Correct Answer:
C. Non-government
The correct answer is Non-government because the founders of the Deoband movement intentionally rejected all colonial state funding to maintain complete administrative and religious independence.
- Non-government: This is the correct choice. According to the foundational 'Eight Principles' (Usul-e-Arbah) drafted by the seminary's architects, the institution relied exclusively on public donations from the Muslim community. Avoiding state grants or British financial support ensured that their curriculum, religious spirit, and socio-political positions remained uncompromised.
- Incorrect Options:
- Government / Semi-government: These are incorrect. The seminary operated in explicit opposition to British educational influence and never accepted official state subventions or administrative oversight.
- Personal: This is incorrect. It was set up as a public trust and community endowment rather than a private personal enterprise.