya or other high castes) controlled the land. … When the British colonised India, in many areas they ruled through these local zamindars. … Since the colonisers also imposed heavy land revenue (taxes) on agriculture, the zamindars extracted as much produce or money as they could out of the cultivators.
The opening line of the passage has been left out. Which practice, and which part of India, does it name?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Begar, in many parts of northern India
Option (1) Bonded labour, in many parts of western India — Incorrect. Both parts are wrong. The missing line names begar, which is forced free labour for the landlord, and it places this practice in many parts of northern India.
Option (2) Begar, in many parts of western India — Incorrect. Begar is the right practice, but the region is wrong. The missing line places begar in many parts of northern India.
Option (3) Bonded labour, in many parts of northern India — Incorrect. The region is right, but the practice is wrong. Bonded workers of the lowest castes are linked to irrigated delta regions; the missing line names begar or free labour.
Option (4) Begar, in many parts of northern India — Correct. Begar means free labour: members of low ranked castes had to work a fixed number of days each year for the village zamindar or landlord. Until recently, this practice was common in many parts of northern India.
NCERT (2026-27): “4.1 Agrarian Structure: Caste and Class in Rural India … |