NCERT Class 12 History — Chapter 1: Colonialism and the Countryside - Exploring Official Archives

mcqeasy

Within the administrative framework of the Permanent Settlement in British India, the term Amlah was used to denote which of the following officials?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

AThe police official in charge of the district.
BThe British official who surveyed the land.
CThe village headman who represented the ryots.
DAn officer of the zamindar who collected rent.

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is An officer of the zamindar who collected rent.

Explanation

The Permanent Settlement (1793) in Bengal recognized Zamindars as the proprietors of the land, tasked with collecting rent from the peasants (ryots) and paying a fixed revenue to the East India Company. To manage the collection of rent from the villages, Zamindars employed specific agents.

Anal

The Amlah was an officer or agent of the Zamindar who would visit the villages to collect rent from the ryots.
Rent collection was a complex process, often hindered by bad harvests, low prices, or resistance from ryots. The Amlah represented the Zamindar's authority on the ground but often faced opposition from village headmen (Jotedars or Mandals) and the peasantry.
The British officials were involved in the overarching administration and revenue assessment, not the direct collection of rent from individual ryots in the Zamindari areas.

Key Takeaway: In the context of the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, the Amlah was the rent-collecting official employed by the Zamindar.

Your note

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Why were the Jotedars more effective than Zamindars in exercising power over the villagers in Bengal? 1. Jotedars lived in the villages and exercised direct control. 2. Zamindars lived in the villages alongside the peasantry. 3. They exercised immense power over their sharecroppers. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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With reference to the "Sunset Law", consider the following statements: 1. It was applicable to the Ryotwari System in the Deccan. 2. It mandated the auction of zamindari estates if revenue was not paid by a specific time. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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In the context of the colonial revenue administration in Bengal, what did the "Sunset Law" imply?

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The correct option is An officer of the zamindar who collected rent.

Explanation

Anal

The Amlah was an officer or agent of the Zamindar who would visit the villages to collect rent from the ryots.
Rent collection was a complex process, often hindered by bad harvests, low prices, or resistance from ryots. The Amlah represented the Zamindar's authority on the ground but often faced opposition from village headmen (Jotedars or Mandals) and the peasantry.
The British officials were involved in the overarching administration and revenue assessment, not the direct collection of rent from individual ryots in the Zamindari areas.

Key Takeaway: In the context of the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, the Amlah was the rent-collecting official employed by the Zamindar.