Context:
- Thomas Babington Macaulay (T.B. Macaulay) was a member of the Supreme Council of India.
- On 2nd February 1835, he presented his famous document called “Minute on Indian Education”, in which he argued strongly for promoting English education in India.
His arguments:
- Western literature and science were superior to Indian traditional learning.
- English should be the medium of instruction, instead of Persian or Sanskrit.
Aim: create “a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.”
Why not the other options?
- 12th March 1835 – This was the date when Lord William Bentinck (Governor-General) officially passed the resolution based on Macaulay’s Minute, making English the medium of instruction.
- 2nd February 1835 – Correct, because this was the exact date Macaulay presented his Minute on Indian Education.
- 22nd January 1835 – No significant record for Macaulay’s Minute on this date.
- 5th May 1835 – No relevance to this event.
✅ So, the correct answer is option 2: 2nd February 1835.
Year-wise PYQs
