The Madras Education Code of 1868

Madras Education Code of 1868 was a revised set of rules and a new scheme of payments adopted by the government of Madras Presidency to administer educational grants in aid and encourage the spread of modern education especially among non-Brahmin and lower castes. 

Key Aspects of 1868 Code

• Revised Grant-in-aid System: The government revised its system for providing financial assistance (grants) to private schools. This was a follow up to the principles established by the Wood's Speech of 1854, which encouraged the creation of private schools with grants- in -aid.

• Promotion of education for lower castes. It was a catalyst for the wider spread of education among the non-Brahmin castes and the depressed castes.

• Incentive for publication in Indian languages. Rules were formulated for the award of prizes for the encouragement of the publication of works on modern subjects in Indian languages.

• Administrative Framework: The code served as a comprehensive set of regulations for the administration of education within the Presidency, covering various aspects of school management and government interaction.

1868 revision was part of ongoing British education policy in India. European literature and science came to Madras Presidency through English.

Elementary Education Act 1870, commonly known as Forster's Education Act set the framework for schooling of all children between the ages of 5 and 12 in England and Wales. The Bill was introduced and steered through parliament by William Edward Forster, who was the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education in William Gladstones Liberal government. Why did Madras Education Code precede the Bill? Here there was no parliament, and an executive order was enough.

What were the prevailing conditions as to education of children at that time?

Dames School 

Before the introduction of Elementary Education Act 1870, Dames Schools provided to children of the age 2 to 5 years of lessons in alphabets and basic arithmetic.  Often these were conducted by local women or widows, and operated in their own houses. Girls were instructed in handicrafts, like sewing and knitting.

Dame school pupils were the children of traders and workers, and it was the only form of education available in those times. As more and more parents worked in factories, dame school offered a form of cheap daycare.

William Wordsworth attended a Dame School in Penrith, a market town in the county of Cumbria. ( To familiarise, see Google Maps) 

John Keats attended a Dame School in London.

Charles Dickens attended a Dame School in Chatham, Kent.

Thus we see that Madras Education Code of 1868 preceded Elementary Education Act of 1870.

Here in Malabar, we were given to understand by our teachers that the British came here to exploit our resources and carry them to Britain. It was a false narrative generated by the nationalists in the wake of freedom movement.

What was the equivalent of Dame School in Malabar?

For Brahmins there was Othikkan (ഓതിക്കൻ) who taught vedas to Brahmin boys.

For the Sudras there were Kudippallikkoodam or Ezhuthupalli.

For people beyond the four Varnas? Absolutely nothing. 

Look at the following data:

• The first book printed in Malayalam was in 1772: സംക്ഷേപവേദാർത്ഥം by Clement Peanius, an Italian Jesuit priest. It was printed in Rome.

• Malayalam script had appeared in a multi-lingual book called Hortus Malabaricus in 1678.

• There was no concept of universal education prior to 1868 Madras Education Code.

• Father Benjamin Bailey designed the first rounded metal fonts for Malayalam in 1829.

• Herman Gundert refined the script by mid nineteenth century when he introduced specific vowel signs like crescent etc. By the time of the notification of Madras Education Code all the infrastructures for printing textbooks were completed by Christian missionaries.