General Service Enlistment Act 1856
Topic: The Revolt of 1857 · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The General Service Enlistment Act was a law passed in 1856 under Governor General Lord Canning. It said that new recruits to the Bengal Army must serve anywhere they were sent, including overseas. Many high-caste sepoys believed that crossing the sea would make them lose their caste. Because of this, the Act became one of the army grievances that fed the anger of 1857.
Example
In 1856, a new "upper"-caste recruit from Awadh joining the Bengal Army had to agree that he could be sent across the sea, for example to Burma. Sepoys already in the army saw this as a danger to the caste of their sons and relatives who would join after them.
Don't confuse with
- Greased cartridges issue: this was about the new Enfield rifles in 1857, which were rumoured to use cartridges greased with cow and pig fat. The 1856 Act was about being made to serve overseas.