Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (History, Art & Culture) – April 20, 2020

Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of India.  In May 1799 he was attached to the headquarters of Marshal Suwarrof’s army in the north of Italy, and remained in that country throughout the campaign of 1799, and subsequently until 1801 with the Austrian forces, being present at the battles of the Trebbia, Novi, Savigliano, and Marengo, the passages of the Mincio and the Adige, the sieges of Alessandria and Coni, and various other affairs. In 1803 he was nominated governor of Madras, where he quarrelled with the chief justice, Sir Henry Gwillim, and several members of his council. The event which led to his removal from the government was the mutiny at Vellore, when the sepoys of the native regiments quartered at that station rose upon their European officers and upon the British part of the garrison, killing thirteen officers and a considerable number of men.

Statement 1 is correct: The Wood’s Despatch, for the first time, recommended the creation of a Department of Public Instruction in each of the five provinces of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, the Punjab and the North Western provinces.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Downward Filtration Theory as proposed earlier was discarded and in its place importance to primary education was given. Elementary education was considered to be the foundation of the education system.

Statement 3 is correct: The Despatch recommended the establishment of universities in the three Presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The universities were to be modeled after the London University and these were to have a senate comprising of a Chancellor, a Vice-Chancellor, and fellows who were nominated by the Government.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Satavahana rulers did not believe in divine rights of a king and they carried administration in accor­dance with the directives of the Dharma Shastras and the social customs.

Statement 2 is correct: There was also a council of ministers to aid and advise him for carrying out the administration properly. The king was the head of the Government as well as the protector to his people. The Satavahana kings regarded their subjects as their own children and always looked after their welfare.

Literary sources such as the Divyavadana, Avadana, Manjusri Mulakalpa and Puranas contain references to Ashoka and his religious policy.

Nasik caves are a group of 24 Buddhist caves, also known as “Pandav Leni”. They were developed during 1^st century A.D. and belong to the Hinayana period. However, later, the influence of Mahayana sect can also be found in these caves. Under hinayana sect, his presence is indicated through the use of motifs and symbols like throne and footprints. And later, the idols of Buddha were also carved inside these caves representing influence of Mahayana Buddhism. The site also depicts an excellent system of water management indicated through presence of water tanks carved out of solid rocks.