MUSLIM EDUCATION IN BENGAL 1837-1937

Islamic Studies (Islamabad) 10:3 (1971) 

MUSLIM EDUCATION IN BENGAL 1837-1937 

SYED MURTAZA ALI 

Education of Muslims before British advent 

1. Islam enjoins pursuit of knowledge as a religious duty upon every 

Muslim. Muslim saints and preachers who had come to Bengal in the 

wake of Muslim conquest established mosques which served as Maktabs 

and Madrassahs. The rituals of Islam and recitation of the Qur'zn neces- 

sary for prayer and other religious observances were taught in them. The 

Im-rn of the mosque also gave free instruction to boys and girls. Some 

Arabic scholars volunteered to impart instruction in the higher branches 

of Islamic studies either in a mosque or at home without remuneration. 

Wealthy persons often engaged such scholars to teach their sons and 

along with them the students of his locality. Sometimes madrassahs were 

also started under state patronage in the shape of grant of land or Madad- 

i-Ma'lsh or Jagir. 

2. In the beginning no regular syllabii were followed in these Madrassahs. 

In the 18th century MaulBnI' 'Abdul 'Ali Bahrul 'Dlam, son of 

Maul~nB' NizHmuddin (d 1748) of Firingee Mahal, Lucknow, who had 

been invited by a Zaminder of Buhar in Burdwan district to start a Madrassah 

introduced the NizHmiya system, called after his father's name. 

Books and commentaries written by Mullah Niz~muddin and his son Mullah 

Qutbuddin were taught under this system. This curriculum has been 

criticised for containing too many books on grammar and logic and for 

devoting too much attention to formal subjects and too little to useful 

secular subjects like history and natural sciences or even religious subjects 

like Tafsir and Hadig. MaulBnZ 'Ubaidullah (1830-85) the first Superintendent 

of the Dacca Madrassah thus commented on this system "We have 

seen in many works of modem logicians of Lucknow that they have been 

actually led into a most ridiculous system of indulging in vain subtleties 

and captious contests. The excessive pursuit of it in our schools has been 

productive of fruitless quibbling and cavilling. It is indeed deplorable 

that thisvain, pedantic knowledge has so much engaged the attention of the 

learned Moslems of India in later days that it has almost prevented them

182 SYED MURTAZA ALI 

from pursuing other useful branches of leaming."(l) The Arabic school 

of Delhi founded by Shah Waliullah had a modified course in which 

Ijadit& and Tafsir, the fountain head of Islamic learning, found its due 

place. The NizHmiah Syllabus however continued to be popular in 

Bengal. 

Calcutta Madrassah founded. 

3. A scholar named Majduddin arrived in Calcutta in September, 

1780. A considerable number of Muslims approached Warren Hastings, 

the Governor General, requesting him to use his influence in persuading 

the Maulana to remain at Calcutta for instruction of Muslim students. 

At their request Warren Hastings founded Calcutta Madrassah in October 

1780 at his own expense. It was taken over in 1782 as a Government 

institution. Majdadddin was appointed preceptor of the Madrassah on 

a salary of Rs. 3001- per month. Warren Hastings considered it expedient 

that the administration of the criminal courts and many of the important 

branches of the police should continue in the hands of Muslim Oficers. 

He therefore recommended the Calcutta Madrassah to the Directors 

E.I. Co., as recruiting ground for native public servants. The Ntib 

NZzim or the principal Officer of the native courts of law was also instructed 

that whenever vacancies should arise in the fauzdari courts, they should 

be sled up by the students of the M~drassah upon production of certificates 

from the Principal that the persons nominated were qualified for the 

appointments. 

4. In 1835, the Council of Education at Calcutta inaugurated the 

policy of English Education. Lord Bentinck after considering the minutes 

of Lord Macaulay passed the celebrated Education Resolution of Govern- 

ment of India of 7th March ,1835 in favour of English Education. This 

policy proved disastrous to the Muslims and dealt a death-blow to their 

political and economic supremacy in Bengal. It was followed by the 

abolition of Persian as Court language in 1837. In 1844 Lord Hardinge, 

Governor General, declared that in all Government appointments prefe- 

rence would be given to persons with a knowledge of English and that this 

policy would extend down to the lower posts. The Muslims bitterly 

resented this policy and could not reconcile themselves to the changed 

circumstances as the new system was divorced from religious instruction, 

a thing unknown to Islam and they felt that it forced them to learn not 

only the language of their foreign rulers but the language of their subject 

race as Sanskritised Bengali was thought to be. A petition signed by

MUSLIM EDUCATION 183 

8312 Muslims including all the responsible Moulvis and leading gentlemen 

of Calcutta was submitted protesting against the Government policy. In 

1839, 481 leading residents of Dacca District (Including 179 Hindus) fXed 

a petition to Government through the District Judge of Dacca in favour 

of continuance of Persian for conducting public business2 Lt. Col. 

Morrison, a member of the Surpreme Council, thought it advisable to 

allow use of English in Courts of Justice along with Persian for many 

years to come.3 This was a sound and reasonable proposal. If this 

advice had been followed Muslims would have got time to learn English 

and retain hold on the legal and civil branches of Government service. But 

Persian was abolished only two years after Government decision in hot 

haste without any previous notice. This decision was most unfortunate 

as till then no adequate provision for English education of Muslims had 

been made by Government. On the other hand Hindus of Bengal who 

had for many years to learn a foreign language like Persian to get Govern- 

ment jobs hailed the decision and zealously began the study of English. 

The distaste with which the Hindus had regarded the Muslim domination 

made them welcome Engiish Rule with relief, while the Muslims in their 

anger at having lost position and power held aloof for a long time from the 

benefits of western education and ideas. The different attitude of the two 

communities towards learning English led to the vast disparity in their 

educational progress, a disparity which has seriously affected the position 

of the Muslims in Bengal and has been most baneful to the interests of the 

country as a whole. 

5. The statistics regarding students in Government institutions in 

Bengal in 19th century reveals a sad position. The number of Muslim 

students in Government Colleges and Schools in 1841 was 751 against 

3188 Hindus. The figures came down to 606 as against 3846 Hindu stu- 

dents in 1846. 

Hindu Muslim 

6. With the inauguration of the new policy in 1835 Calcutta Madrassah 

lost its importance as recruiting ground for public services. Henceforth 

the state policy was to promote education through English which was to


supersede the Madrassah education as passport to public service and other 

profitable spheres of life. The Madrassah system became a blind alley 

leading nowhere. A new phase had begun in the history of education with 

the foundation of the Calcutta University in 1857. Though Sir Charles 

Wood's despatch of 1854 had included "Mohammedan Madrassahs" 

in the list of educational institutions worthy of being affiliated to the 

University" neither Calcutta Madrassah nor any other Madrassah was 

included within the Calcutta University Scheme and granted affiliation 

to the University. 

7. This was a grievous mistake. The Calcutta Madrassah ought to 

have been incorporated within the University system with such modi- 

fications in courses of study as might have been needed. The Calcutta 

University Commission (Sadlern Commission) held that if the madrassahs 

had been included within the University system as recommended in Wood's 

despatch "the whole subsequent history of the problem of the education of 

the Mussalmans of Bengal, might have been different." Moslem Educa- 

tion Advisory Committee 1934 set up by Government of Bengal (Momin 

Committee) also held the same view.4 

8. The exclusion of Calcutta Madrassah from the University system 

was perhaps made under the idea that shut out from worldly prospects 

the Madrassah system would be deserted by the Muslims and they would 

betake themselves to the English system of secular education like the 

Hindus. The Muslims however held aloof from a system which made 

no provision for religious education so much valued by them. They re- 

mained loyal to the system which Calcutta Madrassah represented, with 

the consequence that they were cut off from the general line of progress 

and the main current of life and lost ground in every sphere. 

Defects of Calcutta Madrassah 

9. Attempts to introduce teaching of English in Madrassah did not 

succeed. The Mussalmans themselves were not free from blame. They 

silently acquiesced in all administrative changes that were detrimental to 

their interests without any protest. The Hindu College was not open to 

Muslims. Holt Mackenzie proposed in 1825 the establishment of a sepa- 

rate English College for the advanced students of Hindu College, Calcutta 

Madrassah and Sanskrit College.5 The General Committee for Public 

Instruction drew up an ambitious plan of creating a Central English College. 

b


The Court of Directors turned down the scheme and sanctioned only open- 

ing of the English classes at the existing institutions. 

10. This action of the Government was bitterly criticised by Mr. 

Charles Grant who said "A grave error of principle was committed by 

Government when it undertook to carry out chiefly at its own cost, an 

expensive College for one sect. The best method to get out of the error 

is to give at the Mohammedan College (Calcutta Madrassah) as good an 

education as we give to the Hindu College. Against anything short of this 

justice to the Mohammedans I protest." None heeded his protest which 

was a cry in the wilderness. Had the Central College been opened Muslims 

would have got facilities for higher education much earlier. 

11. In 1822 Col. Lumsden, Secretary of Calcutta Madrassah reported 

"the prejudices of the preceptors opposed (Sic) considerable obstacle in 

the way of reform". In 1823 he suggested introduction of a course for 

English literature and Science as the only effective means of opening the 

eyes of the Muslims to the defects of their own system.6 The Madrassah 

Committee which was very conservative disagreed with Lumsden and 

turned down the proposal on the ground that it was foreign to the views 

with which the Madrassah had been originally established. 

12. The discipline in the Madrassah was very lax. In 1850 it was 

found that one Professor of Arabic and the Librarian had been practising 

as Wnani Hakims for years. The teachers used to send fictitious rolls 

of students. As a result during the period from 1829 to 1855 not more 

than two students could secure junior scholarship. Between 1845 and 

1856 no student of calcutta Madrassah could secure a senior scholarship. 

The door of the institution was not open to all classes of Muslims. Only 

children from respectable families were admitted. In 1844 it was found 

that there were only five students in the College department of the Mad- 

rassah. 

After English became the language of courts the Calcutta Madrassah 

ceased to attract students. During the period for 1829 to 1851 the average 

number of students in the Madrassah was 72 only. 

13. While the Hindus were taking to English education with great 

enthusiasm, Muslims were unwilling to tlke advantage of the facilities for 

English Education provided in the Calcutta Madrassah. The Moulanas 

of the Madrassah in self interest strongly opposed introduction of English 

courses.


14. British policy in education affected the Muslims in a markedly 

different way from the Hindus. The Muslims viewed themselves as 

recently deposed rulers. Hindus had been in subjugation for many cen- 

turies. Muslim reaction to Missionary education was also substantially 

different. They found it difficult to discard the idea that their attendance 

at missionary schools would violate basic precepts of Islam, especially 

as early missionary movement included evangelism and conversion in 

educational activity. There was also the basic belief of the Muslims that 

it was improper to separate religion from education. Hunter rightly 

observed "The truth is our system of public instruction ignores the three 

most powerful instincts of the Muslim's heart. In the first place it conducts 

education in vernacular, a language which the educated Mohammedan 

despise, and by means of Hindu teachers whom the whole Mohammedan 

community hate. In the second place our rural schools seldom enable 

a Mohammedan to learn the tongues necessary for his holding a respect- 

able position in life, and for the performance of his religious duties. In 

the third place our system of public instruction makes no provision for the 

religious education of the Mohammedan youth. As observed by Loyed 

Thorpe "Muslims believed rightly or wrongly that the British had a special 

vendetta directed against them. They also felt that the British had a spe- 

cial antipathy towards Islam."7 Sir Valentire Chirol had observed "As 

a matter of fact, British rule has in many ways worked out to the relative 

detriment of Mohammedan influence and to the greater advantage of the 

Hindus." 

Resumption proceedings 

15. Resumption proceedings during the period 1829-1851 was the last 

straw to break the camel's back. Since 1765 Muslims had been ruined 

economically. Resumption proceedings made them poorer still. The 

timings of the Resumption proceedings were very unfortunate for Muslim 

education. This was the period when Macaulay's famous decision against 

oriental learning had been taken and Persian replaced as the language 

of the Courts. Education statistics reveal the hopeless position to which 

Muslims had been reduced. In 1841 Muslims were 24O/, of the students 

under education. It had been reduced to 16% by 1856. During the 

period 1865 to 1871, Muslims were only 38% out of those who passed 

Entrance and 10% of those who graduated. Education of the Muslims 

was at the lowest ebb when Hunter forcefully drew the attention of the 

Authorities to the unfortunate condition of Muslims in the field of educa-


tlon. It appears from D.P.I.'s report for 1870-72 that during the previous 

five years out d 429 graduates only ten were Muslims. 

Causes of Muslim backwardness 

16. In Pre-British India a Muslim child started going to School 

in the fifth year with Persian as the main language for study. At the 

secondary course Arabic was included in the course of study. Education 

was free but as the teacher was dependent on the community for necessities 

of his life, his economic status was precarious. His social status was 

however high. The teaching was generally through lectures with students 

sitting on the floor around the teacher. Due to purdah the education of 

women was restricted. The wealthier families who could afford made 

private arrangement for the education of women. 

17. Muslims did not believe in subordinating education to the policies 

of Government. The educational institutes were independent of the state 

control. Rulers however recognised their resposnibilities in this connexion 

and the need of State support. Muslims considered it obligatory to pro- 

vide education as a religious act. Religious education was required to be 

included in the curriculum as an integral part of Islamic cultural tradition. 

Muslim landlords used to entertain teachers at their own cost for the 

benefit of the poor children of the neighbourhood and it was rare to find 

an opulent person in the village who did not pay for a teacher. But this 

class was dwindling even in 1841 when Adam reported on education in 

Bengal. 

18. "Hindus however followed a different tradition. While the 

curriculum in the higher seminaries of learning was largely influenced 

by religion, the elementary schools were singularly free from any direct 

religious teaching.'% 

19. In Bengal, the Baptist Mission founded the Serampur College 

with the object of instructing both Christian and non-Christian youths in 

western learning. It was the first Missionary College in India. In 1830, 

Alexander Duff started Duff College which later became Scottish Churches 

College. 

20. The system of education introduced by the British overlooked 

some of the powerful instincts which guided Muslims in the matter of 

education. In Bengal education was conducted through the medium of 

sanskritised Bengali by means of Hindu teachers whom Muslims hated.


The nlral schools rarely taught Arabic and Persian a knowledge of which 

was necessary for a Muslim to hold a respectable position in life and for 

the performance of his religious duties. They made no provision for 

religious education. 

21. Dr. Mullick observes "Wherever the vernacular of the country 

was Urdu, or where the Muslims used the common dialect of the locality, 

they occupied their proper position in the primary and secondary schools 

run or aided by the State, but where they spoke a language different from 

the majority of the population, no arrangement had been made to meet 

the situation. These obstacles grew greater as the higher standards of 

education were reached; consequently it was in the high schools, colleges 

and universities that the backwardness of the Muslims was most conspicu- 

cous." In East Bengal the dialect of the Muslims was much removed from 

the language of Bengali books. It was particularly so in the district of 

Chittagong and Sylhet. 

According to Dr. Mulllck "In 1885-86 it was only in private schools 

that the percentage of Muslims pupils (21'7) exceeded the proportion of 

Muslim population. In the higher grades the percentage declined being 

13'5, 5'1 and 4'1 respectively in Secondary Schools, professional and 

Arts Colleges." The analysis of statistics about Muslim education 

during the five years 1897-1902 shows that the progress was not satisfactory. 

The increase in number of pupils under public instruction was only 1400 

against 86,000 during the previous five years. The percentage of pupils 

to children of school going age virtually remained stationary during the 

decade 1892 to 1902 . It was 8.5 % in 1892 and 8,5 % in 1902. 

22. But the Muslims themselves were also to blame for negligence in 

taking advantage of opportunities of English education provided by the 

Calcutta Madrassah. In 1855 Colingah branch school of Calcutta 

Madrassah situated in a predominantly Muslim locality was found to 

contain 125 Hindu pupils and only 14 Muslims. The poverty of the 

Muslims had no doubt something to do with this. But the real cause 

must be the apathy of the Muslims towards English education. In 1867, 

on the representation of the Muslims the Anglo-Persian Department of 

Calcutta Madrassah was raised to the status of a second grade college but 

only 6 students joined the college when classes were opened. The number 

fell to 4 next year. In the following year, it fell to 3 all of whom left dur- 

ing the session. Government therefore cannot be blamed if they closed


down the Intermediate College classes in Calcutta Madrassah. In order 

to improve the administration of the Madrassah it became necessary to have 

resident English Professor within its compound. But the English Profes- 

sor had to be smuggled into the Madrassah compound at night to prevent 

uproar by the students against the entry of an Englishmen within the 

sacred precincts of the Madrassah. 

When the Calcutta University was started Muslims did not come 

forward in sufficient numbers to join it. The first B.A. Examination of the 

Calcutta University was held in 1858 when two students passed. The 

first Muslim Graduate came out in 1861. The next Muslim passed B.A. 

in 1865. Upto 1870 only 12 Muslims had passed the B.A. Examination 

of the Calcutta University out of nearly 250 who graduated during the 

period. 

23. The educational backwardness of the Muslims attracted the 

attention of Lord Mayo who issued his famous resolution of 7th August 

1871. This resolution is an important document in the history of Muslim 

education in India. This was the first occasion when Government of 

India took steps for encouragement of education amongst Muslims. 

24. The resolution of the Government said 9 "The condition of the 

Mohammedan population of India as regards education has of late been 

frequently pressed upon the attention of the Government of India. From 

statistics recently submitted to Governor General in Council it is evident 

that in no part of the country except perhaps the N.W.F.P. and the Panjab 

do the Mohammedans adequately or in proportion to the rest of the commu- 

nity avail themselves of the educational advantages that the Government 

offers. It is much to be regretted that so large and important a class, 

possessing a classical literature replete with works of profound learning 

and great value and counting among its members a section specially de- 

voted to the acquisition and diffusion of knowledge, should stand aloof 

from active co-operation with our educational system and should lose the 

advantages both material and social which others enjoy. His Excellency 

in Council believes that Secondary and Higher education conveyed in the 

Vernacular and rendered more accessible than now, coupled with a more 

systematic encouragement and recognition of Arabic and Persian literature, 

would not only be acceptable to the Mohammedan community but could 

enlist the sympathies of the more earnest and enlightened of its members 

on the side'of education.

SYED MURTAZA ALI 

"The Governor General in Council is desirous that further en- 

couragement should be given to the classical and vernacular languages 

of Mohammedan in all Government Schools and Colleges. In avowedly 

English Schools, established in Mohammedan districts, the appointment 

of qualified Mohammedan English teachers might with advantage, be 

encouraged. As in the Vernacular Schools, so in this class also, assis- 

tance might justly be given to Mohammedans by grants in aid to create 

Schools of their own. Greater encouragement should also be given 

to the creation of a vernacular literature for the Mohammedans - a 

measure the importance of which was specially urged upon the Government 

of India by H.M's Secretary of State on more than one occasion." 

24. Action on these lines were taken in the Province. In Bengal the 

Muslims have a grievance that the Mohsin Trust was applied to the main- 

tenance of an English College as the intention of the donor was to encour- 

age Persian and Arabic learning. To do away with these grievances 

Government decided to found 3 new madrassahs and provide fund for 

scholarships and payment of the fee of Mussalman students in English 

Colleges and Schools. The three Madrassahs were started at Dacca, 

Chittagong and Rajshahi. Each was placed under an Atabic Scholar of 

repute. The Superintendent of Dacca Madrassah was MoulZnii' Obaid- 

ullah A1 Obeidi Bahrul 'UInm (grandfather of late Mr. H.S. Suhrawardy), 

an enlightened scholar and friend of Sir Syed. It was intended that in each 

of these the full course of Calcutta Madrassah should in time be taught. 

English was to be added to the course wherever the pupil showed a desire 

to learn that language. At Dacca a teacher of English was at once appoin- 

ted. To the payment of the scholarships tenable by Mussalmans in Mad- 

rassahs or in English Colleges and Schools there was allotted the sum of 

Rs. 9,000/- while 18,0001- went to payment of 2/3rd of the fees of Moham- 

medan pupils in Government Colleges and Schools outside Calcutta and 

also to the payment of the Moulvis in some schools. Moreover Govern- 

ment also incorporated hundreds of Maktabs in the primary system. 

26. The Indian Education Commission of 1882-83 (Hunter Commi- 

ssion) made the following recommendations (1) The special encouragement 

of Mohammedan education be regarded as a legitimate charge on local and 

provincial funds. (2) The indigenous Mohammedan Schools be liberally 

encouraged to add secular subjects to their course of instruction. (3) 

Special standards for Mohammedan Primary Schools be prescribed. (4) A 

graduated system of special scholarship for Mohammedans be established.


(5) That Mohammedan inspecting officers be employed more largely for 

inspecting primary schools. Lord Mayo requested Sir William Hunter 

to examine the question "Are Indian Mussalmans bound by their religion 

to rebel against the Queen". The result of the enquiry was "Indian Mussal- 

mans." Hunter forcibly pointed out that the English system of secular 

education had failed to attract the Muslims. He attributed the indifference 

of Muslims towards English education to (1) the absence of religious 

education, (2) want of provision for teaching Arabic and Persian and 

(3) absence of Muslims teachers. His diagnosis seems to have been quite 

correct. 

27. The Government of Bengal admitted in 1872 that "Muslims had 

not been very fairly treated in the matter of manning the Government's 

educational machinery. Not a single employee of the Inspecting agency 

was a Muslim. There were scarcely any Muslim amongst the teachers 

of the Government Schools". 

About this time Government's attention was drawn by Nawab 

'Abdul Laiif as to the misuse of the Mohsin fund. The proceeds of the 

endowment were being utilised for running Hooghly College. In 1850 

out of 409 pupils in the College Department of this College only 5 were 

Muslims. It thus appears that Hindu community were getting the lion's 

share out of a pious endowment specially created for the benefit of the 

Muslims. 

28. Muslims had almost a monopoly in the legal profession till 

Persian was replaced as a language of the Courts. According to Hunter 

there were 6 Muslims against seven Hindu Lawyers in 1838. Muslims 

held their own till 1851. Between 1852 and 1668 out of 240 pleaders 

enrolled only one was Muslim. One of the objects of the Calcutta Mad- 

rassah was to encourage the study of Mohammedan Law. But when with 

the change of the court language the Calcutta Madrassah became a useless 

institution no arrangement for teaching law through the medium of English 

was made in it. Instead appointment of a Professor of Law at Hindu 

College was sanctioned in 1842 and the first course of lectures was delivered 

by the Advocate General himself. It appears from the calendar of the 

Calcutta University upto 1868 only one Mussalman had passed the B.L. 

Examination of the Calcutta University. 

29. Facilities for English Education were at first provided in urban 

areas like Calcutta, Hoogly and Dacca. The Muslim gentry were concen-


trated in old cities like Murshidabad and Dacca. Calcutta which had 

become a city after British occupation did not have sufficient number of 

Muslim upper classes. The Hindu trader classes had flocked to Calcutta 

and derived considerable benefit from the commercial and revenue policy 

of the British. They had discarded their classics like Sanskrit and learnt 

Persian during Muslim rule. They now switched over to English and 

began to flock to English Schools with avidity. Ram Mohan Roy and 

other leading H.indus carried on an agitation against oriental learning 

and wanted English education to be spread everywhere. 

The Calcutta University neglected the education of Muslims from 

the start. The University discarded the recommendation of Education 

despatch of 1854 to offer facilities of amation to Calcutta, Hooghly and 

other Madrassahs. 

There were some well-to-do Muslims who were resident in Hooghly 

and its neighbourhood. They took advantage of the English education. 

The first Muslim graduate of India, Khan Bahadur Delwar Hussain Ahmed, 

was a resident of Hooghly. Syed Ameer 'Ali, the first Bengali Muslim to 

pass M.A., also came from Hooghly. 

30. There were a large number of Muslim gentry in Dacca. Muslims 

were in the majority in the city of Dacca all throughout the British period. 

Unfortunately the Muslim gentry of Dacca did not take kindly to English 

education. Though Dacca College was amated to Calcutta University 

from its start no Muslim from Dacca city graduated before 1886. The 

Muslim gentry seems to have flocked round the old Nawab family of Dacca. 

The last Nawab of Dacca was holding court till forties of the last century. 

Thereafter the Khwaja family came to the forefront. Though Nawab 

'Abdul Gani had started the Gani School, it did not thrive. 

31. The first English Schools were started by Missionaries. For 

two reasons the missionaries concentrated near about Calcutta. They 

chose Presidence Division as their field of operation as it was near their 

seat of power. Secondly they knew their primary object of conversion 

would be more successful amongst the Hindus than amongst the Muslims. 

On account of the caste system the lower classes amongst the Hindus were 

under great hardship. They readily accepted Christianity to improve 

their social and economic conditions. The English Schools were mostly 

started in such urban areas where there were few Muslims. The best 

institution for imparting English education before the foundation of


Calcutta University was the Hindu College. It got lavish patronage from 

the Government. Its doors were however closed to Muslims. Hence 

Muslims got no opportunity for higher education till Presidency College 

A was started in 1854. 

L 

32. Another important point was that education in the early stages 

had to be imparted through vernacular. Through the efforts of missionaries 

like Carey, Marshman on one hand and the pandits of the Fort William 

College on the other, the whole character of the Bengali language was 

changed. It was denuded of all words of Arabic and Persian origin. 

These were replaced by words borrowed from Sanskrit having Hindu 

ideology and mythology. The Bengali language thus developed was unintelligible 

and repugnant to the Muslims. In United Province and Oudh 

where education was through Urdu Muslims promptly took advantage of 

the English education. Unfortunately Bengali Muslims were divided as to 

whether they should declare Bengali or Urdu as their varnacular. The 

upper class Muslims like Nawab 'Abdul Latif, Syed Ameer 'Mi, Nawab 

Salimullah had Urdu as their mother tongue. The rural masses did not 

understand Urdu. Their needs were overlooked. Nawab 'Abdul Latif 

drew attention to the fact that many of the Bengali text books were repugnant 

to Muslims. In his speech delivered at the thirteenth Session of 

Mohammadan Educational conference at Calc~~tta under the presidency 

of Syed Ameer 'Ali, Nawab 'Ali Choudhury also forcefully drew attention 

to this fact. Farsighted Rev Adams had recommended in 1835 preparation 

of special text books to suit the Muslim taste. It had not been heeded 

till the end of 19th century. Towards the end of 19th century passages or 

books objected to by Muslims were replaced and passages from Muslim 

authors were included. Muslims then took to English education without 

any hesitation. The absence of instruction in the tenets of their own 

faith and the injurious effects of English education in creating a disbelief 

in their religion, the economic condition of Muslim peasantry in Bengal 

were the main reasons for the backwardness of Muslim in English education. 

33. The other factor was the decline of the artisan classes on account 

of replacement of handloom cloth by factory products. It is only when 

jute growing became profitable towards the end of 19th century that 

Muslims peasants in Bengal had sufficient money to educate their children. 

Statistics regarding progress of Education. 

34. In 1870-71 Muslims who were 32'3% of total population were


4'0 in colleges and 14'0 in Primary Schooos for boys. In 1874 Muslims 

were 4% in Colleges and 19'5% in Schools. In 1876-86 they were 4'3 

in Colleges and 18 % in Schools. In 1881-82 they were 3.8 and 24.5% 

respectively. According to statistics published by Government the per- 

centage of Muslim students in Schools had increased to 23'8 in 1881-82 

from 14.4 in 1871. The same sources reveal that the percentage of Mus- 

lims in Colleges during the same period had declined from 4'04 to 3'8%. 

No explanation for this phenomenal growth in School going children 

amongst Muslims is forthcoming. Presumably inflatedfigures were shown 

by including fictitious figures for student population of Qur'Xn schools 

or Maktabs which taught nothing but Arabic spelling and recitation of the 

verses of the Qur'Bn. The inclusion of Statistics of students in these 

institutions makes the figures of Muslim pupils under education fictitious. 

In 1886-87 Muslims formed 4'3 % in Arts College and 12.1 % in Secondary 

Schools. In 1886-87 2409 passed Entrance under Calcutta University of 

which 133 were Muslim, 369 passed B.A. of which 14 were Muslims. In 

1891-92 out of 171 2 who passed Entrance 85 were Muslims and out of 275 

graduates 14 were Muslims. They were 5'7 in Arts Colleges and 13'5% 

in Secondary Schools in 1891-92. 

Between 1858 and 1893, of 4981 graduates of Calcutta University 

only 203 were Muslims. During the same period out of 2,588 law gradua- 

tes, only 76 were Muslims. In Secondary Schools Muslims were 8.70% 

in 1882, 12'1 % in 1887 and 13'5 % in 1892. 

Tn colleges in 1896-97 Muslims formed 5'6% and in 1901-02 only 

6%. In Primary Schools their percentages were 28'4 and 28'0 respectively. 

In High Schools, they were 1 1'3 % and 12'01 %. The partition of Bengal 

had a marked effect in accelerating the pace of education of the Muslims. 

Sir Bamfylde Fuller, the Lieutenant Governor took a keen personal in- 

terest in the education of the Muslims. According to Dr. Mullick "In 

the field of education this progress was quite marked. Whereas the 

total increase in the number of pupils of all communities in 1906-07 was 

3 %, the pupils of the Muslim community registered an increases of 6'8 %. 

The number of Muslim pupils at different stages increased from 4,25,084 

in 1906-07 to 5,75,667 in 191 1-12 and their proportion to total number 

from 52 to 53'8 %. The rate of increase during the five years was as high 

as 35'1 P!. The increase in the number was much more marked in Govern- 

ment than in private institutions and over 9 % of Muslims under instruction 

were attending Schools of the former class."lo


In 1915 out of 14,746 College students 1,154 were Muslims. In 

Calcutta Medical College out of 81 1 there were 11 Muslims. In Sibpur 

Engineering College out of 320 students only 7 were Muslims. 

In 1913-14, Muslims were 7'8 % in colleges, in 1916-17 8'8 and 1921- 

22, 12'8. In Primary Schools, they were 43'1 %, 46'9% and 48,5% res- 

pectively. 

In 1916 though Muslims formed 52 of the population, they were 

42% in Schools. In Primary Schools they were 55'4% ,in middle 25'0% 

and in High School stage 14'7 %. 

In Bengal the efforts to convert Maktab into useful primary schools 

began in 1904. The first step was the creation of model maktab under 

Government control. Grants were made to Maktabs which adopted 

the Primary Course. The number of such maktabs rose to 6,048 with 

293,802 pupils in 1916- 17. 

In 1921 Muslims were 54% in Bengal and the percentage of Mus- 

lim Scholars was 46'6 %. 

In 1926-27, they were 14'3 in colleges and in 1931-32, 13'7%. In 

the Primary stage they were 50'5 and 53'6% respectively. 

In 1936-37 Muslims formed 54'9:d of population of Bengal and 

51'7% of students. 

During British regime Muslims who made the greatest progress 

in education were in U.P. and Punjab. The advantage in U.P. ws that 

education was through the medium of Urdu. In that Province Muslims 

lived in urban areas. They were well off. The Punjab University had 

established Faculties of Oriental learning and recognised the Arabic 

Madrassahs. The oriental students on their passing certain required exa- 

minations were permitted to sit for examination in the English papers of 

the Entrance, Intermediate and B.A Examinations and on their obtaining 

pass marks in English, were declared to have passed the University exa- 

minations. Thus without attending lectures in colleges and without 

passing examinations in any subject other than English the students in 

Faculty of Oriental Learning in the Punjab obtain Matriculate and I.A. 

Certificates and even the B.A. Degree. Hence the Muslims suffered no 

disadvantage and during the first ten years from 1882 Punjab University 

produced many Muslim Graduates.


35. Nawab 'Abdul Latif and Syed Ameer 'Ali took lead in the educa- 

tion of Muslims. They both pressed for Urdu and did not cultivate Ben- 

gali. In the Muslim Literary Society of Nawab 'Abdul Latif speeches were 

delivered in English, Urdu and Persian. Nobody however spoke in Ban- 

gali. Titus Oates has calculated that at the beginning of the 20th century 

there were 2 corores and 22 lacs Bengali speaking Muslims as against 18 

lacs Urdu speaking Muslims in Bengal. 

Yet the Muslim Assistant Inspector of School in 1889 reported that 

a large number of Mussalmans even of the lower classes preferred Urdu 

to Bengali as medium of instruction for their children. This happened 

chiefly because the Muslims in rural areas were suffering from inferio- 

rity complex. Though most of them were converts from Hindus and Bud- 

dhists and spoke the same languate as their Hindu neighbours they claimed 

to be descendants of Turks, Afghans and Persians who had come as 

conquerors and wanted to improve their social status by learning Urdu 

and Persian. Another reason why they wanted to avoid learning Bengali 

in schools was the highly sanskritised Bengali full of Hindu mythology 

which was in vogue at that time. The text books contained many mis- 

representations and libellous attacks on the Muslims. 

36. Hunter Commissions's recommendations. 

Hunter Commission in 1882 recommended that Mohammedan 

inspecting officers be employed more largely. As a result in 1889 two 

Muslim Assistant Inspector of Schools were appointed 1 I. But these 

posts were abolished in 1901. This caused some set-back in primary 

education. 

The paucity of Muslim officers in education department in the 

end of the last century will appear from the following statistics. In 1893 

out of 44 Deputy Inspectors of Schools in Bengal Presidency only two 

were Muslims, out of 181 Sub-Inspectors only 9 were Muslims and out 

of 279 teachers in Government High Schools only 11 were Muslims. 

Moulvi 'Abdul Karim pointed out 12 "The presence of even one Moham- 

medan teacher in a school inspires confidence among the local Mussal- 

mans, many of whom do not hesitate to send their children to the school 

in the hope that their morals and manners, to which Mussalmans attach 

great importance, will be properly looked after." 

37. Mr. Taylor was appointed Assistant Director of Public Instruction 

for Muslim Education in 1909. Government soon realised the mistake


they had committed by abolishing without sufficient thought the posts of 

Assistant Inspectors for Muslim Education in 1901. In 1914 they created 

the posts of five Assistant Inspectors for Muslim Education - one for 

each Division of the Presidency of Bengal. 

Muslims and Calcutta University 

38. Calcutta University never countenanced the idea of linking Madrassah 

education with University. In the beginning the Madrassahs were 

not aiated to University inspite of Woods despatch. NO provision 

for teaching Arabic and Persian was made till 1871 when Lord Mayo 

drew the attention of Government to it. Sanskrit College was affiliated 

to Calcutta University and a student passed M.A. in Sanskrit in 1865 

when M.A. Examination was started. The first Muslims to pass in M.A. 

in Persian from Bengal were (Nawab) Shamsul Huda and ZShid Suhrwardy 

who passed in 1889. It was in 1871 that Government of India directed 

that encouragement should be given to classical languages of the Muslims. 

In 1921 Shamsul Huda Committee recommended that the Calcutta Uni- 

versity should permit Madrassah students to appear in English papers 

in Matric, I.A. and B.A. Examinations. Unfortunately these recommenda- 

tions were never given effect to. 

39. While presiding over Bengal Provincial Muslim League in 1920, 

Mr. 'Abdul Karim (Later Member of Council of State) said "The interests 

of Mussalman in the Calcutta University had grievously suffered for want 

of adequate and effective representation, there being only 7 Mussalmans 

out of 110 Fellows, not one of them being a member of the Syndicate. 

Since the introduction of elective system in Calcutta University not 

a single Muhammedan has ever been returned, although competent candidates 

were in the field. As a result of the dominating influence of one 

particular community there was not a single Muhammedan out of 70 

lecturers in the Law College, not a single Mohammedan (2 on Persian and 

Arabic excepted) out of a !arge number of University lecturers and only 

9 Mohammedan out of 851 Examiners (the examiners in ~rabic, Persian 

and Urdu excepted) for the University examinations held during the 

previous year." 

40. According to Momin Committee "The Calcutta University 

practically passed on by default of the Musalmans to the other commu- 

nity who naturally developed it into a Hindu temple of learning whose 

influence filtered through the several stages of instruction down to the 

primary schools".l3


Reformed Madrassah Scheme 

Had the Calcutta University done in 1857 what Punjab University 

did in 1882 the history of Muslim education in Bengal would have been 

different. This mistake was corrected in 1914 when the Reformed Mad- 

rassah Scheme was promulgated. 

41. According to Dr. Saghir Hasan14 "Reformed Madrassah Scheme 

played the most important role in promoting Arabic and Islamic studies in 

~en~al.' The main object of the scheme was to combine Western Education 

with Arabic learining and to bring about a synthesis of the old Madrassah 

system of education and that of modem universities. Schamsul 

Ulema Abti NZsir Waheed was the originator of the scheme. Prominent 

Muslim leaders of ~en~al like Nawab 'Ali Choudhury, Nawab Ser'ijul 

Islam and the renowned Muslim historian and Arabic scholar Shibli 

N'um'ini of Nadwatul 'UlarnZ' were among the members of the Committee 

formed by Government of Bengal to draw up a comprehensive scheme for 

the reform of the Madrassahs. It (Reformed Madrassah Scheme) turned 

open the door of the University to Madrassah students with the result 

that in East Pakistan the gulf between the western educated and the 

Madrassah educated is not as wide as in the other parts of the subcontinent 

and in contrast with the strange practice of keeping Islamic and 

Arabic studies apart which is prevalent in the Universities of West Pakistan 

and is detrimental to both the disciplines, the University of Dacca 

has kept them correlated and makes it compulsory for a student of Islamic 

studies to be a scholar of Arabic as well". 

Notes: 

1. Madrasahs & Muslim Education - M. Fazlur Rab. M.A. 1941. P. 28. 

2. Report of Madrmsah Education Committee, 1941. P. 149. 

3. British Policy and Mus1k.s of Bengal. P. 201, A.R., Mallick 1961. 

4. Moslem Education Advisory Committee 1934, P. 7. 

5. British Policy & the Muslims of Bengal P. 183. 

6. British Policy & the Muslims of Bengal P. 178. 

7. Journal of Pakistan Historical Society, 1966. 

8. Edrrcation in Modern India by Amth Nath Basu. P. 6. 

9. Moslem &cat- Advisory Committee, 1934, P. 7.

10. Journal of Pakistan Historical Society - April 1965. 


11. Mvi. Abdul Karim, B.A. of Sylhet (1863-1943) was one of them. He took lead in 

promoting Muslim Education in Bengal. 

12. Mohammedan Education in Bengal, 1900. 

13. Muslim Educatioml Advisory Committee 1934. P. 7. 

14. Islamic Studies June 1967.

MUSLIM EDUCATION IN BENGAL 1837-1937

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