Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation
The Tradition of Orientalism
William Jones (a linguist and junior judge at supreme court) arrived in
Calcutta in 1783 and he knew greek and latin at oxfrod, french and
english, arabic from friend and persian. He learnt sanskrit with pandits
and began studying law, philosophy, religion, politics, morality,
arthmetic, medicine, etc. He, along with officials like Henry Thomas
Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed, founded the Asiatic Society of
Bengal and asiatick researches (journal) and began translating
ancient Sanskrit and Persian texts into English.
These Orientalist scholars felt that Indian civilisation had achieved
glory in the ancient past but had declined over time. They argued that
rediscovering and studying India’s sacred texts (in Sanskrit, Persian,
Arabic, etc.) would help Indians regain their lost heritage and improve
in the future. The British, in this view, would act as guardians of
Indian culture as well as masters by promoting traditional learning.
British hope to win a place in the hearts of the natives only then could
the alien rulers expect to be respected by their subjects.
Warren Hastings (the Governor-General) set up the Calcutta
Madrasa in 1781 to promote Arabic study and Persian and islamic
law, and a hinduCollege was established in Benaras (Varanasi) in
1791 for teaching ancient ancient sanskrit scriptures for
administration.
Criticism of Orientalism and the Push for English Education
many argued that Eastern knowledge was inferior, full of errors, and
unscientific. They felt it was a mistake to waste energy on Sanskrit or
Arabic learning, and instead advocated Western education.
James Mill, who insisted that the British should not teach what Indians
respected or wanted, just to please them. He said the aim of education
ought to be useful, practical knowledge that made Indians aware of
Western science and technical advances, rather than ancient poetry or
religious texts.
By the 1830s, the most outspoken champion of Western education was
Thomas Babington Macaulay. He considered India an uncivilised
country that had to be civilised through English education.
Macaulay ridiculed Oriental learning, famously asserting that “a
single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole
native literature of India and Arabia.”
Educating Indians in English language and Western subjects, he
argued, would help “civilise” them and help them read the finest
, literature the world produced and make them aware of the
developments in Western science and philosophy; this would change
their tastes, values, and culture.
English Education Act of 1835: Backed by Macaulay’s minute, the
British passed this act to reorient educational priorities. The Act made
English the medium of instruction for higher education in India and
drastically reduced support for oriental traditional institutions. Funds
for the Calcutta Madrasa and Benaras Sanskrit College were cut off –
these old institutions were derided by Macaulay’s supporters as
“temples of darkness that were falling of themselves into decay”. In
place of Persian and Sanskrit texts, English textbooks began to be
printed for Indian schools. This marked a turning point where colonial
policy officially set out to teach Indian students through English and
with Western curriculum.
Wood’s Despatch of 1854: “Education for Commerce”
In 1854, courts of directors of east india company in londan sent an
educational despatch to governor general of india. This policy document
(sent by Charles Wood, president of board of control of the company
to the Governor-General) outlined the aims of education in India and is often
called the “Magna Carta of English Education” in India. Key points of Wood’s
Despatch include:
Practical Benefits: The Despatch stressed the practical economic
benefits of European learning for Indians. It argued that Western
education would make Indians understand the advantages of
expanding trade and commerce, and thereby help in the colonial
economy’s growth. An educated Indian populace would learn to
develop the country’s resources and would also create a demand for
British-manufactured goods by adopting European tastes.
“Improving” Moral Character: Wood’s Despatch claimed that
European education would also improve the moral character of
Indians. Educated in English, Indians would become truthful, honest
and loyal, supplying the Company with trustworthy civil servants. It
described the literature of the East as not only full of “grave errors”
but also incapable of instilling habits of hard work or honesty. Western
education, it was argued, was superior in producing diligent and moral
individuals.
Expansion of Education: Following this Despatch, the British
government took several steps to expand the education system in
India. Departments of Education were set up in every provinces to
oversee all matters of education. The Despatch emphasized the need
to establish institutions of higher learning, leading to the founding of
universities in 1857 in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. It
encouraged women education and training of indian teacher. It
The Tradition of Orientalism
William Jones (a linguist and junior judge at supreme court) arrived in
Calcutta in 1783 and he knew greek and latin at oxfrod, french and
english, arabic from friend and persian. He learnt sanskrit with pandits
and began studying law, philosophy, religion, politics, morality,
arthmetic, medicine, etc. He, along with officials like Henry Thomas
Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed, founded the Asiatic Society of
Bengal and asiatick researches (journal) and began translating
ancient Sanskrit and Persian texts into English.
These Orientalist scholars felt that Indian civilisation had achieved
glory in the ancient past but had declined over time. They argued that
rediscovering and studying India’s sacred texts (in Sanskrit, Persian,
Arabic, etc.) would help Indians regain their lost heritage and improve
in the future. The British, in this view, would act as guardians of
Indian culture as well as masters by promoting traditional learning.
British hope to win a place in the hearts of the natives only then could
the alien rulers expect to be respected by their subjects.
Warren Hastings (the Governor-General) set up the Calcutta
Madrasa in 1781 to promote Arabic study and Persian and islamic
law, and a hinduCollege was established in Benaras (Varanasi) in
1791 for teaching ancient ancient sanskrit scriptures for
administration.
Criticism of Orientalism and the Push for English Education
many argued that Eastern knowledge was inferior, full of errors, and
unscientific. They felt it was a mistake to waste energy on Sanskrit or
Arabic learning, and instead advocated Western education.
James Mill, who insisted that the British should not teach what Indians
respected or wanted, just to please them. He said the aim of education
ought to be useful, practical knowledge that made Indians aware of
Western science and technical advances, rather than ancient poetry or
religious texts.
By the 1830s, the most outspoken champion of Western education was
Thomas Babington Macaulay. He considered India an uncivilised
country that had to be civilised through English education.
Macaulay ridiculed Oriental learning, famously asserting that “a
single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole
native literature of India and Arabia.”
Educating Indians in English language and Western subjects, he
argued, would help “civilise” them and help them read the finest
, literature the world produced and make them aware of the
developments in Western science and philosophy; this would change
their tastes, values, and culture.
English Education Act of 1835: Backed by Macaulay’s minute, the
British passed this act to reorient educational priorities. The Act made
English the medium of instruction for higher education in India and
drastically reduced support for oriental traditional institutions. Funds
for the Calcutta Madrasa and Benaras Sanskrit College were cut off –
these old institutions were derided by Macaulay’s supporters as
“temples of darkness that were falling of themselves into decay”. In
place of Persian and Sanskrit texts, English textbooks began to be
printed for Indian schools. This marked a turning point where colonial
policy officially set out to teach Indian students through English and
with Western curriculum.
Wood’s Despatch of 1854: “Education for Commerce”
In 1854, courts of directors of east india company in londan sent an
educational despatch to governor general of india. This policy document
(sent by Charles Wood, president of board of control of the company
to the Governor-General) outlined the aims of education in India and is often
called the “Magna Carta of English Education” in India. Key points of Wood’s
Despatch include:
Practical Benefits: The Despatch stressed the practical economic
benefits of European learning for Indians. It argued that Western
education would make Indians understand the advantages of
expanding trade and commerce, and thereby help in the colonial
economy’s growth. An educated Indian populace would learn to
develop the country’s resources and would also create a demand for
British-manufactured goods by adopting European tastes.
“Improving” Moral Character: Wood’s Despatch claimed that
European education would also improve the moral character of
Indians. Educated in English, Indians would become truthful, honest
and loyal, supplying the Company with trustworthy civil servants. It
described the literature of the East as not only full of “grave errors”
but also incapable of instilling habits of hard work or honesty. Western
education, it was argued, was superior in producing diligent and moral
individuals.
Expansion of Education: Following this Despatch, the British
government took several steps to expand the education system in
India. Departments of Education were set up in every provinces to
oversee all matters of education. The Despatch emphasized the need
to establish institutions of higher learning, leading to the founding of
universities in 1857 in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. It
encouraged women education and training of indian teacher. It
