Table of Contents

✅ A. Tick (✔) the correct option

The main objective of the East India Company was—
✔ (c) to earn profit

Who initiated the Wardha Education Scheme in 1937?
✔ (a) Mahatma Gandhi

The reformer who fought against Brahmin dominance and caste discrimination was—
✔ (c) Jyotiba Phule

Arya Samaj was established by—
✔ (a) Dayanand Saraswati

Who is known as the Architect of the Indian Constitution?
✔ (d) B. R. Ambedkar

✍️ B. Fill in the blanks

A number of pathshalas and maktabs provided elementary education.
Charter Act of 1813 sanctioned one lakh rupees for education in India.
Wood’s Despatch of 1854 gave a plan for a separate department of education.
Swami Dayanand wanted to eradicate the evils from Indian society.
The press played a pivotal role in mobilising public opinion.

✅ C. Write True or False

Orientalists favoured English as a medium of instruction.
❌ False (They supported Indian languages)
Child marriage was banned in India in 1891.
❌ False (It was restricted, not completely banned)
Sati was an inhuman practice.
✔ True
Kochi and Travancore denied governmental positions to lower castes.
✔ True
Mahatma Gandhi considered untouchables as Harijans—people of God.
✔ True

✍️ D. Answer the following questions (Detailed)

1. What were the proposals of Wood’s Despatch of 1854?

Wood’s Despatch of 1854 is known as the Magna Carta of English Education in India. Its main proposals were:

A separate department of education should be set up in each province
Universities should be established in major cities like Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras
English should be the medium for higher education, while vernacular languages should be used at primary level
Teacher training institutions should be opened
More attention should be given to women’s education
A proper system of grants-in-aid should be introduced for schools

👉 It laid the foundation of modern education in India.

2. Highlight any three social evils of Indian society related to women.

Three major social evils were:

Sati System: Widows were forced to burn themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre
Child Marriage: Girls were married at a very young age, affecting their health and education
Lack of Education: Women were not allowed to study and were kept confined to homes

👉 These practices made the condition of women very poor in society.

3. Describe any three main contributions of Dayanand Saraswati as a social reformer.

He founded the Arya Samaj to promote Vedic values
He opposed idol worship, caste discrimination, and superstitions
He supported women’s education and widow remarriage

👉 His reforms helped in improving Indian society.

4. Differentiate between the Anglicist and the Orientalist.

Anglicist	Orientalist
Supported English education	Supported Indian languages
Promoted Western knowledge	Promoted Indian culture and traditions
Wanted English as medium	Preferred Sanskrit, Persian, etc.

5. Evaluate the efforts made by Indian leaders to improve Indian education.

Indian leaders played an important role in improving education:

Mahatma Gandhi introduced the Wardha Education Scheme, focusing on practical learning
Raja Ram Mohan Roy supported modern education and scientific thinking
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar worked for women’s education and opened schools for girls

👉 Their efforts helped spread education and remove social backwardness.

📝 E. Answer the following questions (Detailed & Easy Language)

1. Do you think that the British system of Education had a negative impact on the people of India?

Yes, the British system had both positive and negative impacts, but it was mostly negative.

Negative Impacts:

It ignored Indian culture and traditions
Education was limited to a small section of society
It aimed to create clerks for British administration
Traditional education systems were destroyed

Positive Impacts:

Spread of modern education
Development of new ideas like democracy and equality

👉 Overall, it helped India modernise but weakened Indian traditions.

2. State the major landmarks in the field of education in the 19th and 20th century.

Some important landmarks were:

Charter Act of 1813 – Fund for education
Wood’s Despatch (1854) – Proper education system
Establishment of universities in 1857
Hunter Commission (1882) – Focus on primary education
Wardha Scheme (1937) by Gandhi

👉 These developments shaped modern Indian education.

3. Describe the main contributions of any three social reformers.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Abolished Sati system
Promoted women’s rights
Supported modern education

Jyotiba Phule

Worked for lower castes
Opened schools for girls
Fought against caste discrimination

Dayanand Saraswati

Promoted Vedic teachings
Opposed social evils
Encouraged education

4. State the impact of the reform movements on India.

Reform movements brought major changes:

End of many social evils like Sati
Improvement in women’s condition
Spread of education
Rise of nationalism
Awareness about equality and rights

👉 These reforms helped India move towards a modern society.

5. ‘Although laws were made, social evils still exist.’ Justify.

Even though many laws were passed, social evils still exist because:

People follow old traditions and beliefs
Lack of awareness in rural areas
Poor implementation of laws
Social pressure and mindset

👉 Therefore, along with laws, education and awareness are necessary to remove social evils completely.

DAV Class 8 SST Chapter 12 Solutions | Impact of British Rule in India (All Questions Solved)