The British Viceroy, Lord Curzon, passed the Indian Universities Act in 1904 on the recommendations of the Raleigh Commission, which tightened control over Indian universities. Curzon was on a mission to put a stop to India's burgeoning nationalism. The Hunter Commission's recommendations for a proper education system in India were not met with success. The education procedure in India was not carried out in accordance with the Commission's recommendations. As a result, after becoming governor-general of India, Lord Curzon sought to implement reforms in all areas of administration, including education. In this article, we will discuss the Indian Universities Act, 1904 which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Indian Universities Act 1904 - Background

• Political unrest characterized the beginning of the twentieth century.
• According to the official line, education had deteriorated under private management, and educational institutions had become factories for producing political revolutionaries.
• Nationalists accepted the decline in quality while accusing the government of doing nothing to eliminate illiteracy.
• In 1902, the Raleigh Commission was formed to investigate the conditions and prospects of universities in India and to make recommendations for improvements to their constitution and operations.
• The commission was not permitted to report on primary or secondary education.
• The Indian Universities Act was passed in 1904 based on its recommendations.

Indian Universities Act 1904 - Provisions

• The first provision of this act required the universities' governing bodies to be reconstituted, and the size of the Senates to be reduced.
• The number in the Senate could now be between 50 and 100. Each of them would be in office for six years.
• The number of elected fellows was set at 50 for the universities of Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras, and 15 for the rest of the universities.
• This act empowered the government to appoint a majority of university fellows.
• The Governor-General was now given the authority to determine the territorial limits of universities as well as the affiliation of universities and colleges.
• The Indian Universities Act placed universities and colleges entirely under the control of the government.
• A grant of Rs. 5 lakh per year for five years was also accepted for better education and research. This was the beginning of university grants in India, which later became a permanent feature of India's educational structure.

Indian Universities Act 1904 - Recommendations

• Universities were to place a greater emphasis on education and research.
• The number of university fellows and their terms of office were reduced, and the majority of fellows were to be nominated by the government.
• The government was to have the authority to veto university senate regulations and to amend or pass regulations on its own.
• Conditions for the affiliation of private colleges were to be tightened, and a five-year grant of five lakh rupees was to be made available for the improvement of higher education and universities.

India Universities Act 1904 - Outcome

• This act empowered the government to appoint a majority of university fellows.
• The Governor-General has now given the authority to determine the territorial limits of universities as well as the affiliation of universities and colleges.
• It was passed in order to strengthen government control over universities.
• It delegated to government officials the authority to make final decisions on college affiliation and school recognition, and it sought to set minimum college fees.
• The Act mandated that universities carry out teaching functions. As a result, post-graduate teaching was introduced at Calcutta University, and honors courses in various subjects were introduced at Bombay University.
• Research in Science, Economics, and Experimental Psychology was given special consideration.
• Because of the outbreak of the Great War, the Government Resolution on Educational Policy dated February 21, 1913, regarding University education, could not be implemented.
• Curzon justified greater control over universities in the name of quality and efficiency, but in reality, he sought to limit education and discipline the educated to be loyal to the government.
• Nationalists saw it as an attempt to strengthen imperialism and undermine nationalist sentiment. It was dubbed a "retrograde measure" by Gokhale.

Conclusion

The Universities Act of 1904 was successful in achieving a significant change in the nature of university education while allowing the government to retain significant control over the universities, thereby making them, as the Sadler commission would put it thirteen years later, "the most completely governmental universities in the world." This Act gave the Government of India the authority to make the first grants to Indian universities.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who introduced the Indian Universities Act, 1904?

A. Lord Ripon
B. Lord Curzon
C. Lord Minto
D. Lord Dufferin

2. What was the primary focus of the Indian Universities Act, 1904?

A. Increase political activism
B. Enhance research and education
C. Privatization of universities
D. Reduce educational grants

3. Which commission’s recommendations led to the Indian Universities Act?

A. Hunter Commission
B. Raleigh Commission
C. Wood's Dispatch
D. Simon Commission

4. What power did the Act give to the government regarding university regulations?

A. Power to dissolve universities
B. Power to increase fees
C. Power to veto university regulations
D. Power to privatize education

5. What was the impact of the Act on private colleges?

A. Reduced affiliation requirements
B. Allowed unlimited expansion
C. Imposed stricter conditions for affiliation
D. Privatized all colleges

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Examine the role of the Indian Universities Act, 1904, in shaping higher education in India.

Answer: The Indian Universities Act, 1904, played a critical role in reforming higher education by bringing universities under stricter government control, enhancing research focus, and promoting postgraduate education. However, it faced criticism for curbing university autonomy and restricting political activities, making it controversial among Indian nationalists.

Q2: Discuss the significance of the Raleigh Commission's recommendations in the context of the Indian Universities Act, 1904.

Answer: The Raleigh Commission's recommendations emphasized the need for reforms in Indian universities. The Indian Universities Act implemented these recommendations by reconstituting university governance, enhancing research capabilities, and improving infrastructure, although it also increased British control over educational institutions.

Q3: Analyze the criticism faced by the Indian Universities Act, 1904, from Indian nationalists.

Answer: Indian nationalists viewed the Indian Universities Act as an attempt to curb the growing nationalist sentiment within universities. While the Act aimed at improving education, its restrictive provisions on university autonomy and political activism were seen as repressive, limiting students' freedom to engage in anti-colonial activities.

Previous Year Questions

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2017

Question: What was the primary focus of the Indian Universities Act, 1904?
A. Increase university autonomy
B. Regulate higher education and promote research
C. Privatize universities
D. Reduce government control

Answer: B

Explanation: The Act aimed to regulate higher education and promote research while increasing government control.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2018 (GS Paper 1)

Question: Evaluate the impact of the Indian Universities Act, 1904, on the Indian education system.

Answer: The Indian Universities Act of 1904 introduced significant changes in the Indian education system by increasing British control over universities, promoting research, and ensuring the affiliation of private colleges followed higher standards. While these reforms aimed to improve educational quality, they were criticized for curbing university autonomy and reducing political freedom, sparking nationalist opposition.