At the time of the Coronation of King George V, His Royal Highness
had urged for the taking of immediate steps to overcome mass illiteracy
in India and also to reform and extend secondary and higher education.
"My Lord, has not the time come for the commencement of some system
of universal primary education, such as has been adopted by almost
every responsible government? The extreme poverty of this country has recently
been much discussed both here and in England, and all sorts of causes have
been found and given to explain this undoubted fact. But My Lord, in my
humble opinion, the fundamental cause of this extreme poverty is the ignorance
of the great majority of the people. Has not the time come for taking a
bold and generous step towards some system of universal education suited
to the conditions of the various provinces of the country?"