Question

Who introduced the Doctrine of Lapse ?

• A. Lord Dalhousie
• B. Lord William Bentinck
• C. Lord Wellesley
• D. Lord Curzon

Hint:

Create a list matching important British Governor-Generals with the key policies they introduced. For example: Dalhousie $\rightarrow$ Doctrine of Lapse; Wellesley $\rightarrow$ Subsidiary Alliance; Bentinck $\rightarrow$ Abolition of Sati. This is a high-yield area for history questions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy followed by the British East India Company in India. It stated that if the ruler of a princely state under British suzerainty died without a natural heir, the state would be annexed by the British.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Doctrine of Lapse is most famously associated with Lord Dalhousie, who was the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. Although the policy existed before him, he implemented it vigorously to expand British territory in India. Several prominent states, including Satara (1848), Jaipur and Sambalpur (1849), Nagpur, and Jhansi (1853), were annexed under this doctrine. [4] This policy was one of the major political causes of the 1857 Revolt.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The policy was introduced and widely applied by Lord Dalhousie. Therefore, option (i) in the original image, which is option (A), is the correct answer.