MUSLIM EDUCATION IN BENGAL 1837-1937

MUSLIM EDUCATION 185
The Court of Directors turned down the scheme and sanctioned only open-
ing of the English classes at the existing institutions.
10. This action of the Government was bitterly criticised by Mr.
Charles Grant who said "A grave error of principle was committed by
Government when it undertook to carry out chiefly at its own cost, an
expensive College for one sect. The best method to get out of the error
is to give at the Mohammedan College (Calcutta Madrassah) as good an
education as we give to the Hindu College. Against anything short of this
justice to the Mohammedans I protest." None heeded his protest which
was a cry in the wilderness. Had the Central College been opened Muslims
would have got facilities for higher education much earlier.
11. In 1822 Col. Lumsden, Secretary of Calcutta Madrassah reported
"the prejudices of the preceptors opposed (Sic) considerable obstacle in
the way of reform". In 1823 he suggested introduction of a course for
English literature and Science as the only effective means of opening the
eyes of the Muslims to the defects of their own system.6 The Madrassah
Committee which was very conservative disagreed with Lumsden and
turned down the proposal on the ground that it was foreign to the views
with which the Madrassah had been originally established.
12. The discipline in the Madrassah was very lax. In 1850 it was
found that one Professor of Arabic and the Librarian had been practising
as Wnani Hakims for years. The teachers used to send fictitious rolls
of students. As a result during the period from 1829 to 1855 not more
than two students could secure junior scholarship. Between 1845 and
1856 no student of calcutta Madrassah could secure a senior scholarship.
The door of the institution was not open to all classes of Muslims. Only
children from respectable families were admitted. In 1844 it was found
that there were only five students in the College department of the Mad-
rassah.
After English became the language of courts the Calcutta Madrassah
ceased to attract students. During the period for 1829 to 1851 the average
number of students in the Madrassah was 72 only.
13. While the Hindus were taking to English education with great
enthusiasm, Muslims were unwilling to tlke advantage of the facilities for
English Education provided in the Calcutta Madrassah. The Moulanas
of the Madrassah in self interest strongly opposed introduction of English
courses.