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Development of Education System

Notes 3.1.6 Evaluation of Bentinck’s Proclamation

Bentinck’ proclamation was the first declaration of the educational policy of the British Government
which it wanted to adopt in this country. Bentinck was greatly influenced by the views of Macaulay.
The Orientalists lost their battle. With Bentinck’s proclamation the following results were clearly
visible.
1. The aims of education in India were defined by the British.
2. Type of education envisaged for Indian people was spelt out.
3. The promotion of Western arts and sciences was acknowledged as the avowed object.
4. The printing of oriental works was to be stopped.
5. New grants or stipends to students of oriental institutions were to be stopped in future.
6. The proclamation promised to supply Government with English educated Indian servants
cheap but capable at the same time.
7. The proclamation accelerated the growth of new learning by leaps and bounds.

3.2 Downward Filtration Theory of Education

The British rulers in India thought that in order to run the administration peacefully and
smoothly it was essential to make the higher classes blind followers of the Britishers. This they
wanted to achieve through educating the classes to be filtered to the common. Drop by drop,
the education would go to the common public so that at due time it may take the form of a vast
stream which remained water desert of the society starved for water for a long time and high
class of people would be educated and common people would gain influence from them.”

3.2.1 Evaluation of the Filtration Theory
The immediate aim of getting educated people to run the various jobs in the administration
was fully achieved. It also helped in creating a faithful class of people. It settled the educational
policy of the British rulers and education began to progress rapidly.
The ultimate aim could not be fulfilled as the educated persons were cut off from the common
masses. The common masses began to look upon the educated classes as the favoured children
of the British Government. The higher and richer classes began to copy British food, taste,
behaviour and manners. Their entire daily routine was westernised. They became more and
more self-centred and a great cleavage was created between the rich and the poor.
3.2.2 Oriental —Anglicist Controversy on the System of Education in India
and Macaulay’s Minutes
In 1813, the Company decided to spend a sum of Rs. One lakh on education in India. This led to
Oriental-Anglicist controversy on education.
Oriental Print of View: This school of thought wanted to encourage the indigenous system of
education in India and wanted the Company to spend the amount on the promotion of this
system. Among the important supporters of this policy were. Warren Hastings, H.T. Princep,
Lord Minto, Charles Grant and H.H. William. The anglicists found their supporter in Lord
Macaulay who translated their dream into reality to a considerable extent (For details see 1.1)
Raja Rammohan Roy (1722-1833), a distinguished Indian educationist, religious and social
reformers appreciated the merits of western philosophy and science and was an ardent supporter
of the educational reforms advocated by the Anglicists.
3.2.3 Adam’s Report
Lord William Bentinck ordered William Adam to conduct a special inquiry into indigenous
education in Bengal. Adam was a missionary and he had special interest in Indian education.
William Adam (1789-1868) lived in India for 27 years. Through journalism and educational
situation of Bengal between (1835) and (1838) and submitted important reports.

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