20 However, this thought constraints the education in caste system. The real
education, in Upanishad, should teach human beings to beware of sense of objects.
In Upanishad, teacher has the greatest contribution in education. Teachers get the great respect from the students. Teachers become the center of teaching
learning process. Thus, the students learn from the teacher’s life and behavior. The second religion that affects Indian education thought is Buddhism. The
education thought of Buddhism is different from Upanishad. Buddhism does not select the students based on caste. It has strict law in education that children start
their studies at the age of six and complete at the age of twenty. Buddhism is divided into three sects. They are Hinayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and
Zen Buddhism. In Buddhism, education implies the clearing away of all biases and prejudices. Mayer 45 states that
“The real knowledge is based on intuition and unities an understanding of nature with a comprehension of the self
”.
2. Modern Education
The study discusses the modern education in India around 1900-1920. It was the time when Britain ruled India. Thus, all social aspects were ruled by the
government. Education would not be the exception. Britain made their education system that created new strata in India. It was the strata of intelligent people who
would work in the British government for the sake of Britain interest. This condition made the caste system became worst.
The British government introduced modern education concept. The British government also introduces English in education. It forces the pupil to use foreign
21 language to study. The British government also brings the concept of studying in
the classroom. Thompson 197 states that “modern education in Bengal is
machine-made and spur ious, mere memorization in a foreign tongue”. This
situation regards human as “machine” which can be controlled or ruled and education was deserved as transferring teacher’s knowledge to the students. It
emphasizes on the cognitive aspect in education but forgets the affective aspect and religious aspect in education. Such condition was the opposite of Indian
native education system. The ancient Indian education was more emphasize on affective aspect. The model of ancient Indian can be found on Tagore’s school. It
used the open-air class, religious emphasis, and a close relationship between pupil and teacher.
Though the modern education brought new caste and emphasized on cognitive aspects, there were some advantages for the Indian. Smith 757 stated
that “Western Education had made them what they were and provided them with
new ideals, new hopes and new ambitions”. It opened the thought of the people in India about new idea in education. The system brought new concept of education.
Western Education in India gave hope to the people of India about their independence. Many people in India are able study that made them cleverer than
before and realized the condition of their country. The intelligent people of India got their new ambition on India’s independence.
The development of Indian education cannot be separated from the educational policy. There was new movement in Indian education. The
government states Universities Act in 1904. Majumdar 880 states that “This act
22 brought a very significant change in the Universities and constituted an important
landmark in the progress of higher education in India. In 1910, the government shoed the importance of education by creating a new department of education
under separate member of Viceroy’s council. This step was the beginning of government’s interference in Indian education after the University Act.
As a conclusion, the modern education, which was brought by British government, is a two-sides-sword to the people of India. It has two effects for the
Indian. They are positive and negative effect.
D. Theoretical Framework
