UPSC Prelims 2018 Q89: Modern History – British Administration & Economic Policies
- (a) 1 and 2
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 1 and 3
- (d) 3 only
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Colonial-Era Educational Institutions and Founders
| Pair | Actual Founder | Correct? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sanskrit College at Benaras - William Jones | Founded by Jonathan Duncan (Resident of Benaras) in 1791, NOT William Jones. William Jones founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784 in Calcutta. | NO |
| 2. Calcutta Madarsa - Warren Hastings | Warren Hastings, first Governor-General, founded the Calcutta Madrasa in 1781 for Muslim law and Persian/Arabic studies. | YES |
| 3. Fort William College - Arthur Wellesley | Founded by Lord (Richard) Wellesley (Governor-General 1798-1805) in 1800 for training East India Company civil servants in Indian languages and administration. Arthur Wellesley (his brother, later Duke of Wellington and hero of Waterloo) did NOT found it. | NO |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Sanskrit College at Benaras was founded by Jonathan Duncan (1791), not William Jones.
- (b) CORRECT. Only Pair 2 (Calcutta Madrasa - Warren Hastings, 1781) is correctly matched.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 3 confuses Richard Wellesley (Governor-General, founder of Fort William College) with his younger brother Arthur Wellesley (military commander).
- (d) Incorrect. Fort William College was founded by Richard Wellesley (Governor-General), not Arthur.
Key point
Colonial founders: Warren Hastings = Calcutta Madrasa (1781, Persian/Arabic/Islamic law). Jonathan Duncan = Sanskrit College Benaras (1791). Richard Wellesley = Fort William College Calcutta (1800). William Jones = Asiatic Society Calcutta (1784).
Remember
The Calcutta Madrasa was founded by Warren Hastings in 1781 for Muslim law and Persian/Arabic studies. Sanskrit College at Benaras was founded by Jonathan Duncan (not William Jones) in 1791. Fort William College was founded by Richard Wellesley (Governor-General), not his brother Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington), in 1800. So only Pair 2 is correctly matched.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Richard Wellesley (Governor-General, Subsidiary Alliance architect, founded Fort William College) with his brother Arthur Wellesley (military hero of Waterloo, Duke of Wellington).
- Attributing Sanskrit College Benaras to William Jones - it was Jonathan Duncan; Jones founded the Asiatic Society.
- Missing Warren Hastings' educational legacy - Calcutta Madrasa (1781) was for training Muslim officials in Persian/Arabic/Islamic law.
Exam tip
Colonial-era Indian studies institutions: Calcutta Madrasa (Warren Hastings 1781), Asiatic Society Calcutta (William Jones 1784), Sanskrit College Benaras (Jonathan Duncan 1791), Fort William College Calcutta (Richard Wellesley 1800). Reflects Orientalist phase of British scholarship.
Sources
- NCERT Class 8 - Our Pasts III (Educating the Nation)
- Bipan Chandra - India's Struggle for Independence (Colonial Education chapters)