Struggle against the Caste System

• The system of caste had become the bane of Indian society.
• The caste system was primarily based on the fourfold division of society viz. Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishyas and Shudras.
• Mahatma Gandhi made the removal of untouchability a part of his constructive programme. He brought out a paper, The Harijan, and also organised the Harijan Sevak Sangh.
• Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar dedicated his entire life for the welfare of the downtrodden. In Bombay, he formed a Bahiskrit Hitkarini Sabha in July 1924 for this purpose. Later, he also organised the Akhil Bharatiya Dalit Varg Sabha to fight against caste oppression.
• Jyotirao Phule in Western India  established the Satya Sadhak Samaj.
• Shri Narayana Guru in Kerala established the Shri Narayana Dharma Partipalana Yogam.  His famous slogan is" One religion, one caste and one God for mankind"
•  Periyar E.V. Ramasamy   started Self-respect Movement 
• The practice of untouchability was formally outlawed by the Constitution of India in 1950,
• The first upper-caste temple to openly welcome Dalits into their fold was the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, erstwhile Travancore in the year 1936; the move was spearheaded by social reformer Ayyankali
•  Nair Service Society formed by Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai.
• Amritalal Vithaldal Thakkar(Thakkar bappa)  mentioned first word of Adivasa. he founded Bharatiya Adhimjati Sevak sangh in 1948.

Social reforms and Fight against evil practices of women.

• Several evil practices such as Practice of Sati, Purdah system, Child marriage, Female Infanticide, Bride price and Polygamy.
• First enactment of law against practice of Sati during the Lord William Bentinck. 
• Female Infanticide is more in the Rajputanas, Punjab and North western provinces.
• Raja Rammohan Roy and Iswarachandra Vidya Sagar are the prominent reformers.
• July 1856, JP Grant passes a bill on Widow Remarriage Act, 1856.
• In 1870, the Indian Reforms Association was started with the efforts of Keshav Chandra Sen .
• A journal called Mahapap Bal Vivah was launched with efforts of B.M.Malabari.
• In 1846, the minimum marriageable age for a girl was only 10 years.
• In 1891, through the enactment of the Age of Consent Act, this was raised to 12 years. 
• In 1930, through the Sharda Act, the minimum age was raised to 14 years. 
• After independence, the limit was raised to 18 years in 1978.

Development of Education in India-Ancient to Modern

• During the vedic period, education was provided at the house of teacher,Guru. 
• Knowledge was passed on orally from one generation to another in ancient India. 
• Education involved three basic processes, one, which included ‘Sravana’ (stage of acquiring knowledge of ‘Shrutis’ by listening). Two, ‘Manana’ (meaning pupils to think, analyse themselves about what they heard, assimilate the lessons taught by their teacher and make their own inferences,) and three ‘Nidhyasana' (meaning comprehension of truth and and  apply/use it into real life).
• Princes were trained in arms.
• Lower order boys learnt their trade from their fathers.
• In ancient India women were given equal right to education and teaching. 
• Women seers like ‘Gayatri’ or ‘Maitreyi’ were prominent participants in educational debates and proceedings of ‘Parishads’ (Assemblies). 
• Varanasi, Takshasila( first university of world ) and Kanchi are renowned places for education.
• Panini-the Grammarian, Kautilya-minister of Chandra Gupta Maurya and Charaka-Great master of medicine are from Takshasila.
• Buddhist monastery of Nalanda is in Bihar.
• Nalanda and Vikramshila Universities are the best Universities of its times.
• Takshila University was famous for medical studies. 
• Varanasi was famous for religious teachings. 
• Nalanda have eight colleges.  It was one of the earliest examples of residential cum learning complex.
• Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to the world and 'charaka' is known as the father of Ayurveda. 
• Indian language Sanskrit is considered to be the mother of many modern languages of world.
• Place value system was developed in India in 100 B.C.
• India was the country, which invented number system.
• Aryabhatta, the Indian scientist, invented digit zero.
• Trigonometry, algebra and calculus studies were originated in India.
• During Sultanate period, Persian encouraged.
• The Imperial Library was founded at Delhi for which Amir Khusrav, Librarian appointed by Jalal-ud-din khilji.
• Humayun was great student of Geography and Astronomy. He built Madarsa at Delhi. 
• Akbar permitted and allowed Hindus in to Madarsas.

• In 1781, Warren Hastings established a Madrasa in Culcutta to encourage study of Muslim laws along with Arabic and Persian languages.
• In 1791, Jonathan Duncan- A Sanskrit college in Banaras to study Hindu laws and Philosophy.
• The contemporary British scholars were divided into two groups on the issue of development of education in India. 
• One group, called the Orientalists, advocated the promotion of oriental subjects through Indian languages. 
• The other group, called the Anglicists, argued the cause of western sciences and literature in the medium of English language.
• In 1835, Lord Macauley introduced modern education in India. He written "Minute on Education" for Lord William Bentik.
• Wood's Dispatch of 1854 laid the foundation of present system of education in India.
• According to the Constitution of India, elementary education is a fundamental right of children in the age group of 6-14 years.
• he plans such as 'Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), District Primary Education Program (DPEP), Operation Blackboard, Mid Day Meal have been successful to great extent. 
• National Policy of Education (1992) laid down many objectives for the development of education system in India.