Chapter 6 – Civilising the Native Educating the Nation Questions and Answers

Content Structure

  • A. Exercise questions & answers
    • Match the following
    • State whether true or false
  • B. Additional questions & answers
    • Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
    • Fill in the blanks
    • True or False
    • Short-type questions and answers
    • Long-type questions and answers

A. Exercise questions & answers

Match the following

William JonesPromotion of English education
Rabindranath Tagore Respect for ancient cultures
Thomas MacaulayGurus
Mahatma GandhiLearning in a natural environment
PathshalasCritical of English education

Ans:

William JonesRespect for ancient cultures
Rabindranath Tagore Promotion of English education
Thomas MacaulayLearning in a natural environment
Mahatma GandhiCritical of English education
PathshalasGurus

State whether true or false

(a) James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalists.
Ans: True
Statement: James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalists because he believed Western education was more useful than studying ancient Indian texts.

(b) The 1854 Despatch on Education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India.
Ans: True.
Statement: The 1854 Despatch supported English as the medium of higher education to spread Western knowledge in India.

(c) Mahatma Gandhi thought that the promotion of literacy was the most important aim of education.
Ans: False.
Statement: Mahatma Gandhi thought education should develop the mind, soul, and practical skills.

(d) Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline.
Ans: False.
Statement: Rabindranath Tagore wanted children to learn freely in a natural and creative environment.

3. Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy, and law?
Ans: William Jones thought India had a great past and wanted to learn more about its history, ideas, and laws. He believed studying old Indian books would help the British understand India better and rule more easily.

4. Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?
Ans: James Mill and Thomas Macaulay believed European education was better than Indian learning. They thought Western science, technology, and ideas would help modernize India. Macaulay said that English books were more valuable than Indian literature.

5. Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts?
Ans: Gandhi believed education should teach useful skills. He wanted children to learn handicrafts to become independent and understand the value of work.

6. Why did Mahatma Gandhi think that English education had enslaved Indians?
Ans: Gandhi believed education should be in Indian languages, not English. He thought English education separated Indians from their culture and people. Those educated in English often ignored their own traditions and struggled to connect with common people, making them feel inferior and dependent on the British.

B. Additional questions & answers

Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. When did William Jones become a junior judge in Calcutta?
(a) 1757
(b) 1775
(c) 1783
(d) 1800

Ans: (c) 1783

2. Who wanted to know the ancient history of Bengal?
(a) Henry Thomas Colebrooke
(b) Nathaniel Halhed
(c) William Jones
(d) All of these

Ans: (d) All of these

3. Why was a madrasa established in Calcutta in 1781?
(a) To promote Indian education
(b) To teach Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law
(c) To promote British education
(d) To spread Western science and technology

Ans: (b) To teach Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law

4. When was the Hindu College in Benaras established?
(a) 1791
(b) 1781
(c) 1761
(d) 1854

Ans: (a) 1791

5. When was the English Education Act published?
(a) 1813
(b) 1835
(c) 1854
(d) 1882

Ans: (b) 1835

6. What did the English Education Act of 1835 do?
(a) Support Indian languages in schools
(b) Make English the main language for higher education
(c) Open more traditional Indian schools
(d) Stop Western education in India

Ans: (b) Make English the main language for higher education

7. Which important document was written by Charles Wood?
(a) The English Education Act of 1835
(b) The Government of India Act, 1935
(c) The Regulating Act of 1773
(d) Wood’s Despatch of 1854

Ans: (d) Wood’s Despatch of 1854

8. When were universities established in Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay?
(a) 1835
(b) 1857
(c) 1882
(d) 1901

Ans: (a) 1857

9. Where did missionaries set up a mission under Danish rule?
(a) Calcutta
(b) Serampore
(c) Madras
(d) Bombay

Ans: (b) Serampore

10. Who was William Adam?
(a) A British governor
(b) A British soldier
(c) A Scottish missionary
(d) A Mughal emperor

Ans: (c) A Scottish missionary

11. Where did William Adam travel in the 1830s?
(a) Punjab and Rajasthan
(b) Gujarat and Odisha
(c) Madras and Bombay
(d) Bengal and Bihar

Ans: (d) Bengal and Bihar

12. What did the British require from Pathshala teachers after 1854?
(a) To follow a fixed timetable and teach from textbooks
(b) To continue flexible teaching without discipline
(c) To teach only religious scriptures
(d) To stop teaching local students

Ans: (a) To follow a fixed timetable and teach from textbooks

13. When did Rabindranath Tagore start Santiniketan?
(a) 1882
(b) 1910
(c) 1901
(d) 1920

Ans: (c) 1901

14. Who was the first British official to study Sanskrit?
(a) James Mill
(b) William Jones
(c) Thomas Macaulay
(d) Charles Wood

Ans: (b) William Jones

15. Who introduced Wood’s Despatch for Education in India?
(a) Lord Macaulay
(b) William Jones
(c) Charles Wood
(d) James Mill

Ans: (c) Charles Wood

Fill in the blanks

1. ________________were scholars who studied the language and culture of Asia.
2. A _________________ is a person who knows and studies several languages.
3. A ______________ is an Arabic word for a place of learning, such as a school or college.
4. Pathasala classes had no ________________, ________________, and ____________________.
5. Gandhi rejected _______________________.
6. Tagore wanted to mix Indian traditions with Western ____________ and _______________.
7. A _________________ is a person who can read, write, and teach Persian.
8. __________________ thought India was uncivilized and needed to be civilized.
9. In 1818, a college was established by missionaries in ____________________.
10. In 1830, William Adam travelled across _________________ and ________________ to study education.

Ans:
1. Orientalists
2. Linguist
3. Madrasa
4. Fixed timetable, printed books, and separate classrooms
5. Western technology
6. Science and arts
7. Munshi
8. Thomas Babington Macaulay
9. Serampore
10. Bengal and Bihar

True or False

1. Wood Despatch emphasised the practical benefits of a system of European learning.
Ans: True.

2. Thomas Macaulay was in favour of the promotion of Oriental Institutions.
Ans: False.

3. James Mill and Thomas Macaulay attacked the Orientalists.
Ans: True.

4. William Admin toured the districts of Bihar and Orissa.
Ans: False.

5. Rabindranath Tagore did a lot for the spread of English education in India.
Ans: False.

6. Pathasala did not follow strict rules and regulations.
Ans: True.

7. Mahatma Gandhi never approved of English education in India.
Ans: True.

8. Rabindranath Tagore started Santiniketan in 1903.
Ans: False.

9. The British make an annual examination in school.
Ans: True.

10. A madrasa was set up in Calcutta in 1781 to promote the study of Arabic.
Ans: True.

Match the following

Column AColumn B
1. Serampore College(a) Set up by wealthy people
2. William Jones (b) Calcutta
3. Hindu Collages(c) Traditional Indian school
4. Pathsala(d) Local language
5. Wood Despatch (e) Scholars of Asian culture and languages
6. Munshi (f) A linguist
7. Vernacular(g) Benaras
8. Orientalists(h) Promoted European learning

Ans:

Column AColumn B
1. Serampore College(a) Set up by missionaries
2. William Jones (b) Calcutta
3. Hindu Collages(g) Benaras
4. Pathsala(d) Traditional Indian school
5. Wood Despatch (h) Promoted European learning
6. Munshi (f) A linguist
7. Vernacular(c) Local language
8. Orientalists(e) Scholars of Asian culture and languages

Short-type questions and answers

1. Name the different languages that William Jones studied.
Ans: William Jones studied Greek, Latin, French, English, Arabic, Persian, and Sanskrit languages.

2. Why were Hindu colleges established in Benaras?
Ans: The Hindu College in Benaras was set up in 1791 to teach Sanskrit and help with administration under British rule while keeping Indian traditions strong.

3. What did Tagore mean by “abode of peace”?
Ans: Tagore called Santiniketan the “abode of peace” because he wanted it to be a place where students could learn in peace and be close to nature, without the strict rules of regular schools.

4. Name 2 Indians who reacted against Western education.
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore reacted against Western education.

5. Name the place where the British established universities.
Ans: Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay: the British established universities.

6. Where were classes held under the system of Pathsalas?
Ans: Pathsala classes were held under a Banyan tree, at any village shop or Temples and at the Guru’s house.

7. Why did many British officials in India want to promote Indian texts instead of Western learning?
Ans: Many British officials thought Indian texts were important for understanding Indian culture. They believed that teaching Indian knowledge would help the British connect better with Indians and show respect for their traditions.

8. Why did the British company decide to improve the system of vernacular education?
Ans: The British company decided to improve vernacular education to make schools more organized, with set routines and better control. They wanted to help students learn in a way that would support trade, business, and British rule.

9. What measures were taken by the English Education Act of 1835?
Ans: The English Education Act of 1835 made English the main language for higher education in India. It encouraged the use of English textbooks and stopped promoting traditional Indian learning.

10. How were the views of Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi on the West different?
Ans:

Mahatma GandhiRabindranath Tagore
Mahatma Gandhi did not like Western ideas, especially technology and machines, because he thought they hurt Indian values.Rabindranath Tagore believed that Western knowledge could be mixed with Indian traditions to create something better, and he wanted to teach both science and Indian culture.

Long-type questions & answers

1. What was the significance of Wood’s Despatch and what did it propose for education in India?
Ans: In 1854, the East India Company in London sent a message about education to India’s Governor-General. It was written by Charles Wood and became known as Wood’s Despatch. It said that European education was better than Indian learning.

Reasons for Promoting European Learning

  • Economic Growth – The British believed that European education would help Indians understand the benefits of trade and business. It would also make them desire British goods, increasing sales for British industries.
  • Moral Improvement – The Despatch said that European learning would make Indians more honest, responsible, and hardworking. This would help the British get trustworthy civil servants for government jobs.
  • Criticism of Indian Literature – It argued that Indian books had many mistakes and did not teach people how to be dutiful and skilled administrators.

Changes After Wood’s Despatch

  • Education departments were set up.
  • Universities were started in Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay in 1857.
  • School education was changed to follow British rules.

2. Discuss the vision of Rabindranath Tagore on education and the establishment of his school, Santiniketan.
Ans: Rabindranath Tagore started Santiniketan in 1901 because he hated school as a child. He found it strict and uncreative, like a prison where he couldn’t follow his interests.

Tagore’s Idea of Education
Tagore wanted a school where children were free, happy, and creative. He believed learning should be natural, not strict like British schools. Teachers should help children explore their curiosity instead of stopping their creativity.

A School in Nature
Tagore believed nature helps to learn, so he built Santiniketan, 100 km from Calcutta, a peaceful village.

Tagore vs. Gandhi on Education:

  • Gandhi rejected Western technology.
  • Tagore wanted to mix Indian traditions with Western science, art, music, and dance.

3. What was Mahatma Gandhi’s vision for education in India?
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi believed British education made Indians feel inferior and lose pride in their culture. He called it poison because it made Indians admire the British and accept their rule. He wanted education to restore self-respect. During the freedom movement, he asked students to leave British schools to show they rejected British rule.

Education in Indian Languages
Gandhi said education should be in Indian languages, not English. He believed English separated Indians from their culture and people. Those educated in English looked down on their own traditions and could not connect with common people.

Focus on Practical Learning
He criticized British education for only teaching reading and writing and ignoring practical skills. He believed real education should develop the mind and soul. Just reading and writing was not enough—people should also learn crafts, work with their hands, and understand daily life skills.

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