Consider the following statements : 1. ' The Indian cities like Dacca, Murshidabad and Surat were known, all over the world as centers of trade and industry in the pre-colonial period. 2. Such centers of trade and industry went down in the face of foreign competition in the colonial period. 3. Indian artisans, manufacturers and weavers were provided alternative employment by the British Indian government after the decline of these centers of trade. Which of the statements given above is/are not correct ?

Statement 1 is correct as cities like Dacca, Murshidabad, and Surat were globally renowned centers of trade and industry in the pre-colonial era, with Indian textiles dominating international markets [1]. Statement 2 is also correct; these centers declined during the colonial period due to competition from cheaper British machine-made goods and discriminatory tariff policies [2]. Statement 3 is incorrect because the British Indian government did not provide alternative employment for displaced artisans. Instead, the collapse of traditional handicraft industries led to 'de-industrialization,' forcing ruined artisans and weavers to migrate to rural areas and crowd into agriculture as tenants or laborers. This shift increased the pressure on land and contributed to rural poverty. Since the question asks for the statement that is 'not correct,' statement 3 only is the right choice.

Sources

1. [1] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Age of Industrialisation > 3.1 The Age of Indian Textiles > p. 89
2. [2] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Colonial Era in India > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 100