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Prelims 2020 · Q34 · British policies & administration

Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because

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Answer: D. Lord Wellesley set up Fort William College in 1800 to train young British civil servants of the Company in Indian languages, laws and customs so they could administer India.

Watch for: Oriental languages were taught there, so students think the aim was reviving oriental learning.

Why the other options are wrong
  • A. Wrong because the Court of Directors did not order it; they in fact disapproved.
  • B. Wrong because reviving oriental learning was not his main aim; training officers was.
  • C. Wrong because employing William Carey was a side effect, not the reason.

Source to check: Bipan Chandra, History of Modern India, Chapter on development of education; NCERT Class 8 Our Pasts III, Chapter 6

Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.