Department of History

Research Methodology
Assignment # Research Proposal
Topic: Impacts of Western education on Indian society in pre-
partition era
Submitted by: Maisam Muhammad Kazim
Roll Number: 0491-BH-His-16
Submitted to: Sir Ayaaz Gul
CONTENTS
 Title/Topic
 Statement of the problem
 Hypothesis
 Significance of the study
 Objectives
 Research Questions
 Chapterization
 Literature review
 Research Methodology
 Sources
 Time span
 References/ Bibliography
Title/ Topic:
Impact of Western Education on Indian society during Pre-partition era

Statement of the Problem:

Western Education is a wide-ranging term. It was introduced in India approximately in the year
of 1835 when Persian language was replaced by the English language. Lord Maccauley laid its
base in Indian subcontinent. My research work revolves around its impacts on the Indian society
before partition which later on influenced the education system in post partition period. My
research work will highlight the two side image of the impacts i.e. both the positive and the
negative one. Many people had worked on it before but the thing which I observed is that they
usually go for the negative aspects of it. My study will be going to fill this space through creating
a balance between the two sides.

Hypothesis:
The Western education was productive for Indians but at most it had cast some shadows which
were so dark that it offset its usefulness.

Significance of Study:
It is important to know about the western education and its impacts on Indian society because it
somehow in a way changed the course of future. The present educational system in Pakistan and
India are the result of the British education system. Not only this but it created some new
differences in the society which exists till today. If we can identify and understand these
influences, we can better examine this educational system of ours and its pros and cons. I have
selected this topic for my research work so I can contribute a little in understanding of the
thinking of the Indian people in pre partition period which was effected by this Western
education.

Objectives:
This work is to show the merits and demerits of the Western education generally but in particular
my research work has following objectives;
1) To make a clearer sense of the domination of English language in the Indian
subcontinent.
2) To show the way Western education produced many national leaders and reformers.
3) To understand the creation of specific class of Indian who were Indians in appearance but
English inside.

Research Questions:
I have devised some questions for my research paper. They are mentioned as under;
 1) How English language made its way to the Indian society rendering other languages as
inferior?
2) How Western education positively impacted Indians in producing reformers, intellectuals
and nationalists?
3) How British used the Western education as a tool to create differences among the
Indians?

Chapterization:
My research paper is comprised of three chapters which are discussed below:
Key Words: Western education, English language, British, Indians

 Chapter 1:
The chapter number one answers the question How English language made its way to the
Indian society rendering other languages as inferior? How Persian was replaced by the
English language? What was Lord Mccauley’s vision about the promotion of western
education in India with the spread of English language? How Printing press was used by
the East India company and later on by the British government for the publication of
works in English? How English entered the offices and schools in the subcontinent? And
last how it became a measure to grade people’s literacy level?
 Chapter 2:
The Western education had positive impacts too which are mostly neglected by the
scholars. The chapter two of my research paper deals with such positive impacts. This
chapter is based on the question that How Western education helped in producing
reformers, intellectuals and nationalists? How this education provided awareness to the
local Indians about the world at large? How it linked the Indians to the globalized world?
And what sort of benefits it gave to the locals?
 Chapter 3:
The third chapter deals with the most important question that How British used the
Western education as a tool to create differences among the Indians? How they achieved
their purpose of introducing this education system in the Indian society? How they
managed to create a specific class of Indians as a bridge between British and the millions
of people they ruled? How the Western education gave birth to discrimination in the
society?

Literature Review:
The literature review for the sources I have used for this research is as follows;
 THE HISTORY AND PROSPECT OF BRITISH EDUCATION IN INDIA: BEING
THE ‘LES BAS’ PRIZE ESSAY FOR 1890:
It was written by F.W Thomas who was a scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge. The
book traced the roots of education in the Indian soil. It has been divided in to six
chapters. Each chapter views a specific dimension of spread of the education in India.
 The first part manly deals with the processes of indigenous education that was prevailed
in India before the arrival of the British. There were religious institutions which were
responsible for education of the children. The second chapter talks about the coming of
missionaries in India and how they established their own way of education, the
missionary schools and the western education. The third and the fourth chapters are the
extension of the second one. Thomas has divided the progress of education in India in to
different periods. The fifth chapter deals with the Commission of 1882-3 which was sent
in India to formulate a better way for the schools in India. Sir William Hunter was its
chairman. It carried reforms for the education system in India. It bore may fruitful results
for the British. The last chapter talks more in general about India and the education of
Indians.

 EDUCATION OF INDIA; ASTUDY OF BRITISH EDUCATIONAL POLICY IN

INDIA, 1835-1920 AND OF ITS BEARING ON NATIONAL LIFE AND PROBLEMS
IN INDIA TO-DAY:
This book was written by Arthur Innes Mayhew published by University microfilms in
1982. This books talks about the policy of British for the education system in India that
was prevailed between the years 1835 and 1920. This book clearly shows the impacts of
the western education that dominated the Indian society at that time and even after the
independence of India. It is a pretty detailed books and contain seventeen chapters
enclosed in two parts. The first chapter starts with the ambition of British behind
introducing their education in India. It starts from the decision of replacement of Persian
language with English language. In the second chapter Arthur tried to discuss the purpose
of this education system in detail which extends in chapter three. Chapter number for and
five deals with the prevailing education system and then the British steps to reform it
respectively. In chapter six he extends his argument narrowing it down on a state level.
The chapter number seven comprised of the spread of English language. Chapter eight,
nine and ten talks about the emergence of western education and the failure of the
indigenous subjects and styles. This was all about part one. Now the part two contains
seven chapters in total. In chapter number eleven he relates education with the politics of
India. Chapter twelve is dedicated to the educational progress. Chapter number thirteen
and fourteen deals with the different progress that were the result of the western
education. Chapter fifteen and sixteen are dedicated to the effects on general public and
women in particular. The last chapter deals with the future condition and the government
of India.

 HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN INDIA DURING THEE BRITISH PERIOD:

This book was written by Syed Nurullah and J.P Naik and published by Bombay
Macmillan in 1951. The foreword of this book was written by Zakir Hussain. This book
discusses in details the education system during pre-partition era. It is comprised a total
of twenty-five chapters. It first explains the medium of education of the native people and
their institution and then there arrives the East India company with all its system of
education for its own motives and benefits. It carried along with the progress in the
 system of education and the reforms that were introduced by the British for the
experimentation purposes. As a result of which many institutions which includes
missionary schools and universities were established enlarging the scope of education in
India. This book also talks a great deal about primary and secondary education as well as
professional and vocational education.

Research Methodology:
The methodology I used in my research work is descriptive and analytical. I followed the model
which is mainly used by the academic historians that is the qualitative model which is
constructive. I chose this because the nature of my research work was qualitative.

Sources:
My research comprises on the sources which includes some books (primary and secondary) and
some articles as well. The books which I used for this research are those which I got from e-
source and the articles from Jstor, Research gate and the newspaper as well plus I have watched
some documentaries on it presents by the channel History.

Time span:
I will require a time span of almost three to four months for the completion of my research paper.

References:
Books:
PRIMARY SOURCE
1) F.W Thomas, the history and prospects of British education in India: Being the ‘les bas’
prize essay for 1890 (Cambridge: Deighton Bell and Co: 1891)
SECONDARY SOURCE:
1) Arthur Mayhew, Education of India: A study of British educational policy in India, 1835-
1920, and of its bearing on national life and problems in India to-day (University
Microfilms: 1982)
2) Syed Nurullah and J.P Naik, History of education in India during the British Period
(Bombay Macmillan: 1951)

Articles:
1) Shahzaib, “How the British Influenced the Indian culture”, Dawn (June 6,2010)
2) Paul H. Mattingly, “The impact of Western education”, The University of Chicago Press
Journal, Vol. 26, No. 3 (October, 1982), pp.472-476
 3) Muhammad Tufail, Saima Jafri and Komal Ansari, “The advent of British educational
system and English language in the Indian subcontinent”, Research Gate (January 2014)

Bibliography:
1) H. Mattingly, Paul, “The impact of Western education”, The University of Chicago Press
Journal 26 (1982). 472-476. Accessed on January 11, 2019
2) Mayhew, Arthur. Education of India: A study of British educational policy in India,
1835-1920, and of its bearing on national life and problems in India to-day. Faber and
Gwyer, London, 1926.
3) Syed, Nurullah, and J. P. Naik. "History of education in India-During British Period;
McMillian &Co." Ltd, Bombay (1943).
4) Shahzaib, “How the British Influenced the Indian culture”, Dawn (2010)
5) Thomas, Frederick William. The History and Prospects of British Education in India:
Being the'Le Bas' Prize Essay for 1890. Deighton Bell, 1891.
6) Tufail, Muhammad and Jafri, Saima and Ansari, Komal, “The advent of British
educational system and English language in the Indian subcontinent”,Research Gate
(2014)