Development of higher education in colonial Punjab 1880 1920

Abstract

The British established their rule in India in later half of the 18th Century. After acquiring the administrative powers, they started with the various reforms on the various levels of administration. Educational reforms and planning efforts had their own history in India. The founding of the first three universities in 1857 at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras did, in a sense, reflect the need for reform. The universities, therefore, were established to maintain control over collegiate education and insure that minimum standards were met. Lord Dalhousie annexed Punjab to the British Empire in 1849. The first major official inquiry on university education took place in 1882 under the Indian Education Commission. The Commission, however, made few recommendations about the functioning of the universities. The demand for university in Punjab started rising with the formation of Anjuman-i-Punjab. In 1882, Panjab University in Lahore was established, starting with the number of courses in the faculties of Arts, Science, Law, Medical, Engineering, Fine arts, etc. Provisions were made for the scholarships and stipends of the meritorious students. In Punjab number of Missionaries started working for the education of women and marginalized groups. With the opening of new schools and colleges, the inhabitants of Punjab had the opportunity for achieving excellence in the field of higher education. The University Act of 1904 and Calcutta University Commission streamlined university governance and strengthened teaching at the university level by reforming senates, faculties and syndicates. newline