INDIA, Educational Progress in. The work of engrafting a system of modern edu cation, essentially of an English standard, on the Indian Empire could not be hurried in view of the enormous labor involved and the vast population to be reached. The original Hindu system imposed upon every one of the higher caste the obligation to teach, primarily instruc tion was oral. Separate schools of law, of religion, astronomy, astrology and medicine came later. The villages were centres for schools in industrial art for which the Indian natives were adapted. The village boys were taught the vernacular and received ethical foundations in proverbs, stories and verses from the lips of the teacher. The Buddhists were no less exacting in their schools. It was the province of the Mohammedans as early as the 11th century, by their more democratic educa tional methods, universally established in the shadow of the mosque, to modify the rigid caste notions of India, their power being aided by the establishment of the Mogul Empire in • the 16th century. With the rise of Christian influence in the 18th century and for a century later the missionary was the teacher. In 1813 on the re newal of the charter of the East India Com pany, an educational grant was included, al though in 1780 and 1791 two private institutions were founded in Calcutta and Benares. A greater impetus was given to education in 1835 on Lord Macaulay's arrival, to promote the knowledge of European literature and science through the English language, and all agencies, missionary and private, municipal, provincial and governmental, were quickened in their ac tivities. In the following decades, however, it was realized that the movement failed to prove popular—it seemed to be utilized by natives who desired government offices, but not by the masses of the people. Hence special commis sions were appointed in 1882 and 1894 to im prove the system from a practical point of view with the best results. While before the new century primary education reached the mere fringe of the population, in 1908 a marked ad vance was made. In 1907-08 the primary pupils in all the 10 provinces numbered 5,708,138, a 22 per cent increase the previous year, and similar growth was noticed in every grade from the highest to the lowest.
The government's wisdom was shown in 1901 when an inspector-general of agriculture, with a staff of experts, was appointed. In 1903, a gift by Mr. Henry Phipps made possible the Imperial Agricultural College and Central Re search Institute at Pusa in Berar. In 1905 the government set aside 20 lakhs of rupees ($644,000) was devoted to agricultural research and instruction. In a few years 60 experi mental farm schools, in addition to demonstra tion plots, were established. Schools were be gun and a state technical school, with scholars to be sent abroad for thorough instruction. A further evidence of progress in education is the national awakening toward the need of uni versities for Indian young men and women under their own auspices. Early in 1916, the
University of Mysore was opened, the first of its kind in that part of India which belongs to the Indians and is ruled by them. It is signifi cant that education is compulsory and free throughout this state, in which at latest reports with a population of six millions were 5.436 in situtions, six colleges for men and one for women. The school pupils numbered 214,397, with 26,371 secondary and 934 collegiate. The new university is not an examining body but has a regular university lecture and tutorial system, with the Maharaja as chancellor. In struction is given in the vernacular current in the state. The course is for three years. In February 1916 Lord Hardinge laid the founda tion stone of the new Hindu University at Benares. No candidates are debarred on the score of religion. Instruction in the Hindu re ligion is compulsory for Hindus. The central Hindu College of Benares organized by Mrs. Annie Besant in 1898, was the nucleus of the new institution. Its aim is to promote the study of the Hindu Shastras and of Sanscrit literature generally as well as to advance tech nical, scientific and professional knowledge, with practical training, to encourage the indus tries and develop the resources of the country. Large sums were collected from all classes of educated Hindus, with the capitalized value of the recurring grants reaching £675,000: Women will be admitted. The Mohammedans at Hydera have founded a university called Nizamia after the Nizam or prince of that province, to teach the literature and science of Islam. The Mo hammedans of Aligarh expect to have a charter for a university. Similar institutions are de sired by the Indians in the Sikh states, in Cochin and Travonare. About the same time as the Mysore University was opened, the Indian Women's University began its work at Poona. Instruction is given in Marathi, with English as second language, and compulsory courses in domestic science. Besides the generous sums given for such colleges, recently large amounts have been. donated by Indians to Calcutta Uni versity, to the Institute of Science at Bangalore, and elsewhere.
Since 1900 the public outlay, for education trebled, amounting to 1.7,388,000 in 1915-16. In the same riod, the number of schools rose from 148,110 to 189,000, and of pupils from 4,500,000 to 7,620,000, the girls showing a large increase. According to the census of India in 1910, 93.8 per cent of the population of British India were illiterate. The ruler of Baroda has made education free and compulsory and his example has been imitated by the Indian rulers of four states, with others to follow in due course. Consult Pandya, T. R., 'A Study of Education in Baroda) (India 1916 ; Education J Supplement, London Times, 2 Jan. 1912, 7 March 1915; of Education in India,; Quinquennial Review (Calcutta Government Printing Office) 1:4:1-82, et seq.; London Con temporary Review, January 1918. INDIA, Education.