Amongst the Bengali Muslims, there was a much larger socially and economically inferior stratum and a correspondingly smaller aristocracy than amongst the Hindus. This fact in itself neither explains the almost complete lack of response of the Muslims to English education in nineteenth century Bengal nor explanations based on religious outlook for the Muslim response was very different elsewhere in the country. For instance, between 1876-77 and 1885-86, 51 Muslims and 1,338 Hindus took the BA degree at Calcutta. In 1870, only 2 Muslims, both of whom failed, wrote the BA examination, while in the same year, 151 Hindus sat for the examination of whom 56 received the degree. In the North-Western Provinces, Bihar, Orissa and Oudh, although Muslims were in a minority, the community-wise education pattern was quite the opposite of that in Bengal.

Modern scientific ideas and techniques came to India in the wake of British conquest, but they faced three major limitations. First, the scale of implantation and the degree of utilisation was limited to suit the policies of the rulers. Secondly, the teaching of science was introduced merely to provide training in various branches rather than creating an appreciation of science as a tool of intellectual and social transformation. And, thirdly, science was introduced in English. Consequently, instead of playing the role modern science did in Europe, it became isolated. It did not interact with different strata of society, but leaned heavily for its growth on the government and became an intrinsic part of the policies of the rulers. Yet, there was a section of the Indian intelligentsia, which believed that the British civilisation represented a new approach to life and nature and that therein, laid the hope for the future emancipation of India.