Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the
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Answer: C. In the 19th century, British rule pushed Indian farmers to grow cash crops like indigo, cotton, jute and opium for export and markets. This is the commercialisation of agriculture. So option C.
Watch for: Students assume colonial rule brought industry and cities, but it actually caused de-industrialisation.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because exports of Indian handicrafts fell sharply under British rule.
- B. Wrong because Indian-owned factories grew very slowly in the 19th century.
- D. Wrong because urban population did not grow rapidly; de-industrialisation even caused ruralisation.
Source to check: NCERT Class 12 'Themes in Indian History Part III' and Bipan Chandra, 'History of Modern India', Chapter 'Economic Impact of British Rule'
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.