Impact of British Rule in Society and Education - Intro and Education

Question 1

How was India prior to British Reform?

Answer 1

1. India had, in many ways, fallen behind what was being achieved in Europe
2. India was a collection of fragmented kingdoms unit before British rule
   a. Made it easier to establish their empire

Question 2

What were the English towns?

Answer 2

1. The British did not mix with Indians or allow them to join British institutions
2. Towns were divided into 2 parts - ‘White towns’ for europeans which had spacious bungalows, and ‘Black towns’ for Indians which were mostly cramped and crowded except for a few wealthy Indians who had larger homes

Question 3

Who were the orientalists?

Answer 3

The Orientalists were people who had scholarly knowledge of Indian culture and asian language.
An important important Orientalist was Sir William Jones who founded the Asiatic Society of bengal.

Asiatic Society of Bengal:
1. became an important centre for Indian studies
2. Established institutions like the ‘Survey in India’
3. Studied and classified Indian plants and animals
4. Drew the 1st modern maps of India + established census

Question 4

Who were the anglicists?

Answer 4

1. Anglicists were people who believed Indian culture was backward and superstitious
2. They became increasingly critical of Indian institutions
3. He felt it was their duty to reform and modernize India

Question 5

What was the debate over eduction?

Answer 5

1. The debate over education was regarding the nature of education that the East india Company would impose on their territories
2. The Orientalists - advocated Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian as the education medium
3. Anglicists -
   a. Advocated the imparting of western education through English medium
   b. As they wanted reform, they encouraged Christian missionaries to come to India and educate the people
   c. These missionaries established school for Indian children.

Question 6

Who was William Carey? What did he do?

Answer 6

William Carey was one of the most important missionaries, who established a mission/school in Serampore, near Calcutta. He translated the Bible into Bengali and other Indian languages.

Carey and other Serampore missionaries created printing presses in around 40 Indian languages. They set up a factory and published school books.

They motivated Europeans/wealthy Indians to donate money for the establishment of private schools and colleges in India.

Question 7

What do we means by ‘Anglicist victory?’

Answer 7

When Anglicist William Bentinck became governor general, his council member, Thomas B. Macauley, who also shared anglicist views, delivered his ‘minute on Indian Education’ A.K.A The ‘Minute of 1835’ where he criticised Indian language and promoted the education of Indians via English medium.

Question 8

What was Wood’s Despatch?

Answer 8

1. Sir Charles Wood made a plan for a complete overhaul of the Indian education system. This plan was known as Wood’s Despatch and it was introduced in 1854.
2. Under this plan:
   a. Departments of education were established
   b. Universities were established with a network of colleges underneath them
   c. Education of the masses and primary education was encouraged
   d. A system of primary, secondary and high school was established
   e. English became compulsory in higher level with lower levels having local languages
   f. All schools had to be led by an English Headmaster