a. Christian Missionaries and English Education:

The Christian missionaries made a very significant contribution to the growth of English education in India.

Whatever might have been the motive of the missionaries there is no denying the fact that they made great contribution to the propagation of English education.

A free school was started in 1731 by the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. In 1814 Robert May founded a free school in his own house. Robert May established altogether sixteen schools.

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The Baptist Mission College at Srirampore in 1818 made important step forward to the spread of English education. In a similar way the missionaries founded many schools and colleges for the promotion of English education.

The most important fact that is to be noted is that the English education in India was introduced not by the British government, but by the Christian missionaries.

It was only in 1835 that Lord Bentinck introduced officially the English education in India.

b. Macaulay:

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Macaulay was the President of the Committee of Public Instruction and a Law Member.

c. Macaulay’s Minute:

Macaulay is famous for his Minute on Education of 1835. In the Minute Macaulay brilliantly argued for the introduction of English education.

Of course it must be remembered that Macaulay had no faith in the oriental learning and rejected it as he considered it to be devoid of utility.

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On the strength of Macaulay’s support Lord Bentinck put into operation the government’s new education policy on 7 March, 1835.