Industrialisation in India MCQs Quiz | Class 10

Understanding Industrialisation in India

The story of industrialisation in India is distinct from that of the West, deeply intertwined with its colonial past and rich indigenous craft traditions. While Britain saw the rise of factories powered by new machines, India’s journey was characterized by the decline of traditional crafts, the emergence of a new class of entrepreneurs, and the selective growth of modern industries under colonial influence.

The World of Indian Textiles

Before the age of machine industries, India was the world’s leading producer of cotton textiles. Its fine muslins, chintz, and calico were highly sought after in Europe and Asia. The Armenian and Persian merchants took Indian goods to Central Asia, while Gujarati and Tamil traders controlled the networks from Surat, Masulipatam, and Hooghly.

• Decline of Traditional Ports: With the coming of European trading companies (Portuguese, Dutch, English, French), older ports like Surat and Hooghly declined, and new ports like Bombay and Calcutta grew. This shifted trade routes and control.
• Weavers’ Plight: The East India Company systematically eliminated competition, appointed ‘gomasthas’ to supervise weavers, collect supplies, and examine the quality of cloth. Weavers were often forced to sell their produce to the Company at low prices, leading to indebtedness and abandonment of their craft.
• Impact of Manchester Goods: By the early 19th century, British cotton textiles flooded Indian markets. These machine-made goods were cheaper, making it difficult for Indian handloom products to compete. Exports of Indian cotton cloth decreased dramatically, pushing many weavers out of their livelihood.

The Rise of Indian Entrepreneurs

Despite the colonial restrictions, a class of Indian entrepreneurs emerged who invested in modern industries. They often had a history of trade with China or within India.

• Early Pioneers:
  • Dwarkanath Tagore (Bengal): Amassed his fortune through trade with China, invested in shipping, coal mines, indigo plantations, and banking in the 1830s and 1840s.
  • Parsis of Bombay: Such as Dinshaw Petit and Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, built huge industrial empires. Tata established the first iron and steel works in India (TISCO) in Jamshedpur in 1907.
  • Seth Hukumchand (Marwari businessman): Set up the first Indian jute mill in Calcutta in 1917 and also traded with China.
  • G.D. Birla: A prominent industrialist from Marwari merchant families, who like his father and grandfather, traded extensively and set up industries.
• Challenges: Indian merchants and industrialists often faced severe restrictions from the British. They were often barred from trading with Europe and restricted to specific sectors like cotton and jute. Managing agencies like Andrew Yule and Jardine Skinner controlled a large sector of Indian industry.
• Labor: Workers migrated from villages to industrial centers like Bombay, Calcutta, and Kanpur in search of work. Jobbers were often employed to recruit labor and provided patronage to workers.

Factories Come Up

The first cotton mill in Bombay came up in 1854, followed by others in the 1860s. The first jute mill was set up in Bengal in 1855. By 1900, over 46 cotton mills were in operation, mainly in Bombay and Ahmedabad. The Swadeshi movement (1905) boosted demand for Indian goods, and World War I further fueled industrial growth as British mills were busy with war production.

Quick Revision

• Pre-colonial India: Dominant in cotton textile production.
• Colonial Impact on Textiles: Decline of traditional ports, exploitation of weavers by gomasthas, influx of cheaper British machine-made textiles.
• Key Indian Entrepreneurs: Dwarkanath Tagore, Dinshaw Petit, J.N. Tata, Seth Hukumchand, G.D. Birla.
• First Mills: Cotton mill in Bombay (1854), Jute mill in Bengal (1855).
• Managing Agencies: European firms that controlled many Indian enterprises (e.g., Andrew Yule, Jardine Skinner).
• Swadeshi Movement & WWI: Provided significant impetus to Indian industrial growth.
• Jobbers: Important figures in recruiting and supervising industrial labor.

Practice Questions