Indian History: CPWD, NCE, and CE Charter Act Quiz

British Colonization and Education in India

• The British brought most of India under their control between 1765 and 1857 and introduced new policies on education, administration, culture, society, and economy, claiming it was for the welfare of the people, but in reality, it was to maximize colonial interests.

Pre-British Education System

• The traditional education system in India before the British consisted of pathshalas and madrasas, teaching subjects like Sanskrit, Persian, grammar, poetry, geometry, and astronomy, but not science and geography.
• Students were not aware of new developments in various fields, and printed books were not available.
• The mode of teaching was oral.

British Education Policies

• The British didn't take interest in education for over half a century, focusing on trade and profit, but Christian missionaries persuaded them to allocate an annual budget of 1 lakh rupees for education through the Charter Act of 1813.
• This led to the Orientalists-Anglicists dispute, where Orientalists favored studying eastern law, philosophy, and literature, while Anglicists favored western education through the medium of English.
• Lord Thomas Macaulay's influence resulted in the Anglicists' approach being adopted.

Impact on Education

• English became compulsory for government jobs in 1844.
• The education system underwent a significant change, moving away from the traditional pathshala and madrasa system.

Key Figures

• Lord Thomas Macaulay, a British historian and politician, played a crucial role in shaping British education policies in India.
• Thomas Macaulay, a patriotic reformer and sculptor, also made significant contributions.

Test your knowledge of Indian history including the CPWD, NCE, CE Charter Act, and British administration in India from 1765 to 1857. Explore the practices and policies during this period.