Agra is good in education. A number of colleges make this city rich in education. One learning institutions that goes ahead to prove this fact is the St. John’s College. Established in the colonial period, this college was created for the sole purpose of imparting good knowledge on its students.
Early Existence of Education
When India was colonized, the British did not care about establishing educational centres. Usually, children attended Pathsala or madrasa classes depending on their religion. This is where they were able to learn a few things. However, in 1793AD, William Carey, a white missionary visited India to spread the word on education.
He paved the way for other missionaries to come to the country and follow suit. This is when Lord Wellesley visited India in 1800 and established William College. Thereafter, some of his colleagues became motivated by Lord Wellesley’s desire to spread oriental education and they joined the course.
Thus, education in India is attributed to like-minded missionaries. This is also how the western system curriculum started to be taught in the country. There are many primary schools that were established initially. Other colleges that were established alongside St. John’s College includes the Hindu college that was founded in Calcutta.
In the 1840s, educational institutions were established but not all of them taught accordingly. As such, Charles Wood, one of the few people who were on the board of education initiated change. He worked to introduce the university level of education and also promoted the teaching of vernacular and English languages in these schools. As such, the education system went through a much-needed change.
Establishing St. John’s College
Established in the 1850s, St. John is an extension college of Agra University. It is one of the oldest learning institutions in India. As the college was established by missionaries who came to the country, it was thought best to be named ‘John’, after a disciple of Jesus. When the college was first opened, it had almost 300 students. This only goes to show that many were yearning for education.
Between 1869 and 1870, there were199 Hindus who enrolled in the university. There were also 76 Muslims. The college got the best management because it was run by Rev. Thomas Valpy, an Oxford University graduate. Therefore, the first group of students in this college was initiated into higher education in the best way.
Ever since its inception, St. John’s College has grown in leaps and bounds. It has slowly but surely become one of the best learning institutions in Agra. The kind of courses that are offered here is stellar, matching every student’s needs. Learning slots in the college are highly in demand. The college has been associated with the crème de la crème of the nation of India. For instance, the late Dr. Shankar Dayar Sharma studied here. He was India’s former president.
