Educational reforms

Published on 03 Oct 2025

Education in India before British Era

Religion based: The ancient texts such as Puranas, Vedas and Quran etc were focussed on the school.
Non-uniform Curriculum: There was no consistent syllabus or uniformity in teaching practices and were largely dictated by independent methods.
Did not include modern education: The education was largely value-based and with prime neglect of modern scientific and philosophical advancements.
Non-inclusive: The lower castes and women were largely excluded and the traditional education justified and sustained such exclusion.
Traditional Setup: Guru Shishya Parampara was followed whereby the students resided with the Guru and learned from him. Guru enjoyed immense respect from society.

Evolution of Education during British India

Downward filtration theory: the Britishers believed that if they educated only a few upper-class Indians, then these Indians would spread the education to the masses. Through this system, education was expected to filter downwards.
Medium of Education: English was made the sole medium.

Against downward filtration theory: It sought to reaffirm that the government should assume the responsibility of education.
Vernacular education: Vernacular education was to be used in villages at the bottom and English to be introduced in higher education.
Vocational education: It was also promoted for the first time earmarking the traditional artisans and handicraft industry.
Education for Women and Girls: As a respite for the long-drawn neglect of female education, the commission recognised the need to formalise it.
Grants in Aid for Private enterprises: It was promoted to improve the quality of education.

Review of Progress of Woods despatch: The shifting of education to the provinces led already resource-strived provinces to neglect to invest in education.
Focus on Primary and secondary education: Primary and secondary education control was shifted to district and municipal boards.
More emphasis on vocational education: Higher secondary education was divided into literary and vocational reaffirming its significance.

Focus on research: More focus was to be given to study and research to reduce revolutionary tendencies.
Veto power: Provincial governments were granted the authority to veto regulations and could enact their own rules if deemed necessary.
More funding: 5 lakh per annum was sanctioned for the improvement of higher education in universities.

Duration of school education: The school education was made 12 years, whereby the students should enter the college after an intermediate stage.
Ensure continuity of education: The student's education at school is a preparatory stage for the universities.
Autonomy to universities: It led to more freedom to frame rules and regulations pertaining to its curriculum and functioning.

More focus on primary education: Only the eligible students would go to the high schools and the rest to go to vocational courses to ensure quality of education.
Improve Universities: Quality standards are sought to be increased.

British motive in promoting education among Indians

Need for clerks: Modern education would create a cheap supply of educated Indians to take care of the operations in administration.
Market for British goods: Educated Indians would constitute a consistent market for foreign goods as they are appreciative of the colonial masters.
Sympathetic to Colonialists: Modern education would create a middle class loyal to the British government and hence ensure sustainability of British rule in India.
Changing the image of Imperialism: The educated Indians will look up to the British as their benevolent conquerors and administrators, and not oppressors.

Increased literate population: The literacy rate saw a huge rise evidently due to the British effort to increase it. Still, literacy was limited to a small section and the others being left out.
Introducing Social Reforms: Education became a strong factor demanding social reforms. Rational thinking and formal education challenged irrational superstitious beliefs.

Example: Raja Ram Mohan Roy was deeply moved by rational thought and modern education, which led to his efforts to abolish the practice of Sati.

Inclusivity in education: The modern education policy opened its doors for lower castes who were denied access to education under the traditional education system.

Shortcomings of the Education System during British Era

Neglect of scientific and technical education: The education focussed by the British was largely confined to create a cadre of clerks and not focussed on promoting the society as whole.

Example: There were only 3 Medical Colleges (Calcutta, Bombay and Madras) and one engineering College at Roorkee, which was open only to Europeans.

Inadequate focus on mass education: Higher education and English education received more attention, at the expense of elementary education which crippled the progress.
Neglect of women's education: To not disappoint the orthodox Indians, the modern education system neglected girl's education to a certain extent.
Monopoly of upper classes: Modern education was expensive and hence was only affordable by the elite sections.
Setback to Traditional education: The modern English education led to less takes for the value based Traditional Indian Education System and were replaced gradually.
No consistent Policy: On the recommendation of different commissions the education policy kept swinging between different ideas of education and the policy varied targets to achieve.

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