Question

In _________ Universities were set up in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
A) 1856
B) 1857
C) 1855
D) 1854

Answer 1

Hint Within which year, Directors of the East India Company sent a despatch in July, to the Governor-General of India, suggesting the establishment of the schools and Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

Complete answer:
Option A) 1856 – this is an incorrect year and incorrect answer.

Option B) 1857 – In 1857, the Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were established in 1857 and this is the correct answer.

Option C) 1855 - this is an incorrect year and incorrect answer.

Option D) 1854 - this is an incorrect year and incorrect answer.

Therefore the correct answer is option (B).

Additional information:
The colleges and universities of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras were established because of Sir Charles Wood's dispatch. Wood’s despatch is the name given when in 1854 Sir Charles Wood sent a dispatch to Lord Dalhousie, Wood suggested that elementary schools should adopt vernacular languages and high schools should adopt Anglo vernacular language and the medium of language should be English. He was in favour of the female’s education and also, he wanted that the English language should be promoted in order that people should be able to communicate and understand the language and this can be referred to as the Woods Despatch.
In 1857 Universities were set up in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

Note:
The Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were established by Sir Charles Wood's Despatch in the year 1857. He had an excellent impact on disseminating education in India. Hence, Wood’s Despatch is additionally called as ‘Magna Carta’ because he introduced English education in India and also the promotion of western education in India.