NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 8 - Civilising the Native, Educating the Nation

Class 8 history ch 8 explores the complex relationship between British colonial rule and the Indian education system. It details how the British aimed to "civilize" the local population by introducing Western learning. This chapter covers the differing perspectives of Orientalists like William Jones and critics like Thomas Macaulay regarding Indian culture and educational reforms.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 8 Question Answer

LET’S IMAGINE

Q1. Imagine you were a witness to a debate between Mahatma Gandhi and Macaulay on English education. Write a page on the dialogue you heard.

Ans. Macaulay emphasized Indian is an uncivilized country. No branch of Eastern knowledge could be compared to what England had produced. He stressed the need for English education.Mahatma Gandhi, however, said that colonial education created a sense of inferiority in the minds of Indians. He said that there was poison in this education.Macaulay argued that the knowledge of English would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature that world had produced.Mahatma Gandhi, emphasized that Indian language ought to be the medium of teaching. Mahatma Gandhi also felt that education in English crippled Indians distanced them from their own social surroundings.Macaulay urged that the British government in India should stop wasting public money in prompting oriental learning for it was of no practical use.Mahatma Gandhi, focused on practical knowledge and experience. People should know how to operate different things rather than studying only from books.

LET’S RECALL

Q1. Match the following:

i.William Jones                       a.Promotion of English education

ii.Rabindranath Tagore           b.Respect for ancient cultures

iii.Thomas Macaulay              c.Gurus

iv.Mahatma Gandhi                d.Learning in a natural environment

v.Pathshalas                          e.Critical of English education

Ans. (i) (b), (ii) (c), (iii) (c), (iv) (e), (v) (d)

Q2. State whether True or False:

a) James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalist.

b) The 1854 Dispatch on education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India.

c) Mahatma Gandhi thought that promotion of literacy was the most important aim of education.

d) Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline.

Ans. (a) True (b) True (c) False (d) False.

LET’S DISCUSS

Q3. Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy and law?

Ans. William Jones felt the need to study Indian history, philosophy and law due to the following reasons:

1. He had a deep respect for ancient cultures both of India and the West.
2. He felt that India had attained its glory in the ancient past but had subsequently declined.
3. He thought that in order to understand India, it was necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts that were produced in the ancient period.
4. William Jones went about discovering ancient texts, understanding them and making their finding known to other.

Q4. Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?

Ans. James Mill thought that European education was essential in India because:

1. The knowledge of the East was full of errors and unscientific thoughts.
2. The aim of education should not only be to teach the poetry and sacred literature of the Orient.
3. The education should provide useful and practical knowledge to the students.

Thomas Macaulay urged that:

1. Oriental learning was of no practical use.
2. The English education was better because it would allow Indians to read some of the finest literature of the world. It would also make them aware about the development in Western Science and Philosophy.

Q5. Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts?

Ans. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to teach children handicrafts because he thought:

1. Western education focused on reading and writing rather than oral knowledge.
2. Education ought to develop a person’s mind and soul. Simple learning to read and write by itself did not count as education.
3. If people are allowed to work with hands, learn a craft and know how different things operated, this would develop their mind and their capacity to understand.

Q6. Why did Mahatma Gandhi think that English education had enslaved Indians?

Ans. Mahatma Gandhi thought that English education had enslaved Indians because:

1. It made them see Western civilization as superior, and destroyed the pride they had in their own culture.
2. Charmed by the West and after getting western education they began admiring British rule.
3. It had poisoned their minds and soul.

LET’S DO

Q7. Find out from your grandparents about what they studied in school.

Ans. For self-study.

Q8. Find out about the history of your school or any other school in the area you live.

Ans. Self-study. Contact your school Principal/ Headmaster or record-keeper of the school history.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 1 

Understanding Class 8 History Ch 8 and British Educational Policies

The British didn't just want territorial conquest; they felt a "civilizing mission" was necessary to change Indian customs and values. When you dive into class 8 history ch 8 notes, you’ll see how officials debated whether to promote Indian or European knowledge. While some admired Sanskrit and Persian texts, others viewed them as "unscientific" and full of errors that lacked practical utility. These colonial shifts created a system that aimed to produce clerks while simultaneously attempting to alter the moral fabric of Indian society. Understanding this transition helps us see how the class 8 history ch 8 company exploitative policies and their opposition manifested even within the walls of a classroom.

The Orientalist Vision vs. The Anglicist Critique

In 1783, William Jones arrived in Calcutta with a deep respect for ancient Indian heritage. He, alongside Henry Thomas Colebrooke, discovered that Indian civilization had attained its glory in the past but was now in decline. They believed the British should study Indian texts to help the British learn from Indian culture and to help Indians rediscover their own heritage. This led to the establishment of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and the Calcutta Madrasa in 1781.

However, critics like James Mill and Thomas Babington Macaulay strongly opposed this view. They felt the aim of education should be useful and practical, rather than just "pleasing" the locals. Macaulay famously declared that "a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia." He urged the British government to stop wasting money on Oriental learning and focus on teaching the English language to the Indian population.

Wood’s Despatch and the Shift to Western Learning

In 1854, the Court of Directors of the East India Company sent an educational despatch to the Governor-General, known as Wood’s Despatch. This document outlined the educational strategy that would emphasize European learning over Oriental knowledge. It argued that Western education would improve the moral character of Indians, making them truthful and honest, thus providing the Company with civil servants who could be trusted.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 2

Practical Benefits and Economic Motives

Wood’s Despatch also highlighted the economic advantages of Western education. It suggested that if Indians learned about European ways of life, they would develop a taste for British goods. This would create a massive market for British manufacturers as Indians began to appreciate and buy things produced in Europe. Following this despatch, education departments were set up, and a system of university education was introduced in major cities like Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay.

The Growth of Local Schools and the Transformation of Pathshalas

Before the 1850s, the system of education in local pathshalas was very flexible. William Adam, a Scottish missionary, toured Bengal and Bihar districts and found over one lakh pathshalas. There were no fixed fees, no printed books, and no separate school buildings; classes were often held under a banyan tree. Interestingly, the timetable was flexible, and schools closed during harvest time so children could work in the fields.

After 1854, the Company decided to "regularize" this system. They appointed government pandits to oversee pathshalas and introduced a system based on routines, rules, and inspections. Students now had to pay regular fees, attend regular classes, and sit for annual examinations. This new "discipline" meant that children from poor peasant families, who had to work during harvests, could no longer attend school regularly, which was seen as a lack of desire to learn.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 3

Class 8 History Ch 8 Question Answer: NCERT Solutions

To excel in your exams, practicing the class 8 history ch 8 question answer set is vital. Below are the key solutions derived from the text to help you understand the core concepts.

Q1: State whether True or False:

• (a) James Mill was a severe critic of the Orientalists. (True)

• (b) The 1854 Despatch on education was in favour of English being introduced as a medium of higher education in India. (True)

• (c) Mahatma Gandhi thought that promotion of Literacy was the most important aim of education. (False)

• (d) Rabindranath Tagore felt that children ought to be subjected to strict discipline. (False)

Q2: Why did William Jones feel the need to study Indian history, philosophy, and law?

Jones felt a deep respect for ancient Indian culture. He believed that studying these texts would help the British understand Indian culture and help Indians rediscover their own heritage. It would also help the British gain a better footing in the administration by understanding the "laws of the land."

Q3: Why did James Mill and Thomas Macaulay think that European education was essential in India?

They believed that Indian knowledge was unscientific and full of errors. They felt that education should be "useful" and "practical." By teaching English and Western science, they hoped to change the tastes, values, and culture of Indians to suit British interests.

Nationalist Visions: Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore

Mahatma Gandhi was a strong critic of English education. He argued that colonial education created a sense of inferiority in the minds of Indians. It made them see Western civilization as superior and destroyed the pride they had in their own culture. Gandhi wanted an education that could help Indians recover their sense of dignity and self-respect. He emphasized that education should be in the medium of Indian languages to prevent the "enslavement" of the Indian mind.

Tagore’s "Abode of Peace"

Rabindranath Tagore started Shantiniketan in 1901. Unlike Gandhi, Tagore wanted to combine the best of Western modern civilization with Indian tradition. He believed that creative learning could only be encouraged within a natural environment, away from the "jail-like" atmosphere of colonial schools. At Shantiniketan, students were encouraged to be creative and explore their natural surroundings while also learning science and technology alongside art, music, and dance.

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 4

Class 8 History Ch 8 Question Answer FAQs

Q1: What was the main objective of the Wood’s Despatch?

The 1854 Wood’s Despatch aimed to introduce European learning to India to improve the moral character of citizens and create a loyal class of civil servants for the British.

Q2: Who were the 'Orientalists'?

Orientalists were scholars who had a deep knowledge of the language and culture of Asia, such as William Jones and Henry Thomas Colebrooke.

Q3: Why did Mahatma Gandhi want to teach children handicrafts?

Gandhi believed that education should develop a person's mind and soul. Learning a craft allowed children to understand how things operated and developed their physical and mental capacities.

Q4: How did the new rules in pathshalas affect poor children?

The new rules required regular attendance, even during harvest seasons. Since poor children had to work in the fields, they couldn't attend, which the British interpreted as a lack of interest in education.

Q5: What is the meaning of the term 'Linguist'?

A linguist is someone who knows and studies several languages. William Jones was a famous linguist who knew Greek, Latin, French, Arabic, and Persian.

At the end of the day, class 8 history ch 8 teaches us that education wasn't just about books; it was a tool for social and political control. By studying the class 8 history ch 8 question answer wbbse and NCERT patterns, you'll see how these historical shifts still influence our schools today. We hope these notes help you master your curriculum. If you need more resources, don't hesitate to check out the PW Store for dedicated study materials.