What is the process that created the new classes and communities?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → Colonialism

Option (1) Nationalism — Incorrect. Nationalism was the result, not the cause. Colonialism gave birth to its own enemy, nationalism, and the urban middle classes that colonialism had created became the main carriers of nationalism.

Option (2) Colonialism — Correct. Colonial rule unified India and changed it in ways it could not go back from. Colonialism created new classes and communities which came to play significant roles in later history: the urban middle classes, who led the campaign for freedom, and the religious and caste based communities that colonial interventions crystallised.

Option (3) Urbanism — Incorrect. Urbanism points to urbanisation, the growth of towns and cities, where more and more people live and work. In India it was one of the structural changes that colonialism brought into being, so it is a part of the colonial story, not the process that created the new classes and communities.

Option (4) Industrialism — Incorrect. Industrialism points to industrialisation, the emergence of machine production based on inanimate power such as steam or electricity. In India this too was one of the structural changes that colonialism brought into being, and it followed colonial interests; it is not the process the question names.

Note: The section ‘1.1 Introducing an Introduction…’ of the chapter ‘Introducing Indian Society’, which says that colonialism created new classes and communities, was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023. This section has been deleted from the NCERT book (2025-26), though the chapter is still there.

NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “1.1 Introducing an Introduction… … Historically, an Indian nationalism took shape under British colonialism. The shared experience of colonial domination helped unify and energise different sections of the community. The emerging middle classes began, with the aid of western style education, to challenge colonialism on its own ground. Ironically, colonialism and western education also gave the impetus for the rediscovery of tradition. This led to the developments on the cultural and social front which solidified emergent forms of community at the national and regional levels. Colonialism created new classes and communities which came to play significant roles in subsequent history. The urban middle classes were the main carriers of nationalism and they led the campaign for freedom. Colonial interventions also crystallised religious and caste based communities. These too became major players.…”