Alternative Ideas and Initiatives: WBBSE Class 10 History answers

Summary

The Indian press played a significant role in advancing the Indian nationalist cause. James Augustus Hicky established the first Indian newspaper. The first Bengali monthly, Digdarshan, was published by the Serampore Missionary. Samachar Darpan, edited by JC Marshman, first appeared in print in 1818. It was also a time when several other newspapers appeared. A few examples are “Sambad Kaumudi,” “Samachar Chandrika,” “Sambad Prabhakar,” “Jnananweshan,” “Sambad Bhaskar,” “Saptahik Bartabaha,” etc. Publication in these newspapers aided in the dissemination of information and awareness. The majority of Indians in the 18th and 19th centuries were unable to read or write.

The printing of books made it simple to share knowledge with others. Baptist Mission Press began publishing books in Bengali and other regional languages. Lord Wellesley established Fort William College in 1800 to educate and train young Indian civilian recruits. Forerunner of the printing industry, Upendrakishore Raychowdhury. His innovative approach to printing books and photographs in black and white in addition to colour has made him famous in India and beyond. He established one of the premier publishing houses in 1913 in the North Calcutta neighbourhood of Garpar. There are a number of halftone block-related methods he developed. During this time, scientists also conducted studies in a variety of disciplines.

Nationalists at the century’s end believed that the existing educational system was inadequate, so they created the “National Educational Institution” to better serve the populace’s academic requirements. With this end in mind, the “National Council of Education” was established to establish a comprehensive national educational system. The ‘Society for Promotion of Technical Education in Bengal’ was founded by a different group of educators with the aim of increasing access to technical training for the general public.

Rabindranath’s ashramic school in Santiniketan was the physical manifestation of his educational ideals. Because Rabindranath didn’t like having his students cooped up inside a building, classes at Santiniketan were held under the open sky. Students engaged in a range of artistic pursuits and community service projects to foster their personal and spiritual growth. At “Visva Bharati,” Rabindranath aimed to bring together and unite different cultural traditions from the East and West. For him, this is where “the foundation of the relationship in which awaits dissemination all over the world will be established here.” can be laid. While discussing the institution’s goals and objectives, he stated that he had been so moved by the pressing need and weighty responsibility of the situation that he had established the groundwork for an International University dedicated to fostering understanding between Asia and the Western world.

Textual (Oriental)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Where was the first Printing Press invented ?

(a) Europe
(b) USA
(c) Asia
(d) Australia

Answer: (a) Europe

2. Which was the first Indian newspaper printed in a press ?

(a) Indian League
(B) Bengal Gazette
(c) Contemporary Kamalakar
(d) Englishman

Answer: (B) Bengal Gazette

3. When was the ‘Indian Association for the cultivation of Science’ established ?

(a) 1818 AD
(B) 1850 AD
(c) 1876 AD
(d) 1880 AD.

Answer: (c) 1876 AD

4. The number of research papers of Jagadish Chandra Basu was—

(a) 128
(b) 100
(c) 126
(d) 127

Answer: 128

5. The first principal of Bengal National School and College was

(a) Jagadish Chandra Bose
(b) Prafulla Chandra Ray
(c) Meghnad Saha
(d) Arabinda Ghosh

Answer: Arabinda Ghosh

Say ‘true’ or ‘false’

1. William Carey was the author of the book ‘Raja Pratapaditya’

Answer: False

2. The use of first Bengalee press was started in 1764.

Answer: False

3. The object of Visvabharati was to synthesise the culture of East and West.

Answer: True

4. The study of science in Bengalee was initiated by the ‘School of Theoretical Science’.

Answer: False

Assertion and Reason

Choose suitable explanations for the following statements given against each.

1. Statement: ‘With grief, it came upon my mind that in order to bring up the children, a machine has been made which is called ‘school’, human education cannot be achieved through this. (Rabindranath Tagore)

Explanation:

(i) Rabindranath started to think how the children could be freed from the clutches of colonial education system.
(ii) Rabindranath did not have any faith in the colonial educational system.
(iii) Rabindranath believed that within the boundaries of four walls, there could not be development of consciousness among the children.

Answer: (iii) Rabindranath believed that within the boundaries of four walls, there could not be development of consciousness among the children.

2. Statement: In the literary and cultural world of Bengal, nay, the whole of India, a land mark event was the establishment and development of Printing press.

Explanation:

(i) As a result of the development of printing press, a large number of books could be printed with a short time, thereby the literary works could reach a large number of common man.
(ii) As a result of the invention of printing press books in many languages could be printed.
(iii) As a result of the invention of printing press there was a resaissance in the literary world.

Answer: (i) As a result of the development of printing press, a large number of books could be printed with a short time, thereby the literary works could reach a large number of common man.

Fill up the Blanks

1. Fort William College was established by_____

Answer: Lord Wellesly

2. The National Educational Society (Jatiya Siksha Parishad) was established in_____

Answer: 1906

3. Rabindranath was influenced from his childhood in_____

Answer: Upanishad

4. In 1778 who was appointed the manager of the printing press of the company_____

Answer: Charles Wilkin

Match column A with column B

Column A	Column B
(i) Fort William College	(i) In the beginning of 19th Century
(ii) Newspaper in English and Bengali	(ii) 1906 AD
(iii) Bengal Technical Institute	(iii) 1901 AD
(iv) Santiniketan Asram Vidyalay	(iv) 1800 AD

Answer:

Column A	Column B
(i) Fort William College	(iv) 1800 AD
(ii) Newspaper in English and Bengali	(i) In the beginning of 19th Century
(iii) Bengal Technical Institute	(ii) 1906 AD
(iv) Santiniketan Asram Vidyalay	(iii) 1901 AD

Column A	Column B
(i) Inventor of Printing Press	(i) Indira Debi Choudhurani
(ii) James Augustus	(ii) William Carey
(iii) Professor of Fort William College	(iii) Gutenburg
(iv) Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati	(iv) Bengal Gazette

Answer:

Column A	Column B
(i) Inventor of Printing Press	(iii) Gutenburg
(ii) James Augustus	(iv) Bengal Gazette
(iii) Professor of Fort William College	(ii) William Carey
(iv) Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati	(i) Indira Debi Choudhurani

Very short answer-type questions

1. When was the first printing press come to use in India?

Answer: Hicky set up his printing press in 1780.

2. Why was Panchanan and Monohar become famous?

Answer: Under the supervision of English typographer Charles Wilkins, Panchanan Karmakar created the first Bengali typeface for printing. The provided document does not contain information about Monohar.

3. When was the first Bengali Grammar edited by Carey printed?

Answer: A Grammar of the Bengali Language, compiled by Carey, was published in 1801.

4. What was the name of first Bengali newspaper?

Answer: It is admitted on all hands now that the Bangal Gazette is the first weekly newspaper published in 1818 in Bengali language.

5. Name one of the most renowned Bengali Scientist.

Answer: Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose was one of the most renowned Bengali scientists.

6. Who was the first principal of Bengal Technical Institute?

Answer: The first principal of the Bengal Technical Institute was Pramatha Nath Bose.

7. Who was the first vice-chancellor of Visva Bharati University?

Answer: After Visva-Bharati was granted the status of a central university by an Act of Parliament in May 1951, Rathindranath Tagore, the son of Rabindranath Tagore, became its first Vice-Chancellor (Upacharya).

8. In which year was the fortnightly science journal first published and what was its name?

Answer: The fortnightly science journal first published was in 1926. It’s called the Indian Journal of Physics.

9. What was the result of Bengal, nay India, coming in contact with western education?

Answer: Coming in contact with Western education and culture facilitated the assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in this country. It also led some educated enlightened Indians and a small number of professional people to feel the need for books; the introduction of printing text books catered to the needs of the people, and printed books became a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. Furthermore, the educated Bengalee middle class desired that they should also be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries. For some, like Rabindranath, Western education led him to discover the national heritage and appreciation of the cultural legacy of the country’s great past.

Short answer-type questions

1. According to Rabindranath, what was the objective of real education?

Answer: According to Rabindranath, the fundamental purpose of education was not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge, but also to establish bond of love and friendship between man and man. His objective was to strike harmony amongst man, nature and god. Rabindranath felt that for the students it is necessary to learn to live in harmony with environment. He used to say that true education consisted in knowing the use of any useful material that had been collected and to know its real nature. The goal of education was to synthesize knowledge and feeling.

2. What were the names of translaters of Bengali Mahabharata and Ramayana?

Answer: The most renowned translator of the Mahabharata into Bengali is Kashiram Das, who lived in the 17th century. For the Ramayana, the most famous Bengali translation is by Krittibas Ojha, dating back to the 15th century. These are considered classic works in Bengali literature, although other translations also exist.

3. In which year was the Baptist Mission Press of Serampore closed and why?

Answer: The Baptist Mission Press at Serampore did not have a single, abrupt closure date in the way a modern business might shut down. Its operations significantly declined, particularly after the deaths of the founding missionaries William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward. The formal partnership of the Serampore Mission dissolved around 1837 due to financial difficulties and disagreements with the Baptist Missionary Society in Britain.

4. In which languages were the Bible translated at the behest of Baptist Christian Missionaries?

Answer: At the behest of Baptist Christian Missionaries like William Carey, who translated almost the entire Bible in Bengali, the Serampore Mission Press printed and published the Bible translated into forty Indian languages. Christian scripture was translated into vernacular languages of India.

5. Who first started using printing press in South Asia and when?

Answer: The first use of the printing press in South Asia occurred in Goa, India, in 1556. A printing press, initially intended for missionary work in Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia), was diverted to Goa due to changing circumstances. There, it was installed at the Jesuit-run Saint Paul’s College in Old Goa. João de Bustamante, a Spanish printer, along with his Indian assistant, established and operated the press. The first known publication from this press was Conclusiones Philosophicas, printed in the same year.

6. When was the Science College in Calcutta established under calcutta University?

Answer: The Science College, also known as the University College of Science and Technology or the Rajabazar Science College, one of the four campuses of the University of Calcutta, was founded in 1914 by the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, Sri Asutosh Mukherjee.

7. Where did Scientist C.V. Raman conducted his scientific research?

Answer: C.V. Raman conducted his scientific research primarily at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

8. Write notes on: National Education Council.

Answer: In 1904, Lord Curzon by the University Act of 1904 infringed upon the autonomy of the University of Calcutta, giving rise to tremendous dissatisfaction. The nationalists of contemporary Bengal thought of establishing an education system over which the Indians would have the full control. The idea of the National Education was mooted out in a meeting on 10 December 1905. A committee was set up to finalize the scheme for a National Council of Education. The objective in setting up the institution was to challenge the British rule over education and to offer education to the masses on ‘national lines and under national control’. The curriculum drawn up was for a three-year primary, seven-year secondary and four year collegiate course, including literary and scientific education with some amount of technical training. A split occurred in the National Council due to differing opinions on the method of instruction; the majority wanted a three-dimensional instruction (literary-scientific-technical), while a minority group favoured technical education with a sprinkling of science teaching.

9. In which year and who wrote Vidyakalpadruma?

Answer: Vidyakalpadruma, also known as Encyclopædia Bengalensis, was written by Krishna Mohan Banerjee and published in 1846-1851.

10. Who established ‘Basu Vigyan Mandir’ and why?

Answer: Basu Bigyan Mandir, also known as the Bose Institute, was founded in 1917 by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose pioneered modern scientific research in India, and the Bose Institute was the first to introduce the concept of inter-disciplinary research in India.

11. When was established Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical works and Indian Chemical Society? Who set up these two institutions?

Answer: Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works was established on April 12, 1901 and the Indian Chemical Society was founded on May 9, 1924.

These two institutions were set up by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray.

Analytical type

1. Write about the role of printing press in journalism.

Answer: The printing press played a significant role in the development of journalism in Bengal. It first occurred in the mind of Mr. James Augustus Hicky that ‘great benefit might arise from setting on foot a public newspaper in the country, (Bengal)’. Hicky set up his printing press in 1780 and brought out the first English language newspaper of India, Hicky’s Bengal Gazette. This press was established when society’s state was low, and Hicky faced prosecutions as his paper exposed many scandals, leading to its closure in 1782. Despite this, Hicky is considered the pioneer of the Indian press. Following Hicky’s newspaper, a host of others like The India Gazette, The Calcutta Gazette, The Bengal Hurkaru, and The Calcutta Courier followed in quick succession. The first weekly newspaper published in 1818 in the Bengali language was the Bangal Gazette. The Samachar Darpan, under John Clark Marshman, and later the Sambad Prabhakar, edited by Iswarchandra Gupta (the first vernacular daily run by Indians, starting daily publication in 1839), marked the maturing of the Indian press. These independent papers published criticisms and exposures which aroused anger and fear among the rulers like Cornwallis, Wellesley, and Minto, leading to measures like Wellesley’s rigid press censorship in 1799 and the Vernacular Press Act of 1878, which deprived vernacular newspapers of the right to criticize the government. However, the publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers also helped in the dissemination of general knowledge and information amongst the natives, which was seen to ‘must lead to beneficial effects’.

2. What was the contribution of Upendra Kishore Ray Chaudhury in the establishment of printing Industry in Bengal.

Answer: Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury, also known as Upendrakishor Roy, made significant contributions to the printing industry in Bengal. He was a famous writer, painter, technician, and composer. As a painter, he pioneered the art of engraving in the country and was the first to attempt colour printing when these techniques were still developing in the West. He introduced the art of modern block-making not only in India but in the whole region of South Asia. Finding illustrations in his book Chheleder Ramayana very poor, he was encouraged to learn modern technology in block-making, importing books, chemicals, and equipment from Britain. After mastering the technique, Upendrakishor successfully introduced modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks. In 1895, he started a business of block-making. Although he initially got his books printed by other printers, in 1913, Upendrakishor set up his own modern printing press named U. RAY & SONS in the Garpar area of North Calcutta. This press was suggested by one opinion to be probably the finest press in contemporary South Asia. His technical articles on block-making, published in the Penrose Annual Volumes from Britain, demonstrate the depth of knowledge he had acquired in printing technology.

3. Write about the introduction of Culture and study of science in Bengal.

Answer: The introduction and study of culture and science in Bengal saw significant developments, particularly from the 19th century onwards. The educated Bengalee middle class desired to be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries. This led to the establishment of India’s first non-official scientific research institution, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), in 1876 by Dr. Mahendralal Sircar, encouraged by Father Eugene Lafont. IACS became a leading scientific research centre, hosting illustrious teachers like Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and C. V. Raman (Nobel Prize winner, 1930).

Systematic education in Western medicine began with the founding of Calcutta Medical College in 1835, the first institution of its kind in India, training native youths according to the European model. Madhusudan Gupta was the first person to dissect a corpse there.

Furthering scientific education, the University College of Science and Technology (Calcutta Science College or Rajabazar Science College), officially known as Rashbehari Siksha Prangan, was founded in 1914 by Sri Asutosh Mukherjee without aid from the colonial government, thanks to generous donations from Sri Rashbehari Ghosh and Sri Taraknath Palit. Its first teachers included Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy and C. V. Raman, and the legendary 1915 M.Sc. batch included Satyendranath Bose and Meghnad Saha.

Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose founded the Basu Bigyan Mandir (Bose Institute) in 1917, a research institute pioneering modern scientific and inter-disciplinary research in India.
Culturally, the Baptist Mission Press, founded in Serampore in 1800, printed and published textbooks, religious books, and other works in vernacular languages and English, including translations from English to Bengali, facilitating the assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures. The development of printing, including Battala publications using wood-cuts and lithographs, contributed to the literary and cultural world. Rabindranath Tagore’s Visva-Bharati, founded in 1921, was developed as a centre of Indian culture, aiming to promote mutual understanding between East and West by studying Indian philosophy, literature, art, and music.

4. How did Rabindranath Tagore criticized against Colonial education.

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore critiqued colonial education on several points. He observed that in the colonial system, the emphasis was on imparting education through the medium of English. Since English is very different from Bengali, he felt that English words could hardly evoke any impression in the mind of the learner. Consequently, the child found no joy in learning, could not think for himself, and simply used to memorize a lifeless vocabulary. Tagore believed that under the colonial system, education was delinked from the child’s living world and did not touch the core of his life. He realized that the quality of life did not change under this system of learning. He criticized the lack of focus on feeling, stating that “neither the education of the senses nor the education of the intellect, but the education of the feeling should receive the place of honor in our schools”. He lamented the mechanical nature of schooling, expressing grief that “in order to bring up the children, a machine has been made which is called ‘school’, human education cannot be achieved through this.” He insisted on the need for simultaneous learning of ideas as well as linguistic skill, which he felt was missing in the colonial approach.

5. Write notes on: Bengal Technical Institute.

Answer: The Bengal Technical Institute emerged from a split within the National Council of Education regarding the method of instruction. A minority group, favouring technical education with a sprinkling of science teaching over a broader literary-scientific-technical curriculum, set up a separate institution. This rival institute was named the Society for Promotion of Technical Education in Bengal (SPTE), established in the house of Taraknath Palit with his financial support. It was the SPTE that founded The Bengal Technical Institute on 25 July 1906. The objective of the institute was to spread technical education among the masses in West Bengal. However, by 1910, there was a merger of the two rival institutes, and The Bengal Technical Institute came under the National Council of Education. Later, in the post-Independence period, the National Council of Education was converted into Jadavpur University with full autonomy through the Jadavpur University Act (1955).

6. Write about the role of Journals and newspapers in the study of science.

Answer: The provided text indicates a specific instance where journals played a role related to scientific knowledge dissemination. Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury’s technical articles about block-making were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes, which were published from Britain. These articles serve as ample proof of the depth of knowledge he had acquired in printing technology, a technical field. While the text mentions various newspapers and periodicals contributing to the spread of general knowledge and political discourse, and highlights institutions dedicated to scientific education and research, it does not elaborate broadly on the role of journals and newspapers specifically in the study of science beyond this example concerning Upendrakishor’s technical articles.

Explanatory questions

1. How did the printing press flourish in Bengal?

Answer: The printing press began to flourish in Bengal starting with Mr. James Augustus Hicky, who set up his press in 1780 and published the first English language newspaper of India, Hicky’s Bengal Gazette. Before this, A Grammar of the Bengali Language by Halhed was printed and published in 1778, becoming the first ever printed book in Bengali. Following Hicky’s initiative, a host of other newspapers like The India Gazette, The Calcutta Gazette, The Bengal Hurkaru, and The Calcutta Courier emerged in the last two decades of the eighteenth century.

Christian missionaries played a significant role; Andrews established a printing press at Hughli. To print Halhed’s grammar, a Bangla type was needed, leading Panchanan Karmakar, under the supervision of English typographer Charles Wilkins, to create the first Bengali typeface. Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya, a versatile writer, editor, printer, and publisher, is credited with publishing the first Bengali newspaper, Bengal Gazetti (also referred to as Bangal Gazette), which was the first weekly newspaper published in 1818 in the Bengali language, although there is some disagreement, with others crediting the Samachar Darpan under John Clark Marshman. The missionaries of Serampore, through the Serampore Mission Press founded in 1800, significantly contributed by publishing both English and Bengali journals and books, including the first New Testament in Bengali (1801) and the Bible translated into forty Indian languages. William Carey, associated with this mission, also compiled A Grammar of the Bengali Language (1801). The Baptist Mission Press, also founded in 1800 in Serampore, printed and published textbooks, religious books, and other works in vernacular languages and English, including translations, facilitating cultural assimilation. This press also supplied books to the students of Fort William College, founded in the same year.

The Battala area in North Calcutta became a hub for printing and publication in the 19th century. Battala printers enriched printing by imitating European technology of wood-cuts and lithographs to decorate books. The press also became a commercial venture. The first Bengalee to establish a press in Calcutta was Baboo-Ram, followed by Gangakishore Bhattacharya, who saw printing as a means of acquiring wealth. Technological advancements like the Linotype Bengali typeface, designed by Dr. Fiona Ross in 1982, made composing and printing Bengali text faster. Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury further advanced the industry by introducing modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks, starting a business in 1895, and establishing his own modern printing press, U. RAY & SONS, in 1913. The publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers like Bangal Gazetti was recognized early on for its potential to diffuse general knowledge and information, leading to beneficial effects and helping the spread of education by providing needed study materials for the educated middle class.

2. How did William Carey play a vital role in setting up printing press in Bengal?

Answer: William Carey played a vital role in the field of printing in Bengal primarily through his association with the Serampore Mission. In his mission to translate Christian scripture into vernacular languages, Carey translated almost the entire Bible into Bengali. He brought with him an old press machinery and set up the Serampore Mission Press, which was in operation in 1801. This press published the first New Testament in Bengali in 1801 and went on to print and publish the Bible translated into forty Indian languages, contributing significantly to the growth of numerous Indian languages. Carey also compiled A Grammar of the Bengali Language, which was published by the Serampore Mission Press in 1801 and was a most significant contribution to the development of the Bengali language. The Baptist Mission Press, founded in Serampore in 1800, with which Carey was associated, also printed and published textbooks, religious books, and other works, and supplied books to Fort William College.

3. How did Acharya Jagadish Chandra Basu and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy played important parts in the development of Scientific Study in Bengal?

Answer: Acharya Jagadish Chandra Basu and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy played important parts in the development of scientific study in Bengal. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose was an illustrious teacher at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), India’s first non-official scientific research institution. He pioneered modern scientific research in India and, in 1917, founded the Bose Institute (Basu Bigyan Mandir), a research institute providing facilities for research in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, and Environmental Science. The Bose Institute was the first to introduce the concept of inter-disciplinary research in India. Jagadish Chandra Bose was also the first principal of the Bengal National School and College.

Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy was a notable teacher included in the first batch of teachers at the Calcutta Science College (officially Rashbehari Siksha Prangan, also known as Rajabazar Science College), which was founded in 1914. This institution played a key role in advancing scientific education and research in Bengal. Both figures contributed significantly to fostering a scientific environment and nurturing future generations of scientists in Bengal.

4. Write notes on: Institutional Scientific Study and Bose Science Institute.

Answer: Institutional Scientific Study in Bengal: In Bengal, the British government experimented with various technologies they had imported. The educated Bengalee middle class also desired that they should be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries. It was in this background that the first non-official (non-government) scientific research institution, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), came to be established in 1876. It was Mahendralal Sircar, a doctor, who thought of doing something about the future of the country, feeling that teaching institutions like Calcutta Medical College and Presidency College could hardly offer facilities for original investigations. Dr Sircar was encouraged by Father Eugene Lafont and helped by leading educationists and prominent citizens of Calcutta with counsel and financial aid. With the foundation of the IACS began the scientific movement in the country under Indian initiative. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and C. V. Raman were two illustrious teachers of the IACS, which today is one of the leading scientific research centres of the country.

The University College of Science and Technology, also known as the Rajabazar Science College or officially as the Rashbehari Siksha Prangan, was founded in 1914 by the legendary Sri Asutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. The Science College was founded without any aid from the colonial British government in India, made possible due to the generous donation of about thirty-seven and half lacs of rupees made by Sri Rashbehari Ghosh and Sri Taraknath Palit together. The Rajabazar Science College has been officially named Rashbehari Siksha Prangan in memory of Sri Rashbehari Ghosh. The first batch of teachers included Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy and Sir Chandra Sekhar Venkata Raman (C. V. Raman). These institutions were crucial for imparting scientific education and fostering research.

Bose Science Institute: Basu Bigyan Mandir, also known as the Bose Institute, is a research institute. The institute provides facilities for researches in various subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Environmental Science and many others. In 1917 the institute was founded by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose who pioneered the modern scientific research in India. Also, the Bose Institute was the first to introduce the concept of inter-disciplinary research in India. Presently the Institute has three campuses. The main campus, however, is situated at the former residence of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose, near the Science College, Kolkata.

5. How did Rabindranath Tagore protest against colonial education?

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore criticized colonial education primarily because of its medium and methods. In the colonial system, the emphasis was on imparting education through the medium of English. English is very different from Bengali, and to Rabindranath, the English words could hardly evoke any impression in the mind of the learner. He felt that the child found no joy in learning under this system, could not think for himself, and simply used to memorize a lifeless vocabulary.

Furthermore, he believed that under the colonial system, education was delinked from the child’s living world and did not touch the core of his life. It was the realization of Rabindranath Tagore that the quality of life did not change under the colonial system of learning through the medium of English. He insisted on the simultaneous learning of ideas as well as linguistic skill.

Tagore elaborated that the fundamental purpose of education was not “…merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge…” but also to establish a bond of love and friendship between man and man. He felt that true education, specifically “the education of the feeling,” should receive the place of honor in schools and that this true education is possible only “in the forest, through intimate contact with nature and purifying austere pursuits.” He expressed his grief, stating, ‘With grief, it came upon my mind that in order to bring up the children, a machine has been made which is called ‘school’, human education cannot be achieved through this.’ He believed that within the boundaries of four walls, there could not be development of consciousness among the children, indicating his lack of faith in the colonial educational system and his desire to free children from its clutches.

6. What was the role of Santiniketan in the spread of education?

Answer: Santiniketan, founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1901 initially as Brahmacharyasram, played a significant role in the spread of education by offering an alternative model based on ancient Indian traditions and Tagore’s own educational philosophy. The school was established following the model of the ancient (Vedic period) forest schools in India.

Its aims were central to its educational role:

(i) To ensure that the students are taught the importance of Indian heritage.
(ii) To give it a universal humanist outlook.
(iii) To provide all round development of the students.

Santiniketan promoted a unique approach where students had no fixed curriculum and were expected to grow through their own experiences. The goal of education was to ‘synthesize knowledge and feeling’. It emphasized creative learning encouraged only within a natural environment, where living in harmony with nature would enable children to cultivate their natural creativity.

Santiniketan eventually grew into Visva-Bharati, ‘a widely branching tree’, an international university aimed at promoting mutual understanding between the East and the West. It invited students from different parts of the world to study Indian philosophy, literature, art, and music. In essence, Santiniketan, and later Visva-Bharati, served as a centre for holistic education rooted in Indian culture while fostering a universal outlook, thereby contributing significantly to the spread and redefinition of education.

7. Write about the contributions of Visva Bharati and Rabindranath Tagore.

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore made significant contributions to education by founding his own school at Santiniketan in 1901. This school, initially called Brahmacharyasram, was established following the model of ancient Vedic period forest schools. Tagore’s idea was to create an environment where education was in harmony with nature, moving away from the rigid colonial system. The aims were to teach the importance of Indian heritage, foster a universal humanist outlook, and provide all-round development by synthesizing knowledge and feeling through experience. He believed education should establish a bond of love and friendship between man and man, and strike harmony amongst man, nature, and god.

Santiniketan was envisioned by Rabindranath as a ‘sapling’ which was to grow into Visva-Bharati, ‘a widely branching tree’. Rabindranath travelled widely and felt strongly that harmony and mutual understanding between the East and West were essential. With this end in view, Rabindranath built up Visva-Bharati, founded in 1921. He explained that its aim and function was to form the nucleus of an international university for promoting mutual understanding between the East and the West.

Visva-Bharati’s contribution was to invite students from the West and the East to study the different systems of Indian philosophy, literature, art, and music. Rabindranath made it clear that the objective was ‘not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge’, but to establish bond of love and friendship between man and man. The object of Visvabharati was to synthesise the culture of East and West. Thus, Visva-Bharati, under Tagore’s vision, developed as a centre of Indian culture and international understanding. Until independence, it was a college, and soon after independence, Visva-Bharati was given the status of a university and renamed Visva-Bharati University.

8. Very briefly write about the development of printing press in Bengal. What were the results of development of Printing Press? Write about the Bengal Gazette. The Revolt of 1857 gave a stunning blow to the Indian Press-How?

Answer: Development of Printing Press in Bengal: The development of the printing press in Bengal began in the late 18th century. It first occurred in the mind of Mr. James Augustus Hicky, who set up his printing press in 1780 and, in the same year, brought out the first English language newspaper of India, known as Hicky’s Bengal Gazette. Prior to this, A Grammar of the Bengali Language, written by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, was printed and published in 1778, marking the first ever printed book in Bengali. To print this grammar, a Bangla type was needed, and under the supervision of English typographer Charles Wilkins, Panchanan Karmakar created the first Bengali typeface.

Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya, a versatile writer, editor, printer, and publisher, is credited with publishing the first Bengali newspaper, the Bangal Gazette (a weekly), in 1818. The missionaries of Serampore also played a significant role, establishing a press in 1800 and publishing journals and books in both English and Bengali, including William Carey’s Grammar of the Bengali Language (1801) and Bible translations into forty Indian languages. The Serampore Mission Press developed into the biggest type-foundry in contemporary Asia.

The first Bengalee to establish a press in Calcutta was Baboo-Ram, followed by Gangakishore Bhattacharya. In the 19th century, Battala publications in North Calcutta enriched printing by imitating European wood-cuts and lithographs. The Sambad Prabhakar, edited by Iswarchandra Gupta, became the first vernacular daily run by Indians in 1839. Later, Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury spearheaded further advancements by introducing modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks, and establishing the U. RAY & SONS press in 1913.

Results of Development of Printing Press: The development of the printing press had several significant results. It greatly helped the spread of education, as the middle class who were being educated needed study materials, and the printing press fulfilled this demand by producing books much faster than manual copying. Previously, a copyist could produce at best two books a year. Printing, along with constant proofreading and correction, helped produce exact copies of manuscripts, making fuller knowledge possible, whereas hand-copied manuscripts were sometimes unreadable.

The publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers, like the Bangal Gazetti, helped the dissemination of general knowledge and information amongst the natives, which was seen as leading to ‘beneficial effects’. Printed textbooks of all sorts, including English and vernacular grammars and elementary books, catered to the needs of the people and became a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. The press facilitated a renaissance in the literary and cultural world of Bengal and India, as a large number of books could be printed quickly, allowing literary works to reach a large number of common people. The press also played a role in journalism and was utilized by some, like Gangakishore Bhattacharya, for social reform and as a commercial venture for acquiring wealth.

The Bengal Gazette: There is some disagreement among scholars regarding the first Bengali newspaper. While some credit Samachar Darpan (edited by John Clark Marshman), it is now generally admitted that the Bangal Gazette was the first weekly newspaper published in 1818 in the Bengali language. It was published by Gangakishore Bhattacharya. The appearance of this Bengali periodical was noted by the contemporary English newspaper, the Oriental Star (16 May 1818), which commented that the diffusion of general knowledge and information amongst the natives through such publications ‘must lead to beneficial effects’. (Note: This refers to the Bengali newspaper Bangal Gazette of 1818, not Hicky’s English Bengal Gazette of 1780).

The Revolt of 1857 and the Indian Press: The Revolt of 1857 gave a stunning blow to the Indian press in general. Following the revolt, the government introduced the repressive Act of 1857. Lord Canning, in implementing this act, made no distinction between publications in Indian vernacular languages and English. As a result, many Indian papers, such as the Samachar Sudhabarshan, were charged before the Supreme Court with publishing seditious articles, indicating a period of increased censorship and pressure on the press.

9. Describe how the publication of Bengali Periodicals and Newspapers helped discrimination of knowledge. What were the initiatives taken by Upendrakishore Roy chowdhury?

Answer: How the publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers helped dissemination of knowledge may be understood from the comment made in the Oriental Star (16 May 1818) on the occasion of the appearance of the Bengali periodical Bangal Gazetti. It was said that the diffusion of general knowledge and information amongst the natives ‘must lead to beneficial effects’.

Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury alias Upendrakishor Roy was a famous writer, painter, technician and a composer at the one and the same time. As a painter Upendrakishor pioneered the art of engraving in the country. Also he was the first to attempt colour printing. He began all this at a time when engraving and colour printing had been developing in the Western countries. Upendrakishor was the man who first introduced the art of modern block-making not only in India but in the whole region of South Asia. Upendrakishor learnt the process of block making in stages. While reproducing some illustrations using woodcut line blocks in his book Chheleder Ramayana Upendrakishor found that these were very poor. This encouraged him to learn modern technology in block-making. In his endeavour to learn the modern technique Upendrakishor imported books, chemicals and other equipments necessary in block-making from Britain. After attaining mastery over the technique Upendrakishor successfully introduced modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks. In 1895 he started a business of block-making. Simultaneously, Upendrakishor went on publishing books though he did not personally have any printing machine. He used to get the books printed from other printers. In 1913, however, Upendrakishor was able to set up a modern printing press. The press was named U. RAY & SONS, and was located at Garpar area of North Calcutta (near present Manicktola). One opinion suggested that the printing press set up by Upendrakishor was probably the finest press in the contemporary South Asia. His technical articles about block-making were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes published from Britain.

10. 19th Century was a turning part in the history of cultivation of Science how ? Write about the contribution of Mahendralal Sircar, a doctor, and Acharya J.C. Bose and C.V. Raman.

Answer: Nineteenth century was a turning point in the history of the cultivation of scientific knowledge in Bengal. Bengal being the seat of the British government in India various sorts of activities of the British had its beginning in Bengal. In Bengal the British experimented with various technologies that they had imported. The educated Bengalee middle class also desired that they should also be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries. It was in this background that the first non-official scientific research institution, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science came to be established in 1876.

It was Mahendralal Sircar who was a doctor, thought of doing something about the future of the country. The Calcutta Medical College and the Presidency College were basically teaching institutions. These could hardly offer facilities for conducting original investigations in science by the advanced students. Dr Sircar thought that for the country to make progress it was necessary for the students to take up science in a big way. Dr. Sircar was encouraged in this idea by Father Eugene Lafont who was also in favour of promoting research and instructions in science in the country. Leading educationists and prominent citizens of Calcutta also came forward in this venture. These people not only helped Dr. Sircar with counsel but offered financial help so that an institution could be set up. It was in this manner that India’s first non-official (non-government) scientific research institution, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) came into being. With the foundation of the IACS began the scientific movement in the country under Indian initiative.

Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and C. V. Raman were two illustrious teachers of the IACS. Today IACS is one of the leading scientific research centres of the country. C.V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. In 1917 the Bose Institute was founded by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose who pioneered the modern scientific research in India. Also the Bose Institute was the first to introduce the concept of inter-disciplinary research in India.

11. Write about the development of Technical Education in Bengal. Write about the National Council of Education. Write about the establishment of The Bengal Technical Institute

Answer: Towards the end of the nineteenth century the educationists of Bengal became conscious about the defects of the education system introduced by the colonial government in India. Amongst other things it was felt that for the progress of the country it was necessary to inculcate technical-scientific knowledge. In this context the role of the National Council of Education and the Bengal Technical Institute may be studied.

National Council of Education: In 1904, immediate before the beginning of the anti-Partition agitation in full swing, Lord Curzon by the University Act of 1904 infringed upon the autonomy of the University of Calcutta. This gave rise to tremendous dissatisfaction in the literary circle of Bengal. The nationalists of contemporary Bengal thought of establishing an education system over which the Indians would have the full control. Indeed, with the development of national consciousness the demand was raised for a national control over country’s own education. The idea behind was that a people’s education must be in the hands of the people concerned. The idea of the National Education was mooted out in a meeting on 10 December 1905 held at Park Street attended by the luminaries of Bengal including Rabindranath Tagore. To finalize the scheme for a National Council of Education a committee was set up. The objective in setting up the institution was to challenge the British rule over education. Besides, the institution was to offer education to the masses on ‘national lines and under national control’. The curriculum drawn up for a three-year primary, seven-year secondary and four year collegiate course. Literary and scientific education was with some amount of technical training. A split in the National Council became inevitable when there developed two different opinions regarding the method of instruction. The majority members wanted a three-dimensional instruction – literary-scientific-technical. The minority group thought that this was too ambitious a scheme. They were in favour of technical education with a sprinkling of science teaching.

The Bengal Technical Institute: The two groups fell apart with the minority group setting up a separate institution of its own. The rival institute was named Society for Promotion of Technical Education in Bengal (SPTE). The SPTE was set up in the house of Taraknath Palit with financial support from him. It was the SPTE that founded The Bengal Technical Institute on 25 July 1906. The objective was to spread technical education among the masses in West Bengal. However, by 1910 the there was a merger of the two rival institutes. The Bengal Technical Institute came under the National Council of Education. In the post-Independence period by the enactment of the Jadavpur University Act (1955) the National Council of Education was converted into Jadavpur University with full autonomy.

12. How was the education of Santiniketan under Rabindranath ?

Answer: Rabindranath founded his own school based on his ideas of education at Santiniketan in 1901. The school was established following the model of the ancient (Vedic period) forest schools in India. The idea that impelled him to start the school has been wonderfully expressed in a letter written by Rabindranath to Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose. He wrote that the school that he was trying to start would be conducted just on the lines of residential institutions of ancient times. Further, he expressed that “There shall not be the least trace of luxury. We shall not be able to become true Hindu if we do not learn rigid Brahmacharya (italics mine). Frivolity and luxury are degenerating to us. Wants of all descriptions are over-powering as only because we are failing to accept poverty with equanimity” (Sabuj Patra Vol. II : p30). Santiniketan school, called Brahmacharyasram was inaugurated on 22 December 1901. It was started on a small scale. The aims were : To ensure that the students are taught the importance of Indian heritage. To give it a universal humanist outlook. To provide all round development of the students. The students had no fixed curriculum. They were expected to grow through their own experiences. The goal of education was to ‘synthesize knowledge and feeling’. Tagore felt that for the students it is necessary to learn to live in harmony with environment. He used to say that true education consisted in knowing the use of any useful material that had been collected and to know its real nature. Elaborating the concept of education Tagore said: “…..neither the education of the senses nor the education of the intellect, but the education of the feeling should receive the place of honor in our schools…..our true education is possible only in the forest, through intimate contact with nature and purifying austere pursuits”. In Rabindranath’s idea of education teachers had to be imaginative. The teachers should understand the child, and help the child to develop curiosity in them. Tagore further felt that the creative learning could be encouraged only within natural environment. Living in harmony with nature, children would be able to cultivate their natural creativity.

In the words of Rabindranath Santiniketan was a ‘sapling’ which was to grow into Visva Bharati, ‘a widely branching tree’. Rabindranath travelled widely in Europe and met different people. He strongly felt that harmony and mutual understanding between the two cultures – East and West was essential for mutual benefit. With this end in view Rabindranath built up an educational institution in the form of Visva-Bharati. By way of explaining the aim and function of the Visva-Bharati Rabindranath said that being strongly impressed by the need and responsibility he had formed the nucleus of an international university for promoting mutual understanding between the East and the West. The institution, he said, would invite students from the West and the East to study the different systems of Indian philosophy, literature, art and music. Besides, Rabindranath made it clear that the objective of the institution was ‘not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge’, but to establish bond of love and friendship between man and man. In a word, Rabindranath’s objective was to strike harmony amongst man, nature and god. It is evident from what had been said by Rabindranath that the Visva-Bharati was developed as a centre of Indian culture. Visva-Bharati was founded in 1921. Until independence it was a college. Soon after independence Visva-Bharati was given the status of a university and renamed Visva-Bharati University.

Extras

Multiple choice questions (MCQs)

1. Who conceived the idea of establishing a printing press in Bengal?

A. James Augustus Hicky
B. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
C. Charles Wilkins
D. Baboo-Ram

Answer: A. James Augustus Hicky

2. In which year did the printing press get established in Bengal by Hicky?

A. 1780
B. 1778
C. 1818
D. 1801

Answer: A. 1780

3. What was the title of the first newspaper published by Hicky in Bengal?

A. Indian League
B. Bengal Gazette
C. Calcutta Courier
D. India Gazette

Answer: B. Bengal Gazette

4. Which book was the first printed grammar of the Bengali language?

A. Bengali Literature
B. A Grammar of the Bengali Language
C. Bengali Dictionary
D. Bengali Prose

Answer: B. A Grammar of the Bengali Language

5. In which year was the first Bengali grammar book printed?

A. 1778
B. 1780
C. 1801
D. 1818

Answer: A. 1778

6. Which press published the first New Testament in Bengali?

A. Battala Press
B. Baptist Mission Press
C. Serampore Mission Press
D. U. Ray & Sons

Answer: C. Serampore Mission Press

7. Who translated almost the entire Bible into Bengali and helped set up the Serampore Mission Press?

A. William Carey
B. Charles Wilkins
C. John Adam
D. Mahendralal Sircar

Answer: A. William Carey

8. In which year was the Serampore Mission Press established for publishing in Bengali?

A. 1800
B. 1801
C. 1818
D. 1839

Answer: B. 1801

9. Who created the first Bengali typeface for printing under the supervision of an English typographer?

A. Baboo-Ram
B. Panchanan Karmakar
C. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
D. Upendrakishor Roy

Answer: B. Panchanan Karmakar

10. Which newspaper is acknowledged as the first weekly published in Bengali in 1818?

A. Samachar Darpan
B. Bengal Gazette
C. Bangal Gazette
D. Calcutta Gazette

Answer: C. Bangal Gazette

11. What measure did Wellesley take in 1799 concerning the press?

A. Released taxes
B. Imposed censorship
C. Printed English texts
D. Banned typefaces

Answer: B. Imposed censorship

12. Which newspaper is recognised as the first vernacular daily run by Indians?

A. Hindoo Patriot
B. Sambad Prabhakar
C. Calcutta Courier
D. Tattvabadhini

Answer: B. Sambad Prabhakar

13. On what date was Sambad Prabhakar first published?

A. 14 June 1839
B. 22 December 1901
C. 25 July 1906
D. 16 May 1818

Answer: A. 14 June 1839

14. Which act deprived vernacular newspapers of their right to criticise the government?

A. Press Censorship Act
B. Vernacular Press Act
C. Adam’s Regulation
D. National Education Act

Answer: B. Vernacular Press Act

15. What is the name of the North Calcutta area known for its early printing and publication?

A. Garpar
B. Battala
C. Hughli
D. Serampore

Answer: B. Battala

16. Which printing innovation, designed in 1982, improved the speed of printing in Bengali?

A. Lithograph
B. Woodcut
C. Linotype Bengali
D. Digital Press

Answer: C. Linotype Bengali

17. Who was the first Bengalee to establish a printing press in Calcutta as a commercial venture?

A. Baboo-Ram
B. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
C. Upendrakishor Roy
D. James Augustus Hicky

Answer: A. Baboo-Ram

18. Who used the printing press as a means to acquire wealth and promote social reform in Bengal?

A. Baboo-Ram
B. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
C. Charles Wilkins
D. John Marshman

Answer: B. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya

19. Who introduced modern block‐making and colour printing techniques in Bengal?

A. Baboo-Ram
B. Gangakishore
C. Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury
D. Prafulla Chandra

Answer: C. Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury

20. In which year was Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury born?

A. 1855
B. 1863
C. 1876
D. 1887

Answer: B. 1863

21. When did Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury establish the U. Ray & Sons printing press?

A. 1906
B. 1913
C. 1917
D. 1921

Answer: B. 1913

22. Which institution, founded in 1835, was the first to impart systematic education in Western medicine in India?

A. Fort William College
B. Calcutta Medical College
C. Science College
D. Visva Bharati

Answer: B. Calcutta Medical College

23. Who was the first principal of Calcutta Medical College?

A. Dr. M.J. Bramley
B. Mahendralal Sircar
C. C.V. Raman
D. Prafulla Chandra

Answer: A. Dr. M.J. Bramley

24. Which scientific research institution was established in Bengal in 1876?

A. Calcutta Science College
B. Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
C. Bose Institute
D. Fort William College

Answer: B. Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science

25. Who, associated with the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, later won a Nobel Prize in Physics?

A. Jagadish Bose
B. Prafulla Roy
C. C. V. Raman
D. Satyendranath Bose

Answer: C. C. V. Raman

26. Which institution, also known as Rajabazar Science College, was established in 1914?

A. Calcutta Science College
B. Bose Institute
C. Fort William College
D. Visva Bharati

Answer: A. Calcutta Science College

27. Who were the benefactors that enabled the establishment of Calcutta Science College?

A. Tagore and Bose
B. Ghosh and Palit
C. Hicky and Carey
D. Roy and Mukherjee

Answer: B. Ghosh and Palit

28. In which year was the Bose Institute (Basu Bigyan Mandir) founded?

A. 1914
B. 1917
C. 1921
D. 1906

Answer: B. 1917

29. Which event delivered a severe blow to the Indian press in the mid-nineteenth century?

A. 1878 Act
B. Revolt of 1857
C. 1839 Launch
D. Colonial Censorship

Answer: B. Revolt of 1857

30. Which educational critic argued against an education system solely based on the English medium?

A. William Carey
B. Rabindranath Tagore
C. Mahendralal Sircar
D. Jagadish Bose

Answer: B. Rabindranath Tagore

31. When was the Santiniketan school (Brahmacharyasram) inaugurated?

A. 22 December 1901
B. 14 June 1839
C. 25 July 1906
D. 1921

Answer: A. 22 December 1901

32. In which year was Visva Bharati founded to foster international cultural understanding?

A. 1901
B. 1913
C. 1921
D. 1930

Answer: C. 1921

33. Which institution was established by Lord Wellesley in Calcutta for training young civilians?

A. Fort William College
B. Calcutta Medical College
C. Science College
D. Visva Bharati

Answer: A. Fort William College

34. Under which act was the National Council of Education converted into Jadavpur University?

A. Education Reform Act
B. National Education Act
C. Jadavpur University Act
D. Technical Education Act

Answer: C. Jadavpur University Act

35. In which year was the Vernacular Press Act enacted?

A. 1823
B. 1857
C. 1878
D. 1904

Answer: C. 1878

36. Who fought for a free press against Adam’s Press Regulations in 1823?

A. Rabindranath Tagore
B. Rammohan Roy
C. Jagadish Bose
D. Upendrakishor Roy

Answer: B. Rammohan Roy

37. Who translated the Bhagwad Gita into English and contributed to the modern Bengali typeface?

A. William Carey
B. Charles Wilkins
C. James Hicky
D. Panchanan

Answer: B. Charles Wilkins

38. Which medium replaced handwritten manuscripts by providing constant proofreading and correction in educational texts?

A. Printing press
B. Digital media
C. Stone carving
D. Oral tradition

Answer: A. Printing press

39. Which textbook by Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, published in 1855, aided the dissemination of knowledge?

A. Varna Parichay
B. Bengali Primer
C. Simple English
D. Native Guide

Answer: A. Varna Parichay

40. Which press printed textbooks and religious books in provincial languages besides English?

A. Serampore Mission Press
B. Battala Press
C. Baptist Mission Press
D. National Press

Answer: C. Baptist Mission Press

41. Which repressive measure was eventually annulled under pressure from political agitation?

A. Press Censorship Act
B. Vernacular Press Act
C. National Education Act
D. Adam’s Regulation

Answer: B. Vernacular Press Act

42. Who championed the concept of a people’s education system with national control during the anti-partition movement?

A. Rabindranath Tagore
B. William Carey
C. C. V. Raman
D. Upendrakishor Roy

Answer: A. Rabindranath Tagore

43. Who designed the Linotype Bengali machine that revolutionised printing speed?

A. Dr. Fiona Ross
B. Charles Wilkins
C. James Hicky
D. Upendrakishor Roy

Answer: A. Dr. Fiona Ross

44. What decoration techniques did the Battala printers adopt from European technology?

A. Wood-cuts only
B. Lithographs only
C. Both methods
D. Engravings

Answer: C. Both methods

45. Which research institute, founded by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose, introduced inter-disciplinary research in India?

A. Bose Institute
B. IACS
C. Science College
D. Calcutta Medical College

Answer: A. Bose Institute

46. Who was noted for being the first to dissect a corpse at Calcutta Medical College?

A. Dr. Bramley
B. Madhusudan Gupta
C. Jagadish Bose
D. Upendrakishor Roy

Answer: B. Madhusudan Gupta

47. Besides intellectual growth, what additional element did Rabindranath Tagore stress as essential in education?

A. Discipline
B. Wealth
C. Feeling
D. Memorisation

Answer: C. Feeling

48. In which facility did Rabindranath Tagore first experiment with his educational ideas in 1901?

A. Santiniketan
B. Visva Bharati
C. Fort William
D. Serampore

Answer: A. Santiniketan

49. What was the ultimate objective of Visva Bharati as envisioned by Rabindranath Tagore?

A. Cultural wealth
B. Mutual understanding
C. Industrial growth
D. Political power

Answer: B. Mutual understanding

Questions and Answer

1. When was Hicky’s printing press set up in Bengal?

Answer: Hicky set up his printing press in 1780.

2. Who created the first Bengali typeface?

Answer: Under the supervision of English typographer Charles Wilkins, Panchanan Karmakar created the first Bengali typeface for printing.

3. Who was the first Bengali to establish a printing press in Calcutta?

Answer: The first Bengalee who established press in Calcutta was Baboo-Ram.

4. When was the Bengali periodical Bangal Gazetti first published?

Answer: The Bangal Gazette is the first weekly newspaper published in 1818 in Bengali language.

5. Who translated almost the entire Bible into Bengali?

Answer: William Carey translated almost the entire Bible in Bengali.

6. What was the first grammar book of Bengali language and when was it published?

Answer: A Grammar of the Bengali Language was the first grammar book of the Bengali language; it was printed and published in 1778.

7. Name the institution founded by Mahendralal Sircar in 1876.

Answer: The institution founded by Mahendralal Sircar in 1876 was the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.

8. When was the Calcutta Medical College founded?

Answer: Calcutta Medical College of Bengal was founded in 1835.

9. Who first dissected a corpse at Calcutta Medical College?

Answer: Madhusudan Gupta stands out as the person who first dissected a corpse at Calcutta Medical College.

10. When was Visva-Bharati founded?

Answer: Visva-Bharati was founded in 1921.

11. What were the main objectives of setting up the Serampore Mission Press?

Answer: The Serampore Mission Press was set up as part of the mission’s activity in the field of printing. Its objectives included translating Christian scripture, like the entire Bible, into Bengali and almost the entire Bible into forty Indian languages. It published the first New Testament in Bengali in 1801. The Press printed and published textbooks, religious books, and other works in vernacular languages and in English, including books translated from English to Bengali. All this facilitated the assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in this country and contributed to the growth of numerous Indian languages. The Serampore Mission Press also developed into the biggest type-foundry in contemporary Asia.

12. Why is Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury important in the history of printing in Bengal?

Answer: Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury is important in the history of printing as he was the man who first introduced the art of modern block-making not only in India but in the whole region of South Asia. After learning the process and importing the necessary books, chemicals, and equipment, he successfully introduced modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks. In 1895, he started a business of block-making. As a painter, Upendrakishor pioneered the art of engraving in the country and was also the first to attempt colour printing. In 1913, he was able to set up a modern printing press named U. RAY & SONS, which was probably the finest press in contemporary South Asia. His technical articles about block-making were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes published from Britain, giving ample proof of the depth of knowledge he had acquired in printing technology.

13. What were the objectives behind founding the National Council of Education?

Answer: The National Council of Education was founded following dissatisfaction with the University Act of 1904 and the development of national consciousness, which raised the demand for national control over the country’s own education. The objective in setting up the institution was to challenge the British rule over education. Besides, the institution was to offer education to the masses on ‘national lines and under national control’.

14. Mention the contribution of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose in scientific research.

Answer: Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose pioneered modern scientific research in India. In 1917, he founded the Bose Institute (Basu Bigyan Mandir), a research institute providing facilities for research in various subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Environmental Science, and many others. The Bose Institute was the first to introduce the concept of inter-disciplinary research in India. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose was also an illustrious teacher at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS). The number of his research papers was 128.

15. How did Battala publications enrich Bengali printing technology?

Answer: Battala publications enriched Bengali printing as the Battala printers enriched their printing by imitating the European technology of wood-cuts and lithographs. Using such technology, they decorated their books with illustrations.

16. What impact did Fort William College have on language education?

Answer: Fort William College, founded in 1800, impacted language education as young civilians were taught various languages there like Bengali, Parsee, and Hindusthani. Qualified persons were appointed as teachers who needed textbooks for instructions to the students. The Serampore Press supplied books to the students (trainee civilians) of the Fort William College.

17. Why was the Vernacular Press Act of 1878 infamous?

Answer: The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was infamous because it was one of the various repressive Acts passed under the reactionary regime of Lord Lytton. This ill-famed Act concerned imposing restrictions on the vernacular press and deprived newspapers published in vernacular languages of their right to criticize the government.

18. Discuss the development and significance of the Serampore Mission Press.

Answer: With the foundation of the Serampore Mission in 1800 began a new era in the history of missionary activities in India. No less important was the activity of the mission in the field of printing. In his mission to translate Christian scripture in vernacular languages of India, William Carey translated almost the entire Bible in Bengali. Carey also brought with him an old press machinery and set up a printing press which was in operation in 1801. This was the Serampore Mission Press that published the first New Testament in Bengali in 1801.
The Serampore Mission Press developed into the biggest type-foundry in contemporary Asia. Its greatest contribution was printing and publishing the Bible translated into forty Indian languages. In the process of translation, the Serampore Mission Press contributed to the growth of numerous Indian languages. A Grammar of the Bengali Language, compiled by Carey, was published in 1801, which was the most significant contribution of Carey to the development of the Bengali language.
The Baptist Mission Press started printing books in Bengali and other provincial languages in 1800. It supplied books to the students (trainee civilians) of the Fort William College, which was founded in the same year. The Press printed and published text books, religious books, and other works in vernacular languages and in English, including books translated from English to Bengali. All this facilitated the assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in this country. The missionaries of Serampore did excellent job on the educational, cultural and social field by publishing both English and Bengali journals and books, though their efforts had limited success as their only desire was to Christianize the people of the country.

19. Explain how the printing press contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in Bengal.

Answer: The printing press contributed significantly to the dissemination of knowledge in Bengal. The publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers helped the diffusion of general knowledge and information amongst the natives, which was seen as leading to beneficial effects. The printing press helped the spread of education by fulfilling the demand for study materials from the educated middle class in towns. Previously, copyists could produce at best two books a year after hard toil, and the hand-copied manuscripts were sometimes unreadable, forcing readers to guess the content. With the invention of printing, constant proofreading and correction helped produce exact copies of manuscripts, making fuller knowledge obtainable.
During the 18th-19th centuries, while many people in India were illiterate, some educated enlightened Indians and professionals felt the need for books. Before printing, copyists multiplied books by hand. The introduction of printing allowed text books of all sorts, English and vernacular grammars, and elementary books to be published, catering to the needs of the people. Printed books became a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. An example is the elementary Bengali text book Varna Parichay by Iswarchandra Vidyasagar (published in 1855). As a result of the development of the printing press, a large number of books could be printed in a short time, allowing literary works to reach many common people. Books in many languages could be printed, leading to a renaissance in the literary world.

20. Describe Rabindranath Tagore’s critique of colonial education.

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore critiqued colonial education on several points. He observed that in the colonial system, the emphasis in primary and secondary education was on imparting education through the medium of English. Since English is very different from Bengali, English words could hardly evoke any impression in the mind of the learner. Tagore felt that the child found no joy in learning, could not think for himself, and simply memorized a lifeless vocabulary.
Under the colonial system, education was delinked from the child’s living world and did not touch the core of his life. Tagore realized that the quality of life did not change under this system of learning through English. He insisted on the simultaneous learning of ideas as well as linguistic skill. He expressed his grief that a machine called ‘school’ had been made to bring up children, through which human education could not be achieved. Rabindranath started to think about how children could be freed from the clutches of the colonial education system, as he did not have any faith in it. He believed that within the boundaries of four walls, the development of consciousness among children could not occur.

21. Write about the establishment and objectives of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.

Answer: The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) was the first non-official scientific research institution in India, established in 1876. This establishment occurred in the background where the educated Bengalee middle class desired to be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries, alongside British activities in Bengal.
It was Mahendralal Sircar, a doctor, who conceived the idea, thinking about the future of the country. He realized that existing institutions like Calcutta Medical College and Presidency College were primarily teaching institutions and could hardly offer facilities for original scientific investigations by advanced students. Dr. Sircar believed that for the country to progress, students needed to take up science in a big way. He was encouraged by Father Eugene Lafont, who also favoured promoting research and instruction in science. Leading educationists and prominent citizens of Calcutta supported the venture with counsel and financial help. Thus, India’s first non-official (non-government) scientific research institution, the IACS, came into being, initiating the scientific movement in the country under Indian initiative.

22. What were the objectives behind the establishment of Bengal Technical Institute?

Answer: The Bengal Technical Institute was founded on 25 July 1906 by the Society for Promotion of Technical Education in Bengal (SPTE). The SPTE itself was set up by a minority group that split from the National Council of Education. This group favoured technical education with a sprinkling of science teaching, considering the National Council’s plan for three-dimensional instruction (literary-scientific-technical) too ambitious. The objective of the Bengal Technical Institute, founded by SPTE, was to spread technical education among the masses in West Bengal.

23. How did Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury revolutionise printing technology in Bengal?

Answer: Upendrakishor Roy Choudhury was the man who first introduced the art of modern block-making not only in India but in the whole region of South Asia. He learnt the process of block making in stages. While reproducing some illustrations using woodcut line blocks in his book Chheleder Ramayana, Upendrakishor found that these were very poor. This encouraged him to learn modern technology in block-making. In his endeavour to learn the modern technique, Upendrakishor imported books, chemicals and other equipments necessary in block-making from Britain.
After attaining mastery over the technique, Upendrakishor successfully introduced modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks. In 1895 he started a business of block-making. Simultaneously, Upendrakishor went on publishing books though he did not personally have any printing machine, getting them printed from other printers. In 1913, however, Upendrakishor was able to set up a modern printing press named U. RAY & SONS, located at Garpar area of North Calcutta. One opinion suggested that this press was probably the finest press in contemporary South Asia. As a painter, Upendrakishor pioneered the art of engraving in the country and was also the first to attempt colour printing, beginning all this when engraving and colour printing had been developing in the Western countries. His technical articles about block-making were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes published from Britain, giving ample proof of the depth of knowledge he had acquired in printing technology.

24. Explain the role of newspapers and periodicals in the cultural awakening of Bengal during the nineteenth century.

Answer: The publication of Bengali periodicals and newspapers helped dissemination of knowledge. As commented in the Oriental Star (16 May 1818) on the appearance of the Bengali periodical Bangal Gazetti, the diffusion of general knowledge and information amongst the natives ‘must lead to beneficial effects’. Newspapers like Hicky’s Bengal Gazette exposed many scandals. As an editor, Gangakishore Bhattacharya, publisher of the first Bengali newspaper Bengal Gazetti, attempted to utilize the press for social reform.
The Indian press was maturing by the mid-nineteenth century. The Sambad Prabhakar, edited by Iswarchandra Gupta, became the first vernacular daily run by the Indians in 1839. A number of newspapers came out, including Tattvabadhini Patrika and Hindoo Patriot. The Governor-Generals like Cornwallis, Wellesley and Minto were very sensitive to the criticisms and exposures by the independent papers, which aroused anger and fear of the rulers. By the 70s of the nineteenth century, Indian nationalism had been gathering momentum, and the vernacular press played a role. The ill-famed Vernacular Press Act of 1878 deprived newspapers published in vernacular languages of their right to criticize government, indicating the press’s involvement in political discourse. Political associations built up a strong movement against such reactionary measures. With the passing of the East India Company’s rule to the British Crown, the Bengali press got a new lease of life. Battala publications in North Calcutta also enriched printing by imitating European technology of wood-cuts and lithographs, decorating their books with illustrations.

25. Describe the contribution of Rabindranath Tagore’s educational ideals in shaping Visva-Bharati.

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore’s critique of colonial education highlighted that the emphasis on English medium meant the child found no joy in learning, could not think for himself, and simply memorized a lifeless vocabulary. Education was delinked from the child’s living world and did not touch the core of his life. He insisted on simultaneous learning of ideas as well as linguistic skill.

Rabindranath founded his own school at Santiniketan in 1901, following the model of ancient (Vedic period) forest schools in India, conducted on the lines of residential institutions of ancient times, without luxury, and learning rigid Brahmacharya. The school, called Brahmacharyasram, aimed to ensure students were taught the importance of Indian heritage, give a universal humanist outlook, and provide all-round development. Students had no fixed curriculum and were expected to grow through their own experiences. The goal was to ‘synthesize knowledge and feeling’.

Tagore felt true education consisted in knowing the use of useful material and its real nature, possible only in the forest through intimate contact with nature and purifying austere pursuits. Education of the feeling, not just senses or intellect, should receive honour. Living in harmony with nature, children would cultivate their natural creativity. Teachers had to be imaginative, understand the child, and help develop curiosity.

Santiniketan was a ‘sapling’ which grew into Visva Bharati, ‘a widely branching tree’. Rabindranath felt harmony and mutual understanding between East and West was essential. He built Visva-Bharati as an international university for promoting mutual understanding, inviting students from West and East to study Indian philosophy, literature, art, and music. The objective was ‘not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge’, but to establish a bond of love and friendship between man and man. His objective was to strike harmony amongst man, nature and god. Visva-Bharati was developed as a centre of Indian culture.

26. Discuss the establishment, development, and significance of the Calcutta Science College.

Answer: The Calcutta Science College, also known as the University College of Science and Technology or the Rajabazar Science College (officially Rashbehari Siksha Prangan), is one of the four campuses of the University of Calcutta. It was founded in 1914 by the legendary Sri Asutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta.
The Science College was founded without any aid from the colonial British government in India. Its establishment was possible due to the generous donation of about thirty-seven and a half lacs of rupees made by Sri Rashbehari Ghosh and Sri Taraknath Palit together, both of whom were lawyers and played a prominent role in the freedom movement. The Rajabazar Science College has been officially named Rashbehari Siksha Prangan in memory of Sri Rashbehari Ghosh, and the Ballygunge Science College is named Taraknath Siksha Prangan.

The significance of the college is highlighted by its faculty and students. The first batch of teachers included Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, the Nobel laureate Sir Chandra Sekhar Venkata Raman (popularly known as ‘C. V. Raman’), Sisir Kumar Mitra, etc. The legendary 1915 M.Sc. batch comprised Satyendranath Bose, Meghnad Saha, Jnanchandra Ghosh and others. Today, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), where C.V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 and Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose also taught, is one of the leading scientific research centres of the country. The Bose Institute, founded by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose in 1917, is situated near the Science College, Kolkata.

27. Describe the role played by the printing press as a commercial venture in Bengal, focusing on technological advancements.

Answer: The first Bengalee who established press in Calcutta was Baboo-Ram. He was followed by Gangakishore Bhattacharya who was an employee (compositor) of the Srerampore Mission Press. Gangakishore Bhattacharya was the first who conceived the idea of printing in the current language as a means of acquiring wealth; that is to say, he used the printing machine as a means of acquiring wealth.

Technological advancements significantly impacted printing. The typeface – Linotype Bengali was designed by Dr. Fiona Ross in 1982. The use of linotype made printing of Bengali matters, be it newspaper or book, faster. With the help of the linotype machine, a complete line could be composed in one go. This was a definite improvement in printing technology because, instead of composing a line by joining separate fonts together to form a line, now a complete line could be composed in one go.

Ron'e Dutta

Ron'e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger who manages Online Free Notes. An avid reader of Victorian literature, his favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. He dreams of travelling the world. You can connect with him on social media. He does personal writing on ronism.

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