Question

The Ethnographic Survey of India as part of the Census 1901 was conducted to __________________________.

• A. Mitigate the racial and cultural issues faced by the British
• B. Make suitable legislations for Indian subjects
• C. Protect the primitive beliefs and usages of Indians
• D. Take executive action (welfare and development)

Hint:

Link “1901 Census + Risley” with \textbf{classification for colonial administration}, not welfare or legal reform.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Historical aim. The 1901 Census (under H.\,H. Risley) launched an Ethnographic Survey to classify India’s castes/tribes and record customs so the colonial state could understand and manage racial–cultural differences in administration $\Rightarrow$ (A).
Step 2: Eliminate distractors. (B) Legislation could be informed by data but was not the stated purpose. (C) “Protect primitive beliefs” reflects a preservationist stance, not the administrative rationale. (D) Welfare/development actions were not the census objective.
Hence, the correct option is \fbox{(A)}.