During British rule in India, cultivators in Assam were persuaded or forced to grow which commercial crop on a large scale.

Introduction / Context:
This question concerns the economic history of colonial India, especially the transformation of agriculture under British rule. Different regions were pushed into cultivating specific commercial crops to serve imperial interests. Assam, in the north eastern part of India, became famous for plantations of a particular beverage crop. Knowing what crop the British promoted or forced cultivators to grow in Assam helps understand how colonial policies reshaped local economies and land use patterns.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The region mentioned is Assam in north eastern India. • The time frame is during British rule. • The question asks which commercial crop cultivators were persuaded or forced to grow. • Options include jute, tea, sugarcane, wheat, and cotton.

Concept / Approach:
The correct approach is to connect Assam with its world famous tea plantations. British planters realised that Assam climate and soil conditions were ideal for growing tea, and they developed large plantations using both local labour and migrant workers under harsh conditions. Jute was mainly grown in Bengal, sugarcane in several parts of the Gangetic plains, wheat in many regions including the Punjab, and cotton in central and western India. Therefore, the strong association of Assam with tea makes tea the obvious answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the region as Assam, known today as a leading producer of tea. Step 2: Recall that during colonial times, British planters cleared forests and developed large tea estates in Assam. Step 3: Cultivators and labourers were brought in or coerced to work on these estates, making tea cultivation a central feature of the colonial economy in the region. Step 4: Check each option. Jute is mainly associated with the Ganga Brahmaputra delta in Bengal, sugarcane with the plains, wheat with food grain cultivation, and cotton with Deccan and other areas. Step 5: Conclude that tea is the only crop that correctly fits the Assam context.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard chapters on colonial agriculture in history textbooks mention that Assam tea plantations were an important part of the British export strategy. They describe how land was appropriated and labour recruited under tough conditions. Many exam questions ask about tea gardens in Assam and the labour system there. Maps of agricultural production also show Assam as a key tea producing zone. None of the other listed crops have such a direct and strong connection with Assam under British rule.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Jute: Jute cultivation was concentrated in Bengal and parts of present day Bangladesh, not primarily in Assam. Sugarcane: This crop was grown in many regions, especially in the upper and lower Gangetic plains, but it was not the distinctive crop forced on Assam cultivators. Wheat: A staple food grain grown widely, including in North India and Punjab, but it was not the main plantation crop of Assam. Cotton: Cotton was an important cash crop in central and western India, particularly in the Deccan, but not the signature crop of Assam.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes tick jute because both jute and tea are linked to eastern India. However, jute is specifically associated with the riverine plains of Bengal, while tea plantations are the hallmark of Assam and parts of North East India. A simple mnemonic is to picture Assam as a region of tea gardens in the hills, and Bengal as flat delta lands with jute. Keeping such mental images reduces confusion during exams.

Final Answer:
During British rule, cultivators in Assam were persuaded or forced to grow tea on a large scale.