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?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 only
Only pair 2 is correct: Warren Hastings set up the Calcutta Madrasa in 1781. The Benaras Sanskrit College came from Jonathan Duncan in 1791, and Fort William College was set up by Governor-General Lord Wellesley in 1800.
- ✗ 1. The Benaras Sanskrit College was founded in 1791 by Jonathan Duncan, the British Resident at Benaras. Sir William Jones is remembered for founding the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784.
- ✓ 2. Warren Hastings founded the Calcutta Madrasa in 1781 to train Muslim gentlemen for posts in the Company's administration; NCERT says Hastings took the initiative to set it up.
- ✗ 3. Fort William College, Calcutta (1800), was set up by Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General, to train Company civilians. Arthur Wellesley was his younger brother, the soldier who later became Duke of Wellington.
Remember · Calcutta Madrasa: Hastings (1781). Benaras Sanskrit College: Jonathan Duncan (1791). Fort William College: Lord Wellesley (1800).
Sources
- Unit 26: Extent of Colonial Intervention: Education and Society, IGNOU eGyanKosh ↗ · reference work “Another step in the same direction was the foundation of the Benaras Sanskrit College in 1791 by Jonathan Duncan, British Resident at Benaras. … In 1800 Lord Wellesley set up the Fort William College at Calcutta to train the British civilians”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·