UPSC Prelims 1998·GS1·history·modern history

Assertion (A): The first ever Bill to make primary education compulsory in India was rejected in 1911. Reason (R): Discontent would have increased if every cultivator could read.

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  1. ABoth A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. BBoth A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
  3. CA is true, but R is falseCorrect
  4. DA is false, but R is true

Explanation

The correct answer is C because Assertion A is true, but Reason R is false. Assertion A is true because Gopal Krishna Gokhale introduced the Elementary Education Bill in the Imperial Legislative Council in 1911 to make primary education compulsory. The bill was rejected in 1912 by the British government primarily due to the high financial cost involved and the fear that mass education would lead to political awakening and nationalism among Indians. Reason R is false because the official reasons for rejection were financial and administrative constraints, not specifically that every cultivator could read. While the British feared political consciousness, the statement that discontent would increase specifically if cultivators could read was not the formal or primary justification used to reject the bill. In fact, many Indians supported the bill specifically to improve the condition of cultivators.
history: Assertion (A): The first ever Bill to make primary education compulsory in India was rejected in 1911. Reason (R): Disco

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