WESTERN EDUCATION IN MALDAH: A CASE STUDY ON THE SPREAD OF WESTERN EDUCATION IN MALDAH DISTRICT (1858-1905)

It is true that education is the pillar of a nation and continuously plays a significant role in the progress of any region or country. Since ancient times, different parts of the world have had their kind of education system, just as India has. But, over the time, the educational structure in India has transformed its nature and character, for example, the Gurukul system of education, then the Sangha or Mahavihara system of education, etc. In ancient times universities like Nalanda, Taxila, Odantapuri, etc., were established and became prominent learning centres. Then, in the seventeenth century when the Europeans came to India, they introduced Western education particularly the English education system in India. And this new system of education is still influencing India at present. Though Western education system was introduced by the British it gradually began to influence the nation. Hence, this research paper will be dealing with the development of Western education in the Maldah district before the partition of Bengal. It will also discuss the literacy rate of the district of that time.