Discuss the rise of national consciousness in 19th century india. Conclusion
Answers
Answer:
The rise of national consciousness in India took place towards the latter half of the 19th century
only. Before that, there were struggles and battles against British colonialism but they were all
confined to smaller areas and in any case, did not encompass the whole of India. In fact, some
scholars at the time did not consider India to be a country. Though political union had occurred
in the past under great kings like Ashoka and Akbar and under the Marathas to an extent, they
were not permanent. However, cultural unity was always seen and foreign powers always
referred to the subcontinent as India or Hind as being one entity, despite being ruled by many
rulers.
It can be said that the national movement, with the political and social emancipation of the
people as its aim, arose in India in 1885, with the formation of the Indian National Congres.
Causes of the National Movement:
For any movement to take roots there are several causes that lead up to the final culmination point.
Similarly, the making of the National Movement is a result of many things that eventually led to the
creation of Indian National Congress. Some of these reasons are briefly listed here.
1.Western Education
British came up with several educational institutes in the nation to ensure that their local subjects
could understand their language. The motive behind was to enable the subjects to serve the Raj
better.
Macaulay had instituted a western educational system in India with the sole aim of creating a
class of educated Indians who could serve their colonial masters in the administration of the
‘natives’. This idea sort of backfired because it created a class of Indians who became exposed to
the liberal and radical thoughts of European writers who expounded liberty, equality, democracy
and rationality. Also, the English language united Indians from various regions and religions.
Some progressive Indians like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar etc. were the
pioneers of western education in India. The old system of education was only perpetuating
superstition and orthodoxy. English education was treated as the treasures of scientific and
democratic thought of the west. English educated Indians like Raja Ram Mohan, Vivekananda,
Gokhale, Dadabhai Naroji, Feroz Shah Mehta, Surendra Nath Banerjee etc. who led the social,
religious and political movements in India were all English educated.
English language became the medium of communication among the educated Indians by which
they could develop close contacts with one another. They also came in contact with western
ideas, culture and institutions through the medium of English language. It helped to build up a
democratic and rationalist outlook. Ideas of nationalism, democracy, liberty, equality, socialism
please mark as brain list