Introduction of Western Education in Cachar Plains

Abstract

At present the state of Assam is composed of three physical divisions, namely, the Brahmaputra Valley, the Barak Valley and hill range. The Barak Valley formed the southern part of the state of Assam. Barak Valley is a post partitioned term. Before independence Sylhet and Cachar together formed Surma Valley (Karimganj was an integral part of Sylhet district).The two Valley's derived their names from the respective main rivers, the Brahmaputra and the Barak following through east to west in the valley's. The hill region formed by the Karbi Anglong and the North Cachar hills district and the state of Meghalaya in the north; the state of Manipur in the east; the state of Mizoram in the south and the state of Tripura and the Sylhet district of Bangladesh in the west. The plain tract covering Cachar and Hailakandi districts of Barak Valley were earlier known as ‘Cachar plains'. It is surrounded on the three sides by hills and only on the lower side it is exposed to Karimganj district which till 1947 was integrally included in Sylhet district without any natural barrier. In fact, the tract is a geographical extension of Sylhet. As it is inhabited by the Indo-Aryan population, the settlements in Cachar plains caused in the early times by the immigrant peasants from Bengal in their North Eastern march to the farthest limit of the Indo-Gangetic plains, in search of agricultural land. In fact, the divided between India and Bangladesh the Cachar-Sylhet region is a single valley formed by the Barak river. In the British period it is called the Surma Valley after a branch of the river, which flanked Sylhet town, and the undivided Valley was the homeland of a common dialect group of Bengali.

Information about the system of education which prevailed in Cachar in the early times is shrouded in obscurity. Scanty references are available on the education system of Cachar of during Kachari rule. So the research made an attempt to investigate the system of education in Cachar during Kachari rule. However, it is presumed that the Gurukul system of education and Dekachang or Young man's club found popular support in Cachar. All practical things on agriculture, handicrafts, music, sports and tribal-warfare were imparted in Dekachang.

When British took over Cachar formally after the death of Gobinda Chandra in 1832, there was some Tols, where Brahmin and Kayastha pundits imparted informal education. Information on the condition of educational institutions as founded by the British in Cachar can be gathered from a letter written in June 1834, by T Fisher, the superintendent of Cachar, to the commissioner of Dacca Division. On the incorporation of Cachar into the administrative unit of Dacca division of Bengal Presidency, Mr. T. Fisher suggested that school be set up in Cachar following the model of Bengal Presidency. J. G. Burns proposed to set up schools at Silchar, Hailakandi and Katigorah. The Amolahs started three schools at Silchar, Hailakandi and Katigorah. It was the beginning of western education in Barak Valley. The Presbyterian mission also played splendid role in the introduction of school and spread of western education in Barak Valley. After the introduction of western education in Barak Valley, the British government also took a numbers of measures for improving education system and smooth running of schools. For these, they also created the post of Inspectors, Assistant inspectors. They also made examination system of Educational Officers who were serving in different parts of Eastern Bengal and Assam.

Western education has its impact in the society of Barak Valley. The introduction of western education in Barak Valley resulted, the emergence of new educated class who actively participated in the freedom struggle of India. The literacy rate amongst the women and lower caste masses was also increased. The proposed study has taken the view whether the spread of western education was comprehensive and whether, the introduction of western education had been marked by the establishment of English institutions in wider scale and whether the western or colonial education had transformed the traditional society of Barak Valley.