Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation – MCQs with Answers and Explanations
Class 8 — Social Science (History)
Chapter 6: Civilising the "Native", Educating the Nation
NCERT-alignedCBSE Exam Ready
Prepared for
CBSE Class VIII
CBSE Board — Suggested Use
- Section A: Objective Questions — test comprehension and source interpretation.
- Section B: Short/Long Answers — apply and expand on concepts.
- Tip: Attempt MCQs without looking at explanations; reveal answers only after answering.
Topic 1: British Educational Policies
1. Which document (1854) is often described as the 'Magna Carta' of English education in India?
Answer: B. Wood's Despatch (1854)
Wood's Despatch recommended a comprehensive system of education, including universities in major cities, support for vernacular primary education, and state involvement — hence its title as the foundation of modern education policy.
2. Macaulay’s Minute (1835) primarily advocated which of the following?
Answer: C. Promotion of English-medium education and western knowledge
Macaulay argued for educating a class of Indians in English to serve administrative needs and to spread European knowledge, often devaluing traditional Indian learning systems.
3. One reason the British supported English education was to:
Answer: B. Create an intermediary class to assist administration
The British aimed to train a class 'Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes' to help run colonial administration and act as cultural intermediaries.
4. Support for vernacular languages was encouraged mainly at which level?
Answer: C. Primary/Elementary level
Policymakers suggested that primary education be imparted in vernaculars for wider reach, while English was preferred for higher studies.
Topic 2: Missionary & Private Education
5. Missionary schools were notable because they often:
Answer: C. Provided basic literacy and sometimes social uplift for marginal groups
Missionary schools often targeted underserved communities, offering reading, writing and arithmetic and promoting social reforms like women’s education.
6. A difference between missionary schools and elite English colleges was:
Answer: B. Missionary schools were generally more accessible and cheaper
Missionary and vernacular schools were often affordable and reached a broader section, unlike costly English colleges attended by elites.
7. Private Indian initiatives in education often aimed to:
Answer: B. Combine modern subjects with indigenous values
Many Indian reformers started institutions that taught modern knowledge while preserving cultural identity and moral values.
Topic 3: Education and Social Reform
8. Which reformer is best known for campaigning against sati and promoting modern education in the early 19th century?
Answer: B. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned against social evils like sati, supported women’s education and promoted rational, modern learning through journals and institutions.
9. Print culture (newspapers and pamphlets) helped reformers by:
Answer: B. Spreading ideas widely and encouraging public debate
Print enabled reformers to publish arguments and reach literate readers, mobilising public opinion and awareness on issues like widow remarriage and women’s education.
10. Education was seen as a tool for social reform because it could:
Answer: C. Raise awareness and encourage change
Reformers believed education would create informed citizens who could challenge harmful customs and support social improvements.
Topic 4: Spread of Modern Education and Institutions
11. The establishment of universities in India during the 19th century led to the growth of which social group?
Answer: B. An English-educated middle class of professionals
Universities produced lawyers, doctors, teachers and clerks who later influenced public life and reform movements.
12. Universities and colleges were mainly located in:
Answer: C. Big towns and cities
Higher education institutions were urban-centred, which limited access for rural populations and contributed to regional disparities.
13. Which of these professions expanded due to modern education?
Answer: A. Clerks and civil servants
Modern education prepared people for administrative roles in the colonial state and professions like law and medicine.
Topic 5: Responses — Adoption, Adaptation and Resistance
14. Why did many elite families prefer English education for their children?
Answer: B. English education provided access to government jobs and prestige
Elites invested in English education to secure employment in the colonial administration and gain social advantage.
15. A common response by conservative groups to western education was to:
Answer: B. Create traditional schools (pathshalas, madrasas) to protect cultural learning
Conservative groups maintained traditional institutions to preserve religious and cultural education in response to western influences.
16. Why did some Indians criticise reformers who worked closely with British officials?
Answer: B. They feared reformers were too aligned with colonial interests and undermining local traditions
Collaboration provided resources but also prompted critique that reformers might compromise indigenous values or be seen as agents of the colonial state.
Topic 6: Curriculum, Teaching Methods & Women’s Education
17. Which change in curriculum was commonly introduced in modern schools?
Answer: B. Introduction of subjects like science, history and arithmetic
Modern curriculum emphasised empirical subjects encouraging observation, reasoning and a broader worldview among students.
18. A major difference in teaching methods was the move towards:
Answer: B. Classroom teaching, textbooks and structured lessons
Modern schools adopted timetables, textbooks and standardised instruction in contrast to personalised traditional teaching methods.
19. Reformers argued that educating women would:
Answer: B. Enable trained mothers who raise literate children and support social progress
Educating women was seen as key to improving family health, literacy and challenging regressive practices like child marriage.
20. One barrier to girls' education during the 19th century was:
Answer: B. Patriarchal norms and economic constraints
Social resistance, fears about women’s roles, and limited household resources prevented many girls from attending school.
Topic 7: Criticisms, Limitations, and Legacy
21. One criticism of colonial education was that it:
Answer: C. Produced a small literate elite rather than mass education
Colonial policies often prioritised education that served administrative needs, leaving mass literacy and rural education underdeveloped.
22. Which of the following was a positive legacy of colonial education?
Answer: B. Foundations for modern schools and universities
Despite limitations, colonial rule introduced institutional structures and subjects that later helped India's educational growth.
23. Which sentence best summarises the mixed legacy of colonial education?
Answer: B. It both introduced modern institutions and limited mass outreach
A balanced view recognises both empowerment through institutions and constraints due to limited reach and colonial motives.
24. The term often used to describe Macaulay's intended class to be created by English education was:
Answer: B. A class created to be 'English in taste and opinions'
Macaulay aimed to form a class who would mediate between British rulers and Indian society and adopt English values.
25. Which statement reflects a limitation of colonial education?
Answer: C. It often sidelined indigenous practical skills
Colonial emphasis on western curricula sometimes undervalued local crafts, technical knowledge and traditional learning systems.
26. Which reformer started journals and engaged in debates to spread modern ideas in India?
Answer: A. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Roy used print to campaign against social evils and to argue for modern education and rational thought.
27. Which group most directly benefitted from early English education under colonial rule?
Answer: B. Urban elites and middle class
English education was mainly accessible to urban elites who could afford it, forming a small modern middle class.
28. Why was the spread of vernacular education important?
Answer: B. It helped increase primary-level literacy among local populations
Teaching in local languages at primary level made schooling more accessible, especially in rural regions.
29. Which factor limited the reach of colonial education into rural areas?
Answer: B. Concentration of institutions in towns and lack of rural infrastructure
Most colleges and better schools were located in urban centres; rural areas lacked teachers, funds and facilities.
30. The overall impact of colonial education on India can best be described as:
Answer: C. Mixed — it introduced modern institutions but had limitations in reach and purpose
Colonial education provided foundations for modern learning and professions but often served colonial priorities and did not immediately benefit the majority.