Which of the following institutions were founded under Orientalist influence?
- 1. Calcutta Madrasa (1781)
- 2. Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784)
- 3. Sanskrit College, Banaras (1794)
- AOnly one
- BOnly 1 and 2
- COnly 2 and 3
- D1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
All three were founded under the influence of the Orientalists, who wanted the Company to support the study of India's classical languages, laws and learning:
- the Calcutta Madrasa (1781), by Warren Hastings, for Arabic, Persian and Islamic law;
- the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784), by Sir William Jones, for research on Asia's history, languages and cultures;
- the Sanskrit College at Banaras (1791–1794), by Jonathan Duncan, for Sanskrit and Hindu law.
The Anglicists, who wanted Western learning in English, won the debate with Macaulay's Minute (1835).