Correct Option
The correct option is (b).
Explanation
The establishment of modern universities in India was a result of the educational reforms initiated by the British administration, specifically following the recommendations of Wood’s Despatch of 1854. This despatch laid the foundation for the structure of modern education in India, including the creation of universities modeled after the University of London.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect. The first universities established in India were not in Delhi and Meerut. They were established in the three Presidency towns: Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. The University of Delhi was established much later in 1922.
- Statement 2 is Correct. The Acts of Incorporation for the universities were passed in 1857. The University of Calcutta was established in January 1857, followed by the University of Bombay in July 1857, and the University of Madras in September 1857. The Revolt of 1857 began in May 1857. Therefore, the administrative process of establishing these universities continued in the Presidency towns even as the sepoys rose in revolt in Northern and Central India.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect. The university system was a direct result of Wood’s Despatch (1854), often described as the "Magna Carta of English Education in India." The English Education Act of 1835, based on Macaulay’s Minute, focused on making English the medium of instruction for higher education and stopping the promotion of oriental learning, but it did not propose the establishment of universities.
Key Takeaway
Wood’s Despatch (1854) led to the establishment of the first three universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras in 1857, coinciding chronologically with the Sepoy Mutiny.