Q1. [4]
The first cotton mill in Bombay came up in 1854 and it went into production two years later. By 1862, four mills were at work with 94,000 spindles and 2,150 looms. Around the same time, jute mills came up in Bengal, the first being set up in 1855 and another one seven years later, in 1862. In north India, the Elgin Mill was started in Kanpur in the 1860s, and a year later the first cotton mill of Ahmedabad was set up. By 1874, the first spinning and weaving mill of Madras began production.
Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow :
- (34.1) When was the first cotton mill set up in India ? [1]
- (34.2) Name any two early industrialists of India. [1]
- (34.3) How did many Indian entrepreneurs survive despite tight economic controls imposed by the British Government ? Explain. [2]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2023 32/5/1 Q34
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:06 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
(34.1) The first cotton mill in India was set up in Bombay in 1854 (it went into production in 1856).
(34.2) Two early industrialists of India: Dwarkanath Tagore (Bengal) and Dinshaw Petit (Bombay).
(34.3) Many Indian entrepreneurs survived British economic controls through the following ways:
- They avoided direct competition with British goods by producing items not manufactured by British mills.
- They focused on internal trade and money-lending, which gave them capital to invest in industries.
- Some industrialists built close networks with local suppliers and markets, reducing dependence on British firms.
- They reinvested profits carefully and relied on family and community-based financing to sustain their businesses.
Source: The Age of Industrialisation, Chapter 4 (Class 10 History)
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Explanation
- (34.1) is directly from the passage — 1854, Bombay. Don't confuse with 1856 (when production started).
- (34.2) The passage does NOT name industrialists, so draw from textbook knowledge. Dwarkanath Tagore, Dinshaw Petit, Jamsetji Tata, and G.D. Birla are standard CBSE examples — name any two.
- (34.3) This is a 2-mark inference/knowledge question. The passage provides context; the answer requires textbook knowledge about survival strategies. Examiners expect 2–3 clear points. Avoid vague statements — be specific (e.g., avoided competition, community financing, internal trade).
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