In which presidency did the Council of Education seek to establish a university?

Concept

To identify the setting of a historical educational proposal, connect the proposing body with the administrative territory in which it worked. Colonial presidencies maintained distinct education administrations, so similarly named initiatives must be located by their institutional origin.

Application

The Council of Education based in Calcutta supervised education in the Bengal Presidency. In 1845 it formulated a proposal for a university at Calcutta, placing the proposal within the Bengal Presidency.

Contrast

• Bombay Presidency had a separate western education administration.

• Madras Presidency had a separate southern education administration.

• The North-Western Provinces formed a distinct provincial administrative setting centred at Agra.

Cross-check

The University of Calcutta’s historical overview records that the Council of Education formulated the proposal in 1845. The later 1854 plan for universities at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras should not be confused with this earlier Council proposal.

Result

Therefore, the presidency sought in the question is Bengal Presidency.