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 ?
- (a) 1 and 2
- (b) 2 only ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) 1 and 3
- (d) 3 only
Why the answer is (b)
• Pair 2 is correct: Warren Hastings founded the Calcutta Madrasa in 1781 to train Muslims in Persian and Arabic for Company service.
• Pair 1 is wrong: the Benaras Sanskrit College was founded in 1791 by Jonathan Duncan, the Resident, not by William Jones (who founded the Asiatic Society).
• Pair 3 is wrong: Fort William College (1800) was founded by Governor-General Richard Wellesley, not his brother Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington).
• Hence 2 only, option (b).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 and 2
- Pair 1 is wrong: Jonathan Duncan founded the Benaras college.
- (c) 1 and 3
- Pairs 1 and 3 are wrong.
- (d) 3 only
- Pair 3 is wrong: Richard, not Arthur, Wellesley founded it.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.