Civilizing the 'Native' Educating the Nation. (HISTORY/CLASS 8/ CBSE)

 

Civilizing the 'Native' Educating the Nation.

(HISTORY/CLASS 8/ CBSE)

 

Question: Who was William Jones and what was his contribution to Indian education?

 Answer: William Jones was a linguist and a junior judge at the Supreme Court set up by the Company. He arrived in Calcutta in 1783. He studied Greek and Latin at Oxford, knew French and English, and had also learnt Arabic and Persian. In Calcutta, he began learning the subtleties of Sanskrit language, grammar, and poetry from pandits. He discovered the ancient Indian heritage, mastered Indian languages, and translated Sanskrit and Persian works into English.

 

Question: What was the English Education Act of 1835?

Answer: The English Education Act of 1835 was introduced by Thomas Macaulay. It made English the medium of instruction for higher education and English textbooks began to be produced for schools. The Act was introduced to stop the promotion of Oriental Institutions like the Calcutta Madrasa and Banaras Sanskrit College.

 

Question: What was Wood’s Despatch?

 Answer: Wood’s Despatch was an educational despatch sent by the East India Company in London to the Governor-General in India in 1854. Issued by Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control of the Company, it outlined the future educational policy of India.

 

Question: What languages did William Jones study?

 Answer: William Jones studied Greek, Latin, English, French, Arabic, and Persian.

 

Question: Why was the Calcutta Madrasa set up?

Answer: The Calcutta Madrasa was set up to promote the study of Arabic, Persian, and Islamic law.

 

Question: Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy, and law?

 Answer: William Jones felt the need to study Indian history, philosophy, and law to understand India. He believed that these texts would reveal the ideas and laws of Hindus and Muslims and would form the basis of future development.

 

Question: Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?

 Answer: James Mill and Thomas Macaulay believed that European education was essential in India because they felt that knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature the world had produced; it would make them aware of the developments in Western science and philosophy.

 

Question: Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts? Answer: Mahatma Gandhi wanted to teach children handicrafts because he believed that people would work with their hands and the craft would develop their minds. It would also develop their capacities to understand.

 

Question: What was the attitude of William Jones towards India?

Answer: William Jones had a deep respect for ancient cultures, both of India and the West. He believed that India had attained its glory in the ancient past but had declined later. To understand India, he felt it was necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts produced in the past.

 

Question: What was the aim of education according to Mahatma Gandhi? Answer: Mahatma Gandhi believed that the aim of education was not just the promotion of literacy. He thought that people should work with their hands and that the craft would develop their minds and capacities to understand.

 

Question: What was Rabindranath Tagore’s view on children’s education? Answer: Rabindranath Tagore believed in learning in a natural environment. He felt that children should not be subjected to strict discipline.

 

Question: What was the view of James Mill on Oriental learning?

Answer: James Mill was a strong critic of the Orientalists. He declared that the British should not teach what the natives wanted, or what they respected, in order to please them and “win a place in their heart”. He believed that the aim of education should be to teach what was useful and practical.

 

Question: Why did Thomas Macaulay promote English education in India? Answer: Thomas Macaulay urged the British government in India to stop wasting public money in promoting Oriental learning, as he believed it had no practical use. He felt that knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature the world had produced and make them aware of the developments in Western science and philosophy.

 

Who were Orientalists?

Orientalists were scholars who specialized in the study of Eastern cultures, languages, and societies. They emerged in the late 18th-century European centres of learning and their colonial outposts. The term “Orientalism” refers to the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world.

In the context of British colonial rule in India, Orientalists were a group of British administrators and scholars who believed that India should be governed according to its own traditions and laws. They wanted Indians to learn about Indian philosophy, science, and literature, and they favoured education in Indian languages. They opposed the “Anglicism” of those who argued that India should be ruled according to British traditions and laws.

 

What was the report of William Adam?

The report of William Adam was a comprehensive survey of the state of education in the districts of Bengal and Bihar in India during the 1830s. Adam was a Scottish missionary who had been asked by the East India Company to report on the progress of education in vernacular schools.

 

Here are some key findings from his report:

Adam found that there were over 1 lakh pathshalas (small schools) in Bengal and Bihar. These schools had no more than 20 students each.

The total number of children being taught in these pathshalas was considerable, over 20 lakhs.

These institutions were set up by wealthy people, the local community, or sometimes started by a teacher (guru).

The system of education was flexible1. There was no fixed fee, no printed books, no separate school building, no benches or chairs, no blackboards, no system of separate classes, no roll call registers, no annual examinations, and no regular timetable.

Teaching was oral, and the guru decided what to teach, in accordance with the needs of the students.

Students were not separated out into different classes: all of them sat together in one place.

Adam discovered that this flexible system was suited to local needs1. For instance, classes were not held during harvest time when rural children often worked in the fields.

Adam’s report provided valuable insights into the indigenous education system in India during the early 19th century. It highlighted the flexibility and adaptability of the system to local needs, as well as the significant role of the community in setting up and running these schools.

 

How has English education enslaved us?

Mahatma Gandhi argued that colonial education, particularly English education, created a sense of inferiority in the minds of Indians. He believed that it made Indians see Western civilization as superior and destroyed the pride they had in their own culture.

 

Gandhi referred to English education as “poisonous” and “sinful” because he felt it enslaved Indians and cast an evil spell on them. He observed that Indians educated in colonial institutions began to admire everything that came from the West, including British rule.

Gandhi also believed that education in English made Indians strangers in their own land, distanced them from their own social surroundings, and crippled them. He was of the strong opinion that the medium of teaching should be in Indian languages.

 

Why did lames Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?

James Mill and Thomas Babington Macaulay believed that European education was essential in India for several reasons:

They contended that the knowledge of the East was unscientific, illogical, and irrational. They believed that Western education, on the other hand, was scientific and logical.

They felt that Indians should be made familiar with the scientific and technical advancements that the West had made. They believed that this would be more useful and practical than the sacred literature of the Orient.

Macaulay urged the British government in India to stop wasting public money in promoting Oriental learning, as he believed it had no practical use.

They believed that knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature the world had produced and make them aware of the developments in Western science and philosophy.

They thought that teaching English could be a way of civilizing people, changing their tastes, values, and culture.

These views were based on their belief in the superiority of Western culture and knowledge, and they played a significant role in shaping the education policy in India during the British rule.

 

Why did Mahatma Gandi Think that English education had enslaved Indians?

Mahatma Gandhi believed that English education had enslaved Indians because it created a sense of inferiority in their minds. He argued that it made Indians see Western civilization as superior and destroyed the pride they had in their own culture.

Gandhi referred to English education as “poisonous” and “sinful” because he felt it enslaved Indians and cast an evil spell on them. He observed that Indians educated in colonial institutions began to admire everything that came from the West, including British rule.

 

Question: What was the attitude of the British towards Indian traditions and culture?

Answer: The British had a mixed attitude towards Indian traditions and culture. Some British officials respected Indian culture and believed that India should be governed according to its own traditions and laws. These officials were known as Orientalists. However, others like James Mill and Thomas Macaulay believed in the superiority of Western culture and knowledge and felt that India should be ruled according to British traditions and laws.

 

Question: What was the impact of English education on India?

Answer: English education had a profound impact on India. It introduced Indians to Western ideas and philosophies and made them aware of scientific and technological advancements in the West. However, it also created a sense of inferiority among Indians and made them feel that Western civilization was superior.

 

Question: What was the view of Rabindranath Tagore on education?

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore believed in learning in a natural environment. He felt that children should not be subjected to strict discipline.

 

Question: What was the view of Mahatma Gandhi on education?

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi believed that the aim of education was not just the promotion of literacy. He thought that people should work with their hands and that the craft would develop their minds and capacities to understand.

 

Question: What was the view of William Jones on Indian culture?

Answer: William Jones had a deep respect for ancient cultures, both of India and the West. He believed that India had attained its glory in the ancient past but had declined later. In order to understand India, he felt it was necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts produced in the past.

 

What was Tagore's abode of peace?

Tagore’s “Abode of Peace” refers to Shantiniketan. Here are some key details:

Shantiniketan, which means “the abode of peace”, was founded by Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore, in 1863.

It was established on around 20 acres of land taken on permanent lease from Bhuban Mohan Singha, the talukdar of Raipur.

Debendranath Tagore built a guest house and an open sky school there.

Later, Rabindranath Tagore expanded Shantiniketan and it became a university town with the creation of Visva-Bharati.

Shantiniketan embodies Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of a place of learning that is unfettered by religious and regional barriers.

It was a concept that Tagore emphasized in his writings to promote unity, understanding, and tolerance among individuals.

Shantiniketan is located in the north-central region of West Bengal under Birbhum district. It is known for its tranquil nature, mesmerizing ambiance, and the famous Vishva-Bharati University.

 

Who was Charles Wood?

 

Charles Wood was the President of the Board of Control of the British East India Company. He had also been the Secretary of State of India. He played a very important role in introducing the English language to higher education in India.

 

In 1854, Charles Wood sent a despatch to the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie. This despatch, known as Wood’s Despatch, suggested introducing vernacular languages in the primary schools of India. Similarly, he suggested that the Anglo-Vernacular medium and English Language be adopted as the medium of instruction in higher education in India. This Wood’s Despatch is considered the ‘Magna Carta’ of English Education in India.

 

Please note that there are other notable individuals named Charles Wood, including an Irish composer, an American singer and actor4, and a playwright. The Charles Wood you’re asking about is specifically known for his contributions to education policy in India during the British colonial period.

 

Who was Macaulay?

Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859) was a British historian and Whig politician1. He served as the Secretary at War between 1839 and 1841, and as the Paymaster General between 1846 and 1848. Macaulay was instrumental in making English the medium of instruction for higher education in India2. This policy of introducing the English education system to British colonies is often referred to as "Macaulayism".

Macaulay held Western culture in high esteem and was dismissive of the existent Indian culture, which he perceived as stagnant and something which had fallen well behind mainstream European scientific and philosophical thought. He once claimed that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia.

He was born in Leicestershire, England, on 25 October 1800, the son of Reverend Zachary Macaulay, a member of the Clapham Sect, former governor of the colony of Sierra Leone and anti-slavery activist. His mother was Selina Mills, a pupil of the great British moralist, Hannah More.

 

Question: What was the attitude of the British towards Indian traditions and culture?

Answer: The British had a mixed attitude towards Indian traditions and culture. Some British officials respected Indian culture and believed that India should be governed according to its own traditions and laws. These officials were known as Orientalists. However, others like James Mill and Thomas Macaulay believed in the superiority of Western culture and knowledge and felt that India should be ruled according to British traditions and laws.

 

Question: What was the impact of English education on India?

Answer: English education had a profound impact on India. It introduced Indians to Western ideas and philosophies and made them aware of scientific and technological advancements in the West. However, it also created a sense of inferiority among Indians and made them feel that Western civilization was superior.

 

Question: What was the view of Rabindranath Tagore on education?

 Answer: Rabindranath Tagore believed in learning in a natural environment. He felt that children should not be subjected to strict discipline.

 

Question: What was the view of Mahatma Gandhi on education?

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi believed that the aim of education was not just the promotion of literacy. He thought that people should work with their hands and that the craft would develop their minds and capacities to understand.

 

Question: What was the view of William Jones on Indian culture?

 Answer: William Jones had a deep respect for ancient cultures, both of India and of the West. He believed that India had attained its glory in the ancient past but had declined later. In order to understand India, he felt it was necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts produced in the past.

 

 

 

1. https://internationalenglishskill.blogspot.com/2023/11/suffix-and-prefix.html