Annexure A
I
MINUTE OF GOVERNOR SIR THOMAS MUNRO
ORDERING THE COLLECTION OF DETAILED INFORMATION
ON INDIGENOUS EDUCATION:
25.6.1822*
(TNSA: Revenue Consultations: Vol.920: dated 2.7.1822)
- Much has been written both in England and in this
country about the ignorance of the people of India and the
means of disseminating knowledge among them. But the
opinions upon this subject are the mere conjectures of
individuals unsupported by any authentic documents and
differing so widely from each other as to be entitled to very little
attention. Our power in this country and the nature of its own
municipal institutions have certainly rendered it practicable to
collect material from which a judgment might be formed of the
state of the mental cultivation of the people. We have made
geographical and agricultural surveys of our provinces. We have
investigated their resources and endeavoured to ascertain their
population, but little or nothing has been done to learn the state
of education. We have no record to show the actual state of
education throughout the country. Partial inquiries have been
made by individuals, but those have taken place at distant
periods—and on a small scale and no inference can be drawn
from them with regard to the country in general. There may be
some difficulty in obtaining such a record as we want. Some
Districts will not—but others probably will furnish it—and if we
get it only from two or three it will answer in some degree for all
the rest. It cannot be expected to be very accurate, but it will at
least enable us to form an estimate of the state of instructions
among the people. The only record which can furnish the
information required is a list of the schools in which reading and
writing are taught in
