31 Dec

Development of Education in Colonial Raj

Content

• Introduction
• Policies within the British Education System in India  
• Education Reformer
• Charter Act of 1813  
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy
• Woods Dispatch (1854)  
• Hunter Education Commission (1882-83)
• The Hartog Committee (1929)  
• Wardha Scheme of Education (1937)
• Impact of the British Educational System in India
• FAQs

Introduction

Various aspects of life transformed following the establishment of British territorial governance in India. With the transfer of authority to the British, education emerged as one area that experienced considerable transformation. The colonial rulers developed an educational framework in a colonized nation to justify their authority and fulfill their economic interests. The Charter Acts officially instituted the British educational system in India.

In 1813, during the renewal of the Charter, the British Parliament instructed the East India Company to allocate Rs 1 lakh each year “for the revival and promotion of literature, the encouragement of learned Indians. And for the introduction and advancement of scientific knowledge among the residents of the British territories.”

Consequently, the Queen arranged financial support officially for the first time, and the East India Company was entrusted with the responsibility of educating the native population.

Policies within the British Education System in India  

Prior to the acquisition of territorial authority, the Company did not engage in education; however, there were efforts by missionaries to create charity schools and encourage learning.  

Out of concern for potential backlash and local opposition, the Company adopted a neutral stance on education after it became a territorial power.  

There were differing views regarding whether the Company should endorse Western or Oriental education.  

Several key figures contributed significantly to the advancement of English education in Calcutta, such as David Hare, who was instrumental in founding Hindu College. Raja Ram Mohan Roy led the committee responsible for its establishment.  

Education Reformer and British Policies

Warren Hastings 

• He founded the Calcutta Madrasa in 1781 to promote the study of Persian and Arabic.

• The purpose was to foster cordial relationships with the leaders of the local society and gain insight into their culture. 

William Jones 

• He founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784 to promote studies in Oriental culture.  

• For about fifty years, it functioned as a vital academic center and an extraordinary institution that translated important Sanskrit texts.  
• Significance: Asiatic Researches. 

• Warren Hastings believed that Hindu laws had remained unchanged for millennia.  

• Thus, if the British aimed to establish their authority in the country, they needed to understand these laws and the Sanskrit language in which they were written. 

Jonathan Duncan  

• In 1791, he established the ‘Sanskrit College’ in Benaras.  

• The aim was to encourage the study of Hindu laws and philosophy.  

• These initial efforts to educate in the Oriental languages saw limited success. It was observed that the number of teachers exceeded that of the students.  

Lord Wellesley 

• Wellesley established Fort William College in 1801 to prepare young British recruits for the civil service in India.

• Its primary aim was to ensure that local British administrators became acquainted with Indian culture and traditions.

• This institution evolved into an important repository of knowledge concerning India.  
• Various departments focused exclusively on research related to Indian languages and literature. 

Charter Act of 1813  

• This Act marked the initial step in establishing education as a goal for the government.  

• It permitted the Company to allocate one lakh rupees for
  • the revival and advancement of literature  
  • the support of educated Indians. 

• The administrative demands of the Company necessitated that Indians be proficient in classical and local languages.  

• British administrators needed individuals fluent in Sanskrit, Arabic, or Persian to interpret and clarify Hindu or Muslim law across different sectors of governance.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy and the call for Western education  

• Progressive elements in India also supported the dissemination of English education and Western knowledge. 

• Raja Ram Mohun Roy opposed the government’s plan to bolster institutions like Calcutta, Madras, the Benares Sanskrit College, and to create additional oriental colleges in Bengal. 

• The administration opted to enhance the teaching of English alongside other Asian languages.
  • The Calcutta Hindu College, established in 1817 by forward-thinking Bengalis, received funding. 
  • The college emphasized the learning of Western humanities and sciences and primarily taught in English.

General Committee of Public Institution (1823)  

• The British government established it to supervise the development of the educational system in India.

• The majority of its members were associated with the Orientalist movement.  

• Rather than advocating for Western education, they passionately backed the advancement of Oriental learning.  
• Lord Macaulay led the committee, which included ten European members.
  
• As a member of the executive council, Macaulay composed his famous minute on educational policy, which was dated 2 February 1835, and submitted it to the council.  
• He envisioned “a class of individuals, Indian by descent and skin color, but English in their tastes, beliefs, morals, and intellect.”  

William Bentinck (1828-35)  

• William Bentinck endorsed the report from the Macaulay Committee.

• He asserted that the goal of the Company’s governance should be to advance European literature and sciences via the English language, ensuring that all future expenditures focused on this aim.

• Macaulay deliberately designed the Macaulian system to educate India’s upper classes, not the general populace.

• He had a strong belief in the infiltration theory, also known as the ‘Downward Filtration Theory’ or ‘Trickle Down Effect,’ which posited that individuals educated in English would serve as interpreters for others.

• Consequently, incorporating local languages to support English instruction was a logical extension of his theory.  
• The main principles of the resolution Bentinck announced in 1835 included the following:

• English replaced Persian as the official language of the court.
  
• Authorities made the printing and distribution of English books freely accessible and relatively inexpensive.
  
• The British government increased funding for English education while reducing financial support for promoting oriental studies.

Woods Dispatch (1854)  

• Sir Charles Wood, president of the Board of Control, instituted the foundational policy for the Indian government’s educational initiatives.

• This dispatch became referred to as the Magna Carta of English education in India.

• Recommendations:
  • The goal of the government’s educational policy was identified as the instruction of Western education.  
  • A department of public instruction was proposed for each of the five provinces under the company’s governance to monitor educational progress in the province and provide an annual report to the Government.  
  • Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras all received proposals for universities modeled after the London University.  
  • The policy recommended establishing a tiered system of schools, including high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools.
  • It also advised creating teacher training institutions based on the existing English model.
  • The promotion of vernacular languages in primary education, progressing to Anglo-vernacular in secondary education, and English at the collegiate level was encouraged.  
  • The policy suggested implementing a grants-in-aid system to support and promote private involvement in education.
  • To qualify for this grant-in-aid, institutions were required to employ qualified teachers and adhere to suitable teaching standards.  
  • It emphasized the importance of education for women.  
  • Additionally, it called for the advancement of vocational education.  

• Impact: The newly proposed educational scheme was a close imitation of English frameworks.  

• Nearly all the recommendations in Wood’s Dispatch were implemented.  
• The Committee of Public Instruction and Council of Education were dissolved, leading to the establishment of the Department of Public Instruction in 1855.  
• The British founded the universities of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay in 1857.
• Girls’ schools were updated and became part of the government’s grant-in-aid and inspection systems, significantly due to the efforts of Bethune.  

Hunter Education Commission (1882-83)  

• It was established to assess how the Dispatch of 1854 was implemented.

• The Commission chose not to investigate the overall operations of Indian universities.  

• Recommendations:
  • It highlighted the importance of primary education.  
  • There would be two categories in secondary schools:  
  • Academic: leading to university education  
  • Technical: leading to commercial, vocational, and technical education.  
  • It advocated for women’s education outside major cities.  
  • It suggested encouraging private enterprises to participate in the education sector.  

• Impact: The two decades following the commission’s report witnessed significant growth and expansion in secondary and collegiate education.

• Another significant event during this period was the establishment of teaching-cum-examining universities.  
• The British founded Punjab University in 1882, focusing on literature, teaching, and examinations.
• They founded Allahabad University in 1887.

Indian Universities Act, 1904  

• The Indian Universities Act of 1904 incorporated the recommendations of the Indian Universities Commission of 1902, chaired by Sir Thomas Raleigh.

• The Commission proposed,
  • A restructuring of university administration,  
  • organized oversight by universities over colleges,  
  • stricter affiliation criteria, along with major modifications to curricula and exams. 

• The recommendations of the Commission resulted in universities having control over secondary schools.  

• The 1904 Act mandated that schools must gain recognition from universities.

 Sadler Commission (1917-19)  

• The government created it to address the need to improve secondary education and enhance university education.

• Besides Saddler, the Commission included two Indian representatives: Ashutosh Mukherji and Zia Uddin Ahmed.  

• Recommendations:
  • It proposed separating higher education at the intermediate examination instead of the matriculation examination.  
  • It advocated for the establishment of a Board of Secondary and Intermediate Education to oversee and manage secondary education.  
• It called for a Special Board for Women’s Education at Calcutta University.  

• Impact: The British established seven new universities between 1916 and 1921: Mysore, Patna, Banaras, Aligarh, Dacca, Lucknow, and Osmania.  

• In 1920, the government of India urged provincial governments to consider the Sadler Report.  

Education during the Dyarchy, 1921-37

• The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms handed over the education department to provincial authorities.  

The Hartog Committee (1929)  

• Formed by the Simon Commission to assess the state of education in the nation.  

• The government established the commission because the increase in the number of educational institutions led to a decline in quality and standards.
• There was significant discontent with the educational system.  
• Recommendations:
  • It highlighted the national significance of primary education while criticizing the rapid expansion and attempts to enforce compulsory education.  

• The commission noted that the Matriculation Examination dominated secondary education, allowing unqualified students to enter universities.  

• It advocated for a selective admission system and recommended keeping most boys destined for rural occupations at the Middle Vernacular School level.
  • Educators should redirect students, after the Middle Stage, to diverse courses that prepare them for industrial and commercial careers.

• The commission identified weaknesses in university education and criticized the policy of indiscriminate admissions, which resulted in diminished standards.  

• It suggested focusing efforts on enhancing university education, confining universities to their proper role of providing quality advanced education to those eligible.  
• This would ensure universities become a more effective and beneficial institution within the life of a community.  

Wardha Scheme of Education (1937)

• Context: The Government of India Act of 1935 established provincial autonomy, and popular ministries commenced operations in 1937. The Congress party assumed power in seven provinces. The Congress party initiated the development of a national education scheme for the country.
  •   Mahatma Gandhi introduced the Basic Education Program, or the Wardha Scheme, in a series of articles published in 1937 in his journal, The Harijan.  
  • The core principle of Basic Education is ‘learning through experience.’  
• In October 1937, the All-India National Educational Conference endorsed Mahatma Gandhi’s framework.
  • On a national scale, free and compulsory education in the mother tongue should be provided for seven years.  
  • During this period, education should center around engaging in manual labor or productive tasks.  
• The main components of the scheme included:
  • A primary craft would function as the central focus of education, delivered through specific industries or professions.  
  • Education should be self-sustaining enough to cover teachers’ salaries and aims to enable students to support themselves after completing their education.  
  • Every person should acquire the skills to earn a living through manual work throughout their lives.  
  • Educators should connect learning with home, community, life activities, and local crafts.
    
• The responsibility for developing the syllabus was assigned to Dr. Zakir Hussain.  

• The Wardha Scheme became known as ‘Nai Talim’ and did not provide religious instruction, which led the Muslim League to reject it.  

• The onset of war in 1939 and the resignation of Congress Ministries resulted in the delay of the scheme.

Sargent Plan of Education (1944)  

• The Sargent Report: The Central Advisory Board investigates educational development after the war.

• It envisioned an educational system that included:
  • Pre-primary education for children aged 3 to 6.  
  • Universal, compulsory, and free primary basic education for all children aged 6-11 (junior basic) and 11-14 (senior basic), as recommended in the Wardha Scheme.  
  • The senior basic stage to be the concluding phase for the majority of students

• It proposed two main categories of high schools: academic and technical.

Impact of the British Educational System in India

• Influence on governance: The British Educational System in India facilitated the instruction of the English language in educational institutions because there was a need for individuals to serve in administrative positions as clerks or babus.
  • This contributed to the emergence of a new class of individuals who subsequently assisted in governance and managed various facets of administration in India.

• English as a common language: The adoption of English by Indians offered a shared language that transcended regional boundaries and served as a unifying medium across the nation.

• Rise of national awareness: English literature and newspapers introduced Indians to progressive Western concepts such as freedom, democracy, equality, and fraternity.

• Disregard for mass education: One of the primary shortcomings of the British Educational System in India was its neglect of mass education. In 1911, 94% of the Indian population was illiterate, a figure that decreased only to 92% by 1921.

• Overlooking female education: The near-total lack of attention given to girls’ education, which was not allocated any financial resources, represented a notable deficiency in the initial approach of the British Educational System in India.

• Neglect of scientific and technical education: The administration of the Company also failed to prioritize scientific and technical education. By 1857, India had only three medical colleges located in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, along with a single engineering college situated in Roorkee.

• Insufficient financial backing: Financial constraints were central to many of the shortcomings in the educational policies during the British rule in India. 

Conclusion

The British Educational System in India supplanted the indigenous educational framework. Although some English reformers sought to support oriental studies, the Anglicists ultimately triumphed over the Orientalists. The British founded new educational institutions to foster learning. Western education introduced new social, political, and economic ideas. However, the British Educational System largely overlooked scientific and technical training. Additionally, this education primarily benefited the upper echelons of society, resulting in a transformation that remained quite limited in scope.

FAQs

1. What was the objective of British education policy in India?

The primary objective was to create a class of Indians who were Indian in blood but English in taste, to serve colonial administration, promote Western ideas, and strengthen British rule.

2. What was the significance of the Charter Act of 1813 in education?

The Charter Act of 1813 was the first official recognition of state responsibility in education, allocating funds for promoting education and reviving Indian literature.

3. What is Wood’s Despatch of 1854 known for?

Wood’s Despatch is called the “Magna Carta of English Education in India”. It introduced a structured education system, teacher training, universities, and vernacular education at the primary level.

4. Which universities were established in 1857?

The Universities of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras were established in 1857 on the model of the University of London.

5. What role did the Hunter Commission (1882) play?

The Hunter Commission emphasized primary education, vernacular languages, and greater role of local bodies in educational administration.

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