During the colonial period, parts of one presidency saw the share of the workforce in agriculture fall, with a matching rise in manufacturing and services. Which of the following present-day states has areas that were part of that presidency?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Kerala
Parts of the Madras Presidency saw workers move out of agriculture. It covered areas of today’s Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.
Rajasthan and Punjab went the other way. There, the share of the workforce in agriculture rose. Haryana was not part of the Madras, Bombay or Bengal Presidency.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.7 Occupational Structure … Another striking aspect was the growing regional variation. Parts of the then Madras Presidency (comprising areas of the present-day states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka), Bombay and Bengal witnessed a decline in the dependence of the workforce on the agricultural sector with a commensurate increase in the manufacturing and the services sectors. However, there had been an increase in the share of workforce in agriculture during the same time in states such as Orissa, Rajasthan and Punjab.” |