The correct answer is Option (2) → (A), (C) and (D) Only
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(A) The British Government accepted direct responsibility for ruling India: Correct. The powers of the East India Company were transferred to the British Crown. The "Board of Control" and "Court of Directors" were abolished, and a Secretary of State for India was appointed.
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(B) It was decided that all the territories of Indian rulers would be annexed immediately: Incorrect. In fact, the British did the opposite to prevent future rebellions. The Doctrine of Lapse was abandoned, and Queen Victoria’s Proclamation assured Indian princes that their territories would never be annexed in the future. They were allowed to pass their kingdoms to adopted heirs.
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(C) The proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and European soldiers would be increased: Correct. To prevent another organized mutiny, the ratio of European to Indian soldiers was increased (specifically in the infantry and artillery). Furthermore, recruitment shifted away from Awadh and Bihar toward "martial races" like Sikhs, Gurkhas, and Pathans.
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(D) It was to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands: Correct. The British realized that the landed aristocracy could be a powerful ally. They reversed earlier policies that had displaced many landlords and began a policy of appeasement to ensure the loyalty of the zamindars.
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