Page 58 - SST Class 08
P. 58
7 7 7
Education and British India
Modern education began in India under the interpreters between the Government and the
British rule. Before the British, India had its own masses. This was also called the “downward
educational system like the Gurukuls and the filtration theory”.
Madrassas. The East India Company, during EDUCATION UNDER
their first 60 years of rule, didn’t care much for THE COMPANY’S RULE
the education of those they ruled in India. For the first 60 years of its rule in India, the East
India Company took little interest in the educa-
tion of its subjects. Education, then, was mainly
religious and was in the hands of the Brahmins
or the Muslim Ulemas. Indian princes and rich
merchants gave liberal grants of land and reve-
nue for maintenance of schools and patronage of
art and learning.
Warren Hastings set up a
madrasa in Calcutta (now
Kolkata) for the study of
Gurukuls
Muslim law and related
subjects. In 1791, a
Sanskrit college was set
up at Varanasi for the
study of Hindu law and
philosophy.
CHARTER ACT Warren Hastings
OF 1813
The Charter Act of 1813 incorporated the princi-
ple of encouraging learned Indians and promot-
Madarsas
ing knowledge of modern sciences in the coun-
Initially, British East India Company was not try. The Charter Act of 1813 directed the East
concerned with the development of education India Company to sanction one lakh rupees
system because their prime motive was trading annually for the purpose. However, even this
and profit-making. To rule in India, they planned small amount was not made available till 1823,
to educate a small section of upper and middle mainly because of the controversy raged on the
classes to create a class “Indian in blood and question of the direction that this expenditure
colour, but English in taste” who would act as should take.
Social Science-8 58
