Civilizing the native, Educating the Nation (Important and useful MCQs)

Q.1 Who is credited with the establishment of the Asiatic Society of Bengal ?

a) William Jones

b) Lord Babington

c) Thomas Pain

d) All of the above

Answer: a) William Jones

Q.2 What was the focus of education in the madrasa established in Calcutta in 1781?

a) Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law

b) English literature and philosophy

c) Mathematics and science

d) Sanskrit and ancient Hindu texts

Answer: a) Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law

Q.3 Who was one of the prominent critics of the Orientalists in the early nineteenth century?

a) William Jones

b) James Mill

c) Thomas Babington Macaulay

d) Nathaniel Halhed

Answer: b) James Mill

Q.4 What was the primary goal of the British in India regarding education?

a) To preserve Indian cultural heritage

b) To promote Western education exclusively

c) To civilize the natives and change their customs

d) To establish control over revenues

Answer: c) To civilize the natives and change their customs

Q.5 Who among the following was not involved in the study and translation of ancient Indian texts?
a) William Jones
b) Nathaniel Halhed
c) Henry Thomas Colebrooke
d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Answer: d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Q.6 Who was known for considering India as an uncivilized country that needed to be civilized?
a) William Jones
b) Nathaniel Halhed
c) James Mill
d) Thomas Babington Macaulay

Answer: d) Thomas Babington Macaulay

Q.7 What did Warren Hastings believe should be the basis of British rule in India?
a) Promotion of Western literature and poetry
b) Encouragement of Western customs and laws
c) Emphasis on Oriental learning and ancient customs
d) Suppression of Indian cultural heritage

Answer: c) Emphasis on Oriental learning and ancient customs

Q.8 According to Macaulay, what was his opinion about the value of European literature compared to Indian and Arabian literature?

a) European literature was of equal value to Indian and Arabian literature.

b) European literature was slightly more valuable than Indian and Arabian literature.

c) European literature was far superior to Indian and Arabian literature.

d) European literature was not as valuable as Indian and Arabian literature.

Answer: c) European literature was far superior to Indian and Arabian literature.

Q.9 What was the primary language proposed for higher education by the English Education Act of 1835?

a) Sanskrit

b) Arabic

c) English

d) Persian

Answer: c) English

Q.10 According to Wood’s Despatch of 1854, what was one of the practical benefits of European learning in India?

a) Preservation of Indian cultural heritage

b) Promotion of Oriental institutions like the Calcutta Madrasa

c) Economic development through the expansion of trade and commerce

d) Development of traditional skills required for administration

Answer: c) Economic development through the expansion of trade and commerce

Q.11 Who was William Jones?
a) An Indian philosopher
b) A British linguist and judge
c) A French explorer
d) An American historian
Answer: b) A British linguist and judge
Q.12 Where did the missionaries set up their mission when they were unable to establish one within British-controlled territories?
a) Calcutta
b) Bombay
c) Serampore
d) Benaras
Answer: c) Serampore

Q.13 What did William Adam find during his tour of Bengal and Bihar in the 1830s regarding education?
a) A decline in the number of pathshalas
b) The presence of fixed fees and printed books in Pathshalas
c) Over 1 lakh pathshalas with a considerable number of students
d) The existence of a highly structured education system similar to modern schools

Answer: c) Over 1 lakh pathshalas with a considerable number of students

Q.14 What was the primary concern of Christian missionaries regarding education in India during the 19th century?
a) Promotion of traditional Indian customs and practices
b) Improvement of moral character through Christian education
c) Spread of Western scientific knowledge
d) Preservation of Indian cultural heritage

Answer: b) Improvement of moral character through Christian education

Q. 15 How did the government seek to improve the standard of teaching in pathshalas?
a) By reducing the workload of gurus
b) By appointing government pandits to oversee schools
c) By increasing fees for students
d) By providing additional textbooks to students

Answer: b) By appointing government pandits to oversee schools
Q.16 According to Mahatma Gandhi, what negative impact did colonial education have on Indians?
a) It instilled a sense of pride in Indian culture.
b) It created a feeling of superiority over Western civilization.
c) It encouraged students to appreciate their own language and culture.
d) It created a sense of inferiority and admiration for Western civilization.

Answer: d) It created a sense of inferiority and admiration for Western civilization.

Q.17 Who founded Santiniketan and when was it established?
a) Mahatma Gandhi in 1901
b) Rabindranath Tagore in 1901
c) British officials in 1901
d) Indian reform organizations in 1901

Answer: b) Rabindranath Tagore in 1901
Q.18 What changes did the East India Company introduce in the mid-nineteenth century regarding vernacular education?
a) Imposing routines and rules
b) Allowing pathshalas to function without interference
c) Introducing flexible timetables
d) Removing government support for pathshalas

Answer: a) Imposing routines and rules

Q.19 Which two British scholars were known for their significant contributions to the study of Indian law and ancient Sanskrit texts?

a) William Jones and Charles Wilkins
b) James Mill and John Stuart Mill
c) Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed
d) Max Müller and James Prinsep

Answer: c) Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed

Q.20 Who among the following was a prominent Orientalist, known for his work in promoting the study of Indian languages and culture during British rule?

a) Charles Cornwallis
b) Thomas Babington Macaulay
c) Warren Hastings
d) William Jones

Answer: d) William Jones