Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII - Educational Reforms

Educational Reforms

In the reigning tenure of Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddqi, Bahadur introduced certain educational reforms which were considered the most memorable achievements under his rule and the most lasting and impressive contribution. He was the founder of Osmania university in Hyderabad, which marked a new era in the annals of British educational policy in India.

As per sir Haidari, the original protagonist of scheme of Osmania University, the state always patronised learning and crafts. While agreeing the draft scheme for Hyderabad University, the seventh Nizam in his farmen put forth the objectives for the proposed university. In the forman, it was declared that in this university the modem, the ancient, the oriental, and western arts and crafts should be combined to remove the defects of the modern system of education so that one should draw full benefits from the ancient and modern system of education in the physical, intellectual and spiritual fields, and the university with the spread of education there should be a scope of improvement and reforms of the morals of the students. Further in this university there should be provision of real research facilities in all different sciences. Lastly, the basic principle of this university should be that Urdu should be the medium of instruction for higher education; but the study of English as a compulsory subject should be must for every student.

Before the establishment of the Osmania University, Hyderabad had lagged much behind in other British Indian provisions in field of education, but under the last nizam, Mir Mahboob ali khan, the Nizam college affiliated the University of Madras had already started to function, although the number of graduates it had produced since the inception was very few. Moreover leaving aside the Madarsas, there existed two other prominent education centers in addition to Nizam College. Taking the things into consideration, members of other communities were included in the Academic faculty and in the senate of Osmania university.

Finally, Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur believed that Osmania University, besides providing higher education, should also be recognised universally as an important center of research, both in humanities as well as the sciences. Accordingly in 1936, Osmania University established post-graduate courses and research facilities in all the sciences: Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Engineering, Metallurgy as well as Law, Education and Teacher training courses. Also, with a view of reaching a high standards of proficiency in all these courses, the seventh Nizam was very vigilant that the professor and lecturers in these faculties should be men of high caliber and good character.

Thus Osmania University by 1948 had reached its full stature, at both graduate and post graduates levels. Its degrees were accepted not only by the other Indian universities but by the British universities. Alumni of this university hold key roles in India as well as globally.