--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Formal education in British India was…" description: "\"Formal education in British India was remarkable for its lack of connection with its Indian environment. Like the African persuaded to cover his nakedn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg" --- # Formal education in British India was remarkable for its… ![“Formal education in British India was remarkable for its lack of connection with its Indian environment. Like the African persuaded to cover his nakedness with a Mother Hubbard, we wore mental Mother Hubbards, and they were often a sad fit. Our textbooks had been compiled by Englishmen for English…” quote by Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg) > “Formal education in British India was remarkable for its lack of connection with its Indian environment. Like the African persuaded to cover his nakedness with a Mother Hubbard, we wore mental Mother Hubbards, and they were often a sad fit. Our textbooks had been compiled by Englishmen for English children, of whom there were none in my school and few in any school in India.” [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. British Indian schools were detached from Indian reality, using foreign curricula that didn't serve local students. **In simple terms:** Colonial schools ignored Indian context. Key Takeaway Seek culturally relevant education. Themes colonialism education cultural disconnect Mood critical thoughtful Type academic reflective When to use this quote - reforming curricula - local language instruction - community learning - teacher training Key Concepts postcolonial theory curriculum design Questions to Reflect On - How can education be decolonized? - What local knowledge should be included? A Different Perspective Imported curricula may not suit all contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-india-1315757/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-british-2442551/) [English Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-children-2442553/) [Englishmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Formal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formal/) [Formal education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formal-education/) [Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Remarkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remarkable/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-india-2442552/) [Textbooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/textbooks/) ## Related quotes > [“1891, a journalist from the Amrita Bazar Patrika managed to rummage through the wastepaper basket at the office of Viceroy Lord Lansdowne. There he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/1891-a-journalist-from-the-amrita-bazar-patrika-managed-to-rummage/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [I'm an Asian guy growing up in London so I see myself as British, but India is part of my culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dev-patel/i-m-an-asian-guy-growing-up-in-london-so-i-see-myself-as-british-but/) [Dev Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dev-patel/) > [I was a huge J.M. Barrie fan as a kid, as most English children are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/i-was-a-huge-j-m-barrie-fan-as-a-kid-as-most-english-children-are/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [The nice sense of measure is certainly not one of Nature's gifts to her English children ... we have all of us yielded to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/the-nice-sense-of-measure-is-certainly-not-one-of-nature-s-gifts-to/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [My mother was a children's librarian, and I was raised on lots of English children's literature. It gave me this weird idea that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-mays/my-mother-was-a-children-s-librarian-and-i-was-raised-on-lots-of/) [Jefferson Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-mays/) > [It appeared clear to me - partly because of the lies that filled my history textbooks - that the intent of formal education was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-b-tyson/it-appeared-clear-to-me-partly-because-of-the-lies-that-filled-my/) [Timothy B. Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-b-tyson/) > [One of the most beautiful things about Britain, apart from the NHS and the free education, is the British Army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/one-of-the-most-beautiful-things-about-britain-apart-from-the-nhs-and/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [The education I received was a British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions, were automatically assumed to be superior. There was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/the-education-i-received-was-a-british-education-in-which-british/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Education in British schools isn't good enough. It's not remotely imaginative enough. It lets down too many children, excluding them from society, and, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rogers/education-in-british-schools-isn-t-good-enough-it-s-not-remotely/) [Richard Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rogers/) > [“On the first day of school, my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an English name and said that from thenceforth that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/on-the-first-day-of-school-my-teacher-miss-mdingane-gave-each-of-us/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Ashok Mehta did not go to any institute. He did not carry the baggage of formal education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-menon/ashok-mehta-did-not-go-to-any-institute-he-did-not-carry-the-baggage/) [Rajiv Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-menon/) > [It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-is-a-miracle-that-curiosity-survives-formal-education/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The truth is that once you get down on the trading floor, you find that the traders come from all walks of life. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-bradford-raschke/the-truth-is-that-once-you-get-down-on-the-trading-floor-you-find/) [Linda Bradford Raschke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-bradford-raschke/) > [My mom and dad, although they may not have had a lot of formal education, they were two of the most brilliant people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/my-mom-and-dad-although-they-may-not-have-had-a-lot-of-formal/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [Formal education must change. It needs to be brought into closer alignment with the world as it actually is, into closer harmony with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/formal-education-must-change-it-needs-to-be-brought-into-closer/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) ## More by Nayantara Sahgal > [choice in any sphere is a peril, the basic division of peoples is of those who believe in choice and those who mistrust it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/choice-in-any-sphere-is-a-peril-the-basic-division-of-peoples-is-of/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [what was the right level of prosperity, the level that banished dire need but did not satiate, the level that did not threaten the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/what-was-the-right-level-of-prosperity-the-level-that-banished-dire/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [Race was a word that bred arrogance, danger and violence. When had incitement to race served a peaceful purpose? Race was a fuel and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/race-was-a-word-that-bred-arrogance-danger-and-violence-when-had/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [In India the human being is a symphonic theme. 'The people' is not a compact, close-knit concept, but a sprawling one, flowing not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/in-india-the-human-being-is-a-symphonic-theme-the-people-is-not-a/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [Civilization itself is housed in the human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/civilization-itself-is-housed-in-the-human-being/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [passion of any sort is seldom governed by the rules of etiquette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/passion-of-any-sort-is-seldom-governed-by-the-rules-of-etiquette/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [In the end countries, like people, are alone, and the real things that must be done have to be done without help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/in-the-end-countries-like-people-are-alone-and-the-real-things-that/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) > [ \[Race\] had no substance, like a shadowy shape that terrifies in the dark but vanishes by the light of day. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/race-had-no-substance-like-a-shadowy-shape-that-terrifies-in-the-dark/) [Nayantara Sahgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) [Explore all 9 Nayantara Sahgal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Formal education in British India was remarkable for its lack of connection with its Indian environment. Like the African persuaded to cover his nakedness with a Mother Hubbard, we wore mental Mother Hubbards, and they were often a sad fit. Our textbooks had been compiled by Englishmen for English children, of whom there were none in my school and few in any school in India.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nayantara Sahgal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/formal-education-in-british-india-was-remarkable-for-its-lack-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/formal-education-in-british-india-was-remarkable-for-its-lack-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a5/nayantara-sahgal-43698_british_formal-education-in-british-india-was-re_2662958.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Formal education in British India was remarkable for its lack of connection with its Indian environment…” — Nayantara Sahgal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nayantara Sahgal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayantara-sahgal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Formal education in British India was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/formal-education-in-british-india-was-remarkable-for-its-lack-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayantara-sahgal/formal-education-in-british-india-was-remarkable-for-its-lack-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```