Outline
1. Background
2. Orientalist Vs Anglicist
3. Conflict In the Education System
4. Implementation of Modern Education in India
5. Macaulay’s Minutes
6. NATURE OF CONTROVERSIES
7. Macaulay’s Controversial Statements
8. Merits of Macaulay’s Minutes:
9. Advantages of Macaulay’s
10. Downward Filtration Theory
11. The downfall of Downward Filtration Theory
Background
Before Nineteen century, In INDIA, Education was provided by the private sector only. After the arrival of the Britishers, the Government takes responsibility for taking over comprehensive Educational institutions with the support of the Britishers. The British wants to educate Indians because they were searching for workers who could carry out their rule in India more effectively.
Charters
The first Charter was proclaimed which is known as the Charter Act of 1813. In this chart, they offered financial aid of Rs.100000 to all Indian educational institutions. Later, the second charter was announced in 1817 in which the financial support has risen to Rs.200000. Meanwhile, an ideological clash occurs. The clash is known as Orientalist-Anglicist.
“Orientalist Vs Anglicist”
In 1835, There was a conflict between two communities “Orientalist Vs Anglicist”.
Orientalism Ideology
This ideology is presented by Edward Said. The main motive of
Orientalism is to preach Eastern Literature and Culture through the
native languages such as Arabic, Sanskrit, and Urdu used in Educational
Institutions. It is the group of people who gives favor Traditional Oriental
learning that is known as Orientalists. According to them, the traditional
cultural elements of the nation could not be forgotten.
Anglicist Ideology
The
Anglicist Ideology is borrowed from Two Anglicists Lord Macaulay and Lord
William Bentinck. The group of people who promoted western learning through the
mean of English medium is called Anglicists.
Conflict in Education System
The major
confrontation in Indian Education on whether to continue Oriental Education or
to introduce European, western literature and science.
Implementation of Modern Education in India
The implementation of modern education in India, Oriental-Occidental argument was a real curse and a great hindrance to be
removed for the practical implementation of modern education in India. The
Britishers urge to resolve the clashes. As a result, they assigned the duty of
solving the problem to Lord Macaulay, a law member of the Governor General’s
Executive council in 1834. In 1835, he submitted his so-called ‘Macaulay’s
Minutes’.
Macaulay’s Minutes
Lord
Macaulay landed in India on July 1834 and was rapidly appointed as President
General Committee of Public Instruction. Although, he was standing as an
Anglicist and promoted the westerns. Macaulay’s Minutes in favor of English
were:
1. English is the key to getting a grip on modern knowledge and is more useful
than Arabic or Sanskrit.
2. It is more significant even among the languages of the west in India,
English is the language promoted by the ruling class. It will help to run trade
and commerce all over the world.
3. It would bring a renaissance in India, just as Greek or Latin did in England
or just as the languages of western Europe in civilized Russia.
4. The natives desire to be taught English and do not want to learn Sanskrit or
Arabic.
ESSENCE OF CONTROVERSIES:
There were several contradictions over the following issues:
AIM- The first controversy was about the target population. Whether to enlighten the elites in higher education or to provide learning to the masses in elementary education.
OBJECTS: The second controversy was, whether to promote oriental learning or, to introduce and encourage western knowledge, culture, and science.
MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION: What should be the medium of instruction, whether it should be in English or Persian, or Sanskrit? This was the third controversy.
AGENCY: Whether
the state should take direct responsibility for education or allow the native
system of the country to impart and look after Education.
MACAULAY; A great proponent (supporter) of English
Macaulay’s Controversial Statements
Macaulay even made some controversial statements related to the conflict
between Orientalists and Anglicists.
” A single shelf of a good European library is worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia” -Lord Macaulay-
It was highly devastating and insulting to the ego of Indians. Macaulay did not
even hide his intention or the agenda (plans) for implementing English
education in India.
He wanted to create a pool of Indians who would be able to serve British
interests and be loyal to them. This class would be,
“Indian in blood
and color, but English in tastes, in opinions, in morals and in intellect.”
Merits of Macaulay’s Minutes:
Actually,
Macaulay was assigned the duty of solving the ‘Oriental-Occidental
Controversy’ which had been hanging just like the ‘Sword of Damocles’ over the
head of the educational system in India.
Advantages of Macaulay’s Minutes
- The
first advantage, it is an undeniable fact that the English later played an
essential role in the freedom-fighting campaigns in India.
- The
second advantage that Macaulay’s Minutes offered to Indians was that
it laid the foundation stone of modern education in India. It was a shift
from the traditional educational system into a systematic modern
educational system.
- The
third advantage offered by Macaulay’s Minutes was that it opened the
window to world literature. As a result, new modes of writing and genres
of literature came into existence.
Downward Filtration Theory
What is Downward Filtration Theory? The phrase itself gives
some hints.
Downward filtration theory is a theory introduced by Lord
Macaulay. Which states that giving education to the members of the higher
classes of the society would facilitate an opportunity for the grass root
people of the society because the lower class people always tend to follow The
higher class people in the society.
The downfall of Downward Filtration Theory
The dark side of Downward
Filtration Theory in India was that the elite people never wanted their lower
class to take part in what they had already started enjoying. Day by day, the
gap between the educated ones and the uneducated increases. The educated ones
started humiliating (ashamed and foolish by
injuring their dignity and pride) the
common uneducated folk (human or people)
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