Page:Macaula yʼs minutes on education in India, written in the years 1835, 1836 and 1837 (IA dli.csl.7615).pdf/4



The Indian career of Lord Macaulay extends from the close of 1834 to the beginning of 1838. During these years he was the means of reforming the education, and simplifying the law of the land. Few men have set their stamp so broadly and deeply on the history of a nation’s progress. By his educational reforms, the whole course of instruction was directed into new channels, which more or less it still occupies. His Penal Code, after lying under consideration for nearly twenty-four years, has recently become the law of India. Seldom, does it fall to one man to be at once the chief Educator and the chief Lawgiver of a vast nation. Besides all this, his latest efforts in establishing the Civil Service Competitive Examination for India have contributed powerfully to stimulate native industry and ability by opening to young men of ambition a prospect of sharing in the government of their country. True it is, that no native student has yet gained a footing in the Civil Service, but the feeling that such a position is possible, and can be attained by merit, has exercised much influence, and will exercise more. Already two young Hindoos of high connexions have started for England, and others are eager to follow them. The restrictions which caste lays on travelling are felt by Hindoos of education with intense and increasing bitterness. It is highly probable that the Competitive Examination will bring to a head in Bengal some grand social outburst against caste, and thus Macaulay’s name may become connected with one of the greatest benefits this country can receive—the overthrow of caste.

The latest statistics from all India, those for 1859, shew 13 Government colleges containing 1909 students, and 4 aided colleges with 878 students; 74 superior Government schools containing 10,989 scholars, and 209 aided schools of the same or somewhat lower grade with 16,956 scholars; 25 normal schools containing 2241 students; and 16 colleges for special subjects containing 1154 students. Besides this, there are 5,454 vernacular schools with 1,27,507 pupils under Government management, and 380 aided vernacular schools with 20,744 scholars. This gives the whole of the educational institutions as 5,582 under Government management, and 593 aided, of which the former contain 1,43,700 pupils, and the latter 38,578. The whole cost has been for direction and inspection £68,400, for direct instruction £189,200, for aided institutions £18,700; forming in all a total of £276,300. In the Lower Provinces of Bengal there are about 10,000 students learning English in Missionary and private institutions unaided by Government. Such are the results in a quarter of a century of Macaulay’s labours in India.