Solved previous year question from the OPSC OAS/OCS 2023 Preliminary Examination (General Studies), with the official answer key and a detailed explanation.
Question
The British East India Company considered itself to be the paramount power in India after
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Answer & Explanation
Correct answer: (C) Defeating Bhonsale in 1818
- After the defeat of Peshwa Baji Rao II and the Maratha Confederacy (which included the Bhonsales of Nagpur) in the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818), the British East India Company emerged as the undisputed power in India. The victory led to the end of Maratha power and solidified British control over a large part of India, marking the point at which the Company considered itself the paramount power.
Other Options:
(A) Defeating Sindhia in 1803: While the defeat of Sindhia in 1803 (during the Second Anglo-Maratha War) gave the British an important foothold, the British did not yet see themselves as the unchallenged paramount power.
(B) Signing a treaty with Ranjit Singh in 1809: The treaty with Ranjit Singh in 1809 (the Treaty of Amritsar) was more about securing peace and preventing the Sikh Empire’s expansion into British territory. It didn’t mark the peak of British power in India.
(D) Suppressing the uprising of 1857: The British East India Company was replaced by direct British rule in 1858 after suppressing the uprising, but by then, they had already been the paramount power for several decades.
