What was the impact of Western knowledge in 19th century in India?

Western knowledge enriched the mentality of the Indians. With the establishment of Hindu College of Calcutta (1817) followed by school book society and school played a key role in their respective fields.

While the continued to keep to the flame of nationalism burning the latter through books, opening new type of schools, holding annual emphasising on study of new subjects of English, Maths, Geography Natural Science to improved the school education system.

The other higher institutions of learning like Bishop’s College, Oriental Calcutta Medical College and the Indian newspaper etc.

This education gave birth to the new rationalism. In Bengal and Maharashtra 19th century rational assessment of current needs and received traditional become the hallmark of intellectual enterprise. All intellectuals like Ram Mohan’s all initiatives were inspired by a liberal ideology and informed with the believes in man’s right to freedom.

Similarly his plea for western instead of oriental learning and freedom of press were singularly inspired by a faith in reason and rational argument. This thinking also inspired other students. The result was that the students questioned not any religion or religious tradition, but the tradition of belief without rational argument itself.

The notion of justice was interrelated with conscience that extended from religious sphere to social protest to re-examination of the foundation of society and reassessing the abuses that had crept into eventually evolving into political nationalism.

Thus, the development of critical consciousness in India was a process that absorbed new elements, adopted itself to new needs and restated itself in new terms.