8.Chapter12 : Impact of British Rule on India

Chapter 12 

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Impact of British Rule on India 
VIII.Chapter12.S.St.History.
Topic-Education Under the British.
Day1.Period1.Page135-136.
Keywords

tols

madarsas 

Understandings.Page135. 
The British era is the most eventful era in the history of India . It brought changes in every a the Indian society - education , public institutions , reforms in caste system and the conditon of  women . Most of these changes were brought about by the efforts of English educated Indians. 
A number of pathshalas, maktabs for elementary education and tols and madarsas for higher education were imparting education in India before the rule of East India Company began . Education was limited to reading of religious books in vernacular languages and learning arithmetical tables education covered subjects like Sanskrit , Arabic , Persian , law , logic , medicine and astronomy used on old texts. 
Education Under the British
The main objective of the East India Company was to make profit and not to take a responsibility of educating Indians . Though the missionaries opened a few English schools their purpose was to promote Christianity . 
Do You Know ? As a contrast to the British thinking  Swami Vivekananda said ,All history points to mother of science and art.
Some stray efforts were made in the field of education but the Charter Act of 1813 was the first significant step wherein the British sanctioned a sum of one lakh rupees for education in 

Hindu, Elphinstone College.

India .
The Hindu and the Elphinstone colleges were established in Calcutta and Bombay respectively . These institutions produced educated Indian elite class ,who aped western etiquettes, dress and eating habits. 

The British wanted psychological slavery of the elite class of the Indian society . 

In 1835 Macaulay ( Member Legislative Council ) said, ' We must do our best to form a class who may be  Interpreters between us and the millinos whom we govern , a class of persons Indian in colour, but English in taste and opinion. 
The British decided to take steps in the field of education in India. But a controversy arose between the Orientalists and the Anglicists regarding medium of education The Orientlists favoured the' traditional system with Sanskrit and Persian as the medium of instruction while the Anglicists favoured English as medium of instruction . 

Lord Macaulay.

Lord Macaulay supported the Anglicists as the British wanted a class of Indians who would act as a between the rulers and ruled, and  provide cheap manpower for lower levels of the administration
Understandings.Page136

He also believed that teaching of western education through the as a medium would civilise the people of India. This would change their taste , value and culture and develop a taste and desire for the British commodities and thus , they could earn profit which was the main objective of East India Company . 

Wood's Despatch of 1854 by Charles Wood , made major changes in the education policy of the British . It gave a detailed plan for separate department of education. 

a. Universities were set - up at the presidency towns Bombay , Calcutta and Madras . 

b. Institutes for training the teachers were also set - up and assistance   was given to vernacular schools . 

Hunter Education Commission : In 1882 , Hunter Education Commission was appointed to look into the non - implementation of Wood's Despatch , position of primary education , secondary education , work of missionaries in the field of education and vocational training in secondary education . 
Indian Universities Act of 1904 : Lord Curzon,the Viceroy of India, revised the whole system of education because he believed that educational institutions in India were producing political revolutionaries . With this view , the Indian Universities Act of 1904 was passed to check the growth of higher education in India . It annoyed the Indians . 

Lord Curzon

On the whole, universal education in India was neglected by the British till Wardha Education Scheme ( 1937 ) was initiated by Gandhiji . 

Wardha Education Scheme ( 1937 ) : He believed that English education created a sense of inferiority and developed master - slave mentality among the Indians So , a National Education System was proposed that would inculcate morals like truth , goodness , justice , a sense of self - respect and dignity among the Indian masses . 
National System of Education : In 1943 , the British appointed John Sargent to prepare a National System of Education proposed universal , compulsory and free education for children between 6-14 years of age for at round development of the students . Most of the recommendations of this plan were implemented by the Government of India after independence . 
Positive impact of British System of Education. 
a. The English language united the people of different regions . People now rose above narrow regional prejudices and started thinking of India as their motherland . 
b. A surge of nationalism spread in all parts and all sections of India . 
c. It created awareness about the ideals of equality , liberty , fraternity and democracy . 
d. It created awareness about the need of social and religious reforms. 
e. Educated women like Sarojini Naidu joined the national movement.
Negative impact of British System of Education 
a. It created a division between English educated Indians and the rest of Indians .  b. Indigenous literature and thought were ignored.

c. British textbooks glorified the British administration and philosophy,

d. Education became the priority of those who could afford it and hence, only the rich Indians 

Home Assignment.

a. Attempt the inside Questions/Answers 
b. Understand by your own.

c. Learn them.
d. Keep eyes over figures.

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VIII.Chapter12.S.St.History.
Topic-Education Under the British.
Day2.Period2.Page137-138.
Keywords
Understandings.Page137

Dayanand,Hansraj,Dav at Lahore.

Do you know?

During the British period, Arya Samaj made a great contribution in the field of education. It opened many gurukuls, schools, colleges and other educational institutions.  It started Dayanand Anglo Vedic High School at Lahore in 1885.At present, DAV has above 800 institutions all over India.  
Social Impact  

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

The British did not like the customs, traditions and culture of Indians. They considered Indian as barbarians, inferiors and discriminated against them. 
English - educated Indians wanted to free the Indian society from evils, superstitions and rituals Many reform movements were started.  Reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandr Vidyasagar and Swami Dayanand Saraswati wanted to eradicate the evils from Indian society.  The even compelled the British to pass some laws to introduce social reforms in India: 
Sati was an inhuman practice where a widow was forced to burn herself on the funeral pyr of her husband.  It was abolished in 1829 by the Governor - General, William Bentinck, at the insistence of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a social reformer and a crusader for the cause of women 

Female infanticide :  killing of infant girls, was banned by law in 1870.

Ishwar Chandra

Child marriage of children as early as one or three years of age was banned by law in 1891 and again in 1929.The Sharda Act of 1929, after amendment, fixed the age of marriage at 18 years for girls  and 21 years boys.
It applied to all people living in British India and It was the result of social reform movement in India not only Hindus. It was also a great victory of Hindu and Muslim Women's groups, who opposed child marriage.
Widow Remarriage Act was passed by the British Government in 1856. It was with persistent efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar that widow remarriage was legalized.

Do You Know? 
In Bengal Presidency alone, 8,134 cases of Sati were reported between 1815-28
Indian government has banned female infanticide.many schemes like 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana' and 'Balika 'Samriddhi Yojana has been started 'for the benefit of girls.
The evil practice of Dowry system has been banned by law but unfortunately it continues even today in some parts of India. 
Page 138.Understandings.

Up to 1920,only the enlightened Indian men worked for the welfare and upliftment of women They not only opposed discrimination against women but also dedicated their lives to the cause of religious and social reforms . Later on , many educated women also joined welfare programmes.

In 1927 , an All India Women's Conference was organised . Gradually , the Indian society came to accept equality of men and women . 

Socio - Religious Reforms. 

During the nineteenth century, a social transformation began in India and kindled the spirit of nationalism .Close contact with western science, literature and thought changed the mindset of the masses . In the beginning ,only the elite classes were campaigning against discrimination of the so called low castes .But later, the lower castes themselves rose against social injustice and evils in the Indian society . 
Many socio - religious reform movements spread in different parts of India . Kerala had suffered at the hands of a very rigid and oppressive caste system . The social and economic status of a person was determined by his position in the caste hierarchy in Kerala . In the princely states of Kochi and Travancore , the governmental positions were denied to lower castes and the non - Hindus . 
Let us discuss some social and religious reformers . 

Narayan Guru

Shri Narayana Guru ( 1854-1928 ) Shri Narayana Guru was a great Hindu saint and social reformer . He was born in the Ezhava Community of Kerala . He campaigned against caste system , untouchability , Brahmin dominance and discrimination against the lower castes . Shri Narayana constructed alternate temples and propagated for one god , one caste and one religion . opposed conversion to other religions as the way to escape from suffering . Shri Narayana Guru 
Do You Know ? The doors of the Guruvayur temple,in Kerala ,were opened for Harijans only in 1946 . 
Jyotiba Phule ( 1827-90 ) Jyotiba Phule was a social reformer of Maharashtra who founded the Satya Shodha Samaj , an organisation that worked for the upliftment of the low and oppressed classes Phule considered education as a means of liberation and started a special school for the underprivilged class . He was successful in creating awareness about the miserable condition of the depressed classes.

His campaign for the removal of untouchability and upliftment of lower castes took the form of an anti - Brahmin movement.  

Home Assignment.

a. Attempt the inside Questions/Answers 
b. Understand by your own.

c. Learn them.

d. Keep eyes over figures.

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VIII.Chapter12.S.St.History.
Topic-Education Under the British.
Day3.Period3.Page139-140.
Keywords
Understandings.Page139

Page 139 Map.

Social Reformers of India.

Page 140.Understandings. 

Do you know? 

Jyotiba Phule rejected Indian National Congress Party and defined it as the party of rich and upper castes.  
Veeresalingam Kandukuri (1848–1919) Veeresalingam is considered the prophet of modern Andhra Pradesh as he awakened the Andhra society from their orthodox customs and superstitions.

He was a reformer and the first person to write a novel, drama, books on natural sciences and history in Telugu. He wrote the Abhagyopakhyanamu, a humorous satire on the Andhra society.  
Veeresalingam started a magazine, titled  Vivekavardhini , in which he propagated women's education, widow remarriage and the rights of women.  He was the first writer to write prose for women. He opposes Kanyasulkam ( price of bride ) and marriage of old men with young girls.

Jyotiba,Kandkuri Pariyar.

Do You Know? Veeresalingam arranged the first ever widow remarriage in 1881. 

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy (1879–1973) He was born in Erode town of Tamil Nadu. He was a great rationalist and revolutionist. 

He left Congress in 1925 because he felt that the party was only serving the interest of Brahmins. He called Congress - a Fort of Brahmins. 

He questioned the subjugation of Dravidian Race by the Brahmins, who enjoyed the donations and gifts of Dravidians but discriminated against them in social and religious matters. 

Periyar was a strong supporter of Dravidian culture and launched a self - respect movement in 1925.He propogated the principles of nationalism, self respect, women's right and eradication of caste system.  
Home Assignment.

a.Attempt the inside Questions/Answers 
b.Understand by your own.

c.Learn them.

d.Keep eyes over figures.

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III.Chapter12.S.St.History.
Topic-Education Under the British.
Day4.Period4.Page141-142.
Keywords
Understandings
Page 141

Dayanand.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati (1824-83) scholar and a social reformer. He was born in a Brahmin family and swami Dayanand Saraswati was a great sage, a philosopher. 

In 1875, he established Arya Samaj Society of Nobles at Bombay and later at Lahore. 

He believed in one God and propagated the message of Back to Vedas ", which are a source of great knowledge. 

He also started Shuddhi Movement to reconvert Hindus, who had been converted to other religions. He opposed idol worship, child marriage and caste  system. He was a great supporter of widow remarriage and women's education. 
Swami Dayanand wanted to build a free, strong and united India. These social and religions reformers prepared a background for nationalist movement of India. 
Do you know? the caste system existed even among the Christians, Muslims, Jains and Buddhists. 

Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar (1891–1956) Dr. Ambedkar was popularly known as Babasaheb. He led millions of oppressed people to a life of self - respect and dignity. 

Born into  a poor, so called untouchable family, he had to sit in the corner of the classroom on a mat, away from the desks of the other pupils. He went to Columbia University and it was here that he experienced freedom and equality. 

He realised that education was the only way to achieve justice.  He said, Justice will not be granted by others.  The sufferers must secure justice for themselves. 
He founded a Marathi newspaper Mook Nayak (Leader of the Dumb) to champion the rights of the so - called 'untouchables'.  

He founded the Bahiskrit Hitakarini Sabha and set - up hostels, schools and free libraries to promote education and socio economic upliftment of Dalits.

He is known as the Architect of India's Constitution.  Dr.  B.R.  Ambedkar 
Do You Know?  The boy, who suffered bitter humiliation at school, shaped India's Constitution and became the first minister for law of free India

Page 141

Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) Mahatma Gandhi, popularly known as Father of Nation, played a stellar role in India's freedom struggle.

He initiated many activities like Satyagraha and Sarvodaya under non - violent resistance.

He wanted to transform India into a community where every individual would serve others, especially, the poor and the meek.

Gandhiji was opposed to child marriage, untouchability and discrimination against women.  He considered, so - called untouchables, as Harijans - people of God.

He believed that the spinning wheel, khadi and revival of village industries were necessary for the villagers so that they do not have to migrate to cities in search of work.  
Mahatma Gandhi Gandhiji said, 'a wife is not the husband's slave but a companion and a help - mate of her husband and an equal partner in all his joys and sorrows.  He supported education of women and widow remarriage.  He opposes dowry and purdah system.  

Sir Syed Khan

Do you know?  Though the practice of untouchability has been banned by the Constitution of India in 1950, it still continues to be there in some parts of India.  
Mohammedan Anglo - Oriental Collage : Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1817–1898) worked for the emancipation of muslims. He founded Mohammedan Anglo - Oriental Collage in 1875 at Aligarh.  This later came to be known as Aligarh Muslim University.  
Singh Sabhas were Sikh organisations formed at Amritsar and Lahore first.

These Sabhas worked to upgrade the Sikhs by removing superstitious beliefs and caste inequality by organizing Singh Sabha Movement for promoting western education 
Impact of the Reform Movements. 
a. The socio - religious movements brought about remarkable changes in the society and religion.

b. These movements had a deep impact on all sections of society all over India and strengthened both Hinduism and Islam by eradicating many social evils.

c. The educated Indians revived the past glory and helped in the formation of Modern India.

d. The reform movements also brought a cultural awakening. India saw a rapid development in the field of literature, science and art.  

e. There was a remarkable improvement in the status and education of women.  Laws were enforced to curb social evils.  

f. The reform movements created a middle class of teachers, doctors, lawyers, scientists and journalists.  

g. This enlightened and educated class played a critical and constructive role in the progress of India.
Home Assignment.

a. Attempt the inside Questions/Answers 
b. Understand by your own.

c. Learn them.
d. Keep eyes over figures.

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II.Chapter12.S.St.History.
Topic-Education Under the British.
Day4.Period4.Page143.
Keywords

Understandings
Page 143

Gutenberg's Press.

The caste system had faced challenges since the times of Buddha and Mahavir and even earlier than that.  
But it was during the reform movements that the opposition to the caste system spread throughout India and among all sections of the society.  

The movement was helped by education, contact with Europeans, printing press, etc.

The Printing Press played a pivotal role in mobilizing public opinion.  It enabled the reformers to spread awareness through their writings. Many English educated Indians learnt Sanskrit and translated books into English.

The spirit of national pride instilled patriotism and prepared the ground for the rise of nationalism in India.  Moreover, people from different castes, communities and regions came in closer contact, which gave a great impetus to the struggle for freedom 
The most remarkable phenomenon was the surgery of national consciousness and cultural unity.  
Keywords 
anglicist : a specialist in English language and literature.  
maktabs : an Arabic word meaning 'school 
orientalist : scholarly study of Asian cultures and languages, especially, by westerners.  

reformer : a person who wants to bring change or improvise the society.

Home Assignment.

a.Attempt the inside Questions/Answers 
b.Understand by your own.

c.Learn them.
d.Keep eyes over figures.