MCQs - Spread of English Language in India
Q.1 When did the spread of the English language begin in India?
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During the British rule in India
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During the Mughal Empire
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During the Mauryan period
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During the Gupta Empire
Answer: 1
Explanation: English spread in India mainly with British colonial administration and education policies.
Q.2 Which was the first English-medium educational institution in India?
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St. Xavier’s School, Kolkata
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Hindu College, Calcutta (1817)
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Bishop Cotton School, Shimla
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St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling
Answer: 2
Explanation: Hindu College (now Presidency University) was the first major English-medium institution.
Q.3 Which decision formally made English the official language of administration in India (1837)?
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Charter Act of 1813
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English Education Act (1835)
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Indian Councils Act (1909)
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Government of India Act (1858)
Answer: 2
Explanation: Macaulay’s Minute and the English Education Act led to the official adoption of English.
Q.4 What was the significance of Wood’s Despatch (1854)?
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Abolition of caste system
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Introduction of English and vernacular education
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Establishment of Indian Civil Service
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Introduction of compulsory education
Answer: 2
Explanation: Wood’s Despatch structured modern education, promoting English and vernaculars.
Q.5 Who was a strong advocate of English education in India?
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Mahatma Gandhi
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Rabindranath Tagore
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Raja Ram Mohan Roy
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Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer: 3
Explanation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy supported English education for scientific and rational progress.
Q.6 Which Indian state has the highest percentage of English speakers?
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Goa
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Maharashtra
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Kerala
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Tamil Nadu
Answer: 1
Explanation: Goa has the highest proportion of English speakers according to census data.
Q.7 What is the role of English in India today?
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Language of administration
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Language of higher education and commerce
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Link language across regions
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All of the above
Answer: 4
Explanation: English functions as an associate official, academic, and link language.
Q.8 What has been the impact of English on Indian languages?
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Complete decline of Indian languages
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Enrichment through vocabulary and concepts
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No impact at all
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Total displacement
Answer: 2
Explanation: English has influenced Indian languages lexically and conceptually.
Q.9 Which Indian author won the Booker Prize in 1997?
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Salman Rushdie
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Arundhati Roy
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Amitav Ghosh
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Kiran Desai
Answer: 2
Explanation: Arundhati Roy won for The God of Small Things.
Q.10 Which Indian city is known as the “Oxford of the East”?
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Kolkata
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Mumbai
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Pune
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Hyderabad
Answer: 3
Explanation: Pune is renowned for its long-standing academic institutions.
Q.11 Which institution played a major role in spreading English education in India?
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IIT Bombay
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IISc Bengaluru
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University of Delhi
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University of Calcutta
Answer: 4
Explanation: University of Calcutta (1857) was a pioneer of English higher education.
Q.12 Which is the most widely spoken language in India?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Tamil
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English
Answer: 1
Explanation: Hindi has the highest number of native speakers.
Q.13 What was the significance of Macaulay’s Minute (1835)?
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Promotion of Sanskrit education
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Introduction of English education
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Establishment of universities
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Promotion of vernaculars only
Answer: 2
Explanation: It advocated English as the medium for higher education.
Q.14 Which Indian state has the largest number of English speakers?
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Maharashtra
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Uttar Pradesh
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Tamil Nadu
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Karnataka
Answer: 1
Explanation: Maharashtra has the highest absolute number of English speakers.
Q.15 What is the role of English in Indian media?
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Used only in English newspapers
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Used only in television
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Used in both English and vernacular media
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Not used in media
Answer: 3
Explanation: English appears across print, digital, and broadcast platforms.
Q.16 Which Indian city is known as the “Silicon Valley of India”?
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Mumbai
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Hyderabad
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Bengaluru
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Chennai
Answer: 3
Explanation: Bengaluru is India’s leading IT and technology hub.
Q.17 Which Indian writer won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913?
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Rabindranath Tagore
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R.K. Narayan
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Salman Rushdie
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Vikram Seth
Answer: 1
Explanation: Tagore won the Nobel Prize for his Bengali literary work (Gitanjali).
Q.18 Which Indian language has the largest number of speakers after Hindi?
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Bengali
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Telugu
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Marathi
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Tamil
Answer: 1
Explanation: Bengali ranks second in native speakers in India.
Q.19 Where did the English language originate?
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Germany
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France
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England
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Italy
Answer: 3
Explanation: English originated in England from Anglo-Saxon dialects.
Q.20 Which three language traditions most influenced English vocabulary?
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French, German, Latin
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Greek, French, German
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Latin, French, Germanic
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Spanish, Italian, Latin
Answer: 3
Explanation: English draws heavily from Germanic roots and Latin–French vocabulary.
Q.21 What is the earliest form of the English language?
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Old English
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Middle English
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Early Modern English
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Late Modern English
Answer: 1
Explanation: Old English developed from Anglo-Saxon dialects.
Q.22 Which invasion significantly influenced Old English vocabulary?
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Roman invasion
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Viking invasion
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Spanish invasion
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Mongol invasion
Answer: 2
Explanation: Vikings introduced Old Norse elements into English.
Q.23 Which epic poem is central to Old English literature?
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Beowulf
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The Canterbury Tales
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The Divine Comedy
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The Iliad
Answer: 1
Explanation: Beowulf is the most important Old English epic.
Q.24 Which ruler’s reign eventually led to the dominance of English over French in England?
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William the Conqueror
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Henry VIII
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Edward III
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James I
Answer: 3
Explanation: Edward III promoted English as the language of law and administration.
Q.25 Which Norman dialect influenced Middle English?
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Anglo-Saxon
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Old Norse
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Anglo-Norman French
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Middle French
Answer: 3
Explanation: Anglo-Norman French strongly shaped Middle English vocabulary.
Q.26 Which event standardized English spelling and grammar?
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Renaissance
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Industrial Revolution
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Invention of the printing press
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American Revolution
Answer: 3
Explanation: Printing enabled uniform spelling and grammar.
Q.27 Which period began around the 15th century with major linguistic changes?
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Old English
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Middle English
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Early Modern English
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Late Modern English
Answer: 3
Explanation: Early Modern English saw changes in pronunciation and grammar.
Q.28 What primarily contributed to English becoming a global language?
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Renaissance
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British colonialism
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Industrial Revolution
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American Revolution
Answer: 2
Explanation: British colonial expansion spread English worldwide.
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