Education under British rule

Education under British rule

The term western education is generally used to refer the type of education started and propagated in India by the Europeans, especially the British through the medium of English. The introduction of British rule in India brought with it western civilization, and culture into the country. It shortly subjugated all socio-cultural domains of Indian life and subsequently replaced the traditional Indian education with the western science oriented pragmatic education.

British education had its beginning in India with the coming of East India Company in 1600 AD. At first, they did not pay any attention to the education of Indians. The Charter Act of 1813 was an important landmark in the history of Indian education. The Charter made the East India Company responsible for the education in India. It also made a provision for an annual grant of a sum of not less than one lakh rupees for the promotion of education in India. As a result, from 1813 to 1857, the company opened many schools and colleges under their control, which laid the foundation of the English system of education in India.This charter laid the foundation for a state policy of education in India. It also marks the beginning of the Modern period in Indian Education.

The Oriental-Occidental Controversy

The Oriental-Occidental Controversy(East-West Controversy) refers to the long severe debate between the Oreantalists and the Anglicists on the issue of the type of education to be imparted to Indians and the medium of instruction to be followed. The argument was about the indigenous system of education as opposed to the western system of education. The central point of controversy was whether Indians should be given western education through English language or indigenous education through Indian languages. The Oreantalists stood for mass education, vernacular medium and indigenous knowledge while the Occidentals for western education through the medium of English for the spreading of European culture and knowledge.

Lord Macaulay was a central figure in the language debate over which language should be used as the medium of education in India. The Oreantalists were in favour of use of classical languages of Indian tradition, such as Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic, which were not spoken as native languages. The Anglicists, on the other hand, supported English. Neither of these groups wanted to suppress the local vernaculars, mother tongue of the people. Both the groups agreed that education should be conducted in vernacular during the first years of education.

Macaulay’s Minutes (1835)

Thomas Babington Macaulay, who is generally regarded as the architect of the system of education in India during the British rule, was a great essayist, historian, linguist, orator, politician, statesman and thinker. He was regarded as one of the first rate literary figure of his times. He came to India in 1834 and joined as the law member of the executive council of the governor-General. He was also appointed as the president of the general committee on Public instruction by governor general Lord William Bentinck.

Macaulay wrote his famous minute on Feb. 2, 1835 in which he vehemently criticized almost everything Indian: astronomy, culture, history, philosophy, religion etc., and praised everything western. Macaulay wrote in his minute “We must at present do our best to form a class of persons Indian in blood and colour and English in taste, opinions in morals and in intellect.” He attached importance t the education of the higher classes and thus emphasized the theory of downward filtration.

Downward Filtration Theory

During the British rule in India the downward filtration theory was emphasized in the country. Filtration means coming of something to the bottom from the top. Thus the filtration theory in education meant coming down of education or knowledge from the top to the bottom, i.e., from the higher class people to the lower classes or the general people. The British argued that they will educate only the Indian elite or top class people and through them the lower class people would also be benefitted. The masses will follow the elite gradually and education will reach down to common citizens.

Lord Macaulay was of the opinion that English education in India would create a class or persons Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes and opinions. Their idea was to educate only the high class people in order to give them higher posts in the administration with a view to strengthening the roots of British empire in the Country.

The major observations made by Macaulay in his minutes are:

1. English should be the medium of instruction especially at higher levels, as it is the best vehicle for thought and expression,

2. The oriental law institutions should be closed down, and all law books in Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit should be translated.

3. The institutions of oriental learning should be used for the promotion of English Education

4. The grants given to oreantal institutions should be stopped and diverted to the opening of new English schools.

5. All the grants given for education should be utilized for the spread of European literature and science.

6. The aim of education should be to develop such personalities who are Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and intellect.

Macaulay’s Contributions

1. Macaulay’s minutes helped to wind up the Oriental-Occidental Controversy which went on in the fight of Indian education for decades.

2. He laid the foundation stone of modern education system in India.

3. He contributed to the spread of science, western literature and values in India.

4. His minutes encouraged the initiation of more English schools and higher education centres by Western Missionaries in India

5. The spread of English education helped Indians to became acquainted with latest developments in the world and got inspiration for fighting foe their political independence.

Merits of Macaulay’s minutes

 A straightforward policy of education

 Definite purpose of education

 Lead to establishment of more English schools

 English is accepted as the medium of instruction

 Proposition of filtration theory

Demerits of Macaulay’s minutes

 Lead to the closure of Sanskrit Patashalas and Arabic Madrassas

 Caused the setback of oriental learning

 Neglected local languages

 Abandoned mass education

 Opposed Indian culture and religion

Wood’s Despatch (1854)

Wood’s Dispatch is a very important educational document and holds a unique place in the history of Indian education. It placed the responsibility of education of the Indian people fully on the Company and stated quite explicitly that it must never be neglected. The Despatch gave new direction to education in India. The East India Company had to renew its Charter after every twenty years. Before renewing the Charter in 1853, the British Parliament constitutes a Selection Committee to inquiry into the Progress of education in India and suggests reform. The suggestions of the Committee were issued as a Charter of Education on July 19, 1854 Charles Wood was the president of the Board of Control. So this is known as Wood’s Dispatch of 1854. This dispatch was considered to be the ‘Magna Carta of modern education in India’.

Major Recommendations

Wood‘s Dispatch is a long document of 100 paragraphs and deals with the various aspects of great educational importance.The Dispatch first throws light on the aims and objectives of educational policy of the Company in India. It gave highest priority to the responsibility of Indian Education and other responsibilities of the Company.

1. The British government should take the direct responsibility of education in India

2. An education department was to be set in every province.

3. Universities on the model of the London University be established in big cities such as Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.

4. At least one government school be opened in every district.

5. Affiliated private schools should be given grant in aid.

6. English should be accepted as the medium of instruction but due importance should be given to vernacular languages also.

7. Education of women should be encouraged

8. Recommended the establishment of teacher training schools in each of the provinces. 9. Recommended that there should be graded schools all over the country as Universities, Colleges, High Schools, Middle Schools, Primary Schools