Civilising the “Native”, Educating Nation - 1 - UPSC Free MCQ Test

William Jones was a British linguist who arrived at Calcutta, India, in 1783. Initially, he was appointed as a junior judge in the Supreme Court established by the Company in India. Jones had knowledge of Greek, Latin, French, Arabic and Persian.

A madrasa was set up in Calcutta in 1781 to promote the study of Arabic, Persian and Islamic law; and the Hindu College was established in Benaras in 1791 to encourage the study of ancient Sanskrit texts that would be useful for the administration of the country.

• Rabindranath Tagore started Santiniketan school to make a place where children could be happy and free to learn and explore.
• He believed that children should enjoy learning and be able to think and create freely.
• This means that at Santiniketan, children could learn in a joyful and imaginative way, surrounded by nature and creativity.

Mahatma Gandhi thought that English education made Indians feel inferior and enslaved them. He believed it took away their pride in their own culture. He wanted education that would help Indians feel dignified and respected.

• Thomas Babington Macaulay believed that Indians should be made familiar with the scientific and technical advances that the West had made, rather than with the poetry and sacred literature of the Orient.
• This would help them understand the developments in Western science and philosophy, which could change their tastes, values, and culture to be more aligned with Western advancements.

The Hindu College was established at Benares (Varanasi or Kashi) in 1791 to encourage the study of ancient Sanskrit texts that were considered useful for administration.

In January 1784, Sir William Jones sent a circular letter to select British residents in Calcutta. His aim was to establish a society focused on Asiatic studies.

Key points about this initiative:

• Jones aimed to gather individuals interested in ancient Indian culture.
• He collaborated with notable figures like Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed.
• Together, they founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
• This society led to the creation of the journal Asiatick Researches.

Jones and his contemporaries respected both Indian and Western cultures, believing that understanding ancient texts was crucial for appreciating India's rich heritage.

Henry Thomas Colebrookewas a Sanskrit scholar and orientalist. He held administrative, legal and academic posts whilst in India during which time he learnt Sanskrit. He was thus able to translate “Digest of Hindu Laws”, unfinished by Sir William Jones. He translated the two treatises, the Mitacshara of Vijnaneshwara and the Dayabhaga of Jimutavahana  under the title Law of Inheritance. During his residence at Calcutta he wrote his Sanskrit Grammar (1805), some papers on the religious ceremonies of the Hindus, and his Essay on the Vedas (1805).

William Jones was very good at understanding and working with laws. He studied them carefully to help make fair decisions.

It was necessary to study Indian history, philosophy, and law. William Jones, an expert in law and a linguist, took this task. He began to study ancient Indian texts on law, philosophy, religion, morality, arithmetic, medicine and the other sciences.

Englishmen like Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed were also busy discovering the ancient Indian heritage, mastering Indian languages and translating Sanskrit and Persian works into English.

It is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated madrasah, medresa, madrassa, madraza, medrese, etc.

William Jones studied Sanskrit and translated important Indian texts like Shakuntala and Manusmriti into English, helping introduce ancient Indian literature to the West.

Rabindranath Tagore established Santiniketan as an abode of peace because he wanted a place where children could be happy, free, and creative, living in harmony with nature.

William Adam found that village pathshalas functioned in a flexible manner. Classes were often held under banyan trees, in temples, shops, or the guru’s home, without fixed timetables, printed books, or annual examinations.