The Hartog Committee report of 1929 had considerable influence on Indian education in the pre-independence era. Although this committee’s report discussed various aspects including primary education, secondary education, higher education, women’s education, and other educational aspects, it placed the most emphasis on reorganizing the country’s primary education.
The Hartog Committee report had two parts. The first part surveyed the overall progress of education, while the subsequent part made recommendations regarding primary education, secondary education, higher education, and various other aspects of education.
The committee’s report clearly showed that education in India had expanded at a relatively rapid rate from 1917-1927. Therefore, to ensure this educational expansion was not limited only to the upper classes but extended to people of all social classes, especially the underdeveloped and Muslim communities, the Hartog Committee 1929 report contained separate discussions about different levels of education.
Background of Hartog Committee 1929
- In 1919, the ‘Government of India Act‘ (Montagu Chelmsford Reforms) introduced the Dual Government System, or ‘Diarchy System’ for the proper administration of provincial affairs. Under this Dual Government System, provincial government subjects were divided into two parts. One portion fell under the executive council of the provincial governor, while the other portion was under the supervision of the responsible ministers of the country.
- Since the establishment of this Diarchy System, there has been a persistent conflict between the native ministers and the Government in various areas. After elected ministers received responsibility for the education department, the first difficulty they faced was a financial crisis. The finance department was under the governor’s council, which meant ministers could not spend money on education expansion as needed.
- Additionally, there was resistance from various minority communities in India at that time.
- The central government wanted to be free from all responsibilities by giving education responsibilities to the states. Along with education, there were endless conflicts in other administrative areas as well.
- On the other hand, the nationalist movement under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership had taken on a new dimension. There was intense political unrest across the country.
- When the ‘Government of India Act’ also known as ‘Montagu Chelmsford Reforms’ was enacted in 1919, it was decided that a Royal Commission would be established after ten years to investigate how effective these reforms were. However, due to nationwide political movements and protests, a commission was formed on November 26, 1927, before the completion of ten years. The main purpose of this commission was to examine how much change and progress had occurred in India’s social, political, and economic spheres through the activities of the Government of India Act 1919. This commission was led by Sir John Simon; hence it was called the ‘Simon Commission‘ also known as the ‘Indian Statutory Commission’. Simon Commission arrived in India on February 3, 1928 AD.
- After the commission assumed responsibility in India, it noticed that there was dissatisfaction among the people regarding the government education system, which was reflected in social and economic spheres. A sub-committee was therefore formed in 1928 under the chairmanship of Sir Philip Joseph Hartog, a member of the Simon Commission, to inquire into the progress of education in British India and submit a report. This sub-committee inquired into various aspects of education in India and submitted a report in 1929, which is known as the ‘Hartog Committee Report’ in the history of Indian education. Lord Irwin (1926-1931) was the Viceroy of India when the Hartog committee was formed.
Survey of Primary Education System
- After surveying the country’s primary education, the Hartog committee commented that despite widespread interest in education across the country, the progress of mass education was not at all satisfactory. The expansion of mass education had not kept pace with the increase in the number of primary schools. The only reason for this was that primary education had been significantly neglected in previous years while excessive importance was given to higher education.
- Moreover, the committee’s survey revealed that the main disadvantage of primary education in India was the rural social system. In India, 87 percent of people lived in villages, of whom 74 percent were agriculturalists. Only through the rural education system could illiteracy be eliminated in this vast country. But it does not become effective due to the lack of roads and difficulty in transportation system.
- Additionally, economic hardship, ignorance, religious bigotry, social prejudices and the rigors of the caste system, etc, stand in the way of mass education. According to the Hartog Committee, the main objective of primary education should be to eradicate illiteracy. Any primary education system that fails to eliminate illiteracy is merely a waste of labor and money.
You can also read about Wood’s Despatch 1854: Objectives, Recommendations, Impact.
Defects in Primary Education
Based on the survey, the Hartog committee highlighted several main defects in the primary education system:
- The committee’s investigation revealed that in British India during 1922-23 AD, only 19 percent of total first-grade students continued their studies until 1925-26 AD. There were mainly two reasons behind the decrease in student numbers from first grade to fourth grade: one was wastage, and the other was stagnation.
- Wastage refers to leaving school before completing primary education. As a result, students forgot even the basic education they received. Stagnation refers to students remaining in the same class for multiple years due to failing examinations. In India, 30 percent to 50 percent of students remained in the same class each year due to stagnation.
- The indiscriminate establishment of schools hampered the expansion of primary education. The Hartog committee study found that setting up schools in villages with a population of 500 or fewer would have resulted in a lack of education and a waste of money.
- In densely populated areas, there were more students than schools. As a result, there were fewer places, and students were deprived of educational opportunities even if they wanted to.
- The expansion of primary education was often hindered due to a lack of proper utilization of schools.
- Often, separate schools were established for different communities due to communal and religious reasons. This resulted in a waste of money in primary education.
- The lack of properly trained teachers, low-quality teaching, and the absence of proper inspection systems were important factors in the deterioration of the primary education system.
- A flawed curriculum stood as an obstacle to primary education. Since the curriculum had no connection with real-life needs, guardians showed little interest in sending their children to school. They couldn’t find any reason to believe that being deprived of education could be the biggest loss in life.
- The expansion of primary education was significantly hampered due to lack of government initiative in making primary education compulsory. In many cases, this also became a cause of wastage.
- Primary education interests were significantly compromised because autonomous institutions did not properly fulfill their responsibilities in creating primary education opportunities.
You can also read about Sadler Commission 1917: Background, Matters, Recommendations.
Effective Recommendations for Primary Education
To eliminate this deplorable state of primary education in India, the Hartog Committee made several effective recommendations. The notable recommendations were:
- Existing primary schools must fulfill their requirements based on local needs.
- Schools should be redistributed, removing unnecessary schools and increasing the number of schools in necessary areas.
- Teacher training arrangements must be made to improve the quality of teaching. Additionally, arrangements should be made for short-term retraining of trained teachers.
- Suitable individuals should be attracted to teaching by increasing salaries and improving service conditions.
- Primary education duration should be set at a minimum of four years. Teachers should ensure that students can adapt to the local environment and conditions while studying during these four years.
- Starting times and holidays for primary schools must be fixed.
- Special attention must be given to students in lower grades to prevent a decrease in enrollment due to stagnation and attrition.
- The number of inspectors should be increased to ensure regular inspection of schools.
- Rural development work should be initiated centered around primary schools.
- The final recommendation was to gradually change public mentality and make primary education compulsory.
Effective Recommendations for Secondary Education
- One of the shortcomings of secondary education was its strong emphasis on exams, which led to many students failing the matriculation exam. It suggested that a more diverse curriculum be implemented.
- A diversified curriculum must be introduced, and students’ interest and attention towards the curriculum must be increased.
- Students would benefit from the introduction of alternative courses in the high schools, as the students could then choose courses according to their aptitude. The committee recommended the inclusion of industrial and commercial subjects.
You can also read about the Raleigh Commission 1902: Objectives, Background, Recommendations.
Effective Recommendations for University Education
- The Hartog committee’s report examined the shortcomings of university education along with primary education and made several recommendations. It found that the standard of education was low, there was overcrowding in universities, and libraries were not well equipped.
- The committee suggested setting up single and residential universities as well as affiliated universities, improving the condition of university libraries, introducing honors courses, and admitting students based on abilities and aptitudes.
- The committee emphasized the significance of developing intelligent, liberal-minded people who can handle responsibilities.
Effective Recommendations for Women’s Education
- The Committee made the following recommendations regarding women’s education: More primary schools for women should be established; Hygiene, domestic science, and music should be taught in high schools, and the education of boys and girls should be given equal priority. Training of women for teaching positions should also be given priority.
- The curriculum should be designed keeping in mind what would be useful for girls in their future lives.
- Arrangements should be made to appoint an adequate number of female teachers and inspectors with appropriate salaries.
- Keeping in mind the wastage in female education, more interest in primary education of girls should be increased.
- In addition to primary education, the education system of secondary schools should also be improved.
- The number of Affiliated Colleges should also increase.
You can also read about the Indian Universities Act of 1904: Provisions, Advantages and Disadvantages.
Conclusion
The improvements expected in the primary education system through the Hartog committee’s recommendations were not achieved in reality. None of the recommendations made by this committee for the overall development of primary education were implemented in the subsequent period. Neither the central nor provincial governments were willing to spend the amount of money required to implement these recommendations.
