ducation system under colonial India

ChatGPT
ChatGPT
During colonial rule in India, the education system underwent significant changes under British
administration. The primary objective of education policies during this period was to serve the
interests of the British Empire, rather than the educational needs of the Indian populace. Here's an
overview of the education system under colonial India:
Introduction of English Education: The British introduced English education primarily to create a
class of Indians who could assist them in administration, as well as to spread Western ideas and
values. English-medium schools were established, and English became the language of higher
education and administration.
Macaulay's Minute (1835): Lord Macaulay, in his famous minute, advocated for the promotion of
English education over traditional Indian languages. He argued that English education would create
a class of Indians who would be "Indian in blood and color, but English in taste, in opinions, in
morals, and in intellect."
Expansion of Western-style Education: The British established universities, colleges, and schools
based on the Western model. These institutions focused on subjects like English literature,
mathematics, science, and history, often neglecting traditional Indian knowledge systems.
Role of Missionaries: Christian missionaries played a significant role in spreading education,
particularly in rural areas. They set up schools and colleges to provide education along with the
propagation of Christianity.
Limited Access: Education under colonial rule was primarily accessible to the elite and upper castes.
The majority of the population, especially in rural areas, remained illiterate due to various social,
economic, and cultural barriers.
Emphasis on Secondary and Higher Education: The British prioritized secondary and higher
education to produce a cadre of clerks, administrators, and professionals who could assist in the
functioning of the British administration.
Neglect of Vernacular Education: Traditional Indian education systems, which were based on
vernacular languages and indigenous knowledge, were marginalized and often neglected by the
colonial authorities. This led to a decline in the use and promotion of indigenous languages in
education.
Separate Education Systems: There were separate education systems for Europeans, Anglo-Indians,
and Indians. Indian schools received fewer resources and faced discrimination compared to their
European counterparts.
Overall, the education system under colonial rule in India served the interests of the British Empire
by producing a class of Indians who were educated in Western ideas and values, but it also laid the
groundwork for future educational reforms and movements aimed at achieving independence and
promoting indigenous knowledge and languages.
The education system in independent India underwent significant changes following the country's
independence in 1947. Here are the key features and developments:
Constitutional Provisions: The Constitution of India, adopted in 1950, laid the foundation for the
education system. It included several provisions related to education:
Article 45: Directive Principle of State Policy, which aimed to provide free and compulsory education
for children up to the age of 14.
Article 46: Directive Principle emphasizing the promotion of educational and economic interests of
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other weaker sections.
Article 21-A: Right to Education Act (RTE), enacted in 2009, which made education a fundamental
right for children aged 6 to 14 years.
Expansion of Educational Infrastructure: Post-independence, there was a significant expansion of
educational infrastructure across the country. This included the establishment of schools, colleges,
universities, and technical institutions to cater to the growing demand for education.
Government Initiatives and Committees:
Various educational commissions and committees were formed to assess and reform the education
system. Notable among them was the Kothari Commission (1964-66), which recommended
measures to reorganize the education system and improve its quality.
The National Policy on Education (1986) and its subsequent modifications laid down the framework
for educational development in India, focusing on issues like access, equity, quality, and relevance.
The Right to Education Act (2009) aimed to provide free and compulsory education to all children
between the ages of 6 and 14.
Medium of Instruction: The language policy in education has been a subject of debate and
evolution. While English continues to be an important medium of instruction, efforts have been
made to promote education in regional languages to ensure access and inclusivity.
Higher Education: The establishment of premier institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology
(IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
has played a crucial role in the development of higher education in India.
Challenges and Reforms:
Despite progress, the education system faces numerous challenges, including inadequate
infrastructure, teacher shortages, quality concerns, regional disparities, and issues related to access
and affordability.
Various reform initiatives have been undertaken to address these challenges, including curriculum
reforms, teacher training programs, use of technology in education, and efforts to enhance the
quality and relevance of education.
Overall, the education system in independent India has seen significant growth and development,
with a focus on expanding access, improving quality, and ensuring equity in education. However,
several challenges persist, and ongoing efforts are required to address them effectively.
Education system[edit]
Up until 1976, under the Indian constitution, school education was a state subject; states
possessed full jurisdiction over making and implementing education policies. After the 42nd
Amendment of the Constitution of India was passed in 1976, education fell under the
concurrent list.[8] This allowed the central government to recommend education policies and
programmes, even if state governments continued to wield extensive autonomy in
implementing these programmes.[8] In a country as large as India, now with 28 states and
eight union territories, this has created vast differences between states in terms of their
policies, plans, programmes and initiatives relating to school education. Periodically,
national policy frameworks are created to guide states in their creation of state-level
programmes and policies. State governments and local government bodies manage the
majority of primary and upper primary schools and the number of government-managed
elementary schools is growing. Simultaneously the number and proportion managed by
private bodies is growing. In 2005-6 83.13% of schools offering elementary education
(Grades 1–8) were managed by government and 16.86% of schools were under private
management (excluding children in unrecognised schools, schools established under the
Education Guarantee Scheme and in alternative learning centres). Of those schools
managed privately, one third are 'aided' and two thirds are 'unaided'. Enrolment in Grades
1–8 is shared between government and privately managed schools in the ratio 73:27.
However, in rural areas this ratio is higher (80:20) and in urban areas much lower (36:66).[9]
In the 2011 Census, about 73% of the population was literate, with 81% for males and 65%
for females. National Statistical Commission surveyed literacy to be 77.7% in 2017–18,
84.7% for male and 70.3% for female.[10] This compares to 1981 when the respective rates
were 41%, 53% and 29%. In 1951 the rates were 18%, 27% and 9%.[11] India's improved
education system is often cited as one of the main contributors to its economic
development.[12][13] Much of the progress, especially in higher education and scientific
research, has been credited to various public institutions. While enrolment in higher
education has increased steadily over the past decade, reaching a Gross Enrolment Ratio
(GER) of 26.3% in 2019,[14] there still remains a significant distance to catch up with tertiary
education enrolment levels of developed nations,[15] a challenge that will be necessary to
overcome in order to continue to reap a demographic dividend from India's comparatively
young population.[citation needed]
Demand for private schools has been growing over the years.[16]While a consensus over
what is the most significant driver of this growth in private schooling has not yet emerged,
some authors have attributed this to a higher demand for English-medium education[17], a
dissatisfaction with the quality of public schools,[18][19] greater affordability of private schools,
[16]
and non-availability of preferred field of study in government schools.[20] After the adoption
of the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009, private schools were required to be 'government-
recognised'. A private school would be eligible for government recognition when it met
certain conditions.[16]
At the primary and secondary level, India has a large private school system complementing
the government run schools, with 29% of students receiving private education in the 6 to 14
age group.[21] Certain post-secondary technical schools are also private. The private
education market in India had a revenue of US$450 million in 2008, but is projected to be a
US$40 billion market.[22]
As per the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012, 96.5% of all rural children
between the ages of 6–14 were enrolled in school. This is the fourth annual survey to report
enrolment above 96%. India has maintained an average enrolment ratio of 95% for students
in this age group from year 2007 to 2014. As an outcome the number of students in the age
group 6–14 who are not enrolled in school has come down to 2.8% in the academic year
2018 (ASER 2018).[23] Another report from 2013 stated that there were 229 million students
enrolled in different accredited urban and rural schools of India, from Class I to XII,
representing an increase of 2.3 million students over 2002 total enrolment, and a 19%
increase in girl's enrolment.[24] While quantitatively India is inching closer to universal
education, the quality of its education has been questioned particularly in its government
run school system. While more than 95 per cent of children attend primary school, just 40
per cent of Indian adolescents attend secondary school (Grades 9–12). Since 2000, the
World Bank has committed over $2 billion to education in India. Some of the reasons for the
poor quality include absence of around 25% of teachers every day.[25] States of India have
introduced tests and education assessment system to identify and improve such schools.
[26]
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that India is achieving only 79.0% of what
should be possible at its level of income for the right to education.[27]
Although there are private schools in India, they are highly regulated in terms of what they
can teach, in what form they can operate (must be a non-profit to run any accredited
educational institution) and all the other aspects of the operation. Hence, the differentiation
between government schools and private schools can be misleading.[28] However, in a report
by Geeta Gandhi Kingdon entitled: The Emptying of Public Schools and Growth of Private
Schools in India, it is said that for sensible education-policy making, it is vital to take
account of the various changing trends in the size of the private and public schooling
sectors in India. Ignoring these trends involves the risk of poor policies/legislation, with
adverse effects on children's education.[citation needed]
In January 2019, India had over 900 universities and 40,000 colleges.[29] In India's higher
education system, a significant number of seats are reserved under affirmative
action policies for the historically disadvantaged Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes and Other Backward Classes. In universities, colleges, and similar institutions
affiliated to the central government, there is a maximum 50% of reservations applicable to
these disadvantaged groups, at the state level it can vary. Maharashtra had 73%
reservation in 2014, which is the highest percentage of reservations in India.[30][31]