In what ways did the British change their policies as a result of the rebellion of 1857?

The British had regained control of the country by the end of 1859, but they could not carry on ruling the land with the same policies anymore. Following were the changes introduced by the British as result of the rebellion of 1857:

1) British Crown took over the control of administration: The British Parliament passed a new act in 1858 and transferred the powers of the East India Company to the British Crown in order to ensure a more responsible management of Indian affairs.

2) Secretary was appointed for governance: A member of the British Cabinet was appointed Secretary of State for India and made responsible for all matters related to the governance in India.

3) Provide a sense of security to the local rulers: All ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territory would never be annexed in future. They were allowed to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including adopted sons. However, they were made to acknowledge the British Queen as their sovereign paramount.

4) Reorganized the army: It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be increased. It was also decided that instead of recruiting soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, Central India and South India, more soldiers would be recruited from among the Gurkhas, Sikhs, and Pathans.

5) Treated the Muslims with suspicion and hostility: The Land and property of Muslims was confiscated on a large scale and they were treated with suspicion and hostility. The British decided to respect the customary religions and social practices of the people of India.

6) Provide a sense of security to the landlords: Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands.

7) Promised non-interference in the sphere of religion: the British assured the Indian that their religious and social practice would be respected and not interfere with.