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Concept and Evolution of Military Studies Module - I

Military Studies
an origin or has exercised so lasting and powerful an influence'. According to him 'The
English found in India, a widespread style of elementary education and higher education,
of which the former was mainly practical while the latter mainly literary, philosophical
and religious.
For about 150 years, the British were involved in trade and conquest in India. The
educational training of the Indian troops started with the establishment of the East
Note
India Company. The beginning of an educational system for the army in India can be
traced to the establishment of the British Regimental Schools, which provided training
to the British troops.

Some of the British Regiments had brought the sergeants who were called "The School
Master", along with them for the purpose of imparting instructions to their troops. But
the number of schoolmasters and mistresses were negligible in proportion to the strength
of the troops. As a result, the commanding officers were permitted to appoint
educationally qualified non- commissioned officers as acting masters. Thus, a new
system of formal education of troops was started.

2.3.4 Education under the Crown

From 1774 to 1785 British East India Company opened a number of regimental
centres for British and European troops. The East India Company did not bother too
much about educating Indian sepoys. However, after the 1857 mutiny, the Queen
took over the reigns as new ruler of India, from The East India Company. New and
more army units with native Indian sepoys were raised. Far reaching changes took
place in army education under the Crown. These were as follows:-

(a) Aims and objectives of educational training were defined for the first time.
(b) Organizational set up was worked out to keep pace with the developments of
educational training from time to time.
(c) Army certificates were introduced and linked with pay and promotion.

(d) Roman Urdu was adopted as the medium of instruction for the army.
(e) Training directives were issued for implementation of the educational training.
(f) Army Educational Corps was raised in 1921 to train instructors for the British
and Indian troops.

2.3.5 Indianization of Military Training

During the pre-independence period, the Indian army had a two fold pattern of training.
The soldiers were recruited from different regions such as Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar,
etc. Each of these regiments had Regimental Centres where the troops received formal
education and training. Separate Academies were built for officers.

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