Thomas Macaulay emphasised the need to teach the English language in India for which of the following reasons? 1. To allow Indians to read the finest literature the world had produced. 2. To make Indians aware of developments in Western science and philosophy. 3. To change the tastes, values, and culture of the people. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

NCERT Class 8 History — Chapter 5: Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation

mcqmedium

Thomas Macaulay emphasised the need to teach the English language in India for which of the following reasons?

To allow Indians to read the finest literature the world had produced.
To make Indians aware of developments in Western science and philosophy.
To change the tastes, values, and culture of the people.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

A1 and 2 only
B2 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is (d) 1, 2 and 3.

Explanation

The Anglicist-Orientalist controversy regarding the medium and content of education in British India. Lord Macaulay’s Minute (1835) advocated for the promotion of Western education through the medium of English, dismissing traditional Indian learning.

Statement 1 is Correct: Macaulay famously asserted that "a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia." He believed that teaching English would allow Indians to access the "finest literature" the world had produced, which he associated exclusively with Western works.

Statement 2 is Correct: Macaulay argued that English was the key to modern knowledge. He emphasized that English education would make Indians aware of the rapid developments in Western science, philosophy, and history, which he considered rational and superior to the "superstitious" and "mythological" learning of the East.

Statement 3 is Correct: Macaulay’s objective was not just educational but cultural. He explicitly stated the goal to create "a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect." This reflects the intent to change the values and culture of the educated elite.

Key Takeaway: Macaulay’s Minute (1835) laid the foundation for English education in India with the triple objective of accessing Western literature, promoting scientific knowledge, and creating a culturally anglicized class of intermediaries (Filtration Theory).

Your note

More from Chapter 5: Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation

With reference to the tradition of Orientalism in late 18th-century India, consider the following statements: 1. William Jones arrived in Calcutta in 1783 primarily to set up the Department of Education for the East India Company. 2. Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed were involved in translating Sanskrit and Persian works into English. 3. The Asiatic Society of Bengal was established by William Jones in collaboration with other British officials interested in Indian heritage. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Which one of the following institutions was established in 1781 to promote the study of Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law?

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With reference to the early educational institutions established by the British, consider the following pairs: 1. Calcutta Madrasa : 1781 2. Hindu College, Benaras : 1791 3. Asiatic Society of Bengal : 1783 4. Serampore College : 1818 How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

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With reference to the English Education Act of 1835, consider the following statements: 1. It was introduced following the recommendations of James Mill. 2. It made English the medium of instruction for higher education. 3. It proposed the establishment of new Oriental institutions like the Calcutta Madrasa. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Consider the following statements regarding the views of James Mill on education in India: 1. He believed the British effort should be to teach what the natives wanted in order to please them. 2. He argued that education should focus on scientific and technical advances rather than sacred literature. 3. He was a supporter of the Orientalist vision of learning. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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The correct option is (d) 1, 2 and 3.