Macaulay’s Minute:
Macaulay recommended the Government a scheme of education in India. He emphasized on the introduction of Western education and English language would Bengal the medium of instruction in schools and colleges.
The Government would allocate funds for spread of English education. Accordingly, the funds allotted for the promoting teaching of Western knowledge through English language.
Educational institutions imparting oriental learning would not Bengal entitled for grant from the Government and such institutions would have to run by their own funds. Even he recommended not to grants funds for publication of books on oriental knowledge.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Lord Bethink, the Governor General of India, acted promptly to enforce the recommendations of Macaulay. English was declared to be the medium of instruction in schools and colleges, particularly in Bengal, by a Government Resolution on 7th March 1835.
The Government affirmed that all the funds allocated for the purpose of education would be spent for English education alone to promote European literature and science among the Indians.
The educational policy was credited with certain advantages. It gave India a common language to unite the people and facilitated for mutual inter-action. it provided opportunity to acquire knowledge about modern science and technology. It also broadened the outlook of educated Indians and helped in rescuing the society from superstitions. Western learning also made people aware about the political and economic ideas and developments in Europe and West. It opened the scope for educated Indians for employment in Government services. But the educational institutions emerged as the factories to supply clerks cheaply.
Therefore, the Government economized the cost of administration by employing educated Indians in subordinate posts in offices. It is believed it taught the Indians about details of administration and prepared them for future. As a result of the new educational policy, a Medical College was established in Calcutta in 1835.
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Simultaneously, this policy came under severe criticism for various reasons. This policy was intended to create a class of interpreters between the ruler and the ruled. In other words, it created clerks who were “Indians in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and in intellect” as put forward by Macaulay.
Truly, most of the educated Indians in Government service reconciled to accept and glorify the British rule in India. This led to creation of attitude of subordination among the Indians. The policy of the Government was to open English schools policy for the elite and upper classes. Hence education for the masses was neglected.
The Government adopted the education policy which was called “downward filtration theory.” The Government was not willing to allocate funds necessary for educating all. It was decided that by spending insignificant sum, a few persons from upper and middle classes could be educated.
These educated persons were expected to education and western ideas were supposed to filter downwards from the upper classes to the masses. However, this policy failed in its purpose. Modern ideas of course, spread among the people not through educational institutions and educated Indians but through non-institutional sources like press, pamphlets and platforms etc.
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Traditional learning gradually declined due to lack of official support. The deadliest blow was exercised in 1844. The Government decided that knowledge in English would be mandatory for employment in the Government services.
As a result English -medium schools sprang up and student abandoned the traditional schools. Even this policy became a major hurdle for growth of Indian culture and civilization. More and more people imitated western living style from the Indian life.
In spite of all odds, this educational policy was a great contribution to India.