Education in Pakistan (6506)

Level: MA Education Semester: Spring 2020

SHABBIR HUSSAIN Roll No. BW-509281

Assignment No. 1

Question No. 1- Critically discuss the Slateen period of education with special reference to
attitude towards education; aims of education and curriculum.

Answer:

SLATEEN PERIOD OF EDUCATION

With the coming of the Mughals educational and cultural activities received great fillip.
Babur, the first Mughal ruler, was a man of literary taste and possessed perfect knowledge of
Persian, Arabic and Turkish. His memoirs, is a work of great literary importance. He had great
love for education and got a number of schools and colleges repaired. He also set up a number of
new educational institutions. Despite his great love for education, Babar could not accomplish
much because his reign lasted only for four years.

Hamayun (1530—1556 A.D.) was also a great scholar like his father. He provided
patronage to man of arts and literature. In spite of many political difficulties, he rendered valuable
service to the cause of education. He established a college at Delhi and appointed Shaikh Hussain
as its Principal. He was fond of the company of scholars and saints and spent lot of time in scholarly
pursuits. He was also fond of collecting books and raised a beautiful library. In recognition of this
interest to the cause of education his tomb was provided with a Madrasa.

Sher Shah Suri, who ruled India when Humayun was in exile, was also a great Patron of
education and learning. He established a Madrasa at Narnaul which became a prominent center of
education. He was the first Muslim ruler who made provision for the education of ordinary
Muslims too.

Akbar, the great Mughal ruler, showed much greater interest in education. It would not be
wrong to say that his reign marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of education for
Muslim India, Though, Akbar was not himself much educated, and he showed a great love for the
scholars and education. During his reign, subjects like philosophy, history, literature and arts made
tremendous progress. He introduced certain changes in the existing curriculum of studies in
educational institutions Subjects like logic; arithmetic’s, astronomy, accountancy and agriculture
etc. were included in studies.

This naturally provided a secular bias to the educational system; Akbar paid great attention
to the elementary education of children.

Ain 25 of the Ain-i-Akbarilays down:

“In every country, but especially in Hindustan, boys are kept (in school) for years, where they
learn the consonants and vowels. A great portion of the life of the students is wasted by making
them read many books. His Majesty orders that every schoolboy should first learn to write the
letters of the alphabet, and also learn to trace their several forms. He ought to learn the shape and
name of each letter, which may be done in two days, and then the boy should proceed to write the
joined letters. They may be practiced for a week, after which the boy should learn some prose and
poetry by heart, and then commit to memory some verses in praise of God, or moral sentences,
each written separately. Care should be taken that he learns to understand everything himself but
the teacher may assist him a little He then ought, for some time, to be daily practiced in writing a
hemistich or a verse, and will soon acquire a current hand.

The teacher ought specially to look after five things.

I. Knowledge of the letters;

II. Meanings of words,
III. The hemistich;
IV. The verse;
V. Vote former lesson.

If this method of teaching be adopted, a boy will learn in a month or even in a day what it took
other years to under and, so much that people will be quite astonished. Every boy ought to read
books on morals, arithmetic, the notation peculiar to arithmetic, agriculture, mensuration,
geometry, astronomy, physiognomy, household matters, the rule of government, medicine logic,
the Tabiyi, Riazi and Ilahi sciences and history, all of which may be gradually acquired.”
 During Akbar’s times, education was liberalized and even Hindus were admitted to Muslim
Muktabs and Madrasas, as a result, in course of time certain Hindu scholars and historians learnt
Persian and made valuable contribution to the cause of education.

Some of the prominent scholars of the time were MadhoBhat, ShriBhat, Bishan Nath, Ram
Krishan, BalbhadraMisr, VasudevaMisr, BhanBhat, VidyaNivas, Gauri Nath, Gopi Nath,
KishanPandit, Bhattacharji, Bhagirath, Kashi Nath, Mahadeo, Bhim Nath and NarainSivji.

During Akbar’s times a number of Sanskrit works were translated into Persian for the benefit
of the Muslims. He also established a number of Muktabs and Madrasas at Agra, FatehpurSikri
and other places Jahangir, the successor of Akbar, was also a great lover of learning. He himself
possessed a command over Persian and also knew Turkish. He was fond of literary and cultural
persons and showed great regard to them.

Though Jahangir did not do much for the spread of education, he at least devoted attention to
the repair of existing institutions of education. He had issued standing instructions that whenever
a rich person or traveler died without any heir, his property should be taken over by the State and
the proceeds be spent on the construction and maintenance of educational institutions.

It is said that after his accession to the throne Jahangir repaired even those Madrasas that for
30 years had been the dwelling places of birds and beast and filled them with students and
professors. Jahangir had great weakness for fine arts, specially painting.

Shah Jahan was an educated person and gave great encouragement to scholars and spread of
education. He set up a Madrasa near Jama Masjid at Delhi His son, DaraShikoh was a great scholar.
He had mastered languages like Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit he has been described by the scholars
as the rarest literary jewels produced by India.

Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal Emperor, was also educated and had love for education.
However, he spent most of the funds for the education of the Muslim subjects. Thus, he tried to
extend his orthodoxy to the field of education and neglected Hindus. He gave liberal grants to poor
children belonging to Muslim families.
 Gokhale has said “Aurangzeb held in contempt Hindu learning’s and in its place tried to foster
Muslim erudition”. Aurangzeb give liberal help to Muslim scholars He also carried out
amendments in the curriculum to make the education more practical and useful.

F.E. Keay writes, “Aurangzeb’s part in this pronouncement is all the more remarkable from
the fact of his being an orthodox Muslim, who himself had a good knowledge of Arabic and
delighted to read and study Muslim theological works. He was not a broad- minded student of
human nature like Akbar whose philosophic outlook was a species of eclecticism. But narrow as
were Aurangzeb’s views on some questions, he was a shrewd and able ruler, and saw the need of
a more satisfactory education than he himself had received. He was not objecting to the theological
basis of his education, but to the pedantry and formation which characterized it. He objects to the
mere learning of words and terms without the power to understand or use them, and which had no
vital connection with the world outside the school.”

The later Mughal rulers also paid much attention towards education. Rulers like Bahadur Shah
I, Mohammad Shah, Shah Alam II, Bahadur Shah II were all great patron of education and noted
for their literary knowledge.

During the later Mughal period most of the new Madrasas were set up by private efforts. The
Madrasa of Ghaziuddin Khan, Madrasa of SharfudDaulah and Madrasa of RaushanudDaulah in
Delhi, Madrasa of HusanRaza Khan at Farrukhabad, and similar Madrasa at other places like
Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Aurangabad, Hyderabad etc. were set up by the nobles with pious
bent of mind. These institutions rendered great service to the advancement of learning. Making an
assessment of the contribution of the Mughals to the cause of education.

Will Durant writes, “When the Mughals ascended the throne they brought a high but narrow
standard of culture with them; they loved letters as much as the sword,” and knew how to combine
a successful siege with poetry. Among the Muslims, education was mostly individual, through
tutors engaged by prosperous fathers for their sons. It was an aristocratic conception of education
as an ornament—occasionally an aid to a man of affairs and power, but usually an irritant and a
public danger in one doomed to poverty of modest place”
 AtulanandaSen says, “The medieval system of education, especially in the later Mughal period
failed to impart the qualities of leadership, and thus ensure the supply of outstanding personalities
in the different walks of life, which the later Mughals needed so badly.”

According to B.G. Gokhale, “Like the Hindu system of education the Islamic system also
suffered from several limitations. It was meant primarily for Muslims who formed a minority in
the total population, for with the exception of Akbar, no Muslim King made any significant efforts
for promotion of Hindu learning.”

Making assessment of the education system of the medieval India, Prof. Yusuf Husain says,
“The system of education in vogue in medieval India lacked resilience and had become much too
rigid and noncreative. The modifications made in it from time to time did not go far enough to
meet the challenge of the times it was called upon to face. After all, one of the main functions of
knowledge is to cultivate the faculty to apprehend relations found in social and natural phenomena,
so that one may be able to orient oneself in time and place which is a sign of intellectual
development. Without this faculty no group can survive. The chief failing of the medieval system
of education was that it was not found adequate to enable its adherents to form habits of accurate
observation and practical judgment. It was much too rigid, sterile and bookish. The chief factor in
assessing all educational activity should be whether it calls forth the best of the potentialities for
moral and spiritual growth. It would be historically true to assert that the medieval system of
education, especially in the later Mughal period, failed to impart the qualities of leadership and
thus ensure the supply of outstanding personalities in the different walks of life.”

However, Prof S.M. Jaffar has a word of high appreciation for the educational system
prevailing during the medieval time. He says even though the medieval Government did not have
any regular Department of Public Instructions it could justly boast of possessing one (Department
of Public Instructions) which looked after religious as well as educational institutions.

He further says, “It was perhaps only during the days of acute unrest occasioned by external
invasions or internal disorders that the sacred cause of education suffered to a certain extent.
Barring out a few such cases, however, education made mighty strides during the Muslim period,
so much so in fact that Muslim Universities of Medieval India were thronged by thousands of
students and professors and often hundreds of hearers.”
Question No. 2- Comparatively discuss the motives and salient features of the Nadva movement
and Ali Garh movement. What were the impacts of these movements?
Answer:

MOTIVES AND SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NADVA & ALI GARH

MOVEMENT
In the second half of the nineteenth century many educational institutions were founded to
educate the Muslims of India and make them equal in all terms with their Hindu fellow
countrymen. In this regard one of the major educational institutions was that of Nadva-tul-Ulama.
Two of its predecessors the Aligarh School and College and Dar-ul-Uloom-i-Deoband were in
contrast to each other. Aligarh emphasized on the modern western education, fruitful for the
Muslims of India while Deoband, on the other hand, devised to make Muslims a progressed nation
by enhancing their religious spirit and knowledge of religion. In those circumstances there was a
great need of the emergence of an institution that could deliver the two types of education at the
same time and at one place. Thus for that purpose Nadva-tul-Ulama was founded in 1894 at
Lucknow by Moulvi Abdul Ghaffar, who was working as the deputy collector for the British
government of India.

The objectives of the establishment of the new institution were as under:

1. Remove sectarianism among the ranks of the Muslims

2. Elimination of the prevailing extremist educational ideas and to make them coherent
3. Improvement of the educational syllabus
4. Elimination of social evils
5. Improvement of all aspects of Muslims’ lives
6. Muslim separation from politics
7. Establishment of a grand educational institution to impart all sorts of education both,
religious and secular

Later this educational movement expanded itself and in 1898 Nadva-tul-Ulama was
established and its regular classes started shortly afterwards. Lots of people put their
contributions in Nadva’s establishment and its successful working by providing it with grants.
For instance, Sir Agha Khan, Amir of Bahawalpur and Nawab of Bhopal are just a few names
to mention in this regard. However, there were some criticisms as well like the Governor of
 U.P Anthony MacDonnel, famous for his contributions in the Urdu-Hindi controversy on the
Hindu side, criticized Nadva for being a part of political activity in the province. But after a
few years the government too started patronizing Nadva and government grants were also
issued to it. In 1908 Nadva’s grand building started constructing and the British government
of U.P laid its foundations.

Nadva witnessed the peak of its popularity when Maulana Shibli Naumani joined it in 1904.
Shibli along with Moulvi Abdul Haq set the rules and regulations for the Nadva that enhanced
its prestige a lot. Before joining Nadva, Shibli was the faculty member of Aligarh College
where he proved himself to be a great scholar and a successful teacher. But he had his issues
with Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and so he left Aligarh in 1904. Later, as mentioned earlier, he
joined Nadva and here again he proved his caliber. He was made the in charge of Nadva and
he made many changes in the syllabus of courses taught there. He also made English language
as a compulsory subject at the school. He was the editor of the magazine of Nadva and he also
established Dar-ul-Musanifin at Azamgarh. But soon Shibli became unpopular among his staff
of Nadva because of his excessive pride and rigidity and he had to resign but after his
resignation Nadva lost its popularity and never it could achieve the status it used to enjoy
during the days of Shibli.

Nadva-tul-Ulama of Lucknow produced famous scholars like Syed Suleiman Nadvi and
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. It also provided freedom movement of Pakistan with freedom
fighters like Suleiman Nadvi, Abdul Salam Nadvi and Masood Alam Nadvi etc.

IMPACTS OF THESE MOVEMENTS

Aligarh Movement maintained its legacy as it produced a number of Muslim leaders who
worked for the betterment of their coreligionists during and after the death of its founder Sir
Syed Ahmed Khan. Though a number of powerful movements of nineteenth century appeared
on the horizon of Indian society but disappeared completely during 20th century. But the
Aligarh Movement had its profound impact on the Indian society, particularly on the Muslim
society compared to the other powerful but less adaptable movements of 19th century. It
influenced a number of other contemporary movements to a great extent that it caused the
emergence of other socio-religious movements during 19th century. The impact of Aligarh
Movement was not confined to the Northern India only but its expansion could be seen on the
other regions of the Indian sub-continent during 20th century.

The most important movement for the spread of modern education and social reform
among Muslims was started by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898). He came from a family of
nobles of the Mughal court. He joined the services of the East India Company as a judicial
officer and remained loyal to them during the revolt of 1857, whereas the British rulers
regarded the Muslims as their ‘real enemies and most dangerous rivals’ and followed a policy
of discrimination against them.

Syed Ahmad Khan was deeply concerned at the depressing situation of the Muslims and
raising them from their backwardness became his life-long passion and aim. He strove hard to
remove the hostility of the British rulers towards the Muslims. He appealed to the Muslims to
return to the original Islamic principles of purity and simplicity. He advocated English
education for the regeneration of Muslims in India. His emphasis on science particularly
offended the orthodox Muslims. He faced opposition from the orthodox sections of Muslims.
However, with courage and wisdom, he overcame these obstacles.

In 1864, he founded the Translation Society which was later renamed ‘The Scientific
Society’. The society was located at Aligarh. It published Urdu translations of English books
on science and other subjects, and an English-Urdu journal for spreading liberal ideas on social
reforms. He advocated the removal of many social prejudices that kept the community
backward.

His greatest achievement was the establishment of the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental
College (Also known as Aligarh Muslim University) at Aligarh in 1875. In course of time, this
college became the most important educational institution of Indian Muslims. It provided for
education in humanities and science throughout English medium and many of its staff members
came from England. The college received support from leading Muslims throughout India and
the British showed much interest, both officially and otherwise in its development.

The M.A.O. College which later became the Aligarh Muslim University fostered a modern
outlook among the generations of students that studied there. The movement of Muslim
awakening associated with Syed Ahmad Khan and M.A.O. College came to be known as
 Aligarh Movement. He opposed the activities of the Indian national congress. He believed, like
many other leaders at that time that Indians were not yet ready to govern themselves and that
their interests would be best served by remaining loyal to the British rule. He founded the
Indian Patriotic Association with the support of some Hindu and Muslim leaders to oppose the
congress and tried to dissuade the Muslims from joining the congress. He emphasized the unity
between Hindus and Muslims.

Conclusion

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was one of the greatest Muslim reformers of India. He interpreted
Quran in the light of modern rationalism and science. He took up the struggle against
fanaticism, ignorance, narrow mindedness and bigotry and laid emphasis on free thinking.
 Question No. 3- Discuss the major recommendations of the All Pakistan Education
Conference 1947. Highlight the guidelines provided by Quaid in his message about
restructuring of education.

Answer:

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ALL PAKISTAN

EDUCATION CONFERENCE 1947
After freedom in 1947 a conference was arranged to structure the education system of
Pakistan. Quaid-e-Azam could not attend this due to illness, but he forwarded his message
which later laid down the foundation for recommendations of education policy. His message
contained four major aspects;

1. Education system should suit the genius of Pakistan.

2. It should be consonant with our history and culture.
3. It should inculcate high sense of honor and integrity.
4. It should emphasis on science and technology.

The major recommendations of the conference were:

1. Education should be teamed with Islamic values.

2. Free and compulsory education in Pakistan.
3. Emphasis on science and technical education.

Implementation:

This policy could not be implemented properly due to increased number of immigrants and
other administrative problems of new born country. So more or less British colonial system was
continued. The article 25-A of Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan says,

"The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the
age of five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by law".

Pakistan achieved independence from British colonial rule on August 14, 1947. At
independence 85% of the population was illiterate, and the condition of women and backward
areas was even worse. One of the first steps towards education development in Pakistan was the
National Education Conference in 1947. The Quaid-e-Azam, in his message to the Conferences
said,

"There is no doubt that the future of our State will and must greatly depend
upon the type of education we give to our children, and the way in which we
bring them up as future citizens of Pakistan. We should not forget that we
have to compete with the world which is moving very fast in this direction."

This conference (Karachi: Nov. 27, Dec 1, 1947) produced a strong philosophy of as well
as a number of ambitious recommendations indicating the future goals of education in Pakistan
Nevertheless, many of its recommendations remained in documentary form only for the lack of
institutional or economic resources to pursue them.

Guidelines provided by Quaid in his message about restructuring of education

Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the outstanding leader and a visionary statesman created this nation
state of Pakistan by legal and constitutional means, with the power of the pen, speech and vote. To
understand Pakistan, the reasons which led to its creation, what Pakistan stood for and was
intended to accomplish, one has to understand Jinnah.

From an early age Jinnah displayed a remarkable interest in the life and conditions around
him. The small world around him was the object of his interest and public events were the books
he studied. At the young age of 16, he left for England to establish commercial connections in
London but later he enrolled himself at the Lincolns Inn and began preparing for the Bar. He was
called to the Bar at 21 and in the same year he returned to India.

As a barrister and advocate, Jinnah holds a place which is unique in the subcontinent. Great
lawyers and men many years his senior acknowledged him as a master in the art of advocacy. He
had the remarkable ability of making the most complex of facts look simple and obvious. He could
be furiously aggressive or almost boyishly persuasive as the occasion demanded.

He possessed a remarkably clear mind and an abundance of commonsense, which is the

most uncommon of qualities. Even those who disliked or disagreed with his convictions
acknowledged and applauded him for maintaining the highest traditions at the Bar. He always kept
away from the heat of controversies, intrigues and squabbles.
 The abilities which led him to success in the legal world also suited a political career. Being
endowed with qualities, such as a heart fired up by great fervor and sincerity, a clear vision and
intellect, he was destined to play a prominent part in politics. With unusual powers of persuasion,
luminous exposition, searching arguments and a sound judgment, he earned for himself an enviable
reputation as a great debater.

Jinnah has often been referred to as brilliant and arrogant, and there is no denying the fact
that he made no effort to socialize with those with whom he had little in common. He was formal
and reserved in his dealings and never gave into emotions or sentiments. The overall picture of
Jinnah as reflected by leaders of the subcontinent reveals that he was a man of unquestionable
integrity, honesty, honor and unwavering belief in principles. His commitment to a cause he took
up was definite and permanent. He spoke openly and fearlessly against discrimination,
communalism, sectarianism, parochialism and believed in the separation of religion from the
affairs of the state.

Advice to students

Jinnah placed great importance on the youth and gave his advice to students on several
occasions. At a public meeting in Dhaka on March 21, 1948, he said

“My young friends, students who are present here, let me tell you as one who
has always had love and affection for you, who has served you for ten years
faithfully and loyally, let me give you this word of warning you will be
making the greatest mistake if you allow yourself to be exploited by one
political party or another.... Your main occupation should be — in fairness
to yourself, in fairness to your parents, in fairness to the state - to devote
your attention to your studies.”
Leaders of tomorrow

Addressing the Punjabi Muslim Students Federation at Lahore on October 31, 1947, Jinnah
said

“Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students who have always
been in the forefront in the hour of trial and need. You are the nation's
leaders of tomorrow and you must fully equip yourself by discipline,
education and training for the arduous task lying ahead of you. You should
realize the magnitude of your responsibility and be ready to bear it.”

Education policy

In a message to the All Pakistan Educational Conference in Karachi on November 27,

1948, Jinnah said that the education policy in Pakistan must be molded on lines suited to our
people, consonant with our history and culture, and having regard to modern conditions and vast
development that has taken place all over the world. He said,

“What we have to do is to mobilize our people and build up the character

of our future generation. In short, this means the highest sense of honor,
integrity, selfless service to the nation and sense of responsibility, and we
have to see that our people are fully qualified and equipped to play their
part in the various branches of economic life in a manner which will do
honor to Pakistan.”
Question No. 4- Analyze the targets for Higher Education in fifth and Eighth five year plans.
To what extent the targets of these plans were achieved and how?

Answer:

INTRODUCTION

The Five year plans are the series of nationwide economic plans and targets. These plans
are measured by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and considered and developed by the Economic
Coordination Committee (ECC) since 1955 in Pakistan. These plans are framed after the
inspiration of the plans of Soviet Union.

In Pakistan, the Five-year plan comprises of four parts of economic planning which are as
follows; Economic Framework, Social Infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure and Production
Programmes. The Social Infrastructure comprises of; Education and Training, Manpower Training
and Labour, Health, Family planning and Social welfare. In Pakistan the planning for the
development of all the sectors of the economy is approved by the Planning Commission which is
responsible for the publishing. All these Five year plans contain Education and Training as an
important sector (except 6th one where name Education and Training was replaced by the name
Manpower and in 10th Plan Investing in People) of the economy and is planned as other sectors.
According to Sir W. Beveridge; a plan has three parts: (a) a schedule of resources, (b) a schedule
of needs and (c) execution of the plan with the help of the state.

TARGETS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN 5TH FIVE-YEAR PLAN

The Fifth Five-year plan 1978-83, the Sixth Five-year Plan 1983-88 and the Seventh Five-
year Plan 1988-93 were taken the guidance for education planning from Education Policy of 1979.
The Fifth Educational Plan sought to balance access to education, improve teaching quality,
improve institutions and research facilities and make higher education possible for youth in distant
regions of the county.

The policy guidelines promoted in 1979 continued to guide educational planning for the
whole decade following it. The Fifth Five Year Plan (1978-83) began with a claim to mark ‘a
fundamental reordering of national priorities in favor of primary education. The plan also targeted
development of mosque and mohalla schools. In addition, improvement in curricula, textbooks
and proper teachers’ training were emphasized to improve quality of education in the light of
Islamic Ideology.

Education at intermediate level was imparted in 131 male and female intermediate colleges
and intermediate classes in 191 male and 70 female degree colleges. The current enrollment at the
time of formulation of 5th five-year plan at intermediate level was 190400 students. Of those
140900 students, 91400 were male and 49500 were female. The 74% of the students were male
and 26% were female. A total increase in enrollment of 6300 is envisaged during the plan period,
which represents an annual increase rate of 5.8% of the total. Increase in enrollment shall be 37600
for boys and 25400 for girls. The annual rate for growth in enrollment of boys shall be 4.8% and
of girls 8.6%. a new scheme of study known as education stream shall be introduced. Those
completing intermediate studies in this stream shall be absorbed as teachers in middle schools. The
plan also proposed to restrict growth of enrollment in arts subjects to only 13460 out of the total
increase of 63000. Thus the annual growth rate in arts subjects shall be restricted to 2.5% as against
an overall increase of 5.8%. the increase in growth of science subjects was estimated at 31000 i.e.
an annual growth rate of 7.4%. the increase in enrollment in commerce, agriculture and home-
economics subjects was proposed at 1%, 1.3% and 3% respectively of the total increase in
enrollment.

TARGETS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN 8TH FIVE YEAR PLANS

The Eighth Five-year Plan 1993-98, contains the education planning under the program
given in New Education Policy 1992.

The Eighth Five-Year Plans for National Economy of Pakistan (or simply regarded as
Eighth Five-Year Plans) was a set of a centralized and planned economic goals and targets
designed to strengthen the economic development and performance of Pakistan between 1993 and
1998.

The 1990s mark a very instable political scene in Pakistan with frequent changes of
governments and their policies. The gravity of political problems can be assessed by the fact that
between 1988 and 1999 eight prime ministers took the office (including four care-taker prime
ministers during interim periods). The continued political fiascos ultimately led to the military
coup in 1999. Interestingly, this was also the time during which an increased number of social
development projects were launched; most mentionable among them was the Social Action Plan
(1992-2002). Since 1999 the government remained relatively stable and there was visible
consistency and integration among different government policies till mid-2000s including
education sector reforms that began in 2001.

Since 1990 we have had three formal education policies, an action plan for Education
Sector Reform (ESR) and various development plans. All of these policies have a visible difference
in language compared to their predecessors. For example, the concerns for meeting the targets of
Education for All as set out in Jomtien and Dakar, gender sensitive provisions, involvement of
NGOs, and emphasis on community participation and privatization are some of the prominent
themes.

The education policy of 1992 brought basic Education for All into sharp focus and gave it
a prime importance compared to other educational sectors. The policy aimed at achieving 99.1%
participation rate by 2000. It had a particular focus on improving literacy and for that purpose
established National Education and Training Commission (NETCOM) later renamed as Prime
Minister Literacy Commission (PMLC) in 1995. The policy focused on improving the situation of
females and disadvantaged rural population to improve access and participation equitably through
non formal schooling provisions. Several other measures were suggested to improve access, which
included improvement of the quality of teaching through teachers’ training; provision of mosque
schools and availability of more physical facilities and teachers. As a major strategy for improving
access, participation and equity the policy invited private sector inclusion, encouraged non-formal
means of education provision and endorsed community participation in decision making and
educational management.

The Eighth Five Year Plan (1993-8) followed the basic principles and main objectives set
out in 1992 educational policy. The plan proposed to increase participation of boys to 95.5% and
of girls to 81.6% during the plan period until 1998. The plan proposed decentralization of
educational management to district level for improving the educational governance and efficiently
achieving the targets set out in the policy.

The plan was drafted and presented by then people-elected Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
at the first session of parliament, as part of social capitalist policies for the improvement of
economics development in Pakistan. After the termination of the seventh five-year plans on 30
June 1993, an annual plan was commenced and also integrated with the eighth plan and was finally
launched by Benazir Bhutto on 31 May 1994. The framework of the plans and planning was started
by Benazir Bhutto after successfully terminating the seventh plan, promulgated in 1988.

At an Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting chaired by Benazir Bhutto, the

five-year plan was prepared with the consultation of provisional governments and federal bureaus
of the government, comprising 28 technical committees that consisted of 2,500 technocrats from
joint public and private sector. The plan reflected the initiatives and policy formation of the
government in a view to gear up to a dynamic and equitable economic system.

The plan underscored a public-private partnership and gave priority to the empowerment
and development of social and power sector, drainage and physical civil infrastructure. The plan
did not fulfill all of the objectives of the planned targets, and in 1998, the plan was successfully
terminated in a favor of continuing privatization program of the upcoming people-elected Prime
Minister, Nawaz Sharif.
Question No. 5- Describe major motivating forces behind Jamia Milia Islamia? Critically
discuss its important initiatives and salient features.

Answer:

INTRODUCTION

Jamia Millia Islamia, an institution originally established at Aligarh in United Provinces,

India in 1920 became a Central University by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988. In Urdu
language, Jamia means ‘University’, and Millia means ‘National’.

The story of its growth from a small institution in the pre-independence India to a central university
located in New Delhi—offering integrated education from nursery to research in specialized
areas—is a saga of dedication, conviction and vision of a people who worked against all odds and
saw it growing step by step. They “built up the JamiaMillia stone by stone and sacrifice by
sacrifice,” said Sarojini Naidu, the nightingale of India.

CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND

Under the colonial British rule, two dominant trends joined hands and contributed towards
in the birth of Jamia. One was the anti-colonial Islamic activism and the other was the pro-
independence aspiration of the politically radical section of western educated Indian Muslim
intelligentsia. In the political climate of 1920, the two trends gravitated together with Mahatma
Gandhi as a catalyst. The anti-colonial activism signified by the Khilafat and the pro-independence
aspirations symbolized by the non-cooperation movement of the Indian National Congress helped
to harness creative energies and the subsequent making of JamiaMilliaIslamia. Rabindranath
Tagore called it “one of the most progressive educational institutions of India”.

Responding to Gandhiji’s call to boycott all educational institutions supported or run by

the colonial regime, a group of nationalist teachers and students quit Aligarh Muslim University,
protesting against its pro-British inclinations. The prominent members of this movement were
Maulana Mehmud Hasan, Maulana Mohamed Ali, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad
Ansari, and Abdul Majid Khwaja.
Foundation Laid

The Foundation Committee met on 29 October 1920. It comprised of the following members:

 Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari (Delhi)

 Mufti Kafayattullah (Delhi)
 Maulana Abdul Bari FarangMahali (UP)
 MaulanaSulaimanNadvi (Bihar)
 MaulanaShabbir Ahmed Usmani (UP)
 Maulana Husain Ahmad Madni (UP)
 ChaudhuryKhaleeq-uz-zaman (UP)
 Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan
 Tasadduq Husain Khan (UP)
 Dr. Mohammad Iqbal (Punjab)
 MaulanaSanaullah Khan Amritsari (Punjab)
 Dr. SaifuddinKitchlew (Punjab)
 MaulanaAbulKalam Azad (Bengal and Bihar)
 Dr. Syed Mehmood (Bengal and Bihar)
 Saith Abdullah HaroonKarachiwale (Sindh, Bombay and Hyderabad)
 Abbas Tyabiji (Sindh, Bombay and Hyderabad)
 SaitMiyan Mohammad Haji JaamChhotani (Sindh, Bombay and Hyderabad)
 Maulavi Abdul Haq (Sindh, Bombay and Hyderabad

On 22 November 1920, Hakim Ajmal Khan was elected the first chancellor of Jamia.
Mohamed Ali Jauhar became Jamia’s first Vice Chancellor, as Allama Iqbal could not accept the
offer made through Gandhiji. It also elected a syndicate and created a syllabus subcommittee.

The known freedom fighter and Muslim theologian, Maulana Mehmud Hasan, laid the
foundation stone of Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh on Friday, 29 October 1920. Considering the
difficult circumstances under which it started, the list of its first teachers is very impressive.
Crisis

Born out of political crisis, it seemed for a while; Jamia would not survive the heat of the
intense political struggle for the independence of India. It participated in the Bardoli resolution
and sent volunteers across the country to motivate people to fight for the freedom of the country.
The colonial British government soon imprisoned many of its teachers and students. In 1922,
Gandhi ji called off the non-cooperation movement. Even as its teachers and students were being
released, Mustapha Kemal Ataturk declared the end of the Khilafat in 1924.

Suddenly Jamia saw itself in a great crisis. Some thought it had achieved its mission; as others
believed that the institution had lost its raison deter with the end of the non-cooperation and the
Khilafat movements. Even the little financial assistance, that the Khilafat had been giving it, also
dried up. As even prominent people started deserting it, Jamia’s total collapse virtually became an
imminent possibility.

Jamia Moves to Delhi The saying, ‘when going gets tough the tough gets going’ cannot be
truer about Jamia. As the crisis loomed large, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari and
Abdul Majid Khwaja—the first trio—supported by Gandhiji shifted Jamia from Aligarh to Karol
Bagh, in New Delhi in 1925. Gandhiji boosted the morale of Jamia, saying, “The Jamia has to run.
If you are worried about its finances, I will go about with a begging bowl”. Jamia followed
Gandhiji’s constructive program for self-reliance while it took to Charkha and Takli as favoured
vocations.

Although Gandhi’s contacts helped to secure financial help for Jamia, the risk of helping a
Congress backed institution under the British Raj dissuaded many willing benefactors. Orthodox
Muslims also viewed Jamia as a threat to Aligarh Muslim University, the ‘Muslim Oxford’. During
those difficult days, it was Hakim Ajmal Khan who met most of Jamia’s expenses from his own
pocket. Dr. M.A. Ansari and Abdul Majeed Khwaja toured India and abroad, explaining the
importance of Jamia and collecting funds for this noble enterprise. Their collective intervention
did avert a collapse that was almost certain.
Resurgence: The Second Trio

In 1925, after long deliberation, a group of three friends studying in Germany—Dr. Zakir
Husain, Dr. Abid Husain and Dr. Mohammad Mujeeb—decided to serve Jamia. Dr. Zakir Husain,
who had earned his doctorate in Economics from the University of Berlin, was a natural and
charismatic leader. Dr. Abid Husain had his Ph.D. in Education. Mohammad Mujeeb, an Oxford
scholar in History and a student of printing in Germany, was a passionate and committed reformist.
Early in February 1926, the three friends left Germany for Jamia by the Norddeutscher Lloyd
steamer, SS Derfflinger.

In Jamia, Dr. Zakir Husain, was offered a salary of Rs. 100. His two other friends with
European qualifications were offered Rs 300 each. Realising that the possibility of making
payments was beyond Jamia’s limited resources, Abid Husain and Mohammad Mujeeb voluntarily
reduced their salaries to Rs. 100 each. Moved by the commitment of his friends, Dr. Zakir Husain
also reduced his own salary to Rs. 80. One of the first steps they took was the introduction of the
hugely popular evening classes for adult education. This movement was later to become, in
October 1938, an institution called Idara-i-Taleem-o-Taraqqi. It kept growing so popular that
separate rooms had to be built to accommodate the students.

In 1928 Hakim Ajmal Khan passed away. That was the beginning of the second financial crisis,
as it was Hakim Sahib himself who had been meeting most of Jamia’s financial needs. The
leadership of Jamia then moved into the hands of Dr. Zakir Husain, who became its Vice
Chancellor in 1928. To resolve Jamia of these frequent crises, a group of young Jamia teachers,
led by Dr. Zakir Husain, took a pledge to serve Jamia for the next twenty years on a salary not
more than Rs. 150. This group was called the Life Members of Jamia. (History repeated in 1942
when a second group of Jamia teachers took a similar pledge).

Jamia’s department of Printing and Publications was trifurcated in 1928 with the newly
established Jamia Press at Darya Ganj, Urdu Academy, and MaktabaJamia under the charge of
Prof. Mohammad Mujeeb, Dr. Abid Husain and Mr. Hamid Ali respectively.
Shifting to the New Campus

On 1 March 1935, the foundation stone for a school building was laid at Okhla, then a non-
descript village in the southern outskirts of Delhi. In 1936, all institutions of Jamia, except Jamia
Press, the Maktaba and the library, were shifted to the new campus. The basic emphasis of Jamia
was on evolving innovative education methods. This led to the establishment of a teacher’s college
(Ustadonka Madrasa) in 1938. In 1936, Dr. M.A. Ansari passed away. On 4 June 1939, Jamia
Millia Islamia was registered as a society.

The fame of Jamia as an innovative education movement spread and dignitaries from foreign
countries began visiting Jamia. Husein Raouf Bey (1933), Dr. Behadjet Wahbi of Cairo (1934),
Ms. Halide Edib of Turkey (1936) were some of them. Foreigners, impressed by Jamia, began
working in Jamia. The German lady Ms. Gerda Philips Born (popularly known as Aapa Jaan)
served Jamia for many years is buried in Jamia.

In 1939, Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi (1872-1944), a theologian and freedom fighter, came to
stay in Jamia on the invitation of Dr. Zakir Husain. He started a school of Islamic Studies in Jamia,
called Baitul Hikmal, propagating the ideology of Shah Waliullah. Zakir Husain, later the
President of India, recalled those days of indestructible optimism in the face of depravity ‘when
they had a longing to build and nothing to build with, as “days of joy”.

In 1946, during Jamia’s silver jubilee celebration, one could see the crisis that India had to face
in the following year: Mr. and Mrs. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and Liyaqat Ali Khan were on one
side of Dr. Zakir Husain, the vice chancellor, on the dias; Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Asaf Ali and
Sir C Rajagolapachari were on the other side.

Independence and After

The riots following partition that shook the northern India did affect Jamia; but not its campus.
Gandhi observed that its campus remained “an oasis of peace in the Sahara” of communal violence.
Maktaba Jamia alone lost books worth seven lakhs in arson.

After the attainment of Independence, Jamia continued to grow as an academic institution with
a difference. Many foreign dignitaries made it a point to visit Jamia Millia Islamia during their
visits to New Delhi. Among those who visited Jamia include Marshal Tito (1954), king Zahir Shah
of Afghanistan (1955), crown prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, king Reza Shah Pehlavi of Iran (1956)
and prince MukarramJah (1960).

Following the death of Mr. Abdul Majeed Khwaja in 1962, Dr. Zakir Husain, who by then had
taken charge as the Vice President of India, became Jamia’s Chancellor (1963).

Deemed to be University

In 1962, the University Grants Commission declared the Jamia a ‘deemed to be University’.
Soon thereafter, the School of Social Work was established in 1967. In 1971, Jamia started the
Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies, to honour Dr. Zakir Husain, who had passed away in
1969. BE course in Civil Engineering commenced in 1978; in 1981, the faculties of Humanities
and Languages, Natural Sciences, Social Science, and the State Resource Centre were founded. In
1983, it started the Mass Communication Research Centre and the Centre for Coaching and Career
Planning. In 1985, it established the Faculty of Engineering & Technology and the University
Computer Centre. Academic Staff College and the Academy of Third World Studies followed in
1987 and 1988.

Central University

By a Special Act of the Parliament, JamiaMilliaIslamia was made a central university of India
in December 1988. In the list of the Faculties, i.e. Education, Humanities & Languages, Natural
Sciences, Social Sciences. Engineering & Technology, one more Faculty - Faculty of Law, was
added in 1989. Many new courses and programmes at UG and PG levels have since been added.

Besides its nine faculties, the Jamia has a number of centres of learning and research, like AJK-
Mass Communication Research Centre (MCRC), Academy of International Studies etc. The Jamia
is also marching ahead in the field of Information Technology (IT). It offers various undergraduate
and postgraduate IT courses. Apart from this, the Jamia has a campus wide network which
connects a large number of its departments and offices.
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