25 February 1896
In ancient times, when Hindustan was renowned for its learning and arts, there were several maths or academic establishments where studies of various disciplines of knowledge went on night and day. In most of these establishments, there were congregations of learned people who devoted all their time to studying, teaching and writing books. Under their tutelage, new sets of learned people would be trained, who would travel all over the country to spread knowledge. If a particular subject was studied in some of these institutions, the reputed ones would send their examiners to test the knowledge being imparted in such establishments. In short, there were many ashrams or hermitages spread across the country that were devoted to the deep study of many disciplines of knowledge, and where such studies were going on ceaselessly.
The Buddhist period is considered relatively modern in Hindustan’s history. But even during this period, great temples of learning like Nalanda were thriving and students from there spread out all over the country after completing their courses of study in such institutions.
The place where learned people are resident and are deeply immersed in the study and contemplation of diverse disciplines, and to which students are attracted from afar for gaining knowledge from such learned people, such a place qualifies to be called a university, a temple of learning or a sanctuary of knowledge. In our day, we see the same phenomenon in developed countries. It would be fair to call the universities we see in countries like Germany, England, France and America, the maternal homes of knowledge and learning. Such universities do not believe that their job is over with the conducting of the examinations of students prepared by other people. They have been established to promote studies of and new discoveries in different disciplines of knowledge. In order to further that objective, they engage – based on their qualifications and suitability – outstanding people on high salaries solely to enlarge the field of knowledge in diverse disciplines. When there are such universities, the sciences get encouragement, and the growth of knowledge becomes sustainable.
Lately, the study of physics has acquired a greater momentum than psychology. This calls for investment in modern equipment for studies in such institutions. We have already mentioned that such universities exist in America, Germany, France etc. Following those examples, our kind government has established universities in our country too. This has been done for the purpose that through them, we will develop a taste for Western knowledge, arts and the intelligent among us will acquire this and disseminate it to their countrymen in the local languages for their benefit. There was a fierce controversy at the time of Macaulay on whether the Hindu people should be trained in their Eastern knowledge or be provided Western knowledge; it was finally settled in favour of Western knowledge, and, in accordance with the resolution then passed, universities were set up in different provinces and they began conducting examinations in different subjects and awarding degrees to the candidates who passed these examinations.
However, the last fifty years’ experience shows that the emulation of Western universities by our universities is akin to milk emulating buttermilk. Our old institutions such as gurus’ ashrams [hermitages] have gradually decayed and virtually disappeared, and the institutions that have taken their place are not as they ought to be. Consequently, no scholars are being created in the country who study different subjects with the mindset of researchers. It is not that we lack the intelligence or capacity for discoveries. It is the duty of every person desirous of promoting the growth of learning to enquire why a country that produced brilliant minds such as Panini, Kanad, Sankaracharya and Bhaskaracharya cannot today produce anyone comparable to people like Pasteur, Edison, Spencer and Mill, and find out ways and means of combating this [regression].
The author of the book The Brahmin and His Knowledge has devoted some thought to this. However, the one-sided approach of the author has permeated throughout the book and consequently, its conclusions have gone astray. The blame for the poor state of the universities that have taken the place of the earlier Brahmin institution should rightly attach to those who have started or are managing these institutions rather than to the Brahmins. Indeed, it is those who have authority over the universities and their deputies who should be deeply thinking over this issue. These issues had been touched upon by Dr Bhandarkar in his address when he was the vice chancellor; however, they remained disregarded as he seemed to have thought it more important to put some of his other pet ideas before people and those ideas occupied the bulk of his speech. This year the high court judge Mr Jardine has been appointed in Dr Bhandarkar’s place. Going by his reputation for learning, everyone had thought his speech would be comprehensive, succinct and passionate. However, his speech on the occasion of the last convocation fell considerably short of the expected standard. Perhaps, he may have lacked adequate time for preparation. Really speaking, Lord Sandhurst should have presided over the function, considering this was his first year. However, that did not happen, and it fell to Mr Jardine to grace the occasion.
Be that as it may, this new vice chancellor said a couple of things that deserve everyone’s attention. It was his contention that it was not that the Hindu people lacked either the interest in gaining knowledge or the inquisitive mind necessary for scientific study and research. However, given the present situation in the universities here and the way their work is being conducted, it is not possible for them to produce scholars like Pasteur. In all developed countries, the management of universities is in the hands of professors and associate professors in schools and colleges; and it is natural for it to be so. Only a person who has spent his life studying and teaching can understand the good and bad qualities in students and the difficulties they face. The famous universities of Europe entrust their management to such academics and scholars only. However, with us, the situation is entirely different. In our universities, hardly a place is kept for the pursuit of knowledge. Consequently, universities have become machines for stamping the passing of examinations. Now, if the universities lack scholars, should they at least not be present in the colleges?
But there too we find the same paucity. It is virtually impossible for the natives to secure the professors’ places and the professors who arrive here from Europe are fourth-grade graduates who have secured their appointments through nepotism. Instead of seeing scholars toiling selflessly day and night in pursuit of knowledge, all we see in our universities is the hubbub of teachers who have arrived from England only to earn money, and students cramming their books only to pass examinations. How can such universities contribute to the growth of knowledge and the progress and development of the students and of the country? For the teacher’s learning and noble conduct to be imprinted on the students’ minds, the teacher must be wholly dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and have a compassionate attitude towards the students. On both these counts, we have a zero. Why should it be a surprise then, that the students should only strive to stand first in the examination in order to master the study of law and devote their intelligence only to earn money?
Mumbai University was established in 1857. Is it not surprising that in these forty years, it has not produced a single scholar of worldwide renown? Learned people like Telang, Ranade and Bhandarkar have emerged from this university; however, as they entered different businesses, their intellect and learning were not devoted to the pursuit of knowledge as it could have been. Jardine says that this loss to academics was a gain to law and to an extent it is true. But what is its use? This is like an exceptionally skilled warrior, instead of mounting a horse and deploying his skills on the battlefield, spending them at home, shooting arrows through his wife’s nose-ring! Whatever we call such conduct applies here too.
In the first place, our universities do not have professors and associate professors who are genuinely and solely devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. The management of the universities is in the hands of third parties, namely people in other businesses rather than the professors at schools and colleges. No work beyond the conducting of examinations and stamping of degrees of BA and MA happens in the universities. Right from the chancellor to the syndicate, everyone is absorbed only in their respective business. Such a university can more fittingly be called a company registered for the conduct of examinations rather than a temple of learning.
The governor sahib is the chief director of the said company and the barristers from Bombay or people in other professions are its managers. It is hardly surprising that the persons emerging with a certificate from such a company should be employing their “professional” intelligence in various activities other than the acquisition and promotion of knowledge. Mr Justice Jardine has expatiated on these things in his speech and appealed to the wealthy among us that woman [sic] (presumably the reference is to the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi) and Sarasvati (the Goddess of Learning) rarely converge, and therefore they must contribute to establish institutions of learning and make arrangements so that there will be unceasing pursuit of various sciences and the institutions prosper. Only if this happens will there be a revival of universities in Hindustan as of old, and the seed of Western knowledge be firmly planted here and grow into a healthy tree. We have already said above that the present universities are merely companies to conduct examinations; Jardine saheb’s comments are on the same lines. Seeing this, one feels some satisfaction and a degree of hope. While the office of the vice-chancellor is in his hands, if he makes some efforts, some of the abovementioned defects in our universities will disappear. The preaching he has made to the wealthy needs to be directed at the government as well. This is because the day is yet to arrive in this country when a true university can be established by private individuals rather than by the government. Just as institutions like Oxford, Cambridge, etc. have been given assured funding, so should our universities be entitled to; only then would their fortunes rise, and they will gain the stature comparable with their peers in the developed countries.
Excerpted with permission from Kesari: Selected Essays, Lokmanya Tilak, translated from the Marathi by Nadeem Khan and Yashodhan Parandem, Penguin India.
