In British India, in which year was the Caste Disabilities Removal Act passed to address caste based disabilities and protect property rights after religious conversion?

Introduction / Context:

This question relates to social reform legislation in British India. The Caste Disabilities Removal Act was a significant nineteenth century law which aimed to protect the civil and property rights of individuals who changed religion or were excommunicated from their caste. Knowing the year in which this Act was passed is important for students of modern Indian history and for candidates preparing for competitive exams that include questions on social and legal reforms.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The Act is specifically called the Caste Disabilities Removal Act.
• The question asks for the year in which it was passed.
• Options cover a range of years in the mid nineteenth century.
• We assume that the learner knows or can recall that the Act is frequently referred to along with other reforms of the 1850s.

Concept / Approach:

The primary concept tested is historical recall. The Act is officially known as the Caste Disabilities Removal Act, 1850. It was enacted by the Governor General of India in Council and is also cited as Act XXI of 1850. The approach is to match this known information with the options. Recognising that the title itself usually contains the year helps fix it in memory.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative Check:

For verification, one can cross check by recalling other reforms of around the same period. The Act is often mentioned in discussions of early social reform under East India Company rule and is cited in legal commentaries as being enacted on 11 April 1850. No major source associates it with the other years given in the options. This alignment across history notes and legal references confirms that the correct answer is 1850.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option A, 1840, is too early and belongs to an earlier phase of colonial legislation before this particular property related reform was introduced.

Option C, 1860, corresponds to a later decade, more associated with post Revolt codifications such as the Indian Penal Code rather than this Act.

Option D, 1863, is again a later date and not connected to the naming of the Caste Disabilities Removal Act.

Option E, 1876, belongs to an even later period when different types of Acts, including social and economic laws, were being passed, but not this one.

Common Pitfalls:

Candidates may confuse this Act with other social legislation such as laws related to widow remarriage or age of consent, which were passed in different years. Another common error is not paying attention to the pattern that many Acts include the year directly in the title. To avoid mistakes, learners should make a short list of key nineteenth century reforms with their exact years and revise them together so that each one is clearly associated with its correct date.

Final Answer:

The Caste Disabilities Removal Act was passed in the year 1850.