NCERT History Class 9 Chapter 5 | Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life Notes & PDF

Topic & sub-topics covered: Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life and MCQs Questions: Pastoralists in the Modern World (All single detail notes are exam-oriented).

We have discussed in-depth and exam-oriented pointers that can be asked in the board exam of class 9th about the “Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life” from the NCERT History notes for class 9th chapter 5th “Pastoralists in the Modern World“.

Download the NCERT History for Class 9th Chapter 5 Pastoralists in the Modern World Notes PDF

Ace your Class 9 History revision with crisp, exam-oriented notes for Chapter 5, Pastoralists in the Modern World. This Pastoralists in the Modern World Notes PDF explains who pastoral nomads are and why mobility sustains their herds, economies, and culture. It covers core topics with clarity: Pastoral Nomads and their Movements; In the Mountains (Gujjar Bakarwals); On the Plateaus (Dhangars); In the Plains (Gollas, Kurumas, Kurubas); Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life; Waste Land Rules; Forest Acts and Grazing Tax; Criminal Tribes Act; How Did the Pastoralists Cope?; and Pastoralism in Africa (Maasai).

You’ll get timelines, key terms, map cues, and previous-year style questions to lock concepts fast. Designed for quick last-minute review and deeper understanding, these notes highlight cause-effect links, policy impacts, and livelihood changes under colonialism. Download the NCERT History Class 9 Chapter 5 Notes PDF and study smarter – focused coverage, clean language, and everything you need for tests, assignments, quizzes, viva, projects, and board-level preparation.

Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life

1. Shrinking Pastoral Resources:

• Under colonial rule, grazing grounds shrank, pastoralists’ movements were regulated, and revenue demands increased.
• Their agricultural stock declined and trades/crafts were badly affected.

2. Waste Land Rules and Decline of Pastures:

• The colonial state wanted to convert grazing lands into cultivated farms to increase land revenue.
• More cultivation meant more jute, cotton, wheat, and other crops required by England.
• Colonial officials viewed uncultivated land as “waste land”, which they believed produced no revenue.
• From the mid-19th century, Waste Land Rules were introduced.
• Uncultivated lands were taken over by the government and given to select individuals with concessions.
• Some individuals became headmen in newly cleared villages.
• These lands were often grazing tracts used by pastoralists, so cultivation led to the decline of pastures.

3. Forest Acts and Restrictions on Pastoralists:

• From the mid-19th century, various Forest Acts were passed.
• Forests producing valuable timber like deodar and sal were declared ‘Reserved’ – no grazing allowed.
• Some were marked ‘Protected’ forests, where limited customary grazing rights were granted but movements restricted.
• Colonial officials believed grazing destroyed saplings and shoots, preventing forest regeneration.
• Pastoralists needed permits to enter forests. Permits:
  a. Specified timing of entry and exit.
  b. Limited number of days they could stay.
• They had to move even if ample forage was available.
• Overstaying meant fines.

4. Criminal Tribes Act, 1871:

• British officials distrusted nomadic people – pastoralists, traders, and mobile craftsmen.
• Colonial rulers preferred a settled population, easier to tax and control.
• Nomadic groups were labelled “criminal by nature and birth.”
• In 1871, the Criminal Tribes Act was passed:
  a. Many pastoralist and trading communities were declared Criminal Tribes.
  b. They were forced to live only in notified settlements.
  c. They couldn’t move without a permit.
  d. Village police kept constant watch on them.

5. Imposition of Grazing Tax:

• To raise more revenue, the colonial state imposed multiple taxes (on land, canal water, salt, trade goods, and animals).
• Pastoralists had to pay tax on every animal grazed on pastures.
• Mid-19th century – grazing tax introduced across India.
• Between 1850s–1880s, the right to collect grazing tax was auctioned to contractors.
• Contractors imposed heavy taxes to recover money and earn profits.
• By the 1880s, the government started direct tax collection.
• Pastoralists were given a pass:
  a. To enter grazing tracts, they had to show the pass and pay tax.
  b. Number of cattle and tax paid was recorded on the pass.

How Did these Changes Affect the Lives of Pastoralists?

1. Shortage of Pastures:

• Grazing lands were taken over for cultivation.
• Forest reservation restricted free access to grazing.
• Result – overall decline in available pastureland.

2. Intensive Grazing Pressure:

• With less land available, animals had to feed on limited pastures.
• Continuous grazing damaged grasslands further.

3. Disruption of Nomadic Movements:

• Earlier, pastoralists moved seasonally, allowing vegetation to regenerate.
• Restrictions on mobility led to overuse of the same grazing areas.

4. Decline in Pasture Quality:

• Overgrazing reduced fertility of grasslands.
• Vegetation growth was not given recovery time.

5. Impact on Animal Stock:

• Shortage of forage weakened cattle.
• Underfed cattle became vulnerable to disease and death.

6. Famines and Scarcities:

• During famines, shortage of fodder worsened.
• Large numbers of animals died – severe loss for pastoralists.

How Did the Pastoralists Cope with these Changes?

1. Reduction in Herd Size:

• Many pastoralists reduced the number of cattle due to shortage of pastures.
• Smaller herds were easier to sustain with limited grazing grounds.

2. Search for New Pastures:

• Some groups explored new grazing lands when older ones became inaccessible.
• Example: Raikas (camel and sheep herders) – after 1947, they lost access to Sindh and the Indus banks because of India–Pakistan border restrictions.
• Adaptation – migrated to Haryana, where sheep graze on harvested fields and provide manure in return.

3. Transition to Settled Life:

• Richer pastoralists – bought land, settled down, and became peasants.
• Some shifted to agricultural cultivation.
• Others expanded into trading activities.

4. Struggles of Poor Pastoralists:

• Many borrowed money from moneylenders for survival.
• Some lost cattle and sheep – became landless labourers on fields or in towns.

5. Adaptation to Changing Times:

• Strategies used:
  a. Changed direction of movement.
  b. Reduced herd size.
  c. Combined pastoralism with other income sources.
• Despite hardships, many groups survived and even increased in number in recent decades.

6. Ecological Viability of Pastoralism:

• Ecologists believe: In dry regions and mountains, pastoralism is still the most ecologically viable way of life.

7. Global Dimension:

• These changes were not limited to India.
• Across the world, new laws and settlement patterns forced pastoralists to alter their lifestyles in the modern era.

Source C – H.S. Gibson’s View (1913)

• H.S. Gibson – Deputy Conservator of Forests, Darjeeling.
• His opinion (1913): Forests used for grazing could not be used for other purposes.
• Such grazing lands were unable to yield timber and fuel – considered the main legitimate forest produce.
• Shows colonial officials prioritized timber & fuel extraction over pastoral needs.

Source D – Royal Commission on Agriculture (1920s)

• Report of Royal Commission on Agriculture (1928).
• Observed: Grazing areas reduced drastically due to:
  a. Expansion of cultivation (population pressure).
  b. Extension of irrigation facilities.
  c. Government acquisition of pastures for defence, industries, and agricultural experiments.
• Impact on breeders/pastoralists:
  a. Difficulties in maintaining large herds.
  b. Decline in earnings.
  c. Deterioration of livestock quality.
  d. Fall in dietary standards.
  e. Increase in indebtedness (financial struggles).

Exam-Oriented Insights:

• Source C highlights – Colonial officials valued forests for economic exploitation (timber, fuel) rather than pastoral needs.
• Source D highlights – The broader economic & social impact of pasture decline on pastoralists (income, cattle quality, health, and debts).
• Together, both sources show conflict between state priorities vs. pastoralist livelihoods.

New words 

• Customary rights – Rights that people are used to by custom and tradition

Next & Previous Topics of NCERT/CBSE History Class 9 Chapter 5: Pastoralists in the Modern World

MCQs on NCERT History Class 9 Chapter 5 Topic – Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life

Here are the top exam-oriented MCQ-type questions on “Colonial Rule and Pastoral Life” that you should prepare for your CBSE or state board exams:

Question 1. Under colonial rule, which of the following changes affected the life of pastoralists most significantly?

a) Expansion of grazing grounds
b) Regulation of movements
c) Decrease in revenue
d) Decline in agricultural stock

Answer: b) Regulation of movements

Question 2. Why did the colonial state want to transform all grazing lands into cultivated farms?

a) To increase revenue collection
b) To prevent nomadic lifestyle
c) To expand forest areas
d) To reduce cattle population

Answer: a) To increase revenue collection

Question 3. What name was given by colonial officials to uncultivated land?

a) Pasture land
b) Grazing tract
c) Waste land
d) Idle land

Answer: c) Waste land

Question 4. The Waste Land Rules were enacted from which period?

a) Early 18th century
b) Mid-19th century
c) Late 19th century
d) Early 20th century

Answer: b) Mid-19th century

Question 5. What was the main impact of the Waste Land Rules on pastoralists?

a) Increase in cattle number
b) Expansion of pastures
c) Decline of pastures
d) Free use of land

Answer: c) Decline of pastures

Question 6. Which valuable timbers made forests “Reserved” under colonial Forest Acts?

a) Teak and sandalwood
b) Deodar and sal
c) Pine and oak
d) Mango and neem

Answer: b) Deodar and sal

Question 7. In ‘Protected’ forests, what was allowed to pastoralists?

a) Full rights to graze
b) No grazing rights
c) Limited customary grazing rights
d) Free trading rights

Answer: c) Limited customary grazing rights

Question 8. What did the colonial officials believe about grazing in forests?

a) It helped saplings grow
b) It destroyed saplings and young shoots
c) It improved forest soil
d) It increased forest density

Answer: b) It destroyed saplings and young shoots

Question 9. What was required by pastoralists to enter forests under colonial rules?

a) Tax receipt
b) A land deed
c) A permit
d) A ration card

Answer: c) A permit

Question 10. Which Act classified many pastoralist and trader communities as “Criminal Tribes”?

a) Forest Act
b) Waste Land Act
c) Criminal Tribes Act
d) Grazing Act

Answer: c) Criminal Tribes Act

Question 11. In which year was the Criminal Tribes Act passed in India?

a) 1861
b) 1871
c) 1881
d) 1891

Answer: b) 1871

Question 12. Under the Criminal Tribes Act, what were these communities expected to do?

a) Remain nomadic
b) Live in notified village settlements
c) Travel across India freely
d) Settle in forests

Answer: b) Live in notified village settlements

Question 13. What type of tax was introduced on pastoralists in the mid-19th century?

a) House tax
b) Grazing tax
c) Salt tax
d) Water tax

Answer: b) Grazing tax

Question 14. How was grazing tax collected between the 1850s and 1880s?

a) By zamindars
b) By colonial officials directly
c) By auctioning the rights to contractors
d) By police officers

Answer: c) By auctioning the rights to contractors

Question 15. By the 1880s, how did the colonial government collect grazing tax?

a) Through contractors
b) Directly from pastoralists
c) Through village headmen
d) Through landlords

Answer: b) Directly from pastoralists

Question 16. What was issued to each pastoralist to record cattle and tax payments?

a) Grazing slip
b) Pass
c) Permit card
d) Ledger

Answer: b) Pass

Question 17. What was the major impact of restrictions on pastoral movements?

a) Restoration of pastures
b) Decline of pastures due to overgrazing
c) Increase in animal stock
d) Freedom to graze widely

Answer: b) Decline of pastures due to overgrazing

Question 18. What happened to cattle during scarcities and famines under colonial restrictions?

a) Their number increased
b) They were exported
c) They died in large numbers
d) They became healthier

Answer: c) They died in large numbers

Question 19. After 1947, Raikas could no longer move into Sindh because:

a) Famines hit the area
b) Political boundaries between India and Pakistan
c) British rules continued
d) Forest laws became stricter

Answer: b) Political boundaries between India and Pakistan

Question 20. Where do Raikas migrate in recent years for grazing?

a) Rajasthan
b) Gujarat
c) Haryana
d) Punjab

Answer: c) Haryana

Question 21. Why do farmers in Haryana allow Raikas’ sheep to graze on fields?

a) For extra income
b) For manure after harvests
c) For community ties
d) For protection from wild animals

Answer: b) For manure after harvests

Question 22. How did richer pastoralists cope with colonial changes?

a) Became nomadic again
b) Settled down and bought land
c) Gave up cattle rearing completely
d) Migrated abroad

Answer: b) Settled down and bought land

Question 23. What was the condition of poor pastoralists under colonial changes?

a) They became landlords
b) They borrowed from moneylenders and lost cattle
c) They expanded herds
d) They became tax collectors

Answer: b) They borrowed from moneylenders and lost cattle

Question 24. According to ecologists, in which regions is pastoralism still ecologically viable?

a) Coastal regions
b) Plains
c) Dry regions and mountains
d) River valleys

Answer: c) Dry regions and mountains

Question 25. According to the Royal Commission on Agriculture (1928), why did breeders’ earnings decline?

a) Decline of irrigation
b) Expansion of forests
c) Decrease in grazing lands due to cultivation and government use
d) Growth in livestock population

Answer: c) Decrease in grazing lands due to cultivation and government use