Shifting linguistic identity: Evolution of the Assamese Department at Calcutta University

In 1826, the English East India Company annexed Assam and integrated it into the Bengal Presidency. By 1836, Bengali was declared the official language and later became the medium of instruction. Throughout the 19th century, tensions persisted in Assam over the use of Bengali versus Assamese in government and education. The educational infrastructure in Assam during this period was underdeveloped, with only two government schools known to exist: the Guwahati School (1835) and the Sibsagar School (1845). In 1874, Assamese was recognised as the primary medium of instruction in Assam's primary schools, though Bengali continued to dominate secondary and higher education.

By the late 19th century, government reports revealed that Assam had 17,135 towns and villages but only 3,259 educational institutions, representing a mere 19.02 per cent coverage. Enrolment rates were low, with only 21 per cent of boys attending school and a dismal 1.94 per cent of girls. However, by the end of the century, there was a noticeable improvement. Between 1885–86 and 1894–95, the number of schools increased from 1,921 to 2,939, and student enrolment rose from 60,228 to 89,843, marking growth rates of 52.9 per cent and 47.7 per cent, respectively. Textbook production also flourished. J Willson’s “General Report...

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