Was Academic Association a Student Movement or Resurgence of the Social Awakening? A Critical Assessment

Abstract

After the introduction of modern education system a fresh consciousness gradually brought the educated youth and students in contact with the modern events in various parts of the country and the world at large. They started to pay attention to the problems facing the country and the people and to look upon them in different light. At the outset of the 19thcentury the problems related with the social reforms were the focal point of students’ agitation. This consciousness of the students was one of the consequences of modern system of western education introduced by the colonial masters. This insisted the educated youth conscious about the social, economic and religious inequalities, discriminations and orthodoxies. These social evils led to the serious reaction among the educated middle class or the Bhadraloke class and it reflected comprehensibly in the ideas of Raja Rammohan Roy, Derozio and Young Bengal and several other streams. The primary reaction of the educated youth and students was not only political, but also social, humanistic and cultural. They began reacting to the needs of better and wider education, social change, discussions on various questions of mutual interests, to spread and share the newly acquired knowledge and consciousness and to protest against various kinds of injustices. This new intellectual segment or, group was originally influenced by the ingredients of freedom, fraternity and equality of the French Revolution. They were also influenced by the writings and compositions of the great philosopher and scholars like Mill, Bentham, Thomas Paine, David Ricardo, Adam Smith etc. This new wave of students was initiated with the inspiration of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, the young professor of Hindu College and with the movements of Young Bengal. In 1828, after a constructive discussion, the formation of Academic Association took shape in the House of Derozio. Derozio was its first president and Uma CharanBasu, student of Derozio, was its first secretary. The students of Derozio were the forerunner of this mission. It was the first student organisation in India functioning in an organised and regular manner.