Education in J&K during Dogra rule
Education in J&K during Dogra rule
Before the introduction of the western system of education in the State, the indigenous schools, pathshalas, and madrasas, were run by the members of the Hindu and Muslim communities and generally housed in temples and mosques. The places well known for some good indigenous schools were Srinagar in the Kashmir province and the Jammu city, Purmandal and Utter Behni in the Jammu province. The hectic literary activity during Ranbir Singh’s regime received life and vigour from his personal interest and care about this aspect of the cultural life of the people of the State.
Maharaja Ranbir Singh, who ruled this State from 1857 to 1885 did not establish any school on the western lines. But his son and successor Maharaja Partap Singh, established one such school in the very first year of his regime, i.e. 1886. Then forward more and more schools where the western type of education was imparted were opened. These modern schools were divided into three categories i.e. Primary, Middle and High School. The High Schools prepared the students for the matriculation examination of the Punjab University to which these institutions were affiliated. Great attention was paid by the State Govt. to furnish it’s schools with qualified teachers. Special grants were budgeted for the training of unqualified teachers at the training college and the normal school at Lahore. But this caused great expense to the Darbar and teachers from Srinagar generally avoided going to distant and hot place like Lahore for training purposes. Hence a normal school was opened in Srinagar in 1903-04 for their training. In 1912-13, the Darbar sanctioned special grants for the training of the qualified teachers at the local normal school and the college at Lahore. A new State Normal school was opened at Jammu in 1922-23. This saved the local teachers from going outside for training. The teachers training school tremodelled on the lines envisaged in the reorganisation committee’s report was started in Srinagar with effect from first Katik 1995. The former normal school at Udhampur which trained teachers was abolished.
In addition to the basic school opened in Batmaloo another basic school was opened in Jammu city which also did quite creditable work.
On Sept 2, 1940, a B.T. class was opened in the Prince of Wales College, Jammu and 30 graduates were admitted. Formally 10 graduate teachers on an average were deputed annually for B.T.
Thus an important landmark was reached in the progress of secondary education in the State and a long felt want was met. The training college, Jammu was constituted, did good work and in couple of years after it’s start attained a standard of work in the year from 13th April, 1944 to 12th April 1945. The State Govt, opened a teachers training school at Jammu on the lines of the Srinagar Teacher training school, to meet the increased demand for trained teachers in basic education. To ensure a good state of health to the students, physical instructor was given in every school. These were drill teachers attached to the high schools. The State Govt. encouraged technical education in the interest of people and established Amar Singh technical institute in Srinagar on Nov. 1913 and which was formally opened by Maharaja Partap Singh next year on 29th May. In 1924 another technical institute under the name of Shri Pratap Singh Technical School was opened at Jammu. So far there were only two technical schools in the State, one at Srinagar and other at Jammu.
Adult education was introduced in the State by the Darbar in the year 1938-39. The first day of Katik 1995. Keeping in view the fact that even the advanced provinces and State of India were very backward in the education of females, same was the condition of J&K. In the discrimination of female education in the State the contribution of the private enterprises was more than that of the Govt. agency.
Gurmat Kanya Pathshala was the first Girls Schools in the Jammu city
