1. Historical Background:
    • 1765: Goalpara district came under British rule following the transfer of Deewani from the Mughal Emperor.
    • 1822: Dhubri, Nageswari, Goalpara, and Karaibari placed under “North-Eastern Parts of Rangpur,” due to tribal influences.
    • 1824: First Anglo-Burmese War began. British occupied Guwahati by March 28. Raja of Darrang and petty chieftains submitted to British rule.
    • 1825: Burmese retreat from Rangpur; Brahmaputra Valley largely fell under British control.
    • 1828: Kachari kingdom annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse after King Govinda Chandra’s death.
    • 1832: Khasi king surrendered, leading to increased British influence over Jaintia rulers.
    • 1833: Upper Assam made a British protectorate under Ahom ruler Purandhar Singha.
    • 1838: Upper Assam formally annexed by the British.
    • 1839: Annexation of Maran/Matak territory completed British control of Assam.
  2. Economic and Administrative Developments:
    • Assam included in the Bengal Presidency.
    • 1837: Successful tea manufacture and 1839: establishment of Assam Company.
    • 1838 Wasteland Rules: Hindered native-owned plantations.
    • 1854: Liberalization led to a land rush.
    • 1843: Chinese staff in tea plantations left Assam; local Bodo-Kachari laborers took over.
    • 1859: Central Indian laborers imported under exploitative contracts, akin to indentured servitude.
    • 1874: Assam separated from Bengal Presidency, Sylhet added, status upgraded to Chief Commissioner’s Province (North-East Frontier non-regulation province); capital at Shillong.
    • Assamese reinstated as official language alongside Bengali.
  3. Political Movements and Resistance:
    • Patharughat uprising (1894): Peasants protested against opium monopoly and usurious money lenders, leading to violent repression.
    • 1903: Formation of Assam Association; Manik Chandra Baruah appointed as first secretary.
    • 1905: Partition of Bengal merged East Bengal and Assam under a Lt. Governor, capital at Dhaka.
    • 1911: Partition annulled after widespread protests, supported by Indian National Congress.
    • Post-1911: Assam reverted to Chief Commissioner’s Province with a Legislative Council (25 members, 13 nominated, 12 elected).
    • 1935: Under the Government of India Act, Council expanded to 108 members.
  4. Zamindari System in Assam:
    • 1793: Lord Cornwallis introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa; extended to Tamil Nadu, Benaras, and parts of Assam (Goalpara and Sylhet).
    • Zamindars (proprietors) held permanently settled estates; tenants included Patni (subletting landlords) and Mirasdar (middlemen in temporary settled estates).
    • Sylhet’s Estate Classifications:
      • Permanently settled Waste Land Grants
      • Dassana
      • Illam Daimi
      • Halabadi
    • Temporary settled estates in Sylhet:
      • Illam (sublet to cultivators or middlemen)
      • Nankar Patwarigeeri
    • 1860-66: “Thakbast” Revenue Survey in Sylhet demarcated estate boundaries.
    • 1876: Illam Settlement Rules for resettlement and revenue reassessment.
  5. Key Takeaways for APSC:
    • Colonialism and Economic Exploitation: The British administration in Assam was driven by economic interests like tea, oil, and coal.
    • Peasant Unrest: Patharughat uprising highlights resistance against colonial economic policies.
    • Administrative Evolution: From Bengal Presidency to Chief Commissioner’s Province to a Legislative Assembly, Assam’s administrative landscape evolved significantly.
    • Zamindari System: Though similar to Bengal, Assam’s land tenure systems, especially in Sylhet, had unique local terms and practices.
    • Impact on Society: The forced migration and exploitation of labor for plantations shaped Assam’s demographic and socio-economic landscape.

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