Question

Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because

(a) He was asked by the Board of Directors at London to do so

(b) He wanted to revive interest in oriental learning in India

(c) He wanted to provide William Carey and his associates employment

(d) He wanted to train British civilians for administrative purposes in India

Answer 1

(d) He wanted to train British civilians for administrative purposes in India.

• Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) wanted adequate training for the European civil servants. At Fort William College in Calcutta the civil servants from all the presidencies took three years of training before getting their civil posting.
• But the Court of Directors feared that such a training programme might result in the loyalties of the civil servants shifting from London to Calcutta. So in 1802 Fort William College was closed.