Cuttack City : Promotion of Education in Orissa in the Pre-Independence Era

Orissa Review * February-March - 2007 Cuttack City : Promotion of Education in Orissa in the Pre-Independence Era Dinabandhu Dehury Kataka, being the capital city of ancient Utkala, According to Madala-Panji, Raja Nrupa has been the nerve-centre of Orissan history, Keshari, a martial and ambitious prince, who politics and culture since 989 A.D. witnessing was always fighting with his neighbours, is said to the rule of the Somavamsis, the Gangas, the have first planted the city on site of the modern Gajapatis, the Afghans, the Mughals, the Cuttack about 989 A.D. Marathas, the British and finally the elected The city was in the past connected with the democratic Government of Independent Orissa. important centres of the country by Rajapathas During the long span of one thousand years, the and by the water ways leading to the Bay of city imbibed the quintessence of cultural waves Bengal and in the modern period by the railway from eastern, northern, central and southern India and thus mingled in her cultural waves from lines and motor communication. eastern, northern, central and Southern India Like other important capital towns of and thus adapted in her cultural matrix all the medieval India, its Court was embellished with heterogenous elements. Under the successive rule the illustrious poets, musicians, kinsmen, courtiers, of the medieval dynasties, the boundaries of commanders, sports men and other dignitaries. Orissa extended from the river Ganga in the north Cuttack was then well protected having been to the river Godavari in the South. There after circumscribed by rivers in three sides which the State saw the sudden decline for internecine provided natural defence. struggle during the rule of an unworthy dynasty Orissa came under the British rule in 1803. named the Bhoi, and next, the inevitable downfall due to external invasions, followed by After the advent of British rulers, Zamindars, the rulers of the Afghans, the Marathas and Paikas and some tribal people started their finally the British, who reduced the one time movements against the foreigners. Most of the far-flung Orissa to three coastal districts of people could not welcome the Britishers. British Balasore, Cuttack and Puri. Situated at the apex people very bravely and cleverly won the of deltaic land formed by the bifurcation of the resistance. They had to develop it in different Mahanadi and its main branch, the Kathajori, directions. Obviously the progress of education Cuttack has witnessed the vicissitude of its rules. in the Cuttack city received maximum attention. It long acted as Military stronghold as well as The Primary Schools in the Cuttack city met the the Capital of Orissa. needs of the pupils. The Secondary Schools in 48 Orissa Review * February -March- 2007 the Cuttack city served the educational decided to open more English Schools in some requirements of the Cuttack City and the rest of other district headquarters including at Cuttack, the Cuttack district as well. The Colleges, training the headquarters of the State. Schools and technical institutions in Cuttack Primary Education City were intended to cater to the needs of the whole of Orissa. Primary Education constitutes the foundation on which the entire super structure Upto 1866 there was almost total absence of education is built. Education at this stage of attempt on the part of the Government to possesses two-fold problem in this state, on the provide the people with the means of modern satisfactory solution of which depends to a very education. In 1841 Government opened a large extent the development of the community. higher English School at Cuttack. Through a The aspect of the problem is to evolve a suitable good deal of hardship it survived as the Principal system of education which may help to awaken seat of education in the province. In the terrible the dormant faculties of the child and the other to famine of 1866 it was well-known, how the provide this education to every child of the want of educated persons aggravated the school-going age. Primary education is provided sufferings of the people of Orissa. By the year in Primary Schools and Junior Basic Schools.2 1905, the National Movement for Freedom and Utkal Union Movement for the unification of the The lack of well-trained teachers was Oriya - speaking areas were launched. Under keenly felt in the endeavour to develop Primary the impact of these two movements, the progress education. A training School at Cuttack was of education in Orissa received a great impetus. opened in 1863. In 1864 there were 23 students under training on the completion of the During the Governor Generalship of Lord study they were appointed elementary village William Bentik (1828-1835), English education Schools. in India received a great impulse. The long controversy between the orientalists and In 1867 the Cuttack Training School Anglicists was settled at last in 1835. William was thoroughly reorganized in accordance with Bentik decided in favour of English as a medium the scheme of Bhudeb Mukherjee. Henceforth, of instruction. It was the aim of the Britishers this was called First Grade Training School. that people getting the education through English The School was placed under a Superintendent. would get the service in the British administration. The School had mainly two department, one for English being the international language and training Pandits, and the other for training gurus. the link language of Indian States was introduced In the Pandit training department, teachers were as the medium of instructions.1 undergoing training for one year only, while in the The British Government felt the necessity guru training department, there was a three years' 3 of establishing English Schools. An English course. It proved to be a very useful institution. School and a Sanskrit School were opened at In order to meet the want of certificated Puri on experimental basis to attract people. gurus, a Central training class for training of People showed their interest in such education. the Gurus of upper Primary Schools was added An English School at Puri was not adequate to to First Grade Training Schools at Cuttack in serve the purpose. Therefore, the Government 1891. Two classes were opened in it for the 49 Orissa Review * February-March - 2007 training of English teachers for Secondary English during four years study from Class IV Schools in 1896. Henceforth, First Grade to Class VII. There was growing demand from Training School at Cuttack was also known as parents and pupils themselves for increased Secondary Training School, Cuttack.4 facilities for English education. So, the middle In order to popularize primary education, English Schools were popular and demands efforts were made in the direction of introducing were frequently made for the conversion of a simpler curriculum. In order to improve the middle vernacular Schools into middle English quality of teaching, the salary of primary Schools. The number of Middle English School teachers was enhanced from time to time. in Cuttack city was 6 in 1900 and 10 in 1947. In order to improve the efficiency of middle It was realized by 1921 that a large English Schools and also incidentally of High number of pupils in the Primary classes never Schools, it was decided to extend to middle got beyond the lowest class and were withdrawn English Schools, with effect from the year 1927- before they had learnt even to read and write. 28, the scheme for a Public Middle Examination This resulted in a wastage of money and effort, for a School Certificate. and led to stagnation in the development of Primary education. Several steps taken to It had always been the policy of overcome it were too inadequate to serve any Government to aid private enterprise in providing useful purpose. high Schools. But it provided and maintained one high School in each of the district The Muhammedan pupils not only headquarters to serve as models to other attended ordinary Primary Schools but also Schools. By 1900 there was one Government Special Schools known as Maktabs or Primary High School in the Cuttack town known as Urdu Schools intended for them. The number of Cuttack Zilla School, one aided high School at Urdu Primary Schools or Maktabs in the Cuttack known as Mission School, run by the Cuttack City was 40 in 1947. These were all Missionary and a Private School known as aided by the Government. The Primary Schools Cuttack Academy.6 By 1947 the number of having Urdu Section numbered 7 in 1947. There was one elementary training School for aided high Schools in the Cuttack town rose to Muhammadans maintained by the Government six. But Cuttack Zilla School, subsequently at Cuttack.5 known as Cuttack Collegiate School continued to be the only Government High School till the Secondary Education end of the British rule. Secondary education was imparted by From 1896, the First Grade Training the Middle Schools and High Schools. For the School at Cuttack was the only institution in promotion of Secondary education, the Orissa which provided facilities for the training Government relied mainly on Private enterprise of the teachers of the Post-Primary Schools assisted by Grant-in-aid and subject to certain i.e. Middle English Schools. For the training of control. the Masters for purely high Schools of education Middle Vernacular Schools taught there was not any special provision at all for a vernacular course. Middle English Schools taught long time.7 In 1923 the Cuttack Training College the same vernacular course and in addition, was started. It provided a course of training 50 Orissa Review * February -March- 2007 for graduates intending to work as teachers in would be able to complete the entire course the High Schools and Sub Inspectors of necessary for attaining the B.A.

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