Approach to the answer: 

Understanding the question: The question has two main parts 1) Stated motives behind the introduction of english education in India and 2) How the real motive behind the introduction was cultural colonialism of India.

Introduction: You can write about various policies and acts passed by the British for the introduction of english education in India.

Body: 

Heading 1: Motives which were given for introduction of English education in India.

Heading 2: How central idea of introducing English education was “cultural colonialism” of India

Conclusion: In conclusion you can mention how english education helped later on in creating awareness among the people about the nature of colonial rule and exploitation in India, it created a middle class which played a pivotal role in attaining freedom.

Answer: English education was introduced in India in the 18th century through the charity schools mainly for education of European and Anglo-Indian children. However, the real beginning was Charter Act 1813, which provided for hundred thousand rupees per year for education purposes.

Following were the motives which were given for introduction of English education in India:

• Liberal British considered it as “White Man’s burden” to modernize Indians with English education.

• Reduce cost of governing India by recruiting Indians in subordinate posts with low salary.

• Indians in government were expected to spend their own resources with wisdom, thus it would reduce corruption.

• To expand the market, as English educated Indians became buyers of British made goods.

The central idea of introducing English education was “cultural colonialism” of India in the following ways:

It was to make the Indians, especially the sepoys ‘disloyal’ to their own language and culture. They realized that if the Indian sepoys of the British Army continued learning in their own languages, they would turn against the British someday. 

The British contrived an ingenious and cunning solution to this tricky problem by educating the elite class of Indians in English and thereby creating a separate class of ‘learned natives’ i.e. formed a class of persons Indian in blood and colour but English in tastes, in opinion, in morals, and in intellect.’ 

The concept of “downward filtration“ was proposed so that only the influential and wealthy could receive the elite education who would then pass on the loyalty to their natives down the order. Therefore, English education became an instrument of ensuring trustworthiness and compliance among Indian subjects.

They imagined that familiarly acquainted with English literature, the Indians would speak of the great Englishman with the same enthusiasm as the British themselves, they would reject the teachings of Brahmin priests, the natives shall not rise against us, because we shall stoop to raise them.

Though English education created a class of Indians who were “British in opinions and taste”, Indians selectively adopted this knowledge and deployed western ideas of critical thinking, rationality etc. to question the colonial rule

itself.