British Colonialism and Education in 19th Century India

The British colonialism in 19th century India greatly influenced the educational set up as the colonial administration had two interests of the rule which were the reign and modernization. Western-style education was also introduced in a calculated move meant to produce a group of English-educated Indians that would act as the middle men between the rulers- the British- and natives to ensure efficiency in administration and strengthening the colonial rule. This system of education gave too much emphasis on English language and western based curricular programs which at times led to the neglect of indigenous knowledge base, local languages, and traditional cultures. The British educational policies did not pay much attention to the needs of the Indian people in general, as they were aimed at creating clerks, teachers, and professionals to work with the colonial administration. The traditional learning methods and the native education institutions were pushed to the side or infiltrated and a slow loss of cultural diversity in the transfer of knowledge happened. The focus on English and Western studies had led to a culture shock forcing many Indians out of touch with their own culture and making them feel inferior to the native culture. Education was ideological dominance and economic exploitation, and it was a process of forming an Indian society as per the requirements of the colonial state. This paper primarily focuses on British Colonialism and Education in 19th-century India: A critical analysis of its impact on the Indian education system

Colonialism · Curriculum · Higher education · Ideology · Indigenous · Indigenous Education · Traditional knowledge · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Global Educational Policies and Reforms · Historical Education Studies Worldwide