Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on “The Impact of British Education Policies on India – Indian History”

1. Which British official is known as the “Father of Modern Education in India”?

• a) Lord Macaulay
• b) Warren Hastings
• c) Charles Wood
• d) William Bentinck
• Answer: d) William Bentinck

2. The introduction of English education in India was primarily aimed at:

• a) Promoting Indian languages
• b) Creating a class of educated Indians loyal to the British
• c) Spreading Christianity
• d) Encouraging traditional Indian education
• Answer: b) Creating a class of educated Indians loyal to the British

3. Which famous document laid the foundation of English education in India in 1835?

• a) The Charter Act
• b) The Macaulay Minute
• c) The Indian Councils Act
• d) The Hunter Commission
• Answer: b) The Macaulay Minute

4. The Wood’s Dispatch of 1854 is often referred to as:

• a) Magna Carta of English Education in India
• b) Indian Education Act
• c) Government of India Act
• d) Charter of Indian Education
• Answer: a) Magna Carta of English Education in India

5. The British education policies led to the decline of which traditional Indian institutions?

• a) Pathshalas and Madrasas
• b) Universities
• c) Hospitals
• d) Forts
• Answer: a) Pathshalas and Madrasas

6. Which Act allowed Indian universities to be established in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras in 1857?

• a) The University Act
• b) The Indian Education Act
• c) The Charter Act
• d) The Indian Councils Act
• Answer: a) The University Act

7. Which commission was appointed by the British in 1882 to assess the status of education in India?

• a) Macaulay Commission
• b) Hunter Commission
• c) Raleigh Commission
• d) Sargent Commission
• Answer: b) Hunter Commission

8. The British education system in India primarily focused on which type of education?

• a) Technical education
• b) Vocational training
• c) Literary and clerical education
• d) Medical education
• Answer: c) Literary and clerical education

9. Which language became the medium of instruction in Indian schools and colleges due to British education policies?

• a) Hindi
• b) Sanskrit
• c) English
• d) Persian
• Answer: c) English

10. The introduction of British education policies led to the rise of which social class in India?

• a) Zamindars
• b) Industrialists
• c) Middle class
• d) Peasants
• Answer: c) Middle class

11. The British established which educational institution in 1817, known as the first college of its kind in India?

• a) Delhi University
• b) Presidency College, Calcutta
• c) Banaras Hindu University
• d) Aligarh Muslim University
• Answer: b) Presidency College, Calcutta

12. The primary goal of the British education policy in India was to:

• a) Empower Indian masses
• b) Spread Western ideas and culture
• c) Promote Indian heritage
• d) Strengthen local governance
• Answer: b) Spread Western ideas and culture

13. Which Indian leader criticized the British education system, calling it “a beautiful tree which had been cut down”?

• a) Mahatma Gandhi
• b) Rabindranath Tagore
• c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• Answer: a) Mahatma Gandhi

14. The Sargent Report of 1944 recommended what for Indian education?

• a) Complete westernization of education
• b) Universal elementary education
• c) The closure of traditional schools
• d) The promotion of English as the only medium of instruction
• Answer: b) Universal elementary education

15. The British education policies contributed to the rise of which major movement in India?

• a) The Swadeshi Movement
• b) The Khilafat Movement
• c) The Non-Cooperation Movement
• d) The Aligarh Movement
• Answer: d) The Aligarh Movement

16. Which organization was formed in 1885, partly as a result of educated Indians influenced by British education?

• a) The Indian National Congress
• b) The Muslim League
• c) The Brahmo Samaj
• d) The Arya Samaj
• Answer: a) The Indian National Congress

17. Who is known for establishing the Hindu College in Calcutta in 1817, which played a significant role in modern Indian education?

• a) Raja Rammohan Roy
• b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
• c) Henry Derozio
• d) David Hare
• Answer: d) David Hare

18. Which British official introduced the Vernacular Press Act to curb the freedom of the Indian press, influenced by the educated elite?

• a) Lord Ripon
• b) Lord Lytton
• c) Lord Curzon
• d) Lord Canning
• Answer: b) Lord Lytton

19. The British education policy led to the introduction of which examination in India?

• a) Indian Civil Services (ICS)
• b) Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)
• c) Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
• d) Indian Police Services (IPS)
• Answer: a) Indian Civil Services (ICS)

20. Which of the following was a negative impact of British education in India?

• a) Increase in literacy rates
• b) Promotion of Indian languages
• c) Alienation of the educated from traditional culture
• d) Development of science and technology
• Answer: c) Alienation of the educated from traditional culture

21. Who was responsible for the introduction of the English Education Act of 1835?

• a) Lord Dalhousie
• b) Lord Macaulay
• c) Lord Canning
• d) Lord Curzon
• Answer: b) Lord Macaulay

22. Which educational institution was founded in 1875 and played a pivotal role in the Aligarh Movement?

• a) Aligarh Muslim University
• b) Banaras Hindu University
• c) Calcutta University
• d) Bombay University
• Answer: a) Aligarh Muslim University

23. The British education system in India led to the growth of which movement that sought to revive Indian culture and heritage?

• a) The Renaissance Movement
• b) The Bhakti Movement
• c) The Swadeshi Movement
• d) The Indian Renaissance
• Answer: d) The Indian Renaissance

24. The introduction of English as the medium of instruction in Indian schools and colleges was primarily aimed at:

• a) Promoting technical education
• b) Fostering Western ideals and education
• c) Encouraging local languages
• d) Developing Indian arts and crafts
• Answer: b) Fostering Western ideals and education

25. Which Indian social reformer strongly advocated for education of women as part of British education policies?

• a) Raja Rammohan Roy
• b) Jyotirao Phule
• c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
• d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• Answer: c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

26. The British education policies led to the establishment of which institution for higher learning in 1916?

• a) Banaras Hindu University
• b) Calcutta University
• c) Delhi University
• d) Punjab University
• Answer: a) Banaras Hindu University

27. What was one of the primary criticisms of British education policies in India?

• a) Excessive focus on Indian culture
• b) Neglect of rural and technical education
• c) Overemphasis on traditional learning
• d) Promoting Indian unity
• Answer: b) Neglect of rural and technical education

28. The introduction of English education in India played a key role in the development of which language as a lingua franca?

• a) Hindi
• b) Urdu
• c) English
• d) Bengali
• Answer: c) English

29. The British policy of promoting Western education in India led to the rise of which political ideology among Indians?

• a) Nationalism
• b) Communism
• c) Fascism
• d) Anarchism
• Answer: a) Nationalism

30. The introduction of British education in India was instrumental in the spread of which reformist movement?

• a) The Brahmo Samaj
• b) The Khilafat Movement
• c) The Non-Cooperation Movement
• d) The Quit India Movement
• Answer: a) The Brahmo Samaj

These questions cover key aspects of the impact of British education policies on India, including the introduction of English education, the rise of nationalism, the decline of traditional institutions, and the influence on Indian society and culture.