Describe what happened at the Battle of Plassey in 1757.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] Robert Clive fought with a force of EIC soldiers (1) and defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah's (the Nawab of Bengal) troops (1)
2. [1] Clive persuaded Mir Jafar (1) the commander-in-chief (1) of Siraj-ud-Daulah's army (1) to change sides (1) which was a major reason for Clive's success (1) as large numbers of soldiers defected to Clive's army (1)
3. [1] Clive covered his cannons in the rain (1) which the Nawab didn't (1)
4. [1] 27 soldiers were killed in Clive's army (1) whereas the Nawab's army had over 500 casualties (1)
5. [1] the Nawab's body was found in a river after the battle
6. [1] Bengal became under British rule
7. Target: AO1, AO2
8. Mark according to the level of response descriptors in Table 1.
9. Indicative content: Syed Ahmad Barelvi was concerned about the spread of un-Islamic practices
10. Indicative content: he was opposed to foreign and non-Muslim forces dominating
11. Indicative content: he believed strongly in Jihad and had a military background
12. Indicative content: he opposed Sikh dominance led by Ranjit Singh
13. Target: AO1, AO2
14. Mark according to the level of response descriptors in Table 2.
15. Indicative content (may agree that laws introduced by the British between 1784 and 1850 extended their rule): Pitt's India Act of 1784 introduced the position of Governor General
16. Indicative content (may agree that laws introduced by the British between 1784 and 1850 extended their rule): the British had direct control over Bengal rather than the EIC
17. Indicative content (may agree that laws introduced by the British between 1784 and 1850 extended their rule): the Permanent Settlement in 1793 made the Zamindars of Bengal owners of the land
18. Indicative content (may agree that laws introduced by the British between 1784 and 1850 extended their rule): they had to pay a fixed sum of money to the British
19. Indicative content (may agree that laws introduced by the British between 1784 and 1850 extended their rule): in 1798 Lord Wellesley persuaded local rulers to sign subsidiary alliances
20. Indicative content (may agree that laws introduced by the British between 1784 and 1850 extended their rule): the introduction of the Doctrine of Lapse in 1848
21. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): the British had a strong and well-trained army
22. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): the British conquests had seized vast resources/land especially in Bengal
23. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): the development of railways
24. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): the decline of the Mughal Empire