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The Revolt of 1857: Causes, Centres and Rajasthan's Role — REET Notes

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This page covers the causes of the Revolt of 1857, its main centres and leaders, the outcomes, and the uprising in Rajasthan — from Nasirabad to Auwa and Kota — from an exam angle. REET 2024 Level 2 carried 4 questions on this topic, and 2 of them were about Rajasthan directly.

  • 4 questions in REET 2024
  • Class 8 & teacher-training level
  • 12 min read
Verified 17 September 2026 · Source: NCERT Class 8 History (Our Pasts III) — Chapter 5: When People Revolt — 1857 and After

How REET asks about this topic

REET 2024 (Level 2) carried 4 questions on 1857: (1) a date — Mangal Pandey's uprising at Barrackpore (29 March 1857), with misleading options like 10 May and 8 April; (2) a nickname — 'the nursery of the Bengal Army' (Awadh); (3) Rajasthan — the Rawat of Kothariya who sheltered Nana Saheb; (4) matching — the rulers of Rajasthan's princely states at the time of 1857. It's clear that REET pairs national-event dates with Rajasthan's own 1857 (cantonments, thikanas, rulers), so both sides need attention.

Causes of the revolt

Political causes: Lord Dalhousie's policy of the 'Doctrine of Lapse' led to several princely states — Jhansi, Satara and Nagpur among them — being annexed into British territory. In 1856, Awadh was annexed on the charge of 'misgovernance'. NCERT's Class 8 textbook notes that removing the Mughal emperor's name from coins and asking his successors to vacate the Red Fort also added to the resentment.

Military causes: Indian sepoys faced discrimination in pay, allowances and promotion. Most sepoys of the Bengal Army came from Awadh and its surrounding rural areas, which is why Awadh was called 'the nursery of the Bengal Army' — the annexation of Awadh and the heavy land revenue on farmers directly affected the sepoys' own families.

Economic and social causes: heavy land revenue, the decline of craftsmen and artisans, zamindars and taluqdars losing their lands, and fears of interference in religion and custom. The immediate cause: the new Enfield rifle's cartridges, which were rumoured to be greased with cow and pig fat and had to be bitten open with the teeth.

Timeline and major centres

Centre / eventLeader / fact
Barrackpore — 29 March 1857Mangal Pandey (34th Bengal Native Infantry) attacked British officers; hanged on 8 April 1857.
Meerut — 10 May 1857Sepoys revolted, killed officers and marched toward Delhi; the wider uprising began here.
Delhi — 11 May 1857The sepoys declared Bahadur Shah Zafar their leader; the British recaptured Delhi in September 1857 and exiled Bahadur Shah to Rangoon.
KanpurNana Saheb (adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II); supported by Tatya Tope.
Lucknow (Awadh)Begum Hazrat Mahal, who declared her son Birjis Qadr the Nawab.
JhansiRani Lakshmibai; fought on with Tatya Tope up to Gwalior, died in battle in June 1858.
Arrah / Jagdishpur (Bihar)Kunwar Singh
FaizabadMaulvi Ahmadullah Shah
BareillyKhan Bahadur Khan

The Governor-General at the time was Lord Canning.[Source 1]

1857 in Rajasthan: key events

Place / dateWhat happened
BackgroundThe Agent to the Governor-General (AGG) for Rajputana was George Patrick Lawrence. The main military cantonments: Nasirabad, Neemuch, Deoli, Beawar, Erinpura, Kherwara.
Nasirabad — 28 May 1857The revolt in Rajasthan began here; the sepoys rose up and marched toward Delhi.
Neemuch — 3 June 1857The cantonment's sepoys revolted.
Erinpura — 21 August 1857Soldiers of the Jodhpur Legion revolted and joined Thakur Kushal Singh of Auwa.
Bithora — 8 September 1857Kushal Singh's forces defeated the Jodhpur state army.
Chelawas — 18 September 1857The rebels defeated the British force; Jodhpur's Political Agent Mock Mason was killed and his head was hung at the gate of Auwa fort.
Kota — 15 October 1857Kota's army revolted; Political Agent Major Burton was killed; the uprising was led by Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan. The British regained control of Kota in March 1858.
Tatya TopeActive in Rajputana in 1858–59; Tonk's forces joined him; hanged at Shivpuri (Sipri) on 18 April 1859.
Kushal Singh of AuwaLater gave up the fight and surrendered to the British at Neemuch on 8 August 1860. The British took the idol of Auwa's kuldevi, Sugali Mata, to Ajmer.

Dates follow standard Rajasthan history references.

Rajasthan: rulers, thikanas and people

Rulers of the princely states in 1857
Bikaner — Sardar Singh; Jodhpur — Takht Singh; Pratapgarh — Dalpat Singh; Jhalawar — Prithvi Singh (a REET 2024 question).
Stance of the princely states
Most ruling princes remained loyal to the British; Sardar Singh of Bikaner gave the British military help. Opposition came mainly from sepoys, thikanedars and the general public.
Kothariya (Mewar)
Rawat Jodh Singh sided with the rebels; per REET 2024's answer key, Nana Saheb was sheltered by the Rawat of Kothariya (the question booklet printed the name as 'Jyot Singh').
Salumbar (Mewar)
Rawat Kesari Singh supported the rebels.
Amarchand Banthia
A merchant at Gwalior; gave financial support to the rebels and is regarded as the first Rajasthani to be hanged.

Outcomes and character of the revolt

The Government of India Act, 1858 ended East India Company rule, and India came directly under the British Crown; the Governor-General also began to be called 'Viceroy'. In the proclamation of 1 November 1858, Queen Victoria assured Indian princes that their states would not be annexed. The proportion of Indian sepoys in the army was reduced, and recruitment shifted away from Awadh, Bihar and similar regions toward other areas.

Opinion is divided on its character: British writers called it the 'Sepoy Mutiny', while V.D. Savarkar, in his book, called it 'India's First War of Independence'. Exams often ask who called it what, so remember this pairing.

How to teach this to children

Classroom activity (Class 8)

'Discovering local history': divide children into groups and have them make short story-boards on Nasirabad, Auwa, Kota and Kothariya — who, when, why. This links the national event to Rajasthan's own local context.

Teaching aids

An outline map of India and Rajasthan marking the centres of revolt and the cantonments; an arrow from Meerut to Delhi; a timeline chart of events.

Common misconceptions

(1) Thinking 1857 began with Meerut on 10 May and forgetting Mangal Pandey's action — the Barrackpore incident came earlier (29 March). (2) Assuming all of Rajasthan's rulers stood against the British — most rulers stayed loyal; opposition came from thikanedars and sepoys. (3) Seeing it as only a military event.

Assessment idea

A timeline-sequencing activity, plus a thought question: 'Why did thikanedars like Kushal Singh stand against the British even though their own ruler sided with them?'

Memory trick / exam tip

Order of dates: 'Barrackpore (29 March) → Meerut (10 May) → Delhi (11 May) → Nasirabad (28 May) → Neemuch (3 June)'. For Rajasthan, remember 'Na-Nee-E' (Nasirabad–Neemuch–Erinpura), and the Auwa battles 'Bi-Che' (Bithora 8 September, Chelawas 18 September). When a question gives two close dates, identify the place of the event first.

Questions asked in REET 2024 (solved)

Question 109

Who gave shelter to Peshwa Nana Saheb and his family in Rajasthan during the Revolution of 1857 ?

  1. Aआउवा के ठाकुर कुशाल सिंह
  2. Bकोठारिया के रावत ज्योत सिंह
  3. Cभरतपुर के महाराजा तख्त सिंह
  4. Dउदयपुर के महाराणा स्वरूप सिंह

Explanation

1857 की क्रांति के दौरान मेवाड़ के कोठारिया ठिकाने के रावत ने क्रांतिकारियों की सहायता की और पेशवा नाना साहब को शरण दी – ऐसा राजस्थान इतिहास की पुस्तकों में बताया जाता है। अधिकांश पुस्तकों में उनका नाम 'रावत जोधसिंह' मिलता है; प्रश्न-पुस्तिका में 'ज्योत सिंह' छपा है। आउवा के ठाकुर कुशाल सिंह ने मारवाड़ में अंग्रेजों के विरुद्ध संघर्ष का नेतृत्व किया था। उत्तर कुंजी के अनुसार सही उत्तर (B) है।

Question 120

When did Mangal Pandey revolt in Barrackpur ?

  1. A28 मई 1857
  2. B10 मई 1857
  3. C29 मार्च 1857
  4. D8 अप्रैल 1857

Explanation

मंगल पाण्डे (34वीं बंगाल नेटिव इन्फैंट्री) ने 29 मार्च 1857 को बैरकपुर छावनी में अंग्रेज अधिकारियों पर हमला कर विद्रोह किया; 8 अप्रैल 1857 को उन्हें फाँसी दी गई। 10 मई 1857 को मेरठ से क्रांति का व्यापक आरम्भ हुआ था, इसलिए वे विकल्प भ्रम पैदा करते हैं।

Question 110

Which place was called the “Nursery of Bengal Army” during the British rule ?

  1. Aअवध
  2. Bदिल्ली
  3. Cकलकत्ता
  4. Dमद्रास

Explanation

ब्रिटिश शासनकाल में अवध को ‘बंगाल आर्मी की पौधशाला’ (Nursery of Bengal Army) कहा जाता था, क्योंकि बंगाल सेना के अधिकांश सिपाही अवध और पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश के ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों से भर्ती होते थे। 1856 में अवध के विलय से इन सिपाहियों में असंतोष बढ़ा, जो 1857 के विद्रोह का एक कारण बना।

Question 118

Which pair is not correctly match ? Princely State – The Princely ruler at the time of the 1857 revolution

  1. Aबीकानेर – सरदार सिंह
  2. Bजोधपुर – तख्त सिंह
  3. Cप्रतापगढ़ – दलपत सिंह
  4. Dझालावाड़ – उदय सिंह

Explanation

1857 की क्रांति के समय बीकानेर के शासक सरदार सिंह, जोधपुर के तख्त सिंह तथा प्रतापगढ़ के दलपत सिंह थे, अतः ये युग्म सही हैं। उस समय झालावाड़ के शासक पृथ्वी सिंह थे, उदय सिंह नहीं; इसलिए युग्म (D) सुमेलित नहीं है।

Practice questions

Question 1

In which cantonment did the Revolt of 1857 begin in Rajasthan?

  1. Aनीमच
  2. Bएरिनपुरा
  3. Cनसीराबाद
  4. Dदेवली

Explanation

Rajasthan's revolt began at the Nasirabad cantonment on 28 May 1857. Neemuch rose on 3 June and Erinpura on 21 August 1857.

Question 2

Who was the AGG of Rajputana during the Revolt of 1857?

  1. Aमेजर बर्टन
  2. Bजॉर्ज पैट्रिक लॉरेन्स
  3. Cमॉक मेसन
  4. Dलॉर्ड कैनिंग

Explanation

George Patrick Lawrence was the AGG for Rajputana. Major Burton was the Political Agent at Kota and Mock Mason at Jodhpur, while Lord Canning was the Governor-General.

Question 3

Which British officer was killed in the Battle of Chelawas (18 September 1857)?

  1. Aमॉक मेसन
  2. Bमेजर बर्टन
  3. Cजॉर्ज लॉरेन्स
  4. Dलेफ्टिनेंट हीथकोट

Explanation

At Chelawas, Jodhpur's Political Agent Mock Mason was killed and his head was hung at the gate of Auwa fort. Major Burton was killed at Kota.

Question 4

Who led the 1857 uprising at Kota?

  1. Aकुशाल सिंह और रावत जोधसिंह
  2. Bजयदयाल और मेहराब खान
  3. Cतात्या टोपे और राव साहब
  4. Dअमरचंद बाँठिया और केसरी सिंह

Explanation

The Kota uprising on 15 October 1857 was led by Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan, in which Major Burton was killed. Both leaders were later hanged.

Question 5

Under which policy of Lord Dalhousie was Jhansi annexed?

  1. Aसहायक संधि
  2. Bव्यपगत का सिद्धांत
  3. Cस्थायी बंदोबस्त
  4. Dरैयतवाड़ी व्यवस्था

Explanation

Under the Doctrine of Lapse, a state without a natural heir was annexed; Jhansi, Satara and Nagpur were annexed this way. The Permanent Settlement and Ryotwari were land revenue systems, not annexation policies.

Question 6

What is the correct chronological order? 1. Nasirabad revolt 2. Mangal Pandey incident 3. Meerut revolt 4. Erinpura revolt

  1. A2, 3, 1, 4
  2. B3, 2, 1, 4
  3. C2, 1, 3, 4
  4. D1, 2, 3, 4

Explanation

Mangal Pandey's incident was on 29 March, Meerut on 10 May, Nasirabad on 28 May and Erinpura on 21 August 1857. So the correct order is 2, 3, 1, 4.

Question 7

By which Act did the British Crown take direct control of India's government after 1857?

  1. Aरेगुलेटिंग एक्ट 1773
  2. Bचार्टर एक्ट 1853
  3. Cभारत शासन अधिनियम 1858
  4. Dभारतीय परिषद अधिनियम 1861

Explanation

The Government of India Act, 1858 ended East India Company rule and began direct Crown rule. Queen Victoria's proclamation followed on 1 November 1858.

Question 8

To which region did Thakur Kushal Singh of Auwa belong during the Revolt of 1857?

  1. Aमेवाड़
  2. Bहाड़ौती
  3. Cमारवाड़
  4. Dशेखावाटी

Explanation

Auwa was a thikana of Marwar (Jodhpur state), in present-day Pali district. Kushal Singh joined the rebel soldiers of the Erinpura Legion to oppose the British.

Question 9

While teaching 1857 in Class 8, what is the most suitable way to connect events in Rajasthan?

  1. Aकेवल राष्ट्रीय नेताओं के नाम रटवाना
  2. Bराजस्थान के मानचित्र पर छावनियाँ व ठिकाने चिह्नित कर स्थानीय घटनाओं की समय-रेखा बनवाना
  3. Cराजस्थान की घटनाओं को पाठ से बाहर मानकर छोड़ देना
  4. Dकेवल प्रश्नोत्तर लिखवाना

Explanation

A map and timeline let children grasp both place and sequence, and connect national history to local context. Rote learning does not build conceptual understanding.

Question 10

A student says, 'In 1857 all the rulers of Rajasthan fought against the British.' What should the teacher do to correct this misconception?

  1. Aछात्र की बात को सही मान लेना
  2. Bसाक्ष्य देकर चर्चा कराना कि अधिकांश शासक अंग्रेजों के साथ रहे, जबकि आउवा जैसे ठिकानों और सिपाहियों ने विरोध किया
  3. Cविषय बदल देना
  4. Dछात्र को गलत कहकर अंक काट देना

Explanation

Removing a misconception works best through evidence-based discussion: rulers like Sardar Singh of Bikaner sided with the British, while thikanedars like Kushal Singh opposed them — this helps children see the complexity of history.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions come from the Revolt of 1857 in REET?+

There's no fixed number. In REET 2024 Level 2, 4 questions came from this topic across the shifts, 2 of which were about 1857 in Rajasthan.

Where did the Revolt of 1857 begin in Rajasthan?+

At the Nasirabad cantonment, on 28 May 1857. This was followed by the uprising at Neemuch on 3 June 1857.

Why is Thakur Kushal Singh of Auwa famous?+

He joined forces with the rebel soldiers of the Erinpura Legion in Marwar and defeated the British and Jodhpur forces at Bithora (8 September 1857) and Chelawas (18 September 1857); Mock Mason was killed at Chelawas.

Why was Awadh called 'the nursery of the Bengal Army'?+

Because most of the Bengal Army's sepoys were recruited from Awadh's own rural areas.

What changed in India's administration after 1857?+

The Government of India Act, 1858 ended Company rule, and India came under the direct rule of the British Crown.

Read next

British Rule and Its Impact

Previous topic: Company policies and their effects.

National Movement 1885–1947

Next topic: from the founding of Congress to independence.

REET Syllabus

The complete official syllabus for Level 1 and Level 2.

REET 2024 Solved Paper

Questions from every shift, official answers and explanations.

Rajasthan General Knowledge

History, princely states and the freedom struggle of Rajasthan.

Official Sources

  1. NCERT Class 8 History (Our Pasts III) — Chapter 5: When People Revolt — 1857 and After
  2. Wikipedia — Kushal Singh of Auwa
  3. Wikipedia — Tatya Tope

Change Log

  • 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked