? Education in Pre-Independent India by Dr. Sunita Agarwalla, published by Mahaveer Publications, is a comprehensive and insightful textbook prepared in accordance with the FYUGP (NEP-2020) syllabus for B.A. 4th Semester (Honours) and 5th Semester (Non-Honours) students of Education across all universities and autonomous colleges of Assam, including Dibrugarh University, Gauhati University, and Bodoland University.

This book provides a detailed account of the evolution of the Indian education system before independence, tracing its historical development from ancient and medieval times to the colonial period under British rule. It systematically explores the indigenous systems of education, missionary efforts, and the impact of British educational policies on Indian society.

Key highlights include discussions on major educational reforms and commissions such as the Charter Act of 1813, Macaulay’s Minute (1835), Wood’s Despatch (1854), Hunter Commission (1882), Sadler Commission (1917–19), and Wardha Scheme of Basic Education (1937). The book also emphasizes the role of nationalist movements, Gandhian educational philosophy, and women’s education during the freedom struggle.

Written in a lucid and analytical style, the book serves as an essential guide for students to understand how education in India evolved as a tool of both colonial control and national awakening. It is equally valuable for teachers, scholars, and competitive exam aspirants seeking to grasp the foundations of India’s modern education system. 

Course Contents

Unit I: Educational Heritage of India

1. Education in Ancient India

   • Vedic and Buddhist periods

2. Education during Medieval Muslim Era

   • Features, institutions, and objectives

3. Comparison between Vedic, Buddhist, and Islamic Educational Systems

   • Philosophical basis, aims, curriculum, and methods

Exercise

Unit II: Education During the British Period

1. Indigenous System of Education

   • Nature, scope, and limitations

2. Educational Activities of Missionaries in India

   • Contributions of:

     • The Portuguese

     • The Dutch

     • The British

     • The Danish

     • The French

3. Educational Activities of Missionaries in Assam

4. Educational Activities of the East India Company

   • Charter Act of 1813

   • Anglicist–Classicist Controversy

   • Macaulay’s Minute (1835)

   • Lord Bentinck’s Resolution (1835)

Exercise

Unit III: Growth and Development of Education (1854–1921)

1. Wood’s Despatch (1854) — The Magna Carta of English Education

2. Hunter Commission (1882) — Primary and Secondary Education reforms

3. Lord Curzon’s Educational Policy — Indian Universities Act, 1904

4. The University Commission (1902)

5. The University Act of 1904

6. National Movement and Rise of Nationalism in Education

7. Gokhale’s Bill on Primary Education (1911–1912)

8. Government Resolution on Education Policy (1904)

9. Calcutta University Commission (1917–1919)

Exercise

Unit IV: Growth and Development of Education (1921–1947)

1. Education under Diarchy (1919–1935)

   • Government of India Act (1919) and educational changes

2. Simon Commission (1927) — Findings and recommendations

3. Government of India Act (1935) — Provincial autonomy and education

4. Hartog Committee (1929) — Quality and expansion of education

5. Wardha Scheme of Basic Education (1937) — Nai Talim and Gandhian approach

6. Wood–Abbot Report (1937)

7. Sargent Report (1944) — Post-war educational development plan

Exercise

Bibliography