Ananya, a history student, is reading a record of 1002 pages that was placed before the British Parliament. Over 800 of its pages are appendices. They reproduce petitions of zamindars and ryots, reports of collectors from different districts and statistical tables on revenue returns. Her teacher reminds her that in those years many groups in Britain were angry with the East India Company, and that this record came out of that debate. He also tells her that historians today do not accept every claim in it without question.
Which record is Ananya reading?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The Fifth Report
Option (1) The Deccan Riots report — Incorrect. The Deccan Riots Commission reported on the 1875 riots against moneylenders in the Bombay Deccan. Its subject was Deccan ryots and their debts.
Option (2) Buchanan's survey report — Incorrect. Francis Buchanan surveyed areas under the Company for the Company's own use, as an employee carrying out its orders.
Option (3) The Fifth Report — Correct. The Fifth Report of 1813 ran into 1002 pages, with over 800 pages of appendices of petitions, collectors' reports and revenue tables. A Select Committee produced it amid the attacks on Company rule.
Option (4) The Deccan settlement report — Incorrect. The first revenue settlement in the Bombay Deccan came in the 1820s and dealt with the ryots of the Deccan.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.6 The Fifth Report |