Which of the following led to the introduction of English Education in India?

1. Charter Act of 1813

2. General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823

3. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: 1, 2 and 3

The introduction of English education in British India was shaped by several major legislative, administrative, and ideological developments during the early 19th century. All three factors listed contributed directly to this historic transition:

1. Charter Act of 1813:
This act was a landmark in modern Indian education. For the first time, the British East India Company incorporated a provision allocating a sum of one lakh (100,000) rupees annually for the revival, promotion, and encouragement of literature, as well as the introduction and promotion of knowledge of the sciences among the inhabitants of British territories in India. This opened the doors for official state funding and paved the way for Western and English-medium education.

2. General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823:
To decide how the allocated funds under the Charter Act of 1813 should be spent, the General Committee of Public Instruction was formed in 1823. The committee was responsible for overseeing educational policies and grants in Bengal. However, it soon became divided over the medium and content of instruction to be promoted.

3. Orientalist and Anglicist Controversy:
The General Committee of Public Instruction split into two groups:
- Orientalists: Advocated for traditional Indian education using classical languages like Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic.
- Anglicists: Led by figures such as Thomas Babington Macaulay, argued that public funds should be spent exclusively on imparting Western science and literature through the medium of English.
This debate culminated in Lord Macaulay's famous Education Minute of 1835 and Lord William Bentinck's subsequent resolution, which officially made English the medium of higher education in India.

Since all three points—the Charter Act of 1813, the General Committee of Public Instruction (1823), and the Orientalist-Anglicist Controversy—played an essential role in bringing English education to India, the correct option is 1, 2 and 3.