Education System Under British Rule in Andhra

Abstract

When the English East India Company took control of Indian territories, it initially preserved the traditional religious education systems of Hindus and Muslims. Pathshalas taught Sanskrit to Hindus, and mosques served as educational hubs for Muslims. By 1823, the Andhra region came under British rule, continuing with traditional education before reforms were introduced. Colonel Colin Mackenzie and C.P. Brown made notable contributions to Andhra’s history and Telugu literature, respectively. Under Governor Sir Thomas Munro (1822–27), Hindu and Muslim schools were established in each district. Christian missionaries also played a role, with the Free Church Mission founding a school in Nellore in 1840. The Woods Dispatch of 1854, considered the Magna Carta of Indian education, led to the establishment of the Madras Presidency's Department of Education in 1855. Grant-in-aid supported missionary and private schools, while Madras University, founded in 1857, spurred educational development. Telugu and English-medium schools expanded, and matriculation exams gained societal importance, opening avenues for higher education, jobs, and social respect.