Indian Universities Commission 1902


The Indian Universities Commission was a body appointed in 1902 on the instructions of Lord Curzon which was intended to make recommendations for reforms in University education in India. Appointed following a conference on education at Simla in September 1901, the Commission was led by Law member Thomas Raleigh and included among its members Syed Hussain Belgrami and Justice GurDas Banerjee. The recommendations of the commission included regulations for reformation of University Senates in Indian Universities, greater representation of affiliated colleges in the senates, and stricter monitoring of affiliated institutions by the universities. It also made recommendations for reform of school education, curricular reforms at Universities, recommendations on education and examinations, research, as well as student welfare and state scholarships. The recommendations were, however, controversial at the time. There was a growing nationalist sentiment in British India, and a number of colleges and institutions of higher education had risen in metropolitan suburbs which were linked to the major universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. These set their own curriculum, and the recommendations of the commission were seen as measures to derecognise and regulate indigenous institutions which fell into disfavour of the Raj. Despite strong and sustained opposition from Indian populace, the recommendations were enacted by Curzon as Indian Universities Act 1904.