Consider the following statements about the Santhal rebellion and its…

Consider the following statements about the Santhal rebellion and its aftermath:

(A) The colonial state hoped that special laws in the Santhal Pargana would conciliate the Santhals.
(B) The Santhal Pargana was created after the Santhal Revolt of 1855-56.
(C) The Santhal Pargana was carved out of the districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum.
(D) The Santhals rebelled against zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state.
(E) The Santhal Pargana was created by carving out 15,500 square miles.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → A, B and D only

(A) The colonial state hoped that special laws in the Santhal Pargana would conciliate the Santhals. — Correct. The state created a new territory with special laws in the hope that the Santhals could be conciliated, that is, calmed and won over.

(B) The Santhal Pargana was created after the Santhal Revolt of 1855-56. — Correct. The Santhal Pargana came only after the revolt of 1855-56, as a way to settle the Santhals under British control.

(C) The Santhal Pargana was carved out of the districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum. — Incorrect. The Pargana was carved out of Bhagalpur and Birbhum. Murshidabad was a different district of Bengal.

(D) The Santhals rebelled against zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state. — Correct. By the 1850s the Santhals rose against zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state, hoping to create an ideal world they would rule.

(E) The Santhal Pargana was created by carving out 15,500 square miles. — Incorrect. The new territory carved out for the Santhals covered 5,500 square miles.

NCERT (2026-27): “2.2 The Santhals: Pioneer settlers …
By the 1850s, the Santhals felt that the time had come to rebel against zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state, in order to create an ideal world for themselves where they would rule. It was after the Santhal Revolt (1855-56 ) that the Santhal Pargana was created, carving out 5,500 square miles from the districts of Bhagalpur and Birbhum. The colonial state hoped that by creating a new territory for the Santhals and imposing some special laws within it, the Santhals could be conciliated.”