Regulation and evolution of education and research agenda in pre and post independent India: A personal comprehension

Service at the apex position of the fourth oldest University of Indian sub-continent continues to be an unprecedented learning and enriching experience for me. To elucidate the title of this presentation, I shall share a description connecting the following dots: 

(i) annexation of Punjab to extend the domain of East India Company over entire Indian sub-continent (1849), (ii) commencement of monitoring of School education under colonial rule (1854-56), (iii) nucleation of three Universities at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay (1957), (iv) permitting creation of a constituent college of Calcutta University at Lahore and establishing Central College at Allahadbad (1869), which progressed to become (People’s) University of Panjab in 1882 and University of Allahabad in 1887, respectively, (v) promulgation of Indian Universities Act, 1904 for five Universities of India, encouraging college teachers to take study leave abroad, providing grants to invite faculty from Britain (a la contemporary GIAN Scheme) and enticing Universities to appoint Professors along with Lecturers to kick start research agenda, (vi) establishment of BHU (1916), University of Mysore (1916), Osmania University (1918), AMU (1920), Dacca University (1921) Lucknow University (1921) and Delhi University (1922), (vii) Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) as (first) Research Professor at BHU (1921-24) and as founder Director, University Chemical Laboratories, PU, Lahore (1925-39), creation of CSIR by SSB (1942), initiation of TIFR by Dr. Homi Bhabha at IISc campus (June 1, 1945) and its formal inauguration at Bombay (19.12.1945), (viii) Formation of Committee for Atomic Research in CSIR (1945), (ix) SSB as Secretary, Higher Education (1947-48, 1952-53), (x) creation of Atomic Energy Commission (1948), (xi) synergy between Bhatnagar & Bhabha, (xii) creation of UGC with SSB as its first Chairperson (1953)  (xiii) establishment of ISI by P C Mahalanobis (PCM)  & his colleagues (1932) and his contributions of PCM to Five year Plans in independent India (1955-67), and (xiv) contributions of the architect of Green revolution Dr. B.P. Pal, to IARI, and the human resource development in agricultural sciences. Bhatnagar (1894-1955), Bhabha (1909-1966), Mahalanobis (1893-1973) and BP Pal (1906-1989) were four titans, all elected as FRS, and had much in common as personal characteristics.