In which year was English announced as the official language of the Government throughout India?

Question

In which year was English announced as the official language of the Government throughout India?

1. A. 1815
2. B. 1825
3. C. 1835 (Correct answer)
4. D. 1845

Correct Answer

Option C — 1835

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is 1835.

Key Points

• English was declared the official language of the Government throughout India by the English Education Act of 1835.
• The Act followed Macaulay's Minute on Indian Education (February 1835), which argued for education in English rather than Sanskrit or Persian.
• It was passed under Lord William Bentinck, then Governor-General of India.
• The measure replaced Persian, which had been the language of administration under the Mughals and the early Company.

Additional Information

• The same reform redirected education funding towards English-medium instruction, creating the class Macaulay described as "Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste".
• Pair this with 1837, when Persian was formally abolished in the lower courts.