The Ryotwari system was a land revenue system implemented by the British in India during the colonial period. It was introduced in the early 19th century, and it was proposed on a small scale by Captain Alexander Read in some areas of the south. Finally developed by Thomas Munro, this system was gradually extended all over south India. The Ryotwari system was a type of land revenue system in which the peasants or cultivators were regarded as the owners of the land. They had ownership rights, could sell, mortgage or gift the land. The taxes were directly obtained by the government from the peasants. The taxes were 50% in dryland and 60% in the wetland. The key features of the Ryotwari system are:

• The settlement was made directly with the cultivators (ryots).
• Ryots were considered as the tillers of the land for generations.
• Their fields were thoroughly surveyed before the revenue estimate was announced.

The Ryotwari system was practiced in the Madras and Bombay areas, as well as Assam and Coorg regions.