British Rule Research Articles

Issues and Challenges before Higher Education in Bihar: An Empirical Study

Indian Knowledge Tradition believes that education is not just the beginning of the spiritual life of mankind, but it is also the training of human soul. It aims at all round development of an individual. Education plays an important role in shaping a country’s socio-economic growth. India is one of the fastest growing economies with a huge human resource. With such vast human capital, the scope of higher education is very much wider in comparison to the other countries. We, in India have the tradition of believing and recognizing “Maa Saraswati” as the goddess of knowledge. We have Vedas, Upanishads, puranas in our core value system. The Bhagwad Gita enlightens and guides mankind in the gravest of life’s problems and awakens not just human mind but also enlightens human soul. The role of women scholars in the Vedic era in developing and enriching Indian tradition cannot be undermined. Takshashila is regarded as the oldest university in the world. While Nalanda, Vikramshila in Bihar are the examples of many distinguished centers of higher education centers in India, which were way ahead of times. The main aim of such higher education institution was to impart Vedic knowledge which leads to spiritual growth. The glory can be traced from the writings of many of the foreign travelers who came to visit Bharat during those times in order to not just see the prevailing higher education system but also to attain knowledge. Our modern education system is largely based on colonial legacy and English education pattern. The foreign invasion and the British rule destroyed traditional Indian educational system in a planned way. According to UNESCO, there are around 235 million students enrolled in different universities around the world. If India is willing to become a super power someday it will only be through knowledge-based society. In this paper we will be discussing the issues and challenges before the higher education system in Bihar. There are 17 state Universities in Bihar, each university has broadly two types of colleges- namely Constituent college and Affiliated college. Constituent Colleges are more or less like Government College and Affiliated colleges are like Private college. This research is primarily focused on the constituent colleges. Present paper seeks to highlight different issues and hindrances before the higher education system in Bihar e.g. Low Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), inadequate Pupil-Teacher ratio, delayed session, poor attendance of students in college, absence of proper laboratory facility, NAAC accreditation, implementation of National Education policy 2020 etc. This is an empirical research based on observational methodology. Higher education has experienced expansion both in terms of institutions and enrolment over the period of time, but it has not been sufficient. Present higher education system has total disconnect from our great ancient tradition. Innovative and transformative strategies need to be implemented on priority basis at the higher education level.

Ghosts in the Machine: The Past, Present, and Future of India’sCyber Security

The article "Ghosts in the Machine: The Past, Present, and Future of India’s Cyber Security" byShashank Yadav provides a comprehensive review of India's cybersecurity journey, from its earlydays of electronic communications under British rule to the present-day challenges. It traces theevolution of cybersecurity policies, highlighting key historical milestones and policy gaps. The articlecritically examines the 2013 National Cybersecurity Policy, identifying its shortcomings inaddressing modern threats, such as advanced persistent threats (APTs) and the role of AI andautomation. The paper emphasizes the need for a robust, forward-looking cybersecurity strategy thatintegrates human factors, operational constructs, and technological advancements to ensure nationalresilience in cyberspace. The article also delves into the human dimension of cybersecurity,emphasizing the importance of situational awareness and the vulnerabilities posed by reliance ontechnology. It argues that the current cybersecurity policy framework in India lacks the necessarydepth and foresight to tackle emerging threats, particularly in the context of international cyberoperations and the evolving landscape of cyber warfare. The author calls for a more integrated andproactive approach to cybersecurity, one that aligns with national security objectives and addressesthe challenges of the digital age.

Arminius Rex: On the Postcolonial Uses of Imperial Languages in, and beyond, International Law

Despite its aspirational name, our discipline has slowly come to understand that ‘international’ law is anything but international. Increasingly, new waves of scholarship have dissected the famous image of the ‘invisible college’, revealing many of its implicit biases and hierarchies in terms of gender, race, or nationality. A promising example of this is the recent surge of interventions that question international law’s Anglo- or Franco-centric past, present, and future. This rising chorus of voices challenge the relevance of French or highlight the violence involved in making English a global lingua franca. While one can sympathise with this critique from a postcolonial perspective, I have grown increasingly wary that some of these contributions end up pleading for an essentialist understanding of local languages in their quest to undermine imperial tongues. Instead, in this essay, I draw from the Germano-Roman mythical figure of Arminius to reflect on the postcolonial uses of imperial languages. Instead of reclaiming the vernacular, I suggest that critical and postcolonial international legal scholars can strategically inherit the legacies of hegemonic languages for anticolonial purposes. Just as Arminius drew from Latin and Rome, the Négritude movement siphoned from French – and even Postcolonial Studies were themselves forged in the crucible of British rule over Egypt and India. We too, I argue, can attempt to use the master’s tools to dismantle his house, at least temporarily.

Contested Statues: The Clive Memorial Fund, Imperial Heroes, and the Reimaginings of Indian History

AbstractThis article considers the Clive Memorial Fund and the campaigns surrounding proposed statues to Robert Clive in London and Calcutta between 1907 and 1912. The author argues that this campaign was an attempt to glorify Clive's actions, focused on the battle of Plassey and its aftermath, as foundation stones for the Indian Empire. The statues were an anxious attempt to situate Britain as a natural part of Indian history, but the campaign instead provoked a developing Indian counternarrative around resistance to colonial rule, particularly from newspapers in Bengal. Although the fund garnered support in Britain, it was greeted in India with official irritation and widespread Indian opposition, highlighting the importance of considering imperial statues in their imperial frame. This reaction, demonizing Clive's treachery and praising his opponent, Siraj-ud-Daula, the nawab of Bengal, was indicative of the place of history in both Bengali nationalism and imperial self-identity. Using newspapers in Britain and Bengal and the correspondence of the Clive Memorial Committee, the author examines the competing narratives of history that emerged in the campaigns around the fund.

Forgotten Flames of Bravery: Unsung Heroes of Inidia’s Struggle for Freedom

Every Individual in India knows about a country’s struggle story for freedom. India was ruled by several European powers from time to time, i.e., Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danish and France. The most recent rulers were the British rulers, and they ruled for a long time. Indian freedom fighters had a dream of removing British rule. The Indian freedom fighters were the brave-hearted souls who did not think twice about sacrificing themselves and liberating us from the British rule. It is because of these brave souls that we are living happily and peacefully in an independent nation, so as a responsible citizen it is our duty to discuss these freedom fighters who fought our future. There were possibly thousands of unsung Heroes of the freedom movement in India. Thus, India’s independence would not have been possible without sacrifices and struggles made by freedom fighters. Aside From Subhash Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh. Rani Laxmi Bai, many hidden gems have given their lives to make our nation free from the British Raj.

Spiritual Nationalism: Unraveling Aurobindo Ghosh's Influence on Indian Freedom Struggle

Aurobindo Ghosh the great Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, poet, philosopher and political leader focused on the combination of spirituality and nationalism, stressing the idea that political freedom can be achieved only in a spiritually awakened society. He emphasized on the notion that mere political independence cannot make a nation free in a real sense and it is only because of spiritual renaissance that can develop a nation. Aurobindo believed in the philosophy of ‘integral nationalism’ which is a combination of political, cultural and spiritual dimensions of a nation in which an individual acts as a whole. Therefore, the present study will explore the concept of spiritual nationalism as developed by Aurobindo Ghosh. While delving into Ghosh’s philosophical and spiritual ideas, this study seeks to unravel how his thoughts shaped the Indian national movement. This study also focused on Ghosh's role in shaping the ideological dimension of the Indian freedom struggle against British colonial rule. The present study highlights the role played by Ghosh in the Indian freedom struggle in which the main tool was spiritual nationalism. The paper begins by delving into the life and works of Aurobindo Ghosh, emphasizing his spiritual philosophy and its integration into the nationalist discourse. It also provides a historical context for the emergence of spiritual nationalism within the Indian National Movement, highlighting the socio-political conditions of the time. This paper primarily focuses on the political ideas of Ghosh and his contribution in the Indian Freedom Struggle with the lens of spiritual nationalism.

ABUL KALAM AZAD’S IDEA OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM FOR AN INCLUSIVE INDIAN NATIONALISM: A CIVILIZATIONAL REVISIT

Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958), the first Minister of Education in independent India, was a towering figure in the modern subcontinent. A freedom fighter against British colonial rule following the steps of Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898), an Islamic thinker, and a champion of Hindu-Muslim unity, Azad was an intellectual-activist advocating an inclusive Indian nationalism. This article focuses on Azad’s idea of religious pluralism based on the doctrine of unity of religions (wahdat al-adyan) and how he related it to his vision of an inclusive Indian nationalism. It discusses the main ideas embodied in this vision, especially the interrelated ideas of national unity and integrity, communal solidarity and harmony, cultural cohesion, and the need for a comprehensive education system that would serve national unity and the well-being of all Indians. Azad’s idea of unity of religions is articulated in his well-known exegetical work The Tarjuman al-Qur’an, especially in his commentary on the “Opening Chapter” (Surah al-Fatihah) of the Qur’an. This article also shows that Azad emphasized on common religious and cultural values as a means of embracing others for partnership in a national unity movement.

Psychological Trauma in Anand’s Across the Black Waters

This paper explores the issue of psychological trauma in Mulk Raj Anand’s novel “Across the Black Waters,” shedding light on the profound impact of World War I on Indian soldiers under British rule. Central to the narrative is Lalu, a sepoy whose journey unveils the stark realities of trench warfare, the constant specter of death, and the brutalities of battle. The soldiers navigate the complex terrain of dislocation and alienation, torn between allegiance to their homeland and serving the British Empire, all while contending with prejudice within the military hierarchy. The aftermath of the war reverberates in the soldiers’ lives, marked by the enduring symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. Through the lens of Lalu’s perspective, this paper exposes the emotional toll exacted on these individuals amidst the multifaceted challenges of war and colonialism. Importantly, the paper employs a novel approach, applying trauma theory as a conceptual framework to delve into the psychological dimensions of the narrative, thereby offering a nuanced understanding of the characters’ experiences in “Across the Black Waters.”

King, Kinglessness and an Oral Poem

The essay discusses an oral poem from north Malabar detailing an 18th-century event of political conflict, manifested between a native king and a local landlord. The story of conflict centres around the idea of bhēdam or difference that the king wanted to project as the secret of his earthly right to rule. The king’s opponent, the local landlord, rejects this idea and claims that they are equals, and there exists no hierarchy of relation between them. The essay explores certain features of the late 18th century political transition along the Coast of Malabar which culminated in the Mysore and British rule, and argues that the landlord’s denial of king’s authority was firmly rooted in this context, and had futurist intentions. In this way, the essay also tries to present a critique of the neo-Hocartian idea of “little-kingdom” and the Proppian proposal for “pattern morphology”. It indicates that the early modern Malabar presents an interesting case of ‘hollowing’ the crown from inside, and its oral poems—as a genre of history—document this process in modes that are deemed appropriate to their times.

Model of Periodization of the History of Civilization and Phases of Development of Islamic Education

This research aims to discuss the periodization model of the history of civilization and the development phases of Islamic education. The historical periodization of Islamic civilization and Islamic education developed simultaneously because education existed because of the existence of a civilization. Islamic civilization and education began with the presence of Islam in Mecca. The Prophet established that Islamic education is based on the Koran and Hadith so that all the values of Islamic education are found in the Koran. Harun Nasution divides the history of Islamic civilization into three periods, namely the classical period, the medieval period and the modern period. The development of Islamic education goes hand in hand with the historical development of Islamic civilization. In the classical period, Islamic education was centered on the Prophet, Khulfaur Rasyidin, the Umayyad daulah and the Abbasid daulah. In the middle period, Islamic education focused on three large empires, namely the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, the Safavid empire in Persia and the Mughal empire in India. Meanwhile, in the modern period Islamic education experienced significant changes because in the medieval period Islam experienced decline. Islamic education was born with a new face to develop Islamic education in various aspects.

Implications for Child rights amid COVID -19 Pandemic and Economic crisis in Sri Lanka

This article clearly explains about the implications of child rights amid COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Among the countries in Asian continent, Sri Lanka is one of the countries that practices good practices to safe guard the rights of children since the attainment of independence from British rulers. The protocols and amendments which are taken to protect rights of children elicit the role of the country in line with safeguarding child rights. Apart from all effective implementations of amendments and protocols of child rights in Sri Lanka, COVID - 19 pandemic and economic crisis have made various implications in the processing to safe guard child rights. How children rights are affected and what type of challenges they faced during those periods are the main objectives of this article and this article clearly explains it. Especially, the challenges faced by students are discussed under four main clusters of child rights, such as the right to survival, the right to protection, the right to development, and the right to participation. Moreover, this article also will illustrate that how these two crisis time have positively impacted on the development of child rights.

British Values, Hong Kong Voices: Tracing Hong Kong’s Britishness and Its Influences on British Immigration Policies

Abstract This article examines the rationale behind the United Kingdom’s decision to offer Hongkongers new immigration routes and assess whether Britishness constitutes part of Hong Kong’s identity, influencing this policy choice. It explores the concept of Britishness and how Hong Kong developed a distinct identity through its colonial history and experiences under British rule. Perspectives from the British administration, Hongkongers, and Chinese government on Hong Kong’s Britishness are considered. The article argues the United Kingdom action stems from two factors – perceiving a shared Britishness between Hongkongers and Britons mitigating public backlash, and viewing Hongkongers’ Britishness as crucial to their integration. Ultimately, Britishness remains integral to Hong Kong due to shared social and political values with Britain from over 150 years of colonial rule.

Evolution of Informal Trade in Old Hyderabad: Investigating Resistance to Acquired Western Urban Planning Interventions

Street vending has been a dominant occupation among migrants since the inception of urban migration in Hyderabad, India. For a long time, street vending has been considered an intrusion into the city’s urban fabric, causing stringent efforts to exclude it. Historic evidence shows the existence of public markets –called bazaars– that run alongside shops. Nevertheless, the urban transformation of Hyderabad was influenced by Western urbanization paradigms and foreign interference under British rule and sustained by volatile policies after independence, jeopardizing historical identities and pushing marginalized populations away from the city. This study examines the impact of volatile policies on urban informality and argues that peripatetic trade in Hyderabad is native to the city. Today, while street vending is considered an appropriation of public space in the Old City, results indicate it is a form of resistance to acquired Western planning models and modernization induced upon the city.

Reasons and Socio-Political Implications of Emergence of Terrorism Naxalism in India

The seeds of terrorism in India were sown during the British rule. As a result of the divide and rule policy of the British, Hindu Muslim communalism started at the time of independence and grew exponentially thereafter. India and Pakistan have fought four wars since the first war for the possession of Kashmir during the partition of India and Pakistan. Pakistan started trying hard politically to harm India. As a result of torture by terrorists in the terror-prone areas, the government system became very weak, the dissatisfaction with the government increased, the sense of nationalism among a section of the people was weakened, while the anti-national mentality was created in a section of the people, the terrorists got the necessary socio-political environment to spread their influence.

Reasons and Socio-Political Implications of Emergence of Terrorism Naxalism in India

The seeds of terrorism in India were sown during the British rule. As a result of the divide and rule policy of the British, Hindu Muslim communalism started at the time of independence and grew exponentially thereafter. India and Pakistan have fought four wars since the first war for the possession of Kashmir during the partition of India and Pakistan. Pakistan started trying hard politically to harm India. As a result of torture by terrorists in the terror-prone areas, the government system became very weak, the dissatisfaction with the government increased, the sense of nationalism among a section of the people was weakened, while the anti-national mentality was created in a section of the people, the terrorists got the necessary socio-political environment to spread their influence.

A brief study on economic impact of British rule in India during the colonial period

After the battle of Plessey and Boxer, the British East-India company started to establish their control over Bengal and gradually the company introduced the sway almost all over India. Consequently, they started to introduce various reforms in favor of their administration. Keeping in mind in this regard they initiated a series of reforms for the people of India as they wished from their ends. The British brought about social, political, and agrarian reforms to improve the condition of the people of India. The Britain tried their best to improve the economic condition of the people of India as well as their colonial interest. Hence through this topic it has been tried how British governments make huge changes in the field of economy during their tenure. Economists, scholars, and lawmakers are still arguing about what part and how big British empire policy played in India's relative drop in world GDP from 1858 to 1947. Some people who didn't like British rule said that it had bad effects and that Britain made India less industrialized to help British exports, which made Indians poorer than they were before British rule.

Memorial as aegis: Colonial sovereignty and the unmaking of the Kanpur Memorial Well Monument

This article addresses competing visions of sovereignty that underwrite recent debates about monuments. It turns to a well-known monument built to commemorate the loss of British lives in the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857–59: the Kanpur (Cawnpore) Memorial Well Monument. The memorial stood over a well in which the bodies of 200 British women and children killed by Indian sepoys lay buried. A large landscaped enclosure was built around the memorial and only European visitors were given access to the site. On August 15, 1947, the day of Indian independence from British rule, a crowd overran the site and defaced the monument. Much of the monument was subsequently dismantled and moved to a more secluded site within the Kanpur cantonment. The desire among the British stakeholders to leave no trace of its former identity focused attention on those aspects of meaning ascribed to the monument that could not be erased. Building on the Hobbesian idea of passion as a key element of sovereignty, this article argues that the monument may be viewed as an aegis — an apotropaion — that deflects gaze more than it enables attentive looking.

Behind bars: Abba Ahimeir’s prison diary and its portrayal of politics, history, and culture

ABSTRACTThis paper explores journalist Abba Ahimeir’s six prison diaries (1934–1935), shedding light on his thoughts and emotions during British Mandate imprisonment. Written in Jerusalem’s central prison, these diaries delve into Ahimeir’s multifaceted personality, covering personal, familial, political, and public aspects. With a focus on the unsolved Arlosoroff murder, the paper examines the events leading to Ahimeir’s diary creation, emphasizing his perceptions of prison reality, insights into the Arlosoroff affair, and broader observations on culture and history. The goal is to present the complexity of Ahimeir’s character and offer historical context for the tumultuous years of the Yishuv under British rule.

Rammohun Roy and the ‘Conservative’ Overtones of His Liberal Sociopolitical Agenda

Rammohun Roy, the liberal reformer of the early nineteenth century, and perhaps the first Indian to comprehensively embrace the ideal of modernity, encountered a volley of criticisms during his lifetime and beyond. Of all this, the twin charges, that is, his reformist project denigrated India’s ancient sociocultural heritage and he acted as an unconscious tool of the British Empire in India, have recently gathered a new momentum in the context of the changing dynamics of Indian politics. This article seeks to engage with this line of argument by examining the political, social and religious dimensions of Roy’s thought and action. It is accepted that he was inspired by the ideals of Western modernity, which, he believed, held the key to the long-term intellectual, sociocultural, political and economic development of the Indians. He also supported the continuation of British rule at least for a period of time to allow wider dissemination of these progressive values in India and to pave the way for its all-round advance. It is contended, however, that neither did he intend to undermine India’s classical heritage, nor did he favour mindless aping of the West. On the contrary, he took ample care to integrate indigenous sociocultural components into his proposed roadmap for the future. Thus, his liberal agenda had evident ‘conservative’ underpinnings that arguably put a new spin on the idea of modernity.

Labour coercion and commodification: from the British Empire to postcolonial migration states

ABSTRACTScholars of migration studies have only recently begun to focus on the interconnected histories of empire, postcolonialism, and human mobility. The existing literature presents a rather uncomplicated narrative of migration policy in a Global South unencumbered by the legacies of imperial rule. In this article, we aim to expand the concept of ‘postcolonial migration states’ by drawing parallels between imperial rule and postcolonial migration policymaking. We argue that legacies of imperialism endure in the management of mobility across postcolonial states of the Global South: a legal legacy through the adoption of colonial acts, statutes, and ordinances; and an institutional legacy through the repurposing of colonial bureaucratic infrastructures. We take the case of Indian indentured emigration under British imperial rule and trace its legacies in the contemporary movement of low-skilled labour out of South Asia to the Gulf Cooperation Council states. We find that the processes of labour coercion and commodification remain key features of migration control during and after colonial rule. Ultimately, we argue for the need to re-examine South–South migration processes to identify continuities between imperial policymaking and postcolonial states’ management of human mobility.