It mandated that every new recruit had to agree to serve overseas if required.
Explanation
The General Service Enlistment Act was passed in 1856 during the tenure of Lord Canning. It is categorized as a significant military cause leading to the Revolt of 1857, as it directly affected the religious sentiments of the sepoys in the Bengal Army.
Detailed Analysis:
- Provision of the Act: The Act mandated that all future recruits to the Bengal Army must give an undertaking to serve anywhere their services might be required, whether within or outside India.
- Religious Conflict: At that time, crossing the seas (referred to as Kala Pani) was interpreted by high-caste Hindus as a violation of religious purity, leading to a loss of caste.
- Impact: The sepoys interpreted this regulation as a deliberate attempt by the British administration to defile their caste and religion. This deepened the distrust between the soldiers and the British officers.
- Incorrect Options:
- It allowed Indians to become officers in the army.: Indians were generally excluded from high-ranking officer positions; this act did not change that.
- It increased the salary of Indian sepoys.: The act did not address salary increases; in fact, issues regarding the withdrawal of the Foreign Service allowance (batta) were a separate source of grievance.
- It banned the use of caste marks in the army.: While the prohibition of caste marks was a grievance (notably in the Vellore Mutiny of 1806), it was not the subject of the General Service Enlistment Act of 1856.
Key Takeaway:
The General Service Enlistment Act (1856) made overseas deployment mandatory for new recruits, which antagonized sepoys by forcing them to cross the "Kala Pani," an act believed to result in the loss of caste.