Explain the impact of Western education in India
Impact of western education:
- Educated Indians read about the American and the French revolution and filled the hearts of the Indians with the ideas of liberty, equality and justice.
- Ideas of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau inspired the people to strive for political and social freedom.
- The educated Indians also became acquainted with the concept of self-rule and democracy. Indians started to demand independence from the British rule in order to establish democratic rule in India.
- English became a common language. People from different regions could now communicate in English. This helped in breaking regional barriers and unified the country
- Introduction of western education had limitation too. It had disassociated Indian people from their traditional way of learning and living, their classical roots and indigenous knowledge. Along with it faded Indian values, philosophies and traditions
- Through western education, the British sought to create a class of Indians who would be Indians in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and in intellect.” Since they wanted educated Indians for administrative posts, the English believed in educating only a section of Indians. They did nothing to spread education among masses.