Previous Year Question
With reference to educational institutions during colonial rule in India, consider the following pairs :
Institution | Founder | |
1. | Sanskrit College at Benaras | William Jones |
2. | Calcutta Madarsa | Warren Hastings |
3. | Fort William College | Arthur Wellesley |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correct ?
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Pair 2 is correctly matched—Calcutta Madarsa was established by Warren Hastings.
Important facts about Calcutta Madarsa:
It was established in 1780 by Governor-General Warren Hastings at the request of some Muslim gentlemen of Calcutta.
It came to be known as Calcutta Madarsa or Aliah Madrasah.
Its principal purpose was to educate students from Muslim families in Arabic, Persian and Muslim law.
Knowledge of Muslim law was useful for the colonial judicial administration because personal and religious disputes were decided according to the relevant traditional laws.
It was an early example of the Orientalist approach to education under colonial rule.
Incorrect pairs:
Pair 1 is incorrect: Sanskrit College at Benaras was established in 1791 on the proposal of Jonathan Duncan, not William Jones.
Pair 3 is incorrect: Fort William College was founded in 1800 by Lord Richard Wellesley, not Arthur Wellesley. It was established for the training of English officials.