Introduction of English Education in India
· English education was
introduced in India during 18th Century in the charity schools at
Calcutta, Madras and Bombay.
· The real beginning of
western education in India was through the Charter Act of 1813.The Charter Act
of 1813 allowed;
Ø Missionaries travel to
India;
Ø Allocation of 100 thousand
rupees for two specific purpose;
(a) The encouragement of learned
natives of India and revival of and improvement of literature.
(b) Promotion of Knowledge of the
sciences amongst the inhabitants.
· But the nature of the
education was yet to be decided. The Orientalist vs Anglicists debate
culminated in favour of Anglicists when William Bentinck, a Utilitarian
reformist became Governor General in 1828 and Thomas Babington Macaulay was
appointed the law member in his council in 1834.
· On 2nd Feb,
1835, the Macaulay issued his famous Minute known as “Macauley Minutes on
Indian Education”. It vehemently opposed oriental learning and strongly favoured
the European education of literature and science in English medium.
· William Bentick
immediately endorsed the Macaulay minute on 7th March, 1835 despite
loud protest from orientalists.
· Macauley wanted to create
a class of persons Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in
opinions, in morals and intellect.
· Thus, new English
education policy was the theory of downward filtration i.e. it was not meant
for the masses but for the rich, the learned, the men of business. Once these
people were trained then they could act as teacher and through them elementary
education would percolate downward through regional languages.