Vol. 12 · pages 121–125

100 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES “Pharagraph 19.—Poverty of Brahmins .—The above analysis, though it may appear lengthy, is nevertheless, indispensible, for certain important conclusions deducible from it. First, it demonstrates that the influencial class, whom the Government are able to avail themselves of in diffusing the seeds of education, are the Brahmins and other high castes Brahmins proxmi. But the Brahmins and these high castes are, for the most part, wretchedly poor: and in many parts of India, the term Brahmin is synonymous with “beggar.” “Paragraph 20.—Wealthy classes will not at present support superior education.—We may see, then, how hopeless it is to enforce what your Lordship in council so strongly enjoined upon us in your letter of the 24th April 1850—what appears, prima facie, so plausible and proper in itself—what in fact, the Board themselves have very often attempted, viz, the strict limitation of superior education “to the wealthy, who can afford to pay for it, and to youths of unusual intelligence.” The invariable answer the Board has received, when attempting to enforce a view like this, has been, that the wealthy are wholly indifferent to superior education and that no means for ascertaining unusual intelligence amongst the poor exist, until their faculties have been tested and developed by school training. A small section, from among the wealthier classes, is no doubt displaying itself, by whom the advantages of superior education are recognized, it appears larger in Bengal, where education has been longer fostered by Government, than in Bombay, and we think it inevitable that such class must increase, with the experience that superior attainments lead to distinction, and to close intercourse with Europeans on the footing of social equality ; but as a general proposition at the present moment, we are satisfied that the academical instruction in the arts and sciences of Europe cannot be based on the contributions, either of students or of funds, from the opulent classes of India. “Paragraph 21.—Question as to educating low castes .— The practical conclusion to be drawn from these facts which years of experience have forced upon our notice, is that a very wide door should be opened to the children of the poor higher castes, who are willing to receive education at our hands. But here, again, another embarassing question arises, which it is right to notice: If the children of the poor are admitted freely to Government Institutions, what is there to prevent all the despised castes—the Dheds, Mahars etc., from flocking in numbers to their walls ? “Paragraph 22.—Social Prejudice of the Hindus .—There is a little doubt, that if a class of these latter were to be formed in Bombay, they might be trained, under the guiding influence of such Professors and masters as are in the service of the Board, into men of superior intelligence to any in the community; and with such qualifications, as they would then possess, there would be nothing to prevent their aspiring to the highest offices open to Native talent—to Judgeship the Grand Jury, Her

101THE UNTOUCHABLES AND THE PAX BRITANNICA Majesty’s Commission of the Peace. Many benevolent men think, it is the height of illiberality and weakness in the British Government, to succumb to the prejudices, which such appointments would excite into disgust amongst the Hindu community, and that an open attack should be made upon the barriers of caste. “Paragraph 23.—Wise observations of the Hon. Mount Stuart Elphinstone cited.— But here the wise reflections of Mr. Elphinstone, the most liberal and large minded administrator, who has appeared on this side of India, point out the true rule of action. “It is observed” he says, “that the missionaries find the lowest castes the best pupils; but we must be careful how we offer any special encouragement to men of that description ; they are not only the most despised, but among the least numerous of the great divisions of society, and it is to be feared that if our system of education first took root among them it would never spread further, and we might find ourselves at the head of a new class, superior to the rest in useful knowledge, but hated and despised by the castes to whom these new attainment would be desirable, if we were contented to rest our power on our army or on the attachment of a part of the population but is inconsistent with every attempt to found it on a more extended basis.” 5. It is, therefore obvious, that if no schools were opened for Depressed classes before 1855 in the Bombay Presidency, it was because the deliberate policy of the British Government was to restrict the benefits of education to the poor higher castes, chiefly the Brahmins. Whether this policy was right or wrong is another matter. The fact, however, is that during this period the Depressed classes were not allowed by Government to share in the blessings of education. II.—From 1854 to 1882 6. In their Despatch No. 49 of 19th July 1854, the Court of Directors observed :— “Our attention should now be directed to a consideration, if possible, still more important, and one which has hitherto, we are bound to admit, too much neglected, namely, how useful and practical, knowledge suited to every station in 1ife, may be best conveyed to the great mass of the people who are utterly incapable of obtaining any education worthy of the name by their own efforts ; and we desire to see the active measures of Government more especially directed, for the future, to this object, for the attainment of which, we are ready to sanction a considerable increase of expenditure.”

102 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES This despatch is very rightly regarded as having laid the foundation of mass education in this country. The results of this policy were first examined by the Hunter Commission on Indian Education in 1882. The following figures show what was achieved during the period of 28 years. PRIMARY EDUCATION 1881-82 No. of scholars Per cent on at School total Christians .. .. .. 1,521 .49 Brahmins .. .. .. 63,071 20.17 Other Hindus .. .. .. 202,345 64.69 Mohammedans .. .. .. 39,231 12.54 Parsis .. .. .. 3,517 1.12 Aborginal and Hill Tribes .. .. 2,713 .87 Low caste Hindus .. .. .. 2,862 .87 Jews and others .. .. .. 373 .12 SECONDARY EDUCATION 1881-82 Middle Schools High Schools No. of scholars at schools P. C. on total No. of scholars No. of scholars at schools P. C. on total No. of scholars Christians .. 1,429 12.06 111 2.26 Brahmins .. 3,639 30.70 1,978 40.29 Other Cultivators 624 5.26 140 2.85 Hindus Low Castes 17 .14 .. .. Other Castes 3,823 32.25 1,573 32.04 Mohammedans .. 687 5.80 100 2.04 Parsis .. 1,526 12.87 965 19.66 Aboriginal and Hill Tribes 6 .05 .. .. Others (including Jews etc.) 103 .87 92 .86

103THE UNTOUCHABLES AND THE PAX BRITANNICA COLLEGIATE EDUCATION 1881-82 No. of P. C. on total Scholars No. of Scholars Christians .. .. .. 14 3 Brahmins .. .. .. 241 50 Other Cultivators .. .. 5 1 Hindus Low Castes .. .. 0 0 Other Castes .. .. 103 21.3 Mohammedans .. .. .. 7 1.5 Parsis .. .. .. 108 21.5 Aboriginal and Hill Tribes .. .. 0 0 Others (including Jews etc.) .. .. 2 0.4 7. What do these figures show ? They show that although mass education was the policy of the Government, the masses were as outside the pale of education as they were before the year 1854 and that the lowest and aboriginal classes of the Hindus still remained lowest in order of education; so much so, that in 1881-82, there was no student from that community either in the High Schools or in the Colleges of this Presidency. What can this failure to bring the Depressed Classes to the level of the rest in the matter of education be due to ? To answer this question, it is necessary again to go into the history of the educational policy of the Government of this Presidency. 8. The Despatch of the Court of Directors of the year 1954, for the first time recognised after a lapse of full 40 years that the duty of the State was to undertake the education of the great mass of the people. But there were still die-hards, who had great misgivings as to the wisdom of the principle laid down in that Despatch and who were agitating for a reversal of that policy. The fears of dire consequences to the British Rule arising from elevating the Backward Classes above their station in life, still haunted men like Lord Ellenborough, President of the Board of

104 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Control, who in a letter to the Chairman of the Court of Directors dated 28th of April 1858, did not hesitate to strike the following note of caution :— “Gentlemen:—Many letters have been lately before me, reviewing the state of education in different parts of India, under the instructions sent by the Court of Directors in 1854, and I confess, that they have not given me the impression that the expected good has been derived from the system which was then established, while all the increase of charge which might have been expected, appears to be in progress of realization. **** “Paragraph 11:—I believe, we rarely, if even induce parents above the lower class to send their children to our schools, and we should practically, if we succeeded in intending education as we desire, give a high degree of mental cultivation to the labouring class, while we left the more wealthy in ignorance. “Paragraph 12:—This result would not tend to create a healthy state of society. Our Government could not offer to the most educated of the lower class the means of gratifying the ambition we should excite. “Paragraph 13:—We should create a very discontented body of poor persons, having, through the superior education we had given to them, a great power over the mass of the people. “Paragraph 14 :—Education and civilization may descend from the higher to the inferior classes, and so communicated may impart new vigour to the community, but they will never ascend from the lower classes to those above them ; they can only, if imparted solely to the lower classes, lead to general convulsion, of which foreigners would be the first victims. “Paragraph 15:—If we desire to diffuse education, let us endeavour to give it to the higher classes first. “Paragraph 16:—These are but two ways of doing this— by founding colleges to which the higher classes alone should be admitted, and by giving in the reorganization of the army, commissions at once, to such sons of native gentlemen as may be competent to receive them.” 9. This antipathy of the European officers towards the untouchable classes was finally corrected by the Secretary of State for India in his despatch of 1859, which again reiterated the responsibility of Government for mass education. 10. Singular as it may appear, the recognition by the Government of its responsibility for mass education conferred upon the Depressed classes a benefit only in name. For, although, schools