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Educational Reforms in India during British Rule:
Individual efforts under • Calcutta Madrasah was established by Warren Hastings
company rule in 1781 to study Muslim laws and customs.
• Jonathan Duncan established Sanskrit college at
Banaras in 1791 for Hindu laws and philosophy.
• Fort William College was set up in 1800 by Wellesley for
training of civil servants of the Company. (It was closed
in 1802).
Charter Act of 1813 • 1 lakh rupees were to be spent by the company for the
promotion of education in India.
Lord Macaulay’s Minute of • Amidst Orientalist-Anglicist controversy, Macaulay
1835 supported the latter view.
• English language was chosen as the sole medium of
education.
• Government decided to spend the limited resources for
teaching western sciences and literature.
They adopted ‘downward filtration theory’ instead of
mass education.
Note: ‘Downward filtration theory’ means teaching a few
upper- and middle-class people would produce interpreters
which would eventually penetrate to the masses. However, this
theory failed miserably as envisaged by the British but has
helped in growth of Modern Intelligentsia who shaped the
struggle for independence.
Wood’s Despatch, 1854 • This was also known as “Magna Carta of English
Education in India”.
• It rejected ‘downward filtration theory’.
• It recommended English for higher studies and
vernaculars at school level.
• Secular education.
• Encouraged private enterprises.
Hunter Education Commission, • Its objective was to assess the Wood Dispatch.
1882-83 • It emphasized on state’s role in improving education.
• Advocated for transfer of control to local bodies
(district and municipal boards).
Rayleigh Commission, 1902 To review the performance of universities in India.
Indian Universities Act, 1904 On recommendation of Rayleigh commission, act provided for:
• greater control over universities
• Universities were given due importance for research
and studies.
• number of fellows reduced.
• Rules were made stricter for private college affiliations.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale called this move a “retrograde
measure”.
Government Resolution on • Government refused to take up the responsibility of
Education Policy, 1913 compulsory education.
• It urged provincial government to do the same.
• Even private players were encouraged.
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Saddler University Commission, The commission was set up to review Calcutta University which
1917-19 later extended to all universities.
• 12+3 program (12-year schooling and 3-year degree)
• A separate board of secondary and intermediate
education were to be set up.
• It laid stress on Female education, applied scientific and
technological education, teachers’ training.
Hartog Committee, 1929 • Laid emphasis on primary education.
• Quality of education was given priority over number of
schools and colleges.
• Admissions were highly restricted.
Wardha Scheme of Basic Zakir Hussain committee formulated this national scheme for
Education (1937) basic education.
The main principle ‘learning through activity’.
secular in approach.
First seven years of schooling through mother tongue and
English after 8th.
Sergeant Plan of Education, Sergeant was the educational advisor to the British
1944 Government.
He advocated number of reforms and aimed to make Indian
education system equivalent to that of England in 40 years. But
it seriously lacked methodology for implementation. It was just
a lip service of the government.
