Pre-Independence Indian-Last Minute Revision for UGC NET English
- Nerd's Table
- Apr 26
- 4 min read
When preparing for UGC NET English, one of the smartest strategies is simple: revise key facts every single day. Especially when it comes to Indian Classical Criticism and the Colonial Impact on Indian Education, questions are guaranteed — every paper, every year.
Topics like William Jones' praise for Indian philosophy, Macaulay’s Minute on Education, Wood’s Despatch, translations of Indian texts, and early Indian institutions have consistently appeared in NTA NET English and NTA UGC NET English exams.
👉 These are not random facts — they are direct question points.👉 At least one or two questions from these topics are almost certain to appear in the exam.👉 That’s why it’s essential to make short notes in your diary and revise daily to keep them fresh.
This blog post compiles the most asked points from actual UGC NET papers, helping you revise smarter, faster, and more effectively.🎯 Remember, even one or two extra questions can make a huge difference in clearing your cutoff!
The Orientalists in British India were actually sympathetic to India’s ancient learning, and William Jones believed that in “imagination”, “ratiocination”, and philosophy, Indians were by no means inferior to Europeans.
The Connemara Public Library is in Chennai, Dhvanyaloka is in Mysore, the Bhandarkar Oriental Institute is in Pune, and the Asiatic Society is in Kolkata.
Charles Wilkins was the first to translate the Bhagavad Gita into English in 1785.
The Kena, Isa, Katha, and Mundaka Upanishads were translated by Ram Mohan Roy, the Ramayana (1870–75) by Ralph T.H. Griffith, the Mahabharata (7 vols, 1895) by Manmatha Nath Dutt, and the Bhagavad Gita (1785) by Charles Wilkins.
Hicky’s Bengal Gazette was the first newspaper of India.
The correct chronological order is: Construction of Fort William in Calcutta, Arrival of Charles Grant in India, English replaces Persian as the official language, and Universities established in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.
On December 11, 1823, Rammohan Roy addressed a letter to Lord Amherst pleading for the introduction of modern Western education in India.
Lord Macaulay stated that “the great object of the British Government ought to be the promotion of European literature and science among the natives of India,” and emphasized that all educational funds should be spent on English education alone.
Macaulay’s Minute of 1835 sought to promote European literature and science among the natives and to stop expenditure on oriental works, focusing solely on English education.
Charles Grant held the belief that “the people of Hindustan are a race of men lamentably degenerate and base, retaining but a feeble sense of moral obligation.”
T.B. Macaulay presented his Minute on Indian Education on 2nd February 1835.
The "Magna Carta" of Indian education in the colonial period refers to Wood's Education Despatch of 1854.
Macaulay’s 1835 Minute aimed to create a class of people Indian by blood but English by taste.
Barbara Christian wrote The Race for Theory
Paul Carter wrote Naming Place
Thomas B. Macaulay wrote Minutes on Indian Education
The Wood’s Despatch (1854) sought to impart Western knowledge to Indians and create a class of public servants.
The Wood’s Despatch (1854) recommended setting up departments of Arabic, English, and Law in Indian universities.
The Education Commission (1964–66) did not recommend removing English as a medium of instruction at the college level, but it is true that English is still largely the language of administration and jurisprudence in India.
The Education Commission (1948) observed that the use of English divides the people into two nations — the few who govern and the many who are governed.
The Education Commission (1964–66) made a distinction between teaching English as a skill and teaching English literature.
The Indian Education Commission, chaired by Dr. D.S. Kothari, submitted its report in the year 1966.
S. Radhakrishnan was the Chairman of the University Education Commission of 1948.
The Kothari Commission suggested that English be studied as a library language to access knowledge in science, technology, commerce, and trade through standard English books.
The University Grants Commission’s 1978 Working Group recommended a quicker switchover of the medium of instruction from English to Indian languages.
It is not true that the NEP-2020 recommends English as the only medium of instruction at the elementary level; instead, it promotes multilingualism and teaching in local languages wherever possible.
It is not true that the NEP-2020 recommends the establishment of an Indian Institute of English Literature and Interpretation; the policy focuses instead on strengthening Indian languages and translation programs.
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