Which among the following statement(s) is/are correct about the Raiyatwari system:-

(A) Raiyat means cultivator.

(B) The actual cultivators were responsible for paying the tax.

(C) Zamindars play a dominant role.

(D) Colonial government dealt directly with the farmer.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is (A), (B) and (D) only.

Understanding the Ryotwari (Raiyatwari) System:
The Ryotwari system was a land revenue system introduced in British India during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, primarily by Thomas Munro and Alexander Read in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies. Let us analyze each of the statements to understand why they are correct or incorrect:

Statement (A): "Raiyat means cultivator."
This statement is correct. The term "Raiyat" (also spelled Ryot) is an Arabic word that was used in India to denote a peasant, cultivator, or tenant farmer who tilled the land directly.

Statement (B): "The actual cultivators were responsible for paying the tax."
This statement is correct. In this system, the individual cultivator (Raiyat) had ownership rights of the land and was held directly responsible for paying the land revenue to the state. There was no middleman or intermediary responsible for collecting the tax on behalf of the cultivator.

Statement (C): "Zamindars play a dominant role."
This statement is incorrect. Unlike the Permanent Settlement system (which prevailed in Bengal and Bihar), the Ryotwari system eliminated the role of Zamindars (landlords) as revenue collectors or intermediaries. The British government wanted to secure revenue directly from the cultivators, thereby bypassing the Zamindars to avoid their exploitation and control.

Statement (D): "Colonial government dealt directly with the farmer."
This statement is correct. A defining feature of the Ryotwari system was the direct settlement between the British colonial government and the actual cultivator (farmer), without any landlord or Zamindar serving as an intermediary.

Conclusion:
Since statements (A), (B), and (D) are correct, and statement (C) is incorrect, the correct option is (A), (B) and (D) only.