Gopal Krishna Gokhale and his Free and Compulsory Education Bill 1911

 Gopal Krishna Gokhale  and  his Free and Compulsory Education Bill 1911

These links and details are for references

Links

https://www.slideshare.net/PritiKalsia/gokhle-bill-1912

 

https://www.educationforallinindia.com/new-curriculum-framework-anil-sadgopal.html

The recent debate at the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) on the draft Free and Compulsory Education Bill generated more heat than light. That states have been inept at providing education of equitable quality for the masses was brushed under the carpet. This is not the first time that privileged sections of society have come together to deny education to the rest.

In 1911, when Gokhale moved his Elementary Education Bill in the Imperial legislative assembly, he faced stiff resistance. Instead of supporting the Bill, the members representing the rich talked of the conditions in the country not being ripe for such a Bill. The maharaja of Burdwan expressed serious doubts. The maharaja of Darbhanga mobilised 11,000 signatures to stop the Bill. The big landlords lobbied against it. The Bill could not be approved

 

https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/102629/14/14_chapter%206.pdf

In 1911, when Gopal Krishna Gokhale moved his Free and Compulsory Education Bill in the Imperial Legislative Assembly, he faced stiff resistance. Instead of supporting the Bill, the members representing the privileged classes from Mumbai, Maharajas and other rulers from princely states and the big landlords from feudal areas talked of the conditions in the country not being ripe for such a Bill and that haste should be avoided. The Maharaja of Darbhanga from Bihar collected 11,000 signatures on a Memorandum from princes and landlords expressing concern about what would happen to their farm operations if all children were required to attend the school!” (Sadgopal, 2010, P. 17)

 

 

WHEN WAS THE FIRST DEMAND FOR RTE MADE IN THE COUNTRY?

Ans.:

“I beg to place the following resolution before the council for its consideration.…the state should accept in this country the same responsibility in regard to mass education that the government of most civilized countries are already discharging and that a well considered scheme should be drawn up and adhered to till it is carried out...”

The above words are part of the resolution which Gopal Krishna Gokhale moved in the Imperial Legislative Council on 18th march, 1910 for seeking provision of ‘Free and Compulsory Primary Education” in India. This initiative must however be seen as part of the following sequence of events:

1870: Compulsory Education Act passed in Britain

1882: Indian Education Commission: Indian leaders demand provision for mass education and Compulsory Education Acts.

1893: Maharaja of Baroda introduces Compulsory Education for boys in Amreli Taluk.

1906: Maharaja of Baroda extends Compulsory Education to rest of the state.

1906: Gopal Krishna Gokhale makes a plea to Imperial Legislative Council for introduction of Free And Compulsory Education

1910: Gokhale proposes Private members Bill (Rejected)

1917: Vithalbhai Patel is successful in getting the Bill passed - First Law on

Compulsory Education passed (Popularly Known as Patel Act)

1918-: Every Province in British India gets Compulsory Education Act on its

1930 Statute Book

1930: Hartog Committee Recommendation for better quality (less focus on quantity) hinders spread and development of primary education

Many of these initiatives, however, were not seriously implemented; lack of resources and enforcement being the chief reasons.

GOKHALE’S RESOLUTION, 1910

As a member of the Legislative Council Gokhale put forward a proposal for compulsory primary education in 1910. The proposal was as follows— “A beginning should be made in the direction of making elementary education free and compulsory throughout the country, and that a mixed commission of officials and non officials be appointed at an early date to frame definite proposal.” Following were the important points of the resolution :

• Primary education should be made free and compulsory in the area where 35% of boys were receiving education.
• This provision should apply to the age group of 6-10 years.
• The cost of compulsory primary education should be shared by the provincial Government and the Local Bodies in the ration of 2 : 1.
• A separate Department of education shall be opened under the Central Government to draw up a scheme for the expansion of primary education.
• A secretary should be appointed to organise, supervise and look after the primary education.

GOKHALE’S BILL OF 1911

Already you are familiar with the resolution of 1910 put forward by Gokhale for making primary education compulsory in our country and also with the reaction of the Government shown towards these resolutions. Now we will discuss the major clauses of Gokhale’s Bill of 1911. Gokhale was aware of the intention of the Government. He made further attempt to draw the attention of the people of India as well as in England towards the condition of education. On 16th March of 1911, Gokhale presented a Bill in the Legislative Council to make a stronger fight against the Government. The Bill, however, was more liberal and humble than the resolutions placed before and the main objective of the bill was to make primary education free and compulsory in a phased manner. The Bill was basically based on the compulsory Education Acts of England of 1870 and 1876. Important clauses of the Bill may be placed below—

• Compulsory primary education should be introduced in those areas where a certain percentage of boys and girls of school-age (6-10) was already receiving instructions.
• The percentage of attendance should be fixed by the Governor General in Council.
• It should be left to the discretion of local bodies whether to apply the Act to certain areas under their jurisdiction or not.
• Local bodies should be given the right to levy educational cess to meet the cost of compulsory primary education.
• Expenditure on education was to be shared by the local bodies and Provincial Government in the ratio of 1:2.
• For the introduction of compulsion, the previous sanction of the Viceroy and the Governor respectively were necessary.
• Compulsory primary education is intended to apply in the first instance only to boys, though later on a local body may extend it to girls also.
• Guardians whose income is less than Rs. 10/- per month should not be asked to pay any fee for their wards.

Government Reaction towards the Bill

Gokhale’s Bill of 1911 was referred to a select committee of 15 members for examination. The Bill was also sent to the state Governments the Universities and local education authorities for inviting opinion on it. The Bill was taken up for discussion in legislative council on 17 March, 1912. The Bill was debated for two days (March 18 & 19, 1912). Gokhale had raised powerful arguments in support of the Bill. But the Government was not ready to accept the Bill and it was put to vote and was defeated by 35 votes to 13. This did not come as a surprise to Gokhale. He had anticipated the result correctly and earlier in the debate had already expressed the result of the voting in the following majestic words :

“My Lord, I know that my Bill will be thrown out before the day closes. I make no complaint. I shall not even feel depressed. We the present generation of India can only hope to serve our country by our failures. The men and women who will be privileged to serve her by their successes will come later” (Nurullah and Naik)
Thus the Bill, though defeated, but it was a heroic defeat.

Reasons for Rejection of the Bill

Now we know the main clauses of the Bill and how the first move for introducing compulsory primary education in our country was defeated. But we have observed that the defeat was a heroic defeat and with this we must also understand the reasons put forward by the Government for the rejection of the Bill.
The Government put forth several arguments and they are the following—

• There was no popular demand for introducing compulsory primary education in the country.
• As such, the people of the country were not prepared to accept compulsion.
• The local Governments were not in favour of it.
• The local bodies were not willing to levy educational cess.
• A section of the educated Indians were not supporting the Bill.
• There was still scope for extension of primary education on voluntary lines based on the system of grants-in-aid.