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Class 11 Education Chapter 7 Primary Education in India and Assam
Selected Questions & Answers
A. Very Short Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 1)
1. Answer the following questions:
(a) Who proposed the “Downward Filtration Theory”?
Ans: Thomas Babington Macaulay.
(b) In which year was the Hunter Commission formed?
Ans: In the year 1882.
(c) For the development of science and literature in India, how much money was allocated in the Charter Act of 1813?
Ans: 1 lakh rupees.
(d) Who first introduced the bill in the Imperial Legislative Council to make primary education compulsory?
Ans: Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The “Assam Primary Education Act” was adopted in —— year.
Ans: In the year 1926.
(b) The president of the Wardha Conference was ——.
Ans: Zakir Husain.
(c) The Monitorial system is also called the —— system.
Ans: Bell System.
(d) The Wood’s Despatch of 1854 was called the —— of Indian education.
Ans: Magna Carta of Indian Education.
B. Short Questions and Answers: (Marks for each – 2)
1. What is stated in Article 282 of the Constitution of India?
Ans: Article 282 of the Constitution of India states that the Central Government and the State Governments may grant financial assistance to public welfare institutions in the interest of the public.
2. What is meant by education as a right?
Ans: In the Constitution of India, education has been recognized as a fundamental right. To universalize education, Article 45 of the Constitution directed that primary education should be free and compulsory. To fulfill this objective, the government undertook the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. In this way, efforts have been made to spread education among the masses as a right of the citizens.
C. Medium Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 4)
1. Write short notes on the following:
(a) Tol
Ans: Tol was a traditional system of education in India. Before the British introduced modern education in India, the Tols developed mainly for the study of the Sanskrit language, literature, and religion. Education through Sanskrit Tolswas provided in places such as Varanasi, Kashi, Ujjain, Haridwar and Prayagraj.
Tols did not have their own buildings. Temples, the houses of teachers, and the halls of wealthy people were used as educational centres. Scholars of the Sanskrit language and literature, mainly Brahmins, were appointed as teachers. Subjects such as poetry, grammar, Nyaya-Mimamsa, Puranas, Vedas, and Upanishads were taught in Tols. Kings, landlords, and wealthy people provided financial support to these institutions. Students generally had to stay and study in Tols for about eight years.
(b) Maktab
Ans: Maktab was an educational institution where Muslim boys and girls received elementary education. The word ‘Maktab’ originated from the Arabic word ‘Katab’, meaning “to write”. Thus, a Maktab means a place where reading and writing are taught. Before the introduction of modern education by the British in India, Maktab was very popular among Muslims. In these institutions, education was imparted by Maulvis or Imams who had knowledge of the Quran and Hadith. Students were mainly taught Islamic manners, the Quran, and Hadith. Local Muslim rulers, landlords, and wealthy people provided financial assistance tothe Maktabs. During the Mughal period, Maktabs were considered important and popular institutions of education.
(c) Madrasa
Ans: Madrasa is an institution for higher education among Muslims. After completing education in Maktabs, students used to enroll in Madrasas. During the Mughal period, Madrasas received strong support from the government. Along with Islamic philosophy, subjects such as literature, science, geography, and history were also taught there. After the introduction of modern education by the British in India, Madrasas gradually lost their earlier prestige and influence. However, in the modern period, government-supported modern Madrasas have been established in some states of India where Islamic scriptures like the Quran and Hadith are taught along with modern subjects.
(d) Monitorial System
Ans: With the establishment of British rule in India, Christian missionaries came to India to spread Christianity. Along with religious preaching, they also began efforts to spread education. Among the various steps taken for the development of education was the Monitorial System. According to this system, intelligent students of higher classes taught the students of lower classes. The main reason for introducing this system was the rapid increase in the number of students in schools while the number of teachers could not be increased due to financial limitations. Therefore, to overcome the shortage of teachers, senior students were assigned the responsibility of teaching junior students. This system is also known as the Bell–Lancaster Monitorial System.
(e) Serampore Trio
Ans: When the British established their rule in India, missionaries from England and America also came to India to spread Christianity. Among them, three missionaries in Bengal became very famous—William Carey, JoshuaMarshman, and William Ward. They established a centre at Serampore and engaged not only in religious preaching but also in literary and cultural activities. These three missionaries together are known as the Serampore Trio.
(f) Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Ans: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a scheme undertaken by the Government to universalize elementary education. It emerged as an initiative to improve the quality and accessibility of primary education. One of its objectives was to promote social justice and create public awareness about social development through education.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was a collective effort involving the Central Government, State Governments, and local bodies. Its main objectives were:
(a) To improve the standards of schools in different states.
(b) To ensure effective decentralization of education up to the school level.
(c) To make people realize that educational institutions belong to the community.
(d) To promote girls’ education and encourage the development of women’s education.
(e) To help children with disabilities progress in education.
(f) To involve the local community in educational activities.
(g) To make educational programmes flexible and accessible.
(g) Total Literacy Campaign
Ans: The Total Literacy Campaign emerged from the experiences gained through the National Literacy Mission. The working strategies of this campaign were as follows:
(a) To popularize the campaign through advertisements, wall posters, and other publicity measures.
(b) To involve the maximum number of people from different communities in the programme.
(c) To form committees at district, block, and village levels and assign responsibility to individuals.
(d) To make the entire programme time-bound. For this purpose, three months were allocated for publicity and six months for providing education.
D. Essay Type Questions & Answers: (Marks for each – 6)
1. Mention five characteristics of Buddhist education.
Ans: Buddhist education was based on the principle of human welfare. Buddhist monasteries were the main centres of education. The main characteristics of this system of education were as follows:
(a) Buddhist students had to participate in a religious ceremony called‘Pabbajja’ to enter the monastery.
(b) In the monasteries, the relationship between the teacher and the monks was like that of a father and son.
(c) Education was imparted in the Pali language.
(d) The monks had to practise begging (alms-seeking) daily.
(e) Teaching was mainly conducted through the conversational method. Later, the practice of writing was also introduced.
2. Mention five characteristics of Vedic education.
Ans: The main characteristics of Vedic education were as follows:
(a) Through a ceremony called ‘Upanayana’, students were admitted to the Gurukul at about the age of twelve.
(b) In the Gurukul, subjects such as the Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Puranas, history, astrology, medical science, Ayurveda, and military science were taught.
(c) The method of teaching was mainly oral. That is, the teacher imparted education through verbal instruction and discussion.
(d) In the Gurukul, the relationship between the teacher and the student was like that of a father and son.
(e) Special emphasis was given to the formation of good character and personality.
3. Mention five characteristics of Muslim education.
Ans: Maktabs and Madrasas were the main educational institutions of Muslims. The principal aim of this system of education was to teach Islamic principles and practices. The main characteristics were:
(a) The medium of instruction was the Persian language.
(b) The teaching method was mainly oral, although writing was also sometimes taught.
(c) Through this system of education, attempts were made to spread and propagate Islam.
(d) Along with religious education, secular and general subjects were also included in the curriculum.
(e) This system of education placed importance on the writing of history.
4. What were the provisions of the Charter Act of 1813? Mention its importance.
Ans: In 1813, the East India Company enacted a law regarding the expansion of education in India. According to this Act, after meeting the expenses of military and administrative activities from the company’s annual revenue, at least one lakh rupees per year would be spent on the development of education, as well as on the promotion of Indian languages and literature. The importance of this Act was as follows:
(a) The Charter Act of 1813 was an important step in the field of Indian education. For the first time, the British recognized the necessity of education in India.
(b) The Act made provision for spending one lakh rupees annually to improve the condition of Indian education.
(c) The Company realized that a part of the revenue collected from Indians should also be used for their benefit.
(d) The Act opened the way for the introduction of Western education in India.
(e) It established that the development of education for Indians was a legal responsibility of the East India Company.
5. What is meant by Wood’s Despatch of 1854? Mention any four recommendations of Wood’s Despatch.
Ans: According to the policy of renewing the charter of the East India Company every twenty years, the British House of Commons directed Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control, to take effective measures for education in India. Accordingly, in 1854, Charles Wood published an educational document known as “Wood’s Despatch” or “Wood’s Proclamation”. This document covered all aspects of education in India and is often called the “Magna Carta of Indian Education”. The main recommendations of Wood’s Despatch were:
(a) An Education Department should be established in every province, and a Director of Public Instruction should be appointed.
(b) Training institutions should be established for the training of teachers.
(c) Along with English, Indian languages should also be used as the medium of instruction.
(d) A proper link should be established among universities, colleges, secondary schools, and primary schools.
(e) Vocational schools and colleges should be established to promote vocational education.
6. Mention five merits and five demerits of Wood’s Despatch of 1854.
Ans: Wood’s Despatch is considered a milestone in the development of modern education in India and is often referred to as the Magna Carta of Indian education. Merits:
(a) It introduced a well-organized and systematic education system by establishing education departments in every province.
(b) Universities were established, which promoted the development of higher education in India.
(c) Training institutions for teachers were set up, and scholarships were provided to encourage education.
(d) It opposed the Downward Filtration Theory and opened the door of education to a larger section of society.
(e) It emphasized the importance of vocational education. Demerits:
(a) The traditional Indian system of education lost its independence and came under British control.
(b) Religious education in India was discouraged, which weakened spiritual and cultural traditions.
(c) It promoted the Western system of education in India.
(d) It created a class of English-educated clerks who mainly served the British administration.
(e) By emphasizing English as the medium of instruction, the development of Indian languages was hindered.
7. What is the Downward Filtration Theory in Indian education? Describe its effects.
Ans: In 1834, Lord Macaulay came to India as a member of the legislative council. He introduced the Downward Filtration Theory in the field of education. According to Macaulay, a class of educated Indians should be created through English education who would be Indian in blood and colour but English in taste and opinions. He argued that with the limited funds available, it was impossible to educate the entire population of India. Therefore, education should first be provided to the upper classes, and then it would gradually spread to the lower classes. This policy was known as the Downward Filtration Theory. The effects of this theory were significant. It restricted the spread of education among the masses of India. The greatest damage occurred in the field of primary education. The British government began to neglect indigenous primary schools, and as a result many schools were forced to close.
8. Mention the recommendations of the Hunter Commission for the development of primary education.
Ans: Due to the neglect of primary education, the British Government appointed an Education Commission in 1882 under the chairmanship of SirWilliam Hunter during the viceroyalty of Lord Ripon. This commission is known as the Hunter Commission. The main recommendations of the Hunter Commission regarding primary education were:
(a) Primary education should be imparted in the mother tongue.
(b) The government should take effective measures for the expansion of primary education.
(c) Primary education should be made compulsory through legislation.
(d) Local inspectors should examine primary schools.
(e) Night schools should be established wherever people demanded them.
(f) Local games, physical exercises, and activities should be encouraged for physical development.
(g) Special measures should be taken for backward areas.
(h) Students should pay fees, but poor students should receive fee concessions.
(i) The government should provide grants to autonomous local institutions for primary education.
9. Mention five merits and five demerits of the educational policy of the Hunter Commission of 1882.
Ans: Five merits and five demerits of the educational policy of the Hunter Commission of 1882 are as follows. Merits:
(a) It reduced the dominance of missionaries in Indian education and opened the way for the development of Indian culture and education.
(b) It helped in modernizing the traditional education system in India.
(c) It adopted the principle of secular education.
(d) It recommended education for women, backward classes, and tribal communities.
(e) It transferred the responsibility of primary education to local authorities, which increased Indian participation in educational administration. Demerits:
(a) While the medium of primary education was the mother tongue, the medium of secondary education remained English, which created difficulties.
(b) By transferring responsibility to local authorities, the government withdrew from its major responsibility for mass education.
(c) It did not strongly recommend free and compulsory primary education.
(d) It did not take adequate steps for the development of technical education.
(e) The education system created a divide between urban educated people and rural uneducated populations.
10. What were the proposals of the bill introduced by Gopal KrishnaGokhale in 1911 regarding primary education?
Ans: On 16 March 1911, Gopal Krishna Gokhale introduced a bill in theImperial Legislative Council for the expansion of primary education in India. The main proposals of the bill were:
(a) With the approval of the Governor-General, the Education Department would determine the number of children who should attend school.
(b) Local boards and municipalities would require prior permission from the provincial government to introduce compulsory primary education.
(c) Boys between the ages of six and ten would be required to attend school.
(d) Primary education would not be entirely free, but children of parents earning less than ten rupees per month would be exempt from fees.
(e) The provincial education department would determine the school working days and daily school hours.
(f) In areas where primary education was made compulsory, parents would be required to send their children to school. However, when the bill was put to vote, only 13 members supported it while 38 opposed it, and therefore it was not passed.
11. Give a brief description of the Oriental–Occidental controversy in Indian education.
Ans: After the Charter Act of 1813, a long debate arose between supporters of Oriental education and supporters of Western education in India. The main reasons for this controversy were the uncertainty about educational policy, the vague provisions of the Act, and the lack of interest of the East India Company in resolving the issue. The controversy mainly centred on four points:
(a) Medium of instruction: Orientalists supported education through Sanskrit and Arabic, while the Western group supported English as the medium.
(b) Aim of education: Orientalists aimed at promoting Indian culture and knowledge, whereas Western supporters wanted to modernize Indians through European science and knowledge.
(c) Method of education: Orientalists believed education should be available to all sections of society, while the government preferred educating only the upper classes.
(d) Responsibility for education: Some believed the government should control education, others believed missionaries should manage it, while another group supported Indian control of education. This debate continued for about twenty-two years and finally ended afterMacaulay came to India in 1834.
12. Mention the recommendations of Lord Curzon regarding primary education.
Ans: Lord Curzon became the Viceroy of India in 1899. In 1901, he convened an educational conference at Simla which lasted for fifteen days and discussed all levels of education. Based on these discussions, the government announced a new educational policy in 1904. The main recommendations regarding primary education were:
(a) Financial assistance for primary education was increased significantly.
(b) Teacher training institutions were established and agricultural training was also introduced.
(c) The salaries of teachers were increased to improve their living standards.
(d) The primary school curriculum was revised to include agriculture and physical education.
(e) The government increased its administrative control over all aspects of education.
13. Discuss the main features of Basic Education.
Ans: The scheme of Basic Education in India was introduced by MahatmaGandhi. In 1937, he published the outline of this scheme in a newspaper called‘Harijan’. The main objective of Basic Education was to make the nation economically self-reliant. The main features were:
(a) Education should be centred on productive handicrafts.
(b) The mother tongue should be the medium of instruction.
(c) Students should learn crafts and the income from their products should help meet educational expenses.
(d) A cordial relationship between teachers and students should be maintained.
(e) Education should be given in a purely Indian and moral environment.
(f) Children should be made aware of their duties and responsibilities as future citizens.
(g) Psychological aspects of child development should be emphasized.
(h) It should promote ideals of non-violence, truth, justice, love, and service.
14. What were the reasons for the failure of Mahatma Gandhi’s Basic Education Scheme?
Ans: The Basic Education Scheme proposed by Mahatma Gandhi failed due to several reasons:
(a) After independence, although the Congress government passed laws related to Basic Education, it showed little interest in implementing them effectively.
(b) The general public could not fully understand the true purpose of the scheme.
(c) There was a shortage of trained teachers to teach handicrafts and vocational subjects.
(d) The scheme was expensive to implement.
(e) Many people showed indifference towards Basic Education.
15. Mention the main recommendations of the Education Policy of 1913regarding primary education.
Ans: After the failure of Gokhale’s bill in 1911, the British Government became more conscious of educational development. As a result, a new education policy was announced in 1913.
The main recommendations regarding primary education were:
(a) Rapid expansion of lower primary schools should be undertaken, and subjects like drawing, physical education, and nature study should be included.
(b) Upper primary schools should be established in suitable places, and some lower primary schools should be upgraded.
(c) Local educational authorities should establish more schools in their areas.
(d) There should be no major difference between the curricula of urban and rural schools.
(e) Training should be provided for primary school teachers.
(f) Adequate financial grants should be provided for the expansion of primary education.
16. Mention the main provisions of the Assam Primary Education Act of 1926.
Ans: The main provisions of the Assam Primary Education Act of 1926were:
(1) The Act would be applicable throughout the province.
(2) Compulsory primary education would be provided for children between the ages of six and eleven.
(3) Local self-governing bodies could introduce compulsory primary education in their areas.
(4) Local authorities could compel parents to send their children to school.
(5) Local authorities could impose an education tax if necessary.
(6) Local authorities were required to provide poor children with books, paper, and other educational materials.
