The Madras Presidency first implemented the Ryotwari method of land-revenue assessment in which year?

The correct answer is 1820.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Concept of the Ryotwari System:
The Ryotwari System was a major land revenue assessment system introduced during the British colonial rule in India. Unlike the Permanent Settlement system (which used Zamindars as intermediaries), the Ryotwari system established a direct tax agreement between the British government and the actual cultivators or peasants (known as ryots).

2. Initial Experiments:
The system was first experimented on a small scale in the Baramahal region (in present-day Tamil Nadu) by Captain Alexander Read in 1792 following the Third Anglo-Mysore War.

3. Formal Implementation in Madras Presidency:
Sir Thomas Munro subsequently revised, perfected, and expanded this system. When Sir Thomas Munro was appointed as the Governor of Madras in 1820, the Ryotwari method of land-revenue assessment was officially implemented throughout the entire Madras Presidency.

4. Key Features:
- Peasant ownership: Cultivators were recognized as the rightful owners of the land as long as they paid the revenue directly to the state.
- Periodic reassessment: Land revenue was not fixed permanently; it was reassessed periodically (typically every 20 to 30 years) based on soil quality, field surveys, and agricultural production.