1. Match the following:

William Jones

Promotion of English education

Rabindranath Tagore

Respect for ancient cultures

Thomas Macaulay

Gurus

Mahatma Gandhi

Learning in a natural environment

Pathshalas

Critical of English education

Explanation:

William Jones

Respect for ancient cultures

Rabindranath Tagore

Learning in a natural environment

Thomas Macaulay

Promotion of English education

Mahatma Gandhi

Critical of English education

Pathshalas

Gurus


2.State whether true or false:

(a) James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalists.

(b) The 1854 despatch on education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India.

(c) Mahatma Gandhi thought that the promotion of literacy was the most important aim of education.

       (d) Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline.

Explanation:

  1. James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalists. – TRUE

The Orientalists were viciously assailed by James Mill. In order to appease them and "win a place in their heart," he said, the British endeavour should not be to teach what the locals desired or valued. The goal of education should be to impart real and valuable knowledge. Therefore, rather than introducing Indians to the poetry and holy writings of the Orient, it would be better to introduce them to the science and technological advancements that the West had made.

  1. The 1854 despatch on education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India. – TRUE

It outlined the educational strategy to be used in India and once more stressed the advantages of a system of European learning over information from the East. As a result, the 1854 Education Despatch supported the introduction of English as a language of instruction for higher education in India.

  1. Mahatma Gandhi thought that the promotion of literacy was the most important aim of education. – FALSE

The assertion is untrue. Gandhi did not believe that the primary purpose of education was to advance reading. According to Mahatma Gandhi, education should work to cultivate a person's spirit and intellect. Gandhi argued that reading was neither the start nor the conclusion of education.

  1. Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline. – FALSE

Childhood, in Tagore's opinion, should be a period of independent learning, free from the stringent and constricting rules of the British-instituted educational system. Teachers needed to be creative, comprehend the student, and foster the student's natural interest.


3. Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy and law?

Explanation:

William Jones and I both had a great regard for both old Western and Indian cultures. He believed that Indian civilization had reached its pinnacle in antiquity but had since fallen. It was essential to learn about the holy and legal writings written during the ancient era in order to comprehend India. The true beliefs and rules of the Hindus and Muslims could only be revealed by those books. Only a fresh examination of these works, in the opinion of William Jones, could serve as the foundation for India's future growth.


4. Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?

Explanation:

According to James Mill and Thomas Macaulay, knowing English would enable Indians to read some of the best works of literature ever written and would make them conscious of advancements in Western science and thought. Thus, teaching English could be a means of "civilizing" people by modifying their preferences, morals, and cultural norms. Additionally, they believed that education should focus on imparting valuable and applicable knowledge. Therefore, rather than introducing Indians to the poetry and sacred writings of the "Orient," it would be better to introduce them to the science and technological advancements that the West had made.



5.  Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts?

Explanation:

Mahatma Gandhi believed that education should be comprehensive, bringing out the best in both children and adults, covering body, mind, and soul. He held the opinion that reading is neither the start nor the finish of education. He believed that reading was just one method of educating both men and women. Therefore, he believed that the child's education should start with the instruction of practical handicrafts and should give them the opportunity to make something as soon as they start training. "In my opinion, such an educational structure allows for the highest potential level of mental and spiritual growth. Only every skill must be taught scientifically, rather than simply mechanically as it is done today, so that the kid understands why it is done that way.


6. Why did Mahatma Gandhi think that English education had enslaved Indians?

Explanation:

According to Mahatma Gandhi, colonial schooling gave Indians a false feeling of inferiority. It diminished their confidence in their own culture and caused them to view Western civilization as better. Gandhi believed that English education was immoral, poisonous, and that it subjugated and possessed Indians. Indians educated in these schools started to admire British rule because they were fascinated by the West and valued everything that originated in the West. Mahatma Gandhi wished that Indians could regain their feeling of dignity and respect through schooling. He encouraged students to abandon schools during the national movement to demonstrate to the British that Indians were no longer ready to be held as slaves. 


7. Find out from your grandparents about what they studied in school.

Explanation:

My schooling has been very distinct from that of my grandparents. The majority of my schooling has come from literature and computers, and it has seemed to revolve around everything electronic. My grandfather claimed that his employment paid for the majority of his schooling. In 1957, grandpa earned his high school diploma. Although my grandma never finished high school, she did earn her GED in 1982.

Grandpa claimed that not much was learned during his high school years. He claimed that there were no laptops or calculators in the classroom at the time. In contrast to now, his school's cubbies weren't locked. He claimed that perusing literature was how he learned most things. There were rare occasions when the school would host a special lecturer.

Teachers today have access to many more tools than they did when my grandpa was a student. Television, laptops, and calculators are common instructional aids. Early on, teachers taught us how to use a computer. I have used a computer to compose or investigate the majority of my arguments since the fifth grade. I do more and more work on a computer every year. Today, we regularly use laptops, math tools, and other modern innovations like the scanner and the Internet. From composing English papers to monitoring our e-mail, we use computers for a variety of tasks. The computer and the Internet were concepts that my grandparents could never have envisioned.