LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 25:7 July 2025
ISSN 1930-2940

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The Rise of English Education in Odisha: Colonial Policy and Regional Response (1850–1900)

Sourav Rout

Abstract

The introduction and expansion of English education in Odisha during the second half of the nineteenth century were closely tied to British colonial educational policies and regional socio-political shifts. This article examines how policy instruments such as Macaulay's Minute and Wood's Despatch aimed to produce a class of English-educated intermediaries aligned with imperial interests, and how these efforts were received within Odisha. While segments of the Odia elite and emerging intelligentsia strategically embraced English education as a means of upward mobility and cultural reform, other sections of society—particularly traditionalists and vernacular advocates—expressed apprehension or resistance, fearing the erosion of indigenous learning and values. Through the founding of institutions such as Zilla Schools and Ravenshaw College, English education became a site of ideological negotiation: both a colonial imposition and a tool for self-assertion. The article argues that English education, though contested in its implementation and cultural impact, ultimately contributed to the formation of a modern Odia public sphere and played a transformative role in shaping the region’s socio-political and intellectual landscape between 1850 and 1900.

Keywords:English education, Macaulay's Minute, Wood's Despatch, Ravenshaw College, Odia intelligentsia, colonial policy, public sphere, vernacular resistance

Introduction

The nineteenth century marked a turning point in the educational landscape of colonial India, as British policymakers sought to establish English as the medium of instruction to produce a class of intermediaries aligned with imperial governance. Odisha, a region characterized by linguistic richness and cultural conservatism, encountered this colonial project in a manner shaped by delayed infrastructural development and minimal literacy. Though English education was introduced through policy instruments such as Macaulay's Minute (1835) and Wood's Despatch (1854), its reception in Odisha was far from enthusiastic.

This article examines the trajectory of English education in Odisha between 1850 and 1900, arguing that it was accepted less as a progressive aspiration than as an imposed necessity. While segments of the Odia elite and emerging middle class strategically engaged with English education to secure employment and social mobility, this engagement was often marked by cultural ambivalence and ideological unease. For many, English education represented a break from indigenous traditions rather than a seamless evolution. Through a study of institutional developments such as the establishment of Zilla Schools and Ravenshaw College, and the critical responses articulated in vernacular texts, the article demonstrates that English education in Odisha was largely embraced with resignation—acknowledged as essential for advancement, yet viewed with suspicion, restraint, and at times, resistance.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Sourav Rout
Ph.D. Research Scholar
Ravenshaw University
Odisha, India
souravrout007@gmail.com
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