When and with whose efforts was Indian Institute of Science established in Bangalore?

Correct — option (3), 1909, Jamshed ji Tata.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore was established in 1909, and it grew out of the plan of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata.

IISc's own history page says that in the 1890s Tata, "a successful industrialist, decided to set up a world class university in India using his personal wealth". It adds that the Institute "finally came into existence on 27 May 1909 in Bangalore following a vesting order and resolution passed by the government of India".

Tata did not live to see it: the same page mentions his death in the summer of 1904. The Mysore State provided 371 acres and 16 guntas of land in Bangalore with funds, and the rest of the money came from the colonial Government of India.

The other options pair wrong years with scientists who are linked to other institutions.

IISc, Bangalore: 27 May 1909, Jamsetji Tata's plan.

Why the others are wrong

• (1)
  1917, Prafull Chand Rai — Both parts are wrong for IISc. Prafulla Chandra Ray, the chemist, was the founder of Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals in Calcutta and the author of A History of Hindu Chemistry.

  The year 1917 fits a different Calcutta institution: the Bose Institute, founded by J. C. Bose, was established on 30 November 1917.

• (2)
  1930, J. C. Bose — J. C. Bose did not found IISc. The institution he founded is the Bose Institute (Basu Vigyan Mandir) in Calcutta, established on 30 November 1917, which he headed from 1917 to 1937.

  IISc had been in existence since 27 May 1909, so 1930 is wrong as well.

• (4)
  1911, Meghnad Saha — Meghnad Saha did not found IISc. He helped establish the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Calcutta, now the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics.

  The year 1911 is linked with IISc in another way: IISc's history page says twenty-four students joined when the Institute opened its doors to students in 1911. It came into existence in 1909.

IISc came from private wealth, a princely state and the colonial government together. Tata proposed it in the 1890s, the Mysore State gave land and money, and the Government of India's vesting order of 27 May 1909 created it.

Its first Director was the English chemist Morris Travers. It started with two departments, General and Applied Chemistry and Electrical Technology, and took its first students in 1911.

Its Physics department was set up under C. V. Raman, who became the first Indian Director of IISc in 1933, according to the Institute.

Key facts

• IISc came into existence on 27 May 1909 in Bangalore by a vesting order and resolution of the Government of India.
• Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata decided in the 1890s to set up the institution; he died in 1904.
• The Mysore State gave 371 acres and 16 guntas of land in Bangalore, capital funds and an annual contribution.
• IISc's first Director was Morris Travers; students first joined in 1911.
• The Bose Institute in Calcutta, founded by J. C. Bose, was established on 30 November 1917.

Common traps

• IISc has two early dates: it came into existence in 1909, and its first students joined in 1911.
• Tata died in 1904, before IISc was founded; the Institute is still his plan, completed after his death.
• Each wrong option joins a scientist to a year that does not fit IISc; the scientist's own institution tells those options apart.

UnlockIAS compared this question with questions from other RAS Prelims papers and found none similar enough to link.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  In which year was the Bose Institute (Basu Vigyan Mandir) of Calcutta established ?

  • (a)1909
  • (b)1911
  • (c)1917
  • (d)1930
  Answer(3) — The Bose Institute, founded by J. C. Bose, was established on 30 November 1917. Option (1), 1909, is the year IISc came into existence; option (2), 1911, is when IISc's first students joined; option (4), 1930, is not a founding year for either institution.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  Who was the first Director of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore ?

  • (a)Morris Travers
  • (b)C. V. Raman
  • (c)M. Visvesvaraya
  • (d)Satish Dhawan
  Answer(1) — IISc's history page names the English chemist Morris Travers as its first Director. Option (2), C. V. Raman, became the first Indian Director in 1933; option (3), M. Visvesvaraya, was the Dewan of Mysore nominated to IISc's Council; option (4), Satish Dhawan, was Director in the 1960s to early 1980s.