Question

Analyse the policies adopted by William Bentinck to reform Indian society.

Answer 1

Policies adopted by William Bentinck to reform Indian society:

• Abolition of Sati (1829): Bentinck enacted a law that made the practice of sati illegal and treated it as a punishable offence.
• Encouragement of Widow Remarriage: He introduced measures that permitted Hindu widows to remarry, thereby challenging long-standing social customs and taboos.
• Introduction of Western Education: With the support of Indians, English-medium schools and colleges were established to teach Western sciences and liberal arts, encouraging modern education and rational thought.

These measures were intended to modernise and make Indian society more humane under British administration.