Class 8 History Chapter 6 Notes - Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation

Overview

In earlier chapters, we saw how British rule affected different groups in India, like rajas and peasants. Now, let's talk about students. The British wanted to control India and also change how people lived and thought.

They had to decide how to educate Indian students to be "good subjects." This was a difficult challenge that led to a lot of talks. In this chapter, we will look at how education changed and what it meant for students in India.

How the British saw Education?

The tradition of Orientalism 

1. Arrival of William Jones in Calcutta:

• William Jones came to Calcutta in 1783, taking up a role as a junior judge at the Supreme Court. Possessing expertise in multiple languages including Greek, Latin, French, English, Arabic, and Persian, he delved into the study of Sanskrit language, grammar, and poetry with the guidance of local scholars.

2. Scholars' Interest in Ancient Indian Heritage:

• Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed were scholars who were really interested in ancient Indian history and culture. They learned Indian languages well and translated Sanskrit and Persian texts into English. They, along with Jones, started the Asiatic Society of Bengal and began publishing a journal called Asiatick Research.

3. Rediscovering Ancient Texts:

• Jones and Colebrooke thought that Indian society had gotten worse over time. They wanted to learn more about it by studying old religious and legal writings from India. They found these texts, translated them, and shared what they learned with others.

Henry Thomas Colebrooke He was a scholar of Sanskrit and ancient sacred writings of Hinduism. 

4. Purpose and Impact of the Project:

• The project aimed to help Indians reconnect with their heritage and understand the lost glories of the past.
• East India Company officials supported the study of ancient Indian texts, Sanskrit, and Persian literature and poetry.
• Institutions like the madrasa in Calcutta and the Hindu College in Benaras were established to promote these studies.

5. Significance for Hindus and Muslims:

• The study of ancient texts and traditions aimed to familiarize Hindus and Muslims with their respective cultural knowledge.
• Hindus were encouraged to explore Sanskrit texts, while Muslims focused on Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law.

By studying Orientalism, we gain insights into the efforts of scholars like Jones, Colebrooke, and Halhed to rediscover India's ancient heritage and the impact of their work on education and cultural understanding during the British Rule in India.

‘Grave Errors of the East'

• Early 19th century: British officials criticize Orientalist version of learning
• James Mill attacks Orientalists
  - Believes education should teach useful and practical subjects
  - Advocates for Indians to learn scientific and technical advances from the West
• Thomas Babington Macaulay criticizes Orientalists
  
  Thomas Babington Macaulay
  - Views India as an uncivilized country in need of civilization
  - Emphasizes the importance of teaching the English language
• English Education Act of 1835 introduced following Macaulay's suggestions
  - English made the medium of instruction for higher education
  - Promotion of Oriental institutions stopped 

Education for Commerce

• In 1854, the East India Company's Court of Directors issued Wood's Despatch, an educational directive for India.
• The Despatch, written by Charles Wood, emphasized the practical benefits of European learning over Oriental knowledge.
• European education was seen as a way to help Indians understand the importance of trade, commerce, and the development of their country's resources.
• It was believed that adopting European ways of life would bring about changes in the tastes, desires, and moral character of Indians.
• To implement the Despatch, education departments were established to oversee all educational matters.
• Efforts were made to establish universities, with Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay being among the first to have universities in 1857.
• Reforms were also introduced in the school education system to align with the goals outlined in Wood's Despatch.

What happened to the Local Schools?

The report of William Adam

• In the 1830s, Scottish missionary William Adam toured Bengal and Bihar districts.
• He was assigned by the company to report on vernacular school education progress.
• He discovered that the education system was flexible, with local schools called Pathshalas.
• Features of Pathshalas included: no fixed fees, no printed books, no separate school buildings, no benches or chairs, no blackboards, no separate classes, no roll-call registers, no annual examinations, and no regular timetables.
• The teaching process was primarily oral, with gurus deciding what to teach based on students' needs. 

Village Pathshala

New Routines, New Rules  

• Post-1854, the company aimed to enhance vernacular education by implementing structure, routines, rules, and regular inspections.
• Government-appointed pundits were assigned to oversee four to five schools each.
• Education was to be based on textbooks, and learning would be assessed through annual examinations.
• Pathshalas that complied with the new regulations received government grants. 
• The new system enforced regular school attendance, even during harvest time, viewing absences as a lack of discipline and motivation to learn.

The Agenda for a National Education

• Some Indians impressed with the development in Europe felt that western education would help to modernize India.  
• In the early 19th century, some Indian thinkers promoted Western education to modernize India, while others, like Gandhi and Tagore, opposed it. 

"English Education has enslaved us"

• Mahatma Gandhi believed that colonial English education instilled a sense of inferiority in Indians, which he considered sinful and enslaving.

  Mahatma Gandhi along with Kasturba Gandhi sitting with Rabindranath Tagore and a group of girls at Santiniketan, 1940

• He argued that this type of education cast an evil spell on the Indian population.
• Gandhi advocated for an education system that would restore Indians' sense of dignity and self-respect.
• He emphasized the importance of using Indian languages as the medium of instruction in order to develop an individual's mind and soul. 

Tagore’s ‘Abode of Peace’ 

•  Santiniketan was established by Rabindranath Tagore in 1901.
• Tagore’s dislike for traditional schooling, which he found suffocating and oppressive, influenced his educational philosophy.
• He Imagined a school where children could be happy, free, and creative, allowing them to explore their own thoughts and desires.
• Tagore believed that traditional schools stifled children’s natural creativity and sense of wonder.
• He emphasized the importance of creative learning in a natural environment and chose a rural setting, 100 kilometers away from Calcutta, for Santiniketan.A Class in Progress at Shantiniketan in the 1930s 
• Santiniketan, meaning "abode of peace," aimed to harmonize with nature and nurture children’s creativity.
• Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi had similar views on education, but they differed in their approaches.
• Gandhi was critical of Western civilization, while Tagore sought to blend modern Western elements with the best of Indian tradition.
• Tagore’s curriculum at Santiniketan included science, technology, art, music, and dance.
• There was a broader debate among Indian thinkers about creating a national educational system, with varying opinions on what constituted “national education.”
• The debate on the nature of national education continued even after independence.

Important Dates

• 1783: William Jones arrived in Calcutta.
• 1781: the Calcutta Madrasa was set up
• 1791: Banaras Hindu College was set up
• 1835: the English education act was introduced
• 1854: Woods despatch.
• 1857: universities were set up in Calcutta Madras and Bombay
• After 1854: the company decided to improve the system of vernacular education.
• 1901: Rabindranath Tagore started the Institution of Shantiniketan