Hunter Commission 1882 & 1919: Objectives, Formation & Report

Hunter Commission 1882 was established by Lord Ripon in 1882 as the first Hunter Education Commission. It was created to examine the country's educational situation at the time and make recommendations for reforms. The second was the Hunter Commission, formally known as the Disorders Investigation Committee, established in 1919. It was led by William Hunter and was established by the British to look into the inhumane incident at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919, which resulted in the deaths of 1600 Indian citizens.

Hunter Commission is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the Modern History subject in the UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus and also a part of General Studies Paper 1 in UPSC prelims.

In this article we will discuss the major recommendations and reports submitted by the Hunter Education Commission of 1882 and the Hunter Commission of 1919, respectively. 

What is Hunter Commission?

The Hunter Commission refers to two different commissions set up by the British in India. The first one, called the Indian Education Commission, was formed in 1882 to review and suggest changes to the education system, especially primary education. The second one, called the Disorders Inquiry Committee, was created in 1919 to investigate the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Formation of Hunter Commission

As a result of the revolt of 1857, the British East India Company lost its administrative powers over British India, and the powers were transferred to the British crown. After this move, it was widely felt that there was a need to reassess the educational situation in the country, as the grant-in-aid system put forth by the Wood’s despatch of 1854 was not implemented as expected.

All these reasons led to a movement in London, and this course of action led to the formation of the “General Council of Education in India.”

• Lord Ripon, the Viceroy of India from 1880 to 1884, was asked by the “General Council of Education in India” to look into the state of education in India.
• Lord Rippon appointed the Hunter Commission.

Study the NCERT Notes on Morley-Minto reforms here.

Hunter Commission Members

Hunter Commission was headed by William Wilson Hunter, who was an Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer and a member of Lord Ripon’s Executive council. The commission was famously known as the Hunter Commission after his name.

• The commission comprised 20 members, excluding the chairman, with 7 Indian members.
• The Indian members present in the commission were
  • Anand Mohan Bose
  • K.T.Telang
  • Sayed Mahmud
  • Bhudev Mukherjee
  • Anand Mohan Basu 
  • Hari Gulam
  • Maharaja Jitendra Mohan Tagore

Objectives Of Hunter Education Commission

The Hunter Education Commission was set up in 1882 to review the education system in India and make sure the ideas from Wood’s Despatch of 1854 were properly implemented. The commission had several objectives which include:

• Assess the state of education: Focus on primary education in India and suggest improvements.
• Evaluate religious missionaries' role: Examine the work of religious missionaries in the education sector.
• Investigate Wood’s Despatch of 1854: Look into its implementation and the use of grants, and suggest reforms.
• Government's role in education: Decide if the government should continue providing education to the masses.
• Focus on all education levels: While the main aim is primary education, the commission also explored secondary and higher education.

Major Recommendations of Hunter Commission 1882

The Hunter Commission recommendation focused on improving state involvement in primary education, reforming secondary education, decentralizing control, advancing female education, & expanding universities in India.

• • State Involvement & Primary Education: The commission stressed state responsibility to improve primary education with instruction in local languages and recommended transferring control to district and municipal boards.
  • Primary Education Indianization: Suggested a curriculum based on local needs, including practical subjects like agriculture, and expanding primary schools in backward areas.
  • Secondary Education Reform: Divided secondary education into two streams: literary (university-bound) and vocational (career-oriented). Proposed private sector involvement, with government grants.
  • Teacher Training & Infrastructure: It was recommended to establish normal schools for teacher training and to provide sufficient grants for the development of infrastructure in higher education institutions.
  • Female & Minority Education: Focused on expanding female education and special attention to Muslim education, along with a separate curriculum for women.
  • Expansion of Higher Education: Contributed to the establishment of universities like Punjab and Allahabad, increasing Indian participation in higher education.
  • Grants & Religious Neutrality: Suggested that college grants depend on need and capacity and recommended banning religious education in government institutions.
  • Teacher Appointments & Backward Classes: Preferred Indians with European education for teacher roles and suggested the government should be responsible for educating backward classes.

Check the Notes on Warren Hastings here.

The Hunter Commission 1919

After the most tragic and disastrous Jallianwala Bagh incident on April 13, 1919, which killed hundreds of civilians, including women and children, there was widespread worldwide outrage. This forced the British India Legislative Assembly to constitute a commission to investigate the incident.

On October 14, 1919, six months after the incident, the British Indian Government announced the formation of the “Disorders Inquiry Committee,” but it was formed and started functioning on 19 November. The committee was widely known as the “Hunter Commission” after its chairman Lord William Hunter, former solicitor-general.

Who were Hunter Commission 1919 Members?

The 1919 hunter commission had 7 members including Indians.

• Lord William Hunter – Chairman
• W.F. Rice – Additional Secretary
• Major General Sir George Barrow – Commandant of the Peshawar Division
• Justice G.C. Rankin – Judge of the Calcutta High Court
• Sardar Sultan Ahmed Khan
• Pandit Jagat Narayan
• Sir Chimanlal Setalvad

Study the Notes on Robert Clive here.

1919 Hunter Commission Report

The Hunter Commission of 1919 submitted its report on May 26, 1920, in response to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The majority of the commission members unanimously condemned General Dyer’s actions, particularly his failure to issue a warning before opening fire. They also concluded that the gathering was not a conspiracy against British rule and criticized the 10-minute duration of the firing. However, the commission did not impose any disciplinary actions, as Dyer's actions were supported by many of his superiors. Dyer was eventually found guilty of a "mistaken notion of duty" and was removed from his command and sent back to England.

• The commission condemned General Dyer’s actions, including the failure to warn before firing.
• It concluded the gathering was not a conspiracy and criticized the prolonged firing.
• General Dyer was found guilty of a “mistaken notion of duty” and sent back to England.

Read the Notes on the First Carnatic War here.

Minority Report by Indians

• It noted that there was no violence in Bagh before the firing, as General Dyer claimed.
• The crowd was filled with innocent civilians and not rebels.
• It also condemned that Dyer should have ordered his troops or civil authorities to help the wounded after the shooting.
• It also quoted that the actions were “inhuman and un-British” and greatly damaged the British image in India.

Hope you find this Hunter Commission UPSC article informative. Also, check the Notes on the Cabinet mission here.