Lord Ripon the then Governor-General of India appointed the first Indian Education Commission on February 3, 1882 under the Chairmanship of Sir William Hunter, a member of the Executive Council of Viceroy. So this Commission is popularly known as Hunter Commission. The Government desired that “the commission should specially bear in mind the great importance which the Government attaches to the subject of primary education”. Though the development of primary education was one of the main objects contemplated by the Despatch, 1854, yet owing to the variety of circumstances expected result could not be achieved in the field of primary education.
The government clearly admitted the negligence of primary education and so the Commission was directed “to enquire particularly into the manner in which effect has been given to the Despatch of 1854 and to suggest measures as it may think desirable in order to the further carrying out the policy there in laid down”. Besides, the Commission was also required to suggest ways and means by which the system of grant-in-aid could be extended.
After considering the different aspects of education in general and primary education in particular the Commission submitted its voluminous report nearly of 700 pages with various important suggestions for the future progress of education. A brief account of the recommendations of the commission is given below. The Commission defined the indigenous schools “as one established or conducted by natives of India on native methods”, and recommended that the indigenous schools should be developed, patronized and admitted into new educational pattern. Indigenous schools imparting secular education should be recognized and encouraged.
The system of payment by results should be followed for giving grant-in-aid to the indigenous schools. Before going to give recommendation regarding primary education the Commission defined it “as the instruction of the masses through the vernacular in such subjects as will fit them for their position in life and be not necessarily regarded as a portion of instruction leading up to the University”.
The Commission recommends that:
I. “In selecting persons to fill the lowest offices under Government. Preference be always given to candidates who can read and write”.
II. Extension of primary education in backward districts especially the areas inhabited by aboriginal races.
III. Entrusting the District and Municipal Boards with the work of the management of primary education. These boards were entrusted with the supervision of primary education as a result of the Local self-Government Act.
IV. Formation of school district taking the area of any municipal or rural unit of Local self-Government and establishment of schools placed under their jurisdiction in each district.
V. District and Municipal Boards were directed to assign specific funds to primary education.
VI. The accounts of rural and urban primary institutions be separated so that the funds of rural institutions might not be misappropriated by urban primary schools.
The Commission gave positive direction that the local funds should be utilized exclusively on primary education. Besides local funds, the provincial governments should contribute to local funds and such financial help had not-been specified.
Regarding school administration, Commission suggested that the upper and lower primary examinations should not be made compulsory and “care should be taken not to interfere with the freedom of the managers of aided schools in the choice of textbooks”.
The Commission also emphasized the promotion of the physical development of the pupils by the encouragement of native games, special care for the discipline, manners and character of the children. Besides, the Commission suggested for the establishment of Normal schools under a Divisional Inspector for the training of teachers and also allowed the provinces to adopt a curriculum suiting to their needs and inclusion of certain subjects of practical utility.
With a view to expand secondary education the Commission recommended:
I. The gradual withdrawal of the Government from this field and to transfer secondary education to efficient private bodies by sanctioning grant-in-aid to it;
II. Establishment of model Government high school in each district;
III. At the secondary stage two types of courses were recommended. Course ‘A’ was to be pursued to the entrance examination of the Universities and course ‘B’ was to be a ‘more practical character, intended to fit Youths for commercial or other non-literary pursuits’.
Thus the commission laid special emphasis on the diversification of courses. As regards the medium of instruction at the secondary stage the commission did not refer to the use of mother tongue and also did not lay down any definite policy with regard to middle schools and left them to the care of the private management. Though the Commission was not authorized by the government to enquire into the general working of the Indian Universities, yet the Commission made some minor recommendations about collegiate education.
The Commission suggested that “The rate of aid to each college be determined by the strength of the staff, the expenditure on its maintenance, the efficiency of the institution and the wants of the locality”. Special financial assistance to the institutions could be made for the construction of building, furniture, library and scientific apparatus. Further the Commission suggested for the writing of moral text- book based upon the fundamental principles of natural religion, arrangement of religious talks by the Principal or Professor in each session, empowering private college to levy less than government institutions etc.
The Commission’s recommendations were very significant pertaining to missionary enterprise in India. The Commission made very clear cut suggestion on the subject of private agency which was to take over the task of education from the government. It is mentioned in the report. “The private effort which it is mainly intended to evoke is that of the people themselves. Natives of India must constitute the most important of all agencies and educational means are ever to be co-extensive with educational wants”. Thus, it is evident that missionary enterprise was regarded as inferior to private institution in the sphere of private venture in educational field.
In the sphere of grant-in-aid the commission examined all the prevailing systems i.e. Salary Grant system of Madras, the Payment by Results system of Bombay, and the Fixed period system of Northern and Central India. In this connection the Commission allowed full discretion to all the provinces consistent with their local needs.
In addition to these, the Commission suggested pertaining to women education; the liberal grants for girls’ schools, award grants to women teachers, facilities in appointment, differentiation of curriculum etc. Besides these, the Muslim education, Religious education. Education of aboriginals. Adult education were equally emphasized by the Commission.
Though some of the recommendations of the Commission were quite significant and befitting to the time even then those were not free from criticism. The fact is that the Commission failed to realize the true magnitude of the problem of primary education and it did not visualize the possibility of introducing universal primary education. Though the bifurcation of the course at the secondary stage was useful, yet it could not be effectively implemented. Because the non-literary course could not attract a sufficient number of pupils.
By charging less fees the private institutions attracted more students; but the institutions were insufficiently staffed, miserably equipped and utterly unfit to give useful education. Efficient teachers were not available to teach modern Indian languages. To speak the truth the new system of education, did not take due notice of cultural heritage of the country.
After the recommendations of the Hunter Commission, district boards and local boards were entrusted for the expansion of primary education. The rights and duties of these local boards were codified. With respect to granting aid to local boards provincial Governments framed regulations. This system adversely affected the indigenous institutions as there was maximum control of the Government upon education.
Thus, by the end of the nineteenth century the indigenous system of education almost went out of existence and the entire fabric of the system was shattered to pieces. But the roots of the modern type of primary education went deeper and deeper into the soil of the country.
The local boards increased their expenditure on primary education. But consideration of the population of the country and the magnitude of illiteracy the funds were quite inadequate for the acceleration of the pace of primary education. Though there was vertical progress owing to good teaching and effective supervision, but horizontally it proceeded at a snails’ pace.
At the secondary level the private enterprise was much encouraged. During the period the secondary education attained a high level of progress and the number of schools rose from 3,916 in the year, 1882 to 5,124 in 1902. However, all provincial Governments had included practical education in some measures in the curricula. But the ‘B’ course introduced in some schools could not enjoy popularity. In 1902, when 23,000 candidates appeared at the matriculation examination only 2,000 candidates appeared in vocational subjects.
The progress of provincial languages was dealt a serious blow, due to the non-implementation of the mother tongue as the medium of instruction. Instead, English language dominated the field of secondary education. As a result, free intellectual growth of the pupils was stunted and cramped.
The recommendations of the Commission indirectly influenced the expansion of college education and as a result some of the new Universities were established at Punjab, Allahabad etc. the increase in the number of High Schools and the student’s population forced for the establishment of new colleges. The formation of National Congress in 1885 and the National Movement contributed much to the advancement of education.
Instead of accepting Government posts some of the national leaders look the reins of private educational institutions and contributed their mite for educational expansion. But it is worthy to note that the increase in number of institutions and the enormous growth of indents population greatly affected the standard of education. The Christian Missionaries were very much disillusioned after the publication of the Hunter Commission Report. Consequently they changed their educational policy and concentrated their attention solely to mass education.