UPSC Prelims 2009 Q52: Modern History – Social & Religious Reform Movements
In collaboration with David Hare and Alexander Duff, who of the following established Hindu
College at Calcutta?
- (a) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
- (b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
- (c) Keshab Chandra Sen
- (d) Raja Rammohan Roy
Answer: (d) Raja Rammohan Roy
Explanation
Who established Hindu College, Calcutta
This pioneering educational institution was founded through collaborative effort among several reformers.
| Option | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio | Incorrect | Derozio was a teacher at the college, associated with 'Young Bengal', but not its founder |
| (b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar | Incorrect | A major education reformer, but not specifically credited as this college's founder alongside Hare and Duff |
| (c) Keshab Chandra Sen | Incorrect | A notable Brahmo Samaj leader, not linked to founding this college |
| (d) Raja Rammohan Roy | Correct | Raja Rammohan Roy, in collaboration with David Hare and Alexander Duff, played a key role in establishing Hindu College, Calcutta (1817), a landmark in modern Indian education |
Hindu College, Calcutta facts:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1817 |
| Key figures | Raja Rammohan Roy, David Hare, Alexander Duff |
| Significance | Pioneering institution for Western-style education in India |
Answer: (d) Raja Rammohan Roy.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Derozio was a teacher there, not its founder.
- (b) Incorrect. Vidyasagar is a major reformer, but not credited as this college's founder.
- (c) Incorrect. Keshab Chandra Sen is linked to the Brahmo Samaj, not this college's founding.
- (d) CORRECT. Raja Rammohan Roy, with David Hare and Alexander Duff, established Hindu College, Calcutta.
Key point
Raja Rammohan Roy, in collaboration with David Hare and Alexander Duff, established Hindu College, Calcutta, in 1817.
Remember
Raja Rammohan Roy, with David Hare and Alexander Duff, established Hindu College, Calcutta.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Rammohan Roy's founding role with Derozio's later teaching position at the same college.
- Mixing up different 19th-century Bengal reformers' specific institutional contributions.
- Not knowing the collaborative, multi-founder nature of this institution's establishment.
Exam tip
Hindu College, Calcutta (1817) = founded by Rammohan Roy with David Hare and Alexander Duff. A specific, named founding-trio fact.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — Modern India (NCERT textbook for Class XII)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Ram Mohan Roy