Which one of the following statements about the British Indian Medical Service (IMS) is not correct ?
- A.IMS began in 1764.
- B.It recruited health professionals by means of a competitive examination.
- C.Indians were never admitted to IMS.
- D.The IMS was at first meant to look after the troops.
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Indians were never admitted to IMS. This is false: Indians entered the service through its open examination from the 1850s.
The medical service of the East India Company began in Bengal in 1764, and the separate presidency services were later joined into a single Indian Medical Service in 1896. From 1855 entry was by an open competitive examination held in London, which made it possible, though difficult, for Indians to compete. In 1855 Soorjo Coomar Goodeve Chuckerbutty became the first Indian to join the IMS. By the twentieth century Indians formed a growing share of its officers. The service existed mainly for the army, though many officers also ran civil hospitals, medical colleges and public health work.
A is correct: the service traces its start to the Bengal Medical Service of 1764. B is correct: recruitment was by competitive examination. D is correct: it was first created to care for the Company's troops.
Exam tip: IMS began 1764, unified 1896, open exam from 1855; first Indian member Goodeve Chuckerbutty.
Practice Questions
View allEconomically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the
- A.increase in the export of Indian handicrafts
- B.growth in the number of Indian owned factories
- C.commercialization of Indian agriculture
- D.rapid increase in the urban population
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British rule pushed Indian farmers to grow crops for sale and export rather than for their own food. Heavy land revenue had to be paid in cash, so peasants turned to cash crops such as indigo, cotton, jute, opium, tea and sugarcane, which fed British industry and trade.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following freedom fighters:
1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
3. Rash Behari Bose
Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?
- A.1 and 2
- B.2 only
- C.1 and 3
- D.3 only
Show answer
Of the three, only Rash Behari Bose worked actively with the Ghadar Party. The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 at San Francisco by Indians in North America, with Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna among its leaders.
Read the full explanation →Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?
- A.The Poona Pact
- B.The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
- C.Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
- D.Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935
Show answer
After the Poona Pact of September 1932, Gandhi made the upliftment of the Harijans a central part of his work.
Read the full explanation →In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to:
- A.Clothing
- B.Coins
- C.Ornaments
- D.Weapons
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The fanam was a small gold (and later silver) coin used widely in South India in medieval times. The word comes from the Tamil 'panam', meaning money.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following pairs:
(Party : Its Leader)
1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh : Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
2. Socialist Party : C. Rajagopalachari
3. Congress for Democracy : Jagjivan Ram
4. Swatantra Party : Acharya Narendra Dev
How many of the above are correctly matched?
- A.Only one
- B.Only two
- C.Only three
- D.All four
Show answer
Pairs 1 and 3 are correct; the leaders in pairs 2 and 4 have been swapped. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951.
Read the full explanation →