Civilising the ‘Native’,

Educating the Nation

Class Notes
 Chapters and Concepts Covered

1 Civilising the Native, Educating the Nation

Civilising the Native,

Educating the Nation

British view
Local
of
schools
education
Wood’s
Despatch

Report of
William Adams Anglicists

New regulations, Criticism of Macaulay

new rules and James Mill

Agenda for English Education

national Act, 1835
education

Rabindranath Tagore Mahatma Gandhi

Orientalists

William Jones
Initiatives
Asiatic
Society of
Madrasa
Bengal

Hindu College
 British View of Education

Comparison between orientalist education and western education

Parameter Orientalist Education Western Education

Ancient Indian texts,

Western literature
Syllabus Sanskrit and Persian
and modern science
literature, and poetry

Language
Vernacular languages English
medium

Initiatives for Calcutta Madrasa and English Education Act

promotion Hindu College, Benaras of 1835

Wood’s Despatch

• In 1854, Sir Charles Wood, the President of the Board

of Control, made some recommendations that came
to be known as Wood’s Despatch.
• It marked the victory of those who opposed
oriental learning.
Sir Charles Wood

Measures introduced by the British to establish a system of

university education:

Appointment of Periodic tables Textbook and New rules of

government and attendance regular fees discipline
pandits
 Agenda for National Education

Advocate: Rabindranath Tagore

• Tagore wanted to combine elements of
Western education with Indian traditions.
• Tagore was of the view that creative learning
could be encouraged only within
a natural environment.
• In 1901, Tagore chose to set up his school
100 kilometres away from Calcutta
in a rural background.
• He saw it as an abode of peace (Santiniketan)
in harmony with nature where children could
cultivate their natural creativity.

Advocate: Mahatma Gandhi

• Mahatma Gandhi was against the whole concept
of focusing education only on writing and
reading.
• He encouraged skill-based training programmes.
• He wanted students to value practical knowledge
and be exposed to lived experiences.
• He emphasised on learning crafts and
understanding how different objects work.
• Gandhi insisted on education that develops
both the mind and soul.
 Glossary

• Advocate
A person who argues for, recommends, or supports a cause or policy

• Despatch
An official report on state or military affairs

Important Questions

1. What were the similarities and differences between the Orientalist

and Western education?

1. What type of education did Tagore want to give the children of India?

2. What were the consequences of the new regulations implemented

on the pathshaalas?
THANK YOU!