Previous Year Question
Which one of the following statements is not correct about William A. J. Archbold?
He was the Principal of Government College, Dacca.
He was the Principal of Lahore College, Lahore.
He was the Principal of MAO College, Aligarh.
He was the Principal of the Muir Central College, Allahabad.
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
(a) Government College, Dacca — Correct Statement. William A. J. Archbold was an educationist and administrator in British India. He assumed charge as Principal of Government College, Dacca (present-day Bangladesh), in November 1909, and his appointment was confirmed in January 1911. The institution was an important centre of higher education in the Bengal region during that period.
(b) Lahore College, Lahore — Incorrect Statement. Archbold's historical service records do not indicate that he served as Principal of Lahore College. He held principalships at major educational institutions in Aligarh, Dacca, and Allahabad. Therefore, the statement associating him with the principalship of Lahore College is incorrect.
(c) MAO College, Aligarh — Correct Statement. Archbold served as Principal of Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO College), Aligarh, from 16 October 1905 to 31 October 1909. He succeeded Theodore Morison in this position. The institution had been established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to promote modern education. In 1920, it developed into Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
(d) Muir Central College, Allahabad — Correct Statement. Archbold was appointed temporary Principal of Muir Central College, Allahabad, in February 1918. He retired from the Indian Educational Service in May 1920. Established in 1872, Muir Central College was an important institution of higher education in Allahabad. Following the reorganisation of Allahabad University in 1922, the college became an integral part of the university.