Lord Lytton was selected as Viceroy of India in order to fulfil the ambitious imperial plans of British Prime Minister Disraeli in which region?

Introduction / Context:
This question concerns the foreign policy aims of the British Empire during the late nineteenth century, especially under Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, and the role played by Lord Lytton as Viceroy of India. The period is closely connected with the so called Great Game between Britain and Russia for influence in Central Asia, in which Afghanistan played a strategic role as a buffer state between Russian expansion and British India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Benjamin Disraeli was the British Prime Minister.
• Lord Lytton was appointed as Viceroy of India during Disraeli's tenure.
• The phrase "ambitious plans" refers to imperial foreign policy objectives.
• The question asks in which region these plans were mainly to be fulfilled.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall the strategic concerns of Disraeli's government. Disraeli adopted a forward policy aimed at checking Russian influence in Central Asia. Afghanistan, lying between Russian territories and British India, became a key theatre. Lytton was sent to India with instructions that included a more aggressive stance towards Afghanistan, leading ultimately to the Second Anglo Afghan War. The other listed regions like Oudh, Bengal and Burma had their own administrative issues, but they were not the focus of Disraeli's specific Great Game strategy at this time.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the time period: Lord Lytton served as Viceroy from 1876 to 1880 under Disraeli's Conservative government. Step 2: Recall that British policy then was concerned with Russian expansion towards Central Asia. Step 3: Afghanistan, located between Russian controlled territories and British India, was central to this strategic contest. Step 4: Lytton carried out a forward policy that led to the Second Anglo Afghan War (1878–1880). Step 5: Therefore, the region in which Disraeli's ambitious plans were to be fulfilled was Afghanistan.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical accounts consistently highlight Lytton's aggressive foreign policy toward Afghanistan, including the demand for a British envoy in Kabul and subsequent military campaigns. There is no similar association of Lytton's viceroyalty with special initiatives in Oudh, Bengal or Burma that match the phrase "ambitious plans of Disraeli". This confirms Afghanistan as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Oudh: Issues like annexation and administrative reorganisation of Oudh arose earlier under different regimes, not specifically as part of Disraeli's grand strategy through Lytton.
Bengal: While Bengal was an important province, Lytton is not particularly remembered for a major strategic initiative there in connection with Disraeli's foreign policy objectives.
Burma: Expansion into Burma did occur in the nineteenth century, but the major campaigns occurred under different viceroys and were not central to Disraeli's Central Asian strategy in this period.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to associate any viceroy with internal administrative regions like Bengal or Oudh, without considering the foreign policy context. Another error is to overlook the importance of the Great Game and the Second Anglo Afghan War when thinking about Lytton. Keeping the link between Disraeli, Lytton and Afghanistan clearly in mind helps avoid such confusion in exam questions.

Final Answer:
Lord Lytton was selected as Viceroy of India to carry out Disraeli's ambitious plans in Afghanistan.