GROWTH OF MODERN EDUCATION IN INDIA
First Phase (1758-1812)
● Initially, the East India Company was not
interested in the development of
education. Some minor exceptions were
efforts by individuals.
● The Calcutta Madrasa established by
Warren Hastings in 1781, for the study of
Muslim law.
● The Sanskrit College established by
Jonathan Duncan at Banaras in 1791, for
the study of Hindu law and philosophy.
● Fort William College established by
Wellesley in AD 1800, for training of Civil
Servants of the Company in Indian
languages and customs (closed in AD
1802).
Second Phase (1813-1853)
● For the first time, the British Parliament
included in 1813 Charter, a clause under
which the Governor-General-in-Council
was bound to keep a sum not less than one
lakh rupees, for education. However, the
company used this fund for promoting
Indian language and literature.
● The charter allowed the Christian
missionaries to spread their religious ideas
in India.
● The greatest importance of the 1813 Act
was that the Company, for the first time,
acknowledged state responsibility for
promotion of education in India.
● Establishment of Calcutta College in 1817
with the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy
for imparting Western education. Three
Sanskrit colleges were set-up at Calcutta.
● In 1823, a General Committee of Public
Instruction was appointed to look after the
development of education in India, but
failed due to Orientalist-Anglicist
controversy over the nature of education
i.e. traditional or Western and the medium
of instruction.
● The controversy was settled by
Macaulay’s Education Policy 1835,
which was approved by Lord William
Bentinck. The policy favoured English
education to a traditional one.
● In 1844, Lord Hardinge decided to give
government employment to Indians
educated in English schools. This
further boosted the Western education
in India.
● Bethune school was founded by JED
Bethune at Calcutta (1849),
Agricultural Institute at Pusa
(Bihar) and Engineering Institute at
Roorkee.
Third Phase (1854-1900)
● In 1854, Charles Wood prepared a
despatch on an Educational System
for India, which came to be called the
Magna Carta of Education in the
country. According to Wood’s scheme
(i) The government needed to spread
Western education through English
medium for higher education. But
Vernacular primary schools should
be set-up in rural areas.
(ii) A grants-in-aid system to
encourage private enterprises
involvement in education.
(iii) A department of public instruction
to be set-up in each of the five
provinces.
(iv) Universities in Calcutta (1857),
Bombay (1857) and Madras (1857)
were established.
(v) Teacher’s training institutions.
(vi) Promotion of Education for
Women.
● Most of Wood's proposals were
implemented, which led to
Westernisation of the Indian
Educational System
In 1882, Lord Ripon appointed the Hunter
Commission under Sir WW Hunter. The
commission’s views were restricted to
primary and secondary education. It
emphasised over the state’s role in extending
education, female education and to involve
private enterprise in education.
● As a result, Punjab (1882) and Allahabad
(1887) Universities were established.
Fourth Phase (1901-1920)
● Lord Curzon appointed University
Commission under Sir Thomas Rayleigh
Based on his report, the Indian Universities
Act was passed in 1904.