hartog committee for 26 September 2025

The Hartog Committee was a committee appointed by the British Indian government in 1929 to study the state of education in India and recommend reforms, with a focus on improving quality, reducing wastage, and prioritizing mass education over higher education. In this article, we are going to cover the Hartog Committee, its objectives and observations and educational reforms. 

Hartog Committee

The Hartog Committee was appointed by the British Indian government to check and improve the standards of education in India. The appointment came during the time when the rapid increase in the number of schools and colleges had not translated into better educational outcomes; instead, they were leading to a visible decline in standards. The Committee submitted its final report in 1929, prioritizing mass education over secondary and higher education, and highlighting the wastage, stagnation, and inefficiency in primary, secondary, and postsecondary education. Its primary aim was to analyze the state of education and recommend reforms to improve quality, access, and efficiency across India.

Hartog Committee Important Insights and Observations

The Hartog Committee took a detailed survey of the Indian education system, analyzing issues at all levels and providing recommendations. These observations included:

1. Progress in Education: The Committee noted that education in India had progressed significantly. The general populace recognized the importance of education, and enrollment in elementary schools was steadily increasing. The growth reflected a social and political awakening, indicating that education was becoming a national priority.
2. Rising Social Awareness: Alongside population growth, there was increasing participation in education by women, Muslims, and lower social classes. This suggested that educational awareness was gradually spreading across different sections of society, highlighting the potential for inclusive development through mass education.
3. Persistent Literacy Challenges: Despite these positive developments, the Committee expressed concern that literacy levels were still low, and many students were leaving school before completing elementary education. The awareness of education’s importance had not yet translated into effective learning outcomes.

Hartog Committee Primary Education Reforms

The Committee focused extensively on primary education, identifying it as the foundation for the entire educational system. It highlighted critical issues such as high dropout rates, poor teaching quality, and inefficient use of resources. For instance, during 1925–26, only 18 out of every 100 students in Class IV could read properly, indicating that much of the investment in primary education was wasted. To address these problems, the Committee proposed the following measures:

• Reducing exclusive reliance on local governments for managing primary education.
• Introducing primary education gradually rather than making it immediately compulsory for all children.
• Increasing the number of elementary school inspectors to ensure quality control.
• Closing down non-functional primary schools to optimize resources.
• Ensuring a minimum four-year duration for primary schooling.
• Incorporating practical courses that would make learning more relevant to students’ lives.
• Making primary schools centers for village transformation, including adult education programs, recreational activities, and community engagement.
• Employing qualified and trained teachers to ensure better learning outcomes.
• Enhancing teacher training, including specialized courses for working educators.
• Improving teachers’ pay and working conditions to boost morale and effectiveness.
• Taking steps from the outset to reduce stagnation and wastage within the system.

These recommendations emphasized the need for systematic monitoring and long-term planning, aiming to strengthen primary education as the cornerstone of national literacy and social development.

Hartog Committee Secondary Education Reforms

The Committee also analyzed secondary education and identified high levels of wastage due to excessive matriculation exam failures and slow class progression. Many students were found to be unfit for higher education, yet they continued through the system, consuming resources without acquiring meaningful skills. To address these issues, the Committee recommended:

• Revising the middle school curriculum to include utilitarian and practical subjects that would benefit students in everyday life.
• Conducting public examinations at the middle school level, with guidance for students to pursue vocational and technical training based on aptitude.
• Introducing vocational and technical subjects in the secondary school curriculum to prepare students for employment and practical professions.
• Designing alternative courses at the high school level to allow students to choose subjects aligned with their interests and abilities.
• Recruiting trained and competent teachers, establishing appropriate teacher training courses, and offering refresher programs for current teachers.
• Increasing teachers’ pay, improving working conditions, and ensuring employment security throughout the academic year.

These reforms were intended to reduce inefficiency, improve learning outcomes, and make secondary education more relevant to students’ future careers.

Hartog Committee Higher Education Reforms

While the Hartog Committee praised the growth of affiliated colleges, it criticized declining standards due to indiscriminate admissions, poor learning environments, and lack of focus on quality education. Universities were failing to develop a taste for learning and prepare students for leadership roles in society. Observations included overcrowding, neglect of honors courses, inadequate libraries, and unhealthy competition based on student numbers rather than academic quality. Key recommendations included:

• Establishing institutions dedicated to research and teaching excellence.
• Developing libraries, laboratories, and research facilities to support higher learning.
  
  
• Offering honors programs superior in quality to general courses.
• Introducing industrial and technical education programs to enhance employability.
• Setting up employment bureaus in universities to guide students toward appropriate job opportunities.
• Regulating college and university admissions strictly, ensuring that only capable and competent students enroll.

These measures were aimed at improving the quality of higher education, fostering research, and linking academic learning to societal and economic needs.

Hartog Committee Legacy and Impact

• The Hartog Committee aimed to stabilize and consolidate education during the 1930s, showing that just expansion of educational institutions without attention to quality was wasteful and counterproductive. 
• Its recommendations were forward-looking and comprehensive, but most were not implemented effectively. 
• The 1930–31 global economic depression further hindered educational progress, leaving many proposals unfulfilled. 
• Despite this, the Committee’s work remains significant for its focus on quality, inclusivity, and systematic reform, offering valuable insights into the early challenges and priorities of India’s educational development.

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