Back to: Contemporary India and Education – Unit 3
William Wilson Hunter was a member of the Indian Civil Services. In 1882, he was appointed the chairman of the Commission on Education. He was elected as the Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University in 1886.
The Hunter Education Commission was established in 1882. The Commission was charged with the establishment of a uniform state system of game protection. In 1909, the legislation established the State Conservation Commission and offered the provision of a State Game Department for the administration of the federal Weeks-McLean Act. It resulted in the creation of the Indian Education Commission in 1882.
Recommendations of Hunter Commission
The Hunter Commission stressed the neglect of primary and secondary education in the country and made the following recommendations.
Management
It is recommended that the Local Boards and Municipal Boards must be responsible for Primary Education and they should supervise this section of education. Municipal councils and district boards should manage elementary schools and other bodies should be subject to inspection and supervision by the government.
Financial Aid
The commission recommended that primary education in the British Indian territories lacks quality and part of the provincial revenues must be used for financing the primary education development in British Indian territories.
Moral and Physical Education
The commission recommended the exclusion of religious education and the inclusion of textbooks that can offer moral education to the students. It also emphasized physical education.
Grant-in-aid
It recommended that the indigenous schools must have a grant-in-aid based on “Payment of Results” and these schools would charge low fees like the government institutions.
Literary and Vocational Training
The Commission also emphasized the promotion of literary and vocational training.
Women Education
The Commission put forward the inadequate resources available in women’s education.
Muslim Education
The Commission suggested the promotion of Muslim education.
The Hunter Commission also had to report on
“the present state of elementary education and the means by which this can be extended and improved.”
