Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because
Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because
(a)
he was asked by the Board of Directors at London to do so.
(b)
he wanted to revive interest in oriental learning in India.
(c)
he wanted to provide William Carey and his associates with employment.
(d)
he wanted to train British civilians for administrative purpose in India.
(d)
Till the 1700s, the Company had paid little heed to training its employees. The ‘Indiamen’, as
they were called, were drawn from a small pool of British families who were friends and
relatives of those already involved with the Company, and there was little focus on their
knowledge or abilities.
By the 1800s, the British territories in India had expanded greatly and there was an urgent
need for a more thoroughly organised administration. This required trained men who could
not only communicate in the local languages but also understand the country and the people
they were rapidly gaining control over. It was to train these British officials that Fort William
College was established by Lord Richard Wellesley (Governor-General of Bengal from 1798
to 1805) in 1800. The college aimed to create civil servants who were familiar with Indian
languages, history, culture and local laws. Alongside, they would also receive training in
Western languages and the art of administration.
Therefore, the correct answer is (d).
Microtheme: British Policies —
14 questions asked in Prelims in the past.