Calcutta University (Sadler)
Commission report 1917
In 1917, the Calcutta University
Commission was appointed by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of
Mr. Michel Sadler, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds. So it was
popularly known as the Sadler Commission. This Commission was appointed for the
purpose of making recommendations to reform Calcutta University. Although it
dealt with the Calcutta University only, the problems it had studied were more
or less common to the other Indian Universities. So the report of the
Commission is a document of in provincial importance and it had far reaching
consequences upon the development of University in India as a whole.
The Commission came to the
conclusion that the University system itself, particularly in Bangal, was
“fundamentally defective in every aspect”. The number of students was “too
great to be efficiently dealt with”. The colleges were “generally too meagerly
staffed and equipped to be able to do justice to their students”. The courses
of studies were “too predominantly literary in character and too little varied
to suit varied needs”.
The administration was
“unsatisfactory and ineffective as an instrument for the encouragement of
learning”. On the other hand, it studied the problems of secondary education,
as the improvement of secondary education was an essential foundation for the
promotion of University teaching itself. Therefore, the Commission also made
radical recommendation regarding the reorganization of secondary schools.
These may briefly be
stated as under:
1. Separation of Intermediate classes from Universities and the stage of admission to the University was to be after Intermediate and not Matriculation, curriculum spreading over three years prescribed for the first degree.
2. Establishment of Intermediate colleges with the teaching facilities in Arts, Science, Medicine, Engineering, Education, Agriculture etc. These colleges might be attached to the High Schools run independently.
3. Formation of Secondary and Intermediate Board of Education in each province, consisting of representatives of the Government, Universities, High Schools and Intermediate Colleges for the control and management of Secondary and Intermediate Education.
4. Establishment of teaching and residential University at Dacca;
5. Introduction of Honours courses as distinct from pass courses to meet the requirements of able students;
6. Formation of Selection Committee including the external expert to select Professors, Readers and Lecturers;
7. Establishment of Inter-University Board for coordinating the work of all Universities;
8. Appointment of a Director of Physical Education to look to the physical welfare of students.
9. Expansion of vocational and professional education including Teachers Training;
10. Encouragement to the Muslim students and protection of their interest;
11. Creation of different faculties;
12. Formation of Academic Council and Board of Studies for setting academic matters relating to courses of studies, examination, research etc.;
13. Inclusions of ‘Education’ as a subject for B.A. pass and Intermediate examinations
Essential Features of the Sadler Commission
a. Recommendations Relating to Calcutta University.
b. Recommendations Relating to All Universities in India.
c. Recommendations Relating to Muslim Education.
d. Recommendations Relating to Teacher Training.
e. Recommendations Relating to Technology.
f. Recommendations Relating to Professional and Vocational Educations.
g. Recommendations Relating to Modern Indian Leagues.
h. Recommendations Relating to Secondary Education.
Recommendations of the
Saddler University Commission
- In the opinion of the Saddler University
Commission, it was not possible to bring about revolutionary changes in
the field of higher education without making changes in secondary
education. Therefore, some fundamental changes were suggested in the
secondary education for the sake of improving the university education.
- The Saddler University Commission hence
recommended that the dividing line between the university and the
secondary courses should be drawn at the Intermediate examination rather
than at the Matriculation and the Government should create a new type of
institution called Intermediate Colleges.
- The curriculum of these Intermediate colleges
should constitute courses related to Arts, Science, Engineering,
Industrial education etc.
- After clearing the intermediate examination
rather than the Matriculation Examination, the students would be entitled
to enter the university.
- The duration of the degree course after the
intermediate state should be limited to three years. For these two
different branches was made in the Intermediate colleges. For the eligible
students the provisions of honours degree and for the general students,
there was the provision of Pass Course.
- Board of Secondary and Intermediate Education,
consisting of the representatives of Government, University, High Schools
and Intermediate Colleges be established and entrusted with the
administration and control of Secondary Education.
- The commission also recommended less rigidity
in the framing the rules and regulations of the universities.
- It also recommended the establishment of an
Inter University Board for coordinating the activities of different Indian
universities.
- Autonomous institutions were to be given more
encouragement.
- Centralised residential-teaching universities
were to be encouraged. These institutions were also to be given autonomy
to facilitate their day-to-day working.
- Women education was to be encouraged in a big
way. The establishment of a special Board of women Education in the
Calcutta University besides many other facilities that would help more and
more women take up course in school, colleges and Universities.
- Provisions of facilities was to be made for
training teachers and setting up the Department of Education at the
Universities of Calcutta and Decca.
Recommendations Relating to Calcutta University and its Problems
·
The Commission thoroughly
examined the problems of Calcutta University and reached the conclusion that the size of the university had
become abnormally large and that the number of students and colleges affiliated
to it had increased too much to be efficiently dealt with under a single
university.
·
The Commission put forth three
suggestions in this respect.
.
i. There should be
establish a teaching and residential University at Dacca;
ii.The teaching resources should be organized in Calcutta in such a way as to create
a real teaching University; and
iii.
The development of mosfussil
colleges should take place in such a way as to ensure the encouragement of
gradual rise of university centers at a few places by concentrating all
possible resources for higher education on them.
2. Recommendations Relating to All
Universities
A.
Important
recommendation on university of Education
i. Intermediate classes should be separate from
university and a curriculum spreading over three years should be prescribed for
the degree of B.A. The stage of admission to the university was to be
intermediate and not matriculation examination.
ii. Intermediate colleges should be
established for the sake of completing the first stage. These colleges should
conduct teaching in arts, science, medicine, engineering, education,
agriculture and commerce.
iii. A separate High School and
Intermediate Board should be formed in every province, consisting of
representatives of the Government, universities, high schools and intermediate
colleges, for the sake of managing secondary education. The Board should be
made free from the control of the Department of Education.
iv. The mother tongue should be used as
medium of instruction in intermediate colleges.
B. Internal Administration and organization of Universities
The Comission expressed their
general views upon the internal administration and organization of the
universities as follows:
1)
The
teachers of the universities should be given more power with a view of removing
unnecessary State control over them.
2) Regulations governing the working of universities should be made less rigid.
3) Provision should be made for the institution of Honours courses, as distinct from Pass course for the sake of abler student.
4) The duration of degree course should be three years after the intermediate stage.
5) For the internal administration of university, a representative court in place of Senate and small Executive Council in place of the syndicate should be setup.
6) A special commite should be constituted for making appointments to Professorships and Readerships. The committee should include external experts also.
7) An Academic Council and Board of Studies be set up to settle academic question pertaining to courses of study, examination, degrees and research work etc.
8) Different faculties should be created.
9) A full-time and salaried vice-chancellor should be appointed.
10) A Director of physical training should also be appointed to pay attention to the health and physical welfare of the students.
11) The Department of Education in the universities should be established and education included as a subject for B.A. (Pass) and intermediate courses.
12) It also recommended the establishment of an inter-university board coordinating the activities of the various Indian universities.
3. Recommendations Relating to
Muslim Education.
1)
The Muslims should be provided
all education facilities in view of their backward state in this field.
2)
It provided for organizing
‘Purdah School’ for the gorls up to the age of 15 or 16 years.
3)
It empowered the Calcutta University to institute a ‘Special Board
of Women’ s Education’ and set up special curriculum according to the
educational needs of women.
4. Recommendations Relating to Teacher Training
The Commission recommended that
the output of trained teacher should be substantially increased.
The Commission observed , “It is an important and indeed, a necessary function of the university to include applied science and technology in its courses and to recognize their systematic and practical study by degrees and diplomas.
6. Recommendations Relating to Professional and Vocational Educations
The commission recommended that Universities must provoke provision for the efficient training in personnel need for the industrial development of the country.
7. Recommendations Relating to Secondary Education.
The commission held that reform
at the stage of secondary education was essential for the improvement
of university education. In this regards it made the following
recommendations:
1) Separations of intermediate
classes from the universities.
2) Establishment of intermediate
colleges.
3) Formation of separate high
school and intermediate Boards.
4) Use of mother-tongue as a medium of instruction.
·
Implementation
of the Recommendations
There were important political developments in the country in the wake of Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) under which universities were transferred to provincial government. Besides several problems arising out of the consequences of First World War had to be given priority. Hence, the recommendations could not be put to immediate implementation. However, after the policy resolution of 1920, recommendations received attention. Several universities came in to being.
Evaluation of the Sadler Report: Fore-Runner of the New Pattern of Education 10+2+3
· According to A.N. Basu, “The report of the Commission contains the most comprehensive and authoritative study of the Indian education system from the secondary stage to the university. It is, therefore, quite natural that they have greatly influenced the subsequent course of secondary and higher education in the country.
· In the world of Arthor Methew, “ the report of Calcuttaniversity commission has been a constant source of suggestion and information. Its significance in the History of Indian Education has been incalculable.
· When we look at the present education scenario, we find that some of the important features find their mention in the Sadler Commission Report. The beginning of introduction of new pattern of education 10+2+3 in 1975 has been hailed as a landmark in the reform of education in India. It may be recalled that the 12 years of schooling and 3 years of degree course were recommended by the Sadler Commission (1917-1919). In this sense the Sadler Commission may be said to be the fore runner of the present national education structure.
·
Likewise the present emphasis
on vocational education and technology education may be tracked back to Sadler
Report.
