Macaulay’s Minute, 1835

Macaulay Minute

The British parliament had issued a new Charter to the East India Company in 1813. In this Charter, the Company was directed to spend a sum of rupees one lac on the maintenance and progress of literature, in the encouragement to the learned natives and in providing the knowledge of science to the Indians residing in the areas under the Company’s rule. But the terms ‘literature’ and ‘learned natives’ were not defined clearly in this Charter. This issue gave birth to two schools of thought in the company: first, Anglicists and second, Orientalists. Even in the British parliament, two groups were formed over this issue. This controversy could not be solved even after 20 years in the new Charter Act of 1833.

On June 10, 1834, Lord Macaulay came to India as a law member of the Governor General’s Council. He was a great scholar of English language and literature besides being a good orator and writer. Lord William Bentick, the then Governor General, appointed him the president of the Public Instructions Committee and asked him to render his advise on three points:

1. How to spend the amount of Rs. 10 lacs per annum on education.
2. To define the terms ‘literature’ and ‘learned natives’.
3. To solve the Anglicists-Orientalists controversy.

Macaulay, first of all, studied the section 43 of the Charter Act, 1813 very minutely. Thereafter he also studied the written arguments of the Orientalists and the Anglicists and finally submitted his report to the Governor General on Feb. 2, 1835. In his report, he clearly defined the section 43 of the Charter Act, 1813 and then presented concrete suggestions in this context. This report is known as Macaulay minute.

Explanation of the Section 43 of the Charter Act, 1813

Three aspects of this Charter were the subject of controversy: first, how to spend the money allotted for education; second, how should the term ‘literature’ be defined; and third, which scholars should be included in the category of ‘learned natives’. Macaulay clarified all these three aspects.

1. Explanation for the Expenditure of Money: Macaulay clearly stated that there is no constraint of any type on the company with respect to the expenditure of the money allotted. The company may spend money as and where it feels proper.
2. Explanation of the Term Literature: Macaulay clarified that the term literature not only meant Indian literature (i.e., literature of Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian, etc.) but it also included western literature (English literature).
3. Explanation of the Term ‘Learned Natives’: In the context of the learned natives, Macaulay stated that it included not only the scholars of Indian languages (Sanskrit and Arabic) but the Indian scholars of English language also.

Suggestions of Lord Macaulay

Having defined section 43 of the Charter Act, 1813, Lord Macaulay rendered his suggestions about the nature of the education of Indians. His suggestions may be enumerated in the following sequence:

1. Education of Eastern Knowledge and Literature is Worthless: In the context of Indian literature (Sanskrit and Arabic), Macaulay wrote that Indian scriptures are full of superstitious and non-sense facts. Its history describes 30 feet long kings and its geography mentions rivers of milk and butter. Even an English veterinary doctor would feel ashamed of its medical science, and its astrology would make the English school girls laugh at. Therefore its teaching and learning is meaningless. He also suggested that it is futile to spend government money on Sanskrit and Arabic schools and colleges, and they should be closed down immediately. At the same time, he also suggested that the government money should not be wasted on the printing and publication of Oriental literature.
2. Education of Western Literature and Knowledge is Important: Macaulay regarded the English literature as the best literature of the world. For him, Sanskrit and Arabic literature were good for nothing. In his report, he stated, “A single shelf of a good European library, is worth whole native literature of India and Arabia.” He suggested that the education of English language and literature should be made compulsory for the Indians.
3. Making English as the Medium of Education is Necessary: Orientalists wanted to make Indian languages the medium of education, whereas the Anglicists were in favour of English. Macaulay in his report suggested making English the medium of education. He advanced the following logic in favour of his suggestion:
   • (1) The native languages popular in India are underdeveloped and rustic, their vocabulary is limited; Indians cannot be educated in Western knowledge and science through the native languages.
   • (2) English language is the repository of the best knowledge of the world (whoever knows English has a ready access to the vast intellectual wealth which the wisest races of the world has created). Indians, therefore, can be educated in western knowledge and science only through the medium of English.
   • (3) Sanskrit and Arabic are not the languages of the masses in India and the Indians do not have any interest in learning them. Moreover, learning English is comparatively easy and therefore it should be made the medium of education.
   • (4) English is the language of the rulers and of international trade and now it is the language of the Indian elite class also, therefore it should be made the medium of education.
   • (5) Educated Indians like Raja Ram Mohan Roy are also of the opinion that the knowledge of English and western science is necessary for the progress and development of India. Therefore, English should be made the medium of education.
   • (6) Macaulay also opposed continuing Arabic and Persian as the medium for the education of Indian law and suggested translating Indian law into English and teaching it through the medium of English.
4. Organization of Higher Education Institutions for Elite Class: In his report, Macaulay pointed out that the Government does not have sufficient funds to organize mass education in India. He therefore suggested that the Government should organise higher education only for the elite class. He advanced the following arguments in favour of this suggestion:
   • (1) It will create a class of Indians which would act as the interpreter between the rulers (British) and the ruled (Indian masses).
   • (2) It will create two classes in India: English educated elite class and low class devoid of higher education.
   • (3) This will result in the percolation of the western culture from the elite class to the lower class coming into contact with them.
   • (4) Company will easily get English educated Indians to manage its subordinate posts.
   • (5) The benefit so accrued will be that education itself will percolate down from the educated people of the elite class to the lower class.
5. Policy of Religious Neutrality in the Field of Education Necessary: Though Macaulay was a great supporter of westernizing Indians through the propagation and expansion of western Christian religion, western European culture, and western knowledge and science, he wanted to accomplish all these works ingeniously. He was well aware that if efforts were made forcibly and directly for all these, the Indians would start opposing the British rule and they would become active to save and propagate their religion. He therefore suggested that no religious education should be imparted compulsorily in schools.

Consent of the Governor General William Bentick

Lord Macaulay submitted his report to the Governor General Lord Bentick on Feb. 2, 1835. Lord Bentick seriously went through this report and on its basis declared the new education policy of the British Government on March 7, 1835. The major declarations of this policy are:

1. All government funds appropriated for the purpose of education would be best employed on English Education alone (Government Proclamation of 1835).
2. The educational institutions of Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian shall not be closed down. The economic grants for their teachers’ salary and students’ scholarships will continue as before.
3. In future, no expenditure will be made on the printing and publication of Oriental literature.
4. The money so saved will be spent on the education of the English language, literature, and western knowledge and science.

Result of the Lord Macaulay Minute and Bentick’s Education Policy

1. Beginning of the English System of Education through English medium in India.
2. Replacement of the Oriental language, literature, and knowledge in school curriculum by the western language English and the western knowledge and science.

Evaluation of Lord Macaulay and His Minute

Evaluation of an object, idea, or activity is done on some fixed or definite criteria. Macaulay’s report may be evaluated on three criteria: first, what was his real intention; second, to what extent his suggestions were beneficial to the Indians; and third, to what extent its results benefitted Indians.

Macaulay’s Intention:

Macaulay’s argument was that the Oriental literature and knowledge is of a very low standard, therefore to ameliorate the condition of Indians the education of English literature, knowledge, and science is necessary, and this education can be imparted through the medium of English language only. But his real intention was to create a class of Indians who would be Indian by birth but English in taste and intellect. In his own words, “We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern, a class of persons Indian in blood and colour but English in opinion, in morals and in intellect.” Not only this, his intention was to completely stamp out Indian religion, philosophy, and culture. In his letter to his father, he wrote, “It is my firm belief that if our plans of education are followed up, there will not be a single idolator among the respectable classes in Bengal thirty years hence.”

It is thus quite clear that from the point of view of the Indians, his intention was full of malevolence. He wanted to replace Indian religion, philosophy, and culture by western religion, philosophy, and culture. He also wanted to firmly establish the British rule in India. From this point of view, Macaulay and his report both are subject of criticism.

Merits of Macaulay Minute

1. Logical decision with respect to the Orientalists-Anglicists controversy: Lord Macaulay though supported the Anglicists in a prejudiced way, but he did this very cleverly. Still, at least he came out with a solution.
2. Advocacy of Western language, literature, Knowledge and science: One should always be ready to receive knowledge, irrespective of its source; it is nectar and source of enlightenment. Macaulay forcefully established the supremacy of western knowledge and science and emphasized on making Indians aware of this fact. This was the biggest merit of his report.
3. Advocacy of progressive education: The education in India at the time of Lord Macaulay was full of orthodoxy and based on ancient literature. Macaulay emphasized on making education progressive and modern knowledge and science-oriented. This was again a merit of his report.
4. Policy of religious neutrality in the field of education: At the time of Macaulay the teaching of Hindu religion in Hindu pathshalas, Islam in maktabs and madarsas, and Christianity in missionary schools were being imparted compulsorily. Macaulay suggested a policy of religious neutrality in all the government and government-aided schools. In the Indian context, this was his best suggestion.

Demerits of Macaulay Minute

1. Biased explanation of the Section 43 of the Charter Act 1813: Macaulay’s contention that the money allocated for education under the Charter Act, 1813 may be spent in any way, the literature meant Oriental as well as western literature, and the learned natives meant scholars of Indian literature along with the Indian scholars of western literature, was full of bias. It is quite another thing that he justified his arguments logically.
2. Malicious Criticism of Oriental Literature: Macaulay criticised Oriental literature as inferior and mocked at it. It was all due to his ill feelings and ignorance. If he would have studied the spiritual knowledge of Vedas and Upanishads, materialistic knowledge of Atharva Veda, and Ayurveda science of Charak Samhita, he would have not dared to talk deprecatingly about the Oriental literature.
3. Improper Suggestion to Make English the Medium of Education: The medium of education of the multitudes of any country should always be mother tongue. By suggesting foreign language English as the medium of education he prevented many Indians from getting education. As a result, mass education received a setback.
4. Suggestion for the Organization of Higher Education for the Elite Class only: Education is a birthright of everyone. To confine it to a specific class is the infringement of the human right. From this point of view, this was the greatest demerit of Lord Macaulay Minute.
5. Support to Downward Filtration Theory: Prior to Macaulay, many British scholars had also pointed out that East India Company should organize higher education only for the higher classes, thereafter Education will itself percolate down to the masses coming in contact with them. However, it was Macaulay who put forward this theory logically and emphatically which later on became the education policy of the Government. It was a very clever suggestion on his part.

In this way, we see that from the Indian point of view, his report contained more demerits than merits.

Impact of Macaulay Minute

The impact may be seen in two forms, namely—immediate impact and long term impact.

Immediate Impact of Macaulay Minute:

1. Declaration of Education Policy: Macaulay defined the section 43 of the Charter Act, 1813 and he defined it so cleverly and logically that Lord Bentick, the then Governor General, agreed to it and declared the English medium and European knowledge and science-oriented education policy.
2. Beginning of the English System of Education: With the declaration of this education policy, English medium schools and colleges of higher education were opened. So strong was this foundation laid that this education system progressed rapidly in our country.
3. Declaration of English as the Official Language: In 1837, the then Governor General, Lord Auckland declared English to be the official language in place of Persian.
4. English Compulsory for Government Jobs: In 1844, Lord Hardinge, the then Governor General, issued an order that at the time of appointment in government jobs candidates possessing the knowledge of English will be given preference. This preference became compulsory in practice.

Long Term Impact of Macaulay and His Minute:

1. Acquaintance of Western Literature, Knowledge and Science to Indians: The English medium and European knowledge and science-oriented education system led to the acquaintance of European literature, knowledge, and science to the Indians and many benefits accrued to us.
2. Paved the Way for Material Prosperity in India: At the time of Macaulay, more emphasis was placed on social behaviour and spiritual development in Indian education, but in the education system which was implemented on the suggestion of Macaulay, attention was paid to the comprehensive progress of the country. This led to the material prosperity of the country.
3. Rise of Social Consciousness in India: During that period, Indian society was infested with many social evils. Macaulay laid the foundation of an education system which made Indians aware about these social evils. They made efforts to eliminate them and brought about many reforms in it.
4. Rise of Political Consciousness in India: The English System of Education made us aware about human rights, taught us the importance of freedom, equality, and fraternity, and developed political consciousness among us. Nurullah and Naik have aptly pointed out that but for the English education system Indian Independence movement would not have taken place.
5. Dominance of English Language in India: Besides the above mentioned merits, Macaulay Minute also had some negative consequences. The foremost among these was the increase in the domination of the foreign language English. In fact, the condition has reached such an impasse that the more it is tried to weed out the more it becomes pervasive.
6. Entry of Western Civilization and Culture in India: There is nothing bad in accepting and assimilating the good aspects of any civilization and culture but to adopt other culture and detest one’s own is to extinguish one’s own identity. The education system proposed by Macaulay has left a somewhat similar impact on us.

Conclusion

Some scholars are of the opinion that the intention of Macaulay was really good; he indeed wanted the progress of Indians. Though it’s another thing that the education system proposed by him also did some harm to us. Still, the fact remains that the intention of Macaulay was not good; he wanted to replace the Indian literature, religion, and philosophy with the western literature, religion, and philosophy.

Though it’s another thing that the education system implemented in India, on the basis of the reform proposed by Macaulay, benefitted more than doing harm to us. The biggest benefit accrued of it was the beginning of the progressive education in place of the traditional education in our country. This in turn helped in the material prosperity, social reform, rise of national consciousness, independence movement, and finally in achieving Independence. The remarkable progress which we have achieved in the field of agriculture, tele-communication, and space technology are all the results of this English system of education.

As far as the question of the increasing dominance of the foreign language, English, and the increasing influence of the English civilization and culture is concerned, it too has benefitted us in more than one way. It is because of the English language that the Indians, at present are pursuing higher education in India and in foreign countries, specially in the field of science and technology, and are securing higher jobs abroad. The key to success in international trade is also this English language. Coming to the question of mass education, we have adopted the regional languages as the medium of education after achieving independence. This has resulted in the expansion of mass education. Finally, the reason for maintaining English as the medium of education at the higher level is that it is a compulsion as well as a necessity. This is the age of internationalism and instead of cursing Macaulay we must be thankful to him for all those benefits accrued of the English System of Education.

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