Question

how did novels proved useful to the British in India

Answer 1

As the British were able to understand all about the Indian culture and were able to understand the weaknesses of Indians by reading their novels.

Answer 2

Colonial administrators mainly found as the ‘vernacular’ novels a valuable source of information on native life and customs.

Normally, it is more useful for them in governing the Indian society and there was a large variety of communities and castes.

Many numebr of novels in Indian languages had descriptions of domestic life of the people. Most of the Nationalists used the novels to criticise the defects in the society as well as suggest remedies.