Macaulay's Minute -1835

Introduction:

Macaulay wrote his famous minute on Feb. 2, 1835 in which he vehemently criticized almost everything Indian: astronomy, culture, history, philosophy, religion etc., and praised everything western. On this basis he advocated the national system of education for India which could best serve the interest of the British Empire. His minutes was accepted and Lord William Bentinck issued his proclamation in march 1935 which set at rest all the controversies and led to the formulation of a policy which became the corner stone of all educational programmes during the British period in India.

Points of controversy on the interpretation of charter act of 1813 and the national system of education and Macaulay‟s role: 

At that time a major Orientalists and Anglicists controversy was going on in respect of the following issues:

1. Aim of education of the British policy: whether it should be to educate the classes in higher branches of learning or the masses in elementary education 

2. Type of knowledge: whether to preserve and promote oriental learning or to introduce western knowledge, culture and science 

3. Medium of instruction: whether English or Persian and Sanskrit in Bengal, English or Indian languages in Bombay and madras should become the medium of instruction 

4. Agency of education: whether the government should assume direct responsibility of educating the Indians or the indigenous system of the country to continue 

5. Missionaries: whether the shores of India to be thrown open to missionaries of all parts of the world to promote education or to a few missionaries or not at all. 

There were important English officers of the east India Company who were the supporters of the oriental point of view. 

Main Aim of Introducing English system of Education in India 

Macaulay wrote in his minute ―we must at present do our best to form a class of persons Indian in blood and colour and English in taste, opinions in morals and in intellect,Macaulay‘s arguments in favour of English: Macaulay rejected the claims of Arabic and Sanskrit as against English, because he considered that English was better than either of them. His arguments in favour of English were 

1. It is the key to modern knowledge and is therefore more useful than Arabic or Sanskrit. 

2. It stand pre eminent even among the language of the west in India, English is the language sponsored by the ruling class. It is likely to become the language of commerce throughout the seas of the east. 

3. It would bring about renaissance in India, just as Greek or Latin‘s did in England or just as the languages of western Europe in civilized Russia. 

4. The natives are desirous of being taught English and are not eager to learn Sanskrit or Arabic. 

5. It is possible to make the natives of this country good English scholar, and to that end our efforts ought to be directed. 

6. It was impossible to educate the body of people but it was possible through English education to bring about ―a class of persons Indian in blood and colour and English in taste, opinions in morals and in intellect‖, and that education was to filter down from them to the masses. 

Merits 

1. A clear cut picture of the national system of education in India emerged 

2. The system proved very helpful in promoting the objectives for which it was planned 

3 English schools began to be established. 

4. English became the medium of instruction. 

5. Western arts and sciences became popular. 

6. Filtration theory of education emerged. 

Demerits 

1. Indian culture and philosophy receded to the background 

2. Vernacular languages began to be neglected 

3. Mass education was neglected 

4 Western culture made rapid strives. 

5. Arabic and Sanskrit languages found very few takers 

6. Arabic, maktabs and Sanskrit pathshalas saw gradual disappearance. 

Downward Filtration Theory of Education 

The British rulers 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 classes. This theory meant ―education is to be filtered to the common people. 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 along time and high class of people would be educated and common people would gain influence from them.

Reasons for the Adoption of Filtration Theory 

1. The British rulers needed various types of employees to run the business and the government. 

2. The government did not have sufficient funds for educating the masses. 

3. The educated people educated on British lines through English medium would get higher posts in government services and then naturally they would use their influence in controlling the masses from going against the government rule. 

4. Higher classes educated through the medium of English would adopt English ways and in turn influence the lower classes. 

5. After educating some people, the responsibility of educating the masses could be left to them. 

Evaluation of the Filtration Theory 

The immediate aim of getting the people educated to run the various jobs in the administration was fully achieved. It also helped in creating a Faithfull class of people .The ultimate aim could not be fulfilled as the educated persons were cut off from the common masses. The common people 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. They become more and more self-centred and a great cleavage was created between the rich and poor.