Consider the following statements regarding the growth and development of education in India in the 19th century:

(A) Charter Act 1813 provided for an annual expenditure of one lakh rupees for education in India.
(B) Charles Wood’s Despatch on Education, 1854 declared that the aim of Educational policy was the teaching of eastern education.
(C) The Hunter Education Commission 1882-83 was appointed ‘to enquire into the general working of the Indian Universities.’
(D) During the orientalist-Anglicist controversy, the group of Orientalists was led by H.T. Princep who advocated the policy of giving encouragement to oriental literature.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

The Charter Act of 1813 provided for an annual expenditure of one lakh rupees for education in India. This was a significant step toward the promotion of education during British rule.
During the Orientalist-Anglicist controversy, the group of Orientalists, led by H.T. Princep, advocated the encouragement of Oriental literature. This was a significant ideological battle between the Orientalists, who supported traditional Indian learning, and the Anglicists, who favored English education and western knowledge.
Charles Wood’s Despatch of 1854 did not declare that the aim of educational policy was the teaching of eastern education. It aimed to expand the western-style education system in India and emphasized the importance of English education for Indians.
Hunter Education Commission (1882-83) was appointed to review the functioning of the Indian universities, but it did not focus on university development as much as it did on primary and secondary education. The commission was primarily concerned with educational reforms at the grassroots level.

Information Booster:

Charter Act of 1813: This Act marked a pivotal moment in the history of education in India, as it allocated funds for education and led to the establishment of the educational framework in British India. The provision of one lakh rupees in 1813, though modest, was a first step in setting up educational infrastructure.
Orientalist-Anglicist Controversy: The debate between Orientalists and Anglicists reflected broader ideological divides. The Orientalists, led by figures like H.T. Princep, believed that the traditional Indian education system, including the study of Sanskrit and Persian texts, should be preserved. The Anglicists, on the other hand, supported the introduction of English education and Western subjects.
Charles Wood’s Despatch (1854): Often called the "Magna Carta of English Education in India," this despatch recommended the introduction of a more structured, English-medium education system to create a class of English-speaking Indians who could assist in administering the colonial government.
The Hunter Commission of 1882, while tasked with examining Indian universities, also reviewed primary and secondary education, which led to reforms aimed at improving educational access.