Hunter Commission

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First Indian Education
Commission or the Hunter
Commission
by Disha Notes

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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.

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