The Colonial Era in India — Class 8 MCQs with Answers
Class 8 CBSE Social Science · Chapter 4
72 practice questions · 24 Easy · 24 Medium · 24 Hard · Updated
Jump to the 6 solved questions
Practise the most important Class 8 CBSE Social Science questions from Chapter 4, "The Colonial Era in India". You get 9 timed quizzes made from 72 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 24 Easy, 24 Medium and 24 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "The Colonial Era in India", focus on dates, cause and effect, and reading maps and sources. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on The Colonial Era in India, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 8 Social Science mastery score. Try the 6 sample questions below: tap an option to see the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
The Colonial Era in India — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 8 Social Science)
6 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. Tap an option to check yourself.
0 of 6 answered
- Q1 of 6Easy
Colonialism is usually defined as the practice where one country takes control of another region, settles there and imposes its:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: political, economic and cultural systems
Explanation: The chapter notes the practice is far older than the European age of colonialism.
- Q2 of 6Easy
Which Portuguese navigator arrived at Kappad near Kozhikode in May 1498?
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Vasco da Gama
Explanation: His arrival paved the way for the beginning of European colonisation in India.
- Q3 of 6Medium
The British takeover of India is described as unlike classic conquests because it was:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: gradual, calculated and often disguised as commercial enterprise
Explanation: The Company's agents kept up a pretence of being mere traders.
- Q4 of 6Medium
A key cause of the 1770-1772 Bengal famine was that the Company required farmers to pay:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: high cash taxes on their produce regardless of harvest conditions
Explanation: This came on top of two years of crop failure, and the land tax was even increased during the famine.
- Q5 of 6Hard
Which statement about colonialism is INCORRECT?
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Colonialism began only in the 15th century
Explanation: The 15th century marks the 'Age of Colonialism', not the origin of the practice itself.
- Q6 of 6Hard
Assertion: The cartaz system gave Portugal enormous power at sea. Reason: Ships without a Portuguese permit were seized. Choose the correct option.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Both are true, and the reason explains the assertion
Explanation: Enforcement by seizure is what turned the permit into naval dominance and a spice-trade monopoly.
The Colonial Era in India notes: key concepts (Class 8 Social Science)
European powers came to a India that produced about a quarter of world GDP. This chapter traces how a trading company became a ruler, and what colonial rule cost India in famines, wealth, industry, governance and education.
- Colonialism
- One country taking control of another region, settling there and imposing its political, economic and cultural systems.
- Cartaz
- The Portuguese permit system requiring every ship in the Arabian Sea to buy a pass; ships without one were seized.
- Divide and rule
- Britain's method of entering Indian rivalries and succession disputes, and encouraging existing divisions, to emerge as power brokers.
- Battle of Plassey (1757)
- Won by Robert Clive through Mir Jafar's betrayal rather than numbers; it made the Company a kingmaker in Bengal.
- Doctrine of Lapse
- Any princely state was annexed if its ruler died without a natural male heir, deliberately disregarding the Indian tradition of adoption.
- Subsidiary alliance
- A ruler accepted a British Resident, paid for British troops and surrendered foreign relations — 'an empire on the cheap'.
- Drain of wealth
- The extraction of India's resources documented by Naoroji and Dutt; a recent estimate puts 1765-1938 at about 45 trillion US dollars in today's value.
- Macaulay's Minute (1835)
- The education policy aimed at producing Indians 'English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect'.
Start this chapter free
You have 6 to try above. Sign in with Google (no card needed). You get 1 Easy + 1 Medium quiz on every chapter, free for good (up to 6 quizzes a day) — plus a free Hard quiz when you score 70%+ on a Medium quiz (1 per subject), and the exam tips.
This chapter has 72 questions (24 Easy · 24 Medium · 24 Hard), with timed scoring and instant feedback. The rest unlock with the ₹999/year plan.
Start with the questions above. The full quiz opens here after.
The Colonial Era in India — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 8 Social Science The Colonial Era in India?+
European powers came to a India that produced about a quarter of world GDP. This chapter traces how a trading company became a ruler, and what colonial rule cost India in famines, wealth, industry, governance and education. Key ideas include Colonialism, Cartaz, Divide and rule, Battle of Plassey (1757), Doctrine of Lapse, Subsidiary alliance.
What does Class 8 Social Science Chapter 4 (The Colonial Era in India) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 72 NCERT-based MCQs on "The Colonial Era in India": 24 Easy, 24 Medium and 24 Hard. Together they make 9 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "The Colonial Era in India" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "The Colonial Era in India" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 8 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 9 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "The Colonial Era in India" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 9 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "The Colonial Era in India" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 6 sample questions are on this page with answers: tap an option, or "Show answer", to see the correct option and a step-by-step explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "The Colonial Era in India" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from The Colonial Era in India (Class 8 Social Science)?+
The questions that matter most test Colonialism, Cartaz, Divide and rule, Battle of Plassey (1757), Doctrine of Lapse, Subsidiary alliance. This page shows 6 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 72 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for The Colonial Era in India?+
Yes — Class 8 Social Science The Colonial Era in India has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.
Are there question answers and extra questions for The Colonial Era in India (Class 8 Social Science)?+
Yes. This page has 6 solved questions on The Colonial Era in India, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Sign in to practise all 72 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.