Test yourself

Indian Economic Development

Class 11 · Economy

Ch 1 · Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence

Real UPSC Prelims questions from 2016–2026, linked to this book. Try each one first, then open the answer. 2026 answers follow UPSC's provisional answer key.

Prelims 2018 · Q52

Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the

(a)increase in the export of Indian handicrafts
(b)growth in the number of Indian owned factories
(c)commercialization of Indian agriculture
(d)rapid increase in the urban population

Show answer

UPSC's answer: (c)

NCERT answers it: Class 11 Indian Economic Development, Ch 1 (Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence).

Indian Economic Development (ch 1): under British rule agriculture was commercialised, while India's famous handicrafts declined. So (c).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2018), question 52 ↗

Prelims 2020 · Q23

Which of the following statements correctly explains the impact of Industrial Revolution on India during the first half of the nineteenth century?

(a)Indian handicrafts were ruined.
(b)Machines were introduced in the Indian textile industry in large numbers.
(c)Railway lines were laid in many parts of the country.
(d)Heavy duties were imposed on the imports of British manufactures.

Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 11 Indian Economic Development, Ch 1 (Indian Economy on the Eve of Independence); Class 10 India and the Contemporary World – II, Ch 4 (The Age of Industrialisation).

Indian Economic Development (ch 1): under colonial rule India's famous handicraft industries declined. India and the Contemporary World – II (ch 4): cheap Manchester goods hurt Indian weavers. So (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2020), question 23 ↗

← Back to the books

Spotted an error? Tell us — we fix it and record the change here.

NCERT textbooks are published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Every file comes from NCERT's own website; a full book is joined into one PDF on the reader's device. Minimalist IAS does not store or edit any NCERT file.

Previous-year questions are from UPSC's question papers and answer keys (final keys; for 2026, the provisional key) published on upsc.gov.in.

Minimalist IAS is not affiliated with NCERT or UPSC. Books by other publishers are named for reference only.

NCERT can move or replace a file at any time. We re-check every link each month; if one breaks, tell us.