Under British colonial rule in India, the education system underwent significant changes. Initially, the British allowed traditional Indian systems like Sanskrit pathshalas and madrasas to continue. However, over time they instituted policies to introduce Western-style education to create a class of subordinates to aid their administration. Major education policies and commissions transformed the medium of instruction to English and prioritized secular subjects over religious teachings. This disrupted traditional Indian education but also exposed Indians to modern science and ideas that contributed to the independence movement.

1. Under Colonial Rule

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Submitted to:
Mrs. Monika Choudhry (Subject in charge)
Assistant Professor
Prarambh State Institute of Advanced Studies in Teacher
Education, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
Submitted by:
Vaibhav Verma
B.A.B.Ed. 5th Semester
Roll Number: 18126
Batch: 2018-2022
Prarambh State Institute of Advanced Studies in Teacher
Education, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
Email: vaibhavverma998@gmail.com

3.  Social & Cultural Impacts
 Economic & Political Impacts
 Education System
 Education Commissions, Policy & Charters
 Medium of Education
 Curriculum
 Impacts on society
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 The British brought many changes in
India such as Liberty, Equality,
Freedom and Human rights from the
Renaissance and Reformation
movements.
 These ideas led several reforms in
different parts of the country.
 Great Indian leaders like Raja Ram
Mohan Roy, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan,
Aruna Asaf Ali and Pandita
Ramabhai were the fore runners
ofthese reform movements.

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 Disruption of the Traditional
Economy
 Ruin of Artisans and Craftsmen
 Impoverishment of the Peasantry
 Ruin of Old Zamindars and Rise of
New Landlordism
 Stagnation and Deterioration of
Agriculture
 Development of Modern Industries
 Poverty and Famine

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 British Came to India for trading purpose
and to establish their control over India.
 They did this through:-
 Wars, treaties, annexations and alliances
 Firstly, British gain control over Bengal after
the battle of Buxar in 1764.
 After that, they defeated their rivals and
established political control over India.
 Anglo-Mysore wars, Anglo-Maratha wars,
Anglo-Sikh wars were defeated by Britishers
and annexed their territories.

7. With the advent of the British, their policies and measures breached the legacies of traditional schools of
learning and this resulted in the need for creating a class of subordinates. To achieve this goal, they
instituted a number of acts to create an Indian canvas of English color through the education system.
Initially, the East India Company did not think that it was its duty to impart education to Indians. It
allowed the old system of education to continue. Pathshalas, which imparted a special type of education
geared towards meeting the requirements of a rural society, were open to all. Sanskrit education was
imparted in tols. Muslims attended Madrasas. Higher education was confined primarily to upper castes.
This system of education was eventually changed by the British.
Around the beginning of the 19th century, the Company became aware of the need for introducing
Western education in India. However, Christian missionaries, who were interested in spreading
Christianity through education, had already established several educational institutions which were
attached to their churches.
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8. 1 • Charter Act 1813
2 • Charter Act 1833
3 • Macaulay Minute -1835
4 • Woods Despatch- 1854
5 • Hunter Commission- 1882
6 • University Commission- 1902
7 • Calcutta University Commission- 1917
8 • Hartog Committee- 1929
9 • Abbot- Wood Report- 1936-37
10 • Zakir Hussain Committee- 1937
11 • The Sargent Report- 1944
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The East India company act also known as Charter Act, 1813, was an act of British government which
renewed the Charter issued of East India company and continued the Company’s rule in India.
The act expressly asserted the Crown’s sovereignty over British India.
It allotted ₹100,000 to promoted education in India.
Christian missionaries have allowed to come to British India and preach their religion.
Financial provision was also made to encourage a revival in Indian literature and for the promotion of science.

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The Charter act of 1833 was institutionalised on basis of liberal concept. This was an Act of the Parliament of
the United Kingdom that gave East India Company to rule India for another 20 years.
The act created, for the first time, a Government of India having authority over the entire territorial area
possessed by the British in India. Lord William Bentick was the first governor-general of India.
The Governor-General of India was given exclusive legislative powers for the entire British India.
It ended the activities of the East India Company as a commercial body, which became a purely
administrative body. It provided that the company’s territories in India were held by it ‘in trust for His
Majesty, His heirs and successors’.
This Act attempted to introduce a system of open competition for selection of civil servants, and stated that
the Indians should not be debarred from holding any place, office and employment under the Company.
This act allowed wider space to the British in the India’s administration. It ended the British India Company's
commercial activities and transformed into the British Crown’s trustee in administering India.

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Lord Macaulay was a British historian essayist orator and states man. On February 8, 1835, Macaulay,
presented his historical minutes on education in which he made a bitter attack upon English languages,
literature and culture and vilified it.
English Should be the medium of instruction especially at higher level as it is the best vehicle of thought and
exhibition.
The oriental Law institutions should be closed down and all the law book in Arabic. Persian and Sanskrit
should be translated to English.
The grants given to the oriental institution should be stopped in diverted to the opening of new English
school.
All the grants given for education should be utilized for the spread of European literature and science.
The aim of education should be develop to develop such personalities who are Indian in blood and color, but
English in taste, in opinion in moral and intellect.

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The British parliament constituted for parliamentary committee in 1853 to review the education development
under taken by the company in India. Sir Charles Wood appointed as the president of the Committee. The
following were its major recommendations:
Universities should be given to establish at Cucuta, Bombay and Madras.
A separate Department of Education should be established in every province with a director of public
instruction along with inspectors of school for effective supervision and administration.
Recommended a granted system of institution starting with Primary school, Waddle school, High school,
Colleges and universities.
Institution for training of teacher for all types of school should be started.
Education of Women should be encouraged by supporting individual and agencies in the field.
Steps should be taken for maintenance of existing government colleges and high school and establishment of
new ones if and when necessary.

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When the Christian missionaries continuously complained about the existing education policy, Lord Ripon
appointed a commission to study the educational scenario under the chairmanship of William Hunter. Major
recommendations of this commissions were:-
Primary education should be regarded as the education of the masses.
Education should be able to train the people for self-dependence.
The medium of instruction in primary education should e the mother tongue.
The spread of primary education for the tribal and backward people should be the responsibility of
Government.

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The curriculum should include useful subjects like agriculture, elements of natural and physical science and
the native method of arithmetic and measurement, etc.
Fees should be an example to students on the basis of their financial difficulties.
There should be two types of education arrangements at the high school level, in which emphasis should be
given on giving a vocational and business education and other such literary education should be given, which
will help in admission to the university.

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The Indian University commission was a body appointed in 1902, on the instructions of Lord Curzon which
was intended to make recommendations for reforms in University Education. Major recommendations of this
commission were:-
The reorganization of the administration of universities and the territorial jurisdiction of each university to be
defined.
The main aim of the Act was to make the administrations more efficient. The Senates of the reorganized
universities were more manageable and efficient than earlier ones.
Conditions for affiliation to the University were clearly laid down and intended to be rigorously observed.
The Governor-General-in-Council was in power to define the territorial jurisdiction of Universities.
Substantial changes in curricula and the methods of examination.
After the Act, the Government of India announces that they would make a grant of Rs. 5, 00,000 a year for 5
years, to improve college and university education

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In 1917, the Calcutta University Commission was appointed by the Government of India under the
Chairmanship of Mr. Michel Sadler. So it was popularly known as the Sadler Commission. This Commission
was appointed for the purpose of making recommendations to reform Calcutta University.
Formation of Secondary and Intermediate Board of Education in each province, consisting of representatives
of the Government, Universities, High Schools and Intermediate Colleges for the control and management of
Secondary and Intermediate Education.
Establishment of teaching and residential University at Dacca
Formation of Selection Committee including the external expert to select Professors, Readers and Lecturers.
Expansion of vocational and professional education including Teachers Training.
Separation of Intermediate classes from Universities and the stage of admission to the University was to be
after Intermediate and not Matriculation, curriculum spreading over three years prescribed for the first degree.

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A committee was formed under the chairmanship of Sir Philip Hartog to survey the growth of education in
British India.
Adoption of the policy of consolidation in place of multiplication of schools.
Fixation of the duration of the primary courses to four years.
Improvement in the quality, training status, pay and service conditions of the teachers.
Increasing the number of government inspection staffs.

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The absence of adequate and proper vocational education was being felt in India. Therefore, the Government
of India invited in 1936-37 two British experts to come India and prepare a plan for vocational education in
the country. These two experts were A. Abott and S.H. Wood.
For general and vocational education there should be separate schools, as the purpose of the two is different.
Skilful workers engaged in small industries should also be given proper vocational training.
In each province a Vocational Education Advisors’ Council should be established for developing healthy
relationship between vocational education and various vocations.
There should be two types of schools for vocational education. The first should be the junior vocational
school and the second senior vocational school.
Part-time classes should be opened for persons engaged in various vocations.
In certificate to be awarded after passing a vocational course, there should be a clear mention of the quality of
work done by the candidate during the period of vocational training.

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All India National Conference of 1937 appointed then appointed a committee 'with Dr. Zakir Hussain as its
chairman. The Committee submitted its report on December 2, 1937, and the scheme of education suggested
by it is popularly known as the “Wardha Scheme”.
A Basic Craft is to serve as the centre of instruction. The idea is not to teach some handicraft side by side with
liberal education, but the entire education is to be imparted through some industry or vocation.
The scheme is to be self-supporting to the extent of covering teachers' salaries and aims at making pupils self-
supporting after the completion of their course.
Manual labor is insisted on so that every individual may learn to earn his living through it in liter life.
Instruction is closely coordinated with the child's life, i.e., his home and village crafts and occupations.

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 In 1944, the Central Advisory Board of Education submitted a comprehensive Report on Post-War Educational
Development, known as the Sargent Report.
 Put forwarded a system of universal, compulsory and free education for all boys and girls between the ages of 6 and
14.
 Recommended that at the Middle School stage, provision should be made for a variety of courses, extending over a
period of five years after the age of 11.
 High School course should cover 6 years, the normal age of admission being 11 years and that the High Schools
should be of two main types
 (a) Academic.
 (b) Technical.

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In ancient times, education was provided on the basis of the caste system and under the guidance of a guru.
Soon, the form of education became writing and ancient literature was engraved in barks of trees and palm
leaves.
In the 11th century, the Muslim conquerors built elementary and secondary schools and spread learning
through universities in key cities such as Allahabad, Delhi, and Lucknow. Islamic institutes focused on
sciences and the humanities.
During the medieval period, the interaction of Islamic and Indian traditions contributed to the flourishing of
all fields of knowledge such as the arts, philosophy, painting, sciences, medicine, and astronomy.
English education was solidified in India with the arrival of European missions circa 1920s.
Several educational policies were introduced to integrate more people into the education system, orient
Indians with western science, and transform English into the medium of instruction.

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The commercial British East India Company ruled parts of India from 1764 to 1858.
A few eighteenth-century company officials became scholars of Sanskrit, Persian, and Tamil and promoted
"Oriental" learning, which was classical, demotic learning in indigenous languages.
those who denigrated "Oriental" learning and advocated the introduction of institutions for Western learning
based upon the British curriculum with English as the medium of instruction.
American and English missionaries founded men's colleges, and by the twentieth century, Lucknow, Lahore,
and Madras all had Christian women's colleges as well.
Foreign teachers staffed these institutions, offering a Western curriculum in English with financial support for
the children of Christian converts.

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Probably in the higher centres of learning (Tols and Madrasas) too much emphasis on niceties of grammar,
philosophy and religion narrowed down the scope of expansion of secular and scientific knowledge. The
colonial rulers discarded the indigenous system and replaced it by a system of education of their own.
The British rule introduced the railways, the press, and the western system of education, clubs and
associations all of which shook the prevalent socio-economic order. But the processes of exploitation
unleashed by them destroyed the possibilities of development of industries and a modern economic system in
India.
Many steps were taken to improve the status of women, like banning of Sati (1829), Widow remarriage act
(1856) inter-caste and intercommunity marriages were permitted (1872) prevention of child marriage (1929).

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The result of these reforms was felt throughout the country. Women started getting better education.
Women like Captain Laxmi Sehgal of Indian Army, Sarojini Naidu, Annie Beasant, Aruna Asaf Ali and many
others played important roles in our freedom struggle.
Socio-religious movements instilled a sense of self-respect, self-confidence and pride for the country.
The introduction to modern education guided India towards a scientific and modern world.
People began to identify themselves as Indians and this united them towards the struggle for freedom against
the British.