Educational Commissions/Committees in British India
(1) Charles Wood Despatch – 1854
Objective: Wood’s despatch proposed several recommendations in order to improve the system of
education.
According to the recommendations, it was declared that the aim of the Government’s policy was the
promotion of western education. In his despatch, he emphasized on the education of art, science,
philosophy and literature of Europe.
In short, the propagation of European knowledge was the motto of the Wood’s Despatch.
According to the despatch, for higher education, the chief medium of instruction would be English.
However, the significance of the vernacular language was no less emphasized as Wood believed that
through the mediums of vernacular language, European knowledge could reach to the masses.
Wood’s Despatch also proposed the setting up of several vernacular primary schools in the villages at the
lowest stage.
Moreover, there should be Anglo-Vernacular high schools and an affiliated college in the district level.
Wood’s Despatch recommended a system of grants-in-aid to encourage and foster the private enterprise in
the field of education.
The grants-in-aid were conditional on the institution employing qualified teachers and maintaining proper
standards of teaching.
(2) Hunter Commission – 1882
Appointed by: Viceroy Lord Ripon
Objective: Hunter Education Commission was a landmark commission with objectives to look
into the complaints of the non-implementation of the Wood’s Despatch of 1854; the
contemporary status of elementary education in the British territories; and suggests means by
which this can be extended and improved.
Headed by: Sir William Wilson Hunter
He submitted its report in 1882.
Commission suggestions:
1. There should be two types of education arrangements at the high school level, in which emphasis should
be given on giving a vocational and business education and other such literary education should be
given, which will help in admission to the university.
2. Arrangement for emphasis on the importance of education at the primary level and education in local
language and useful subjects.
3. Private efforts should be welcomed in the field of education, but primary education should be given without
him.
4. Control of education at the primary level should be handed over to the district and city boards.
(3) Hunter Commission of 1882 on Primary Education:
Primary education should be regarded as the education of the masses. Education should be able to train the
people for self-dependence.
The medium of instruction in primary education should be the mother tongue. Normal Schools should be
established for the training of teachers.
The curriculum should include useful subjects like agriculture, elements of natural and physical science
and the native method of arithmetic and measurement, etc.
The spread of primary education for the tribal and backward people should be the responsibility of the
Government.
Fees should be an example to students on the basis of their financial difficulties.
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(4) Raleigh Commission – 1902
Appointed under: Raleigh Commission was appointed under the presidency of Sir Thomas
Raleigh on 27 January 1902.
Objective: To inquire into the condition and prospects of universities in India and to
recommend proposals for improving their constitution and working.
Evidently, the Commission was precluded from reporting on primary or secondary education.
As a result of the report of the recommendations of the Commission the Indian Universities Act
was passed in 1904.
The main objective of the Act: to improve the condition of education in India and upgrade the
system to a better level
Important changes introduced for the upliftment of University Education:
1. Universities were empowered to appoint their own staff including the teaching staff.
2. The number of Fellows of a University was limited within 50 to 100.
3. The number of elected Fellows was fixed at 20 for the Bombay, Madras and Calcutta Universities
and 15 for others.
4. The Governor-General was now empowered to decide a University’s territorial limits and also
affiliation between the universities and colleges.
5. After the implementation of the provisions of the University Act, though the number of colleges
declined, yet the number of students increased considerably.
Government Resolution on Education Policy (1913)
In 1906, the progressive state of Baroda introduced compulsory primary education throughout its
territories. In its 1913
Resolution on Education Policy, the government refused to take up the responsibility of
compulsory education, but accepted the policy of removal of illiteracy and urged provincial
governments to take early steps to provide free elementary education to the poorer and more
backward sections.
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Timeline: Vernacular education development in India
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(5) Sadler Commission – 1917
In 1917, the Calcutta University Commission (Sadler Commission) was appointed by the
Government of India under the Chairmanship of Mr. Michel Sadler, the Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Leeds.
Recommendations:
1. All the teaching resources in the city of Calcutta should be organized so that the Calcutta
University may become entirely a teaching university.
2. A separate teaching and residential university should be established at Dacca.
3. There was a need for a coordinating agency. Hence an inter-University Board should be set up.
4. Honors courses should be instituted and they should be distinctly different from the Pass courses.
5. Full time and salaried Vice-Chancellor should be appointed to be the administrative head of the
university.
6. The Senate and the syndicate should be replaced by the Court and the Executive Council
respectively.
7. Universities should be freed from excessive official control.
8. Government interference in the academic matters of universities should stop.
(6) Hartog Commission – 1929
Sir Philip Joseph Hartog committee was appointed by the British Indian government to survey
on the growth of education in India.
The Hartog committee (1929), had devoted more attention to mass education than the secondary
and University education.
The Hartog committee highlighted the problem of wastage and stagnation in education at the
primary level.
It recommended the policy of consolidation instead of multiplication of schools. The duration of
the primary course was to be fixed to four years.
It recommended for the improvements in quality, pay, and service conditions of teachers and
relating the syllabus and teaching methods to the local environment of villages and locality
The Hartog committee on education recommended for the promotion of technical and
commercial education by universities to control the problem of unemployment.
The recommendation of the Hartog committee of 1929 was an attempt for consolidation and
stabilization of education. The Hartog committee of 1929 was seen as a torchbearer of the
government’s effort to improve the quality of education.
However, these recommendations of Hartog committee of 1929 remained only on paper and could
not be implemented due to the great economic depression of 1930-31.
(7) Sargent Plan – 1944
The Sargent plan of education came after Sir John Sargent was given the task to prepare a
comprehensive scheme of education for India in 1944.
Recommendations:
1. Pre-primary education for children between 3 to 6 years of age. Universal, compulsory and
free primary or basic education for all children between the ages 6—11 (junior basic) and 11—
14 (senior basic).
2. High school education for six years for selected children between the years 11—17.
3. Degree course for three years beginning after the higher secondary examination for selected
students
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4. Technical, commercial, agricultural and art education for full time and part-time students, girls
schools are to teach domestic science.
5. The liquidation of adult illiteracy and the development of a public library system in about 20
years.
6. Full provision for the proper training of teachers.
7. Educational provision is made for the physically and mentally handicapped children.
8. The organization of compulsory physical education.
9. Provision to be made for social and recreational activities.
10. The creation of employment bureaus.
11. The creation of the Department of Education in the centre and in the states.
12. The use of mother tongue is to be used as the medium of instruction in all high schools.
