Educational Qualification of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar; Do You Know How Many Degrees He Earned?

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar for his contribution for the upliftment of the Depressed Classes is one of the tallest and most educated personality in modern India. We are all set to celebrate his birth anniversary on April 14th. He is an inspiration for lakhs of youth in India, but do you know how many degrees he earned? Let's talk about his educational qualification.

Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, a towering figure in India's social and political landscape, was not only a champion of social justice but also a highly educated scholar whose academic achievements laid the foundation for his monumental contributions to the nation.

His educational journey, marked by perseverance and dedication, serves as an inspiring testament to the transformative power of education in shaping both individual lives and societal progress.

Educational Qualification of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar

• Schooling: Although he attended the local government school but he faced the same descrimination as the untouchable children faced. The were segregated and given little attention or help by teachers. Unfortunately, they were not allowed to sit inside the class.
• In 1897, Ambedkar's family moved to Mumbai and he was enrolled at Elphinstone High School.
• Post his Matric, he did his graduation from Elphinstone College, University of Bombay.
• Ambedkar studied in the world‟s major universities of his time. He studied at Columbia for three years from 1913 to 1916.
• Ambedkar was conferred his M.A in Columbia University (1913) and completed PhD in 1916, but degree was not conferred till June 1927 on the subject of The Evolution of the Provincial Finance in British India.
• He completed his M.Sc. (1921) in London School of Economics and Political Science on the subject of Provincial Decentralisation of Imperial Finance in British India and DSC (1921) in The Problem of the Rupee: Its Origins and its Solution.

Ambedkar as a Professor

Ambedkar taught economics for a short period of time. Other than Economics he has written extensively on history, sociology, education, philosophy, law and religion. Much of his life was spent in the emancipation of the Depressed Classes and fighting to annihilate the Caste system in India.

According to the study on Ambedkar titles 'History of identities and exclusion Ambedkar and the marginalised', made by Jitendra Suna in School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi (in 2021), it was mentioned that, despite his higher educational attainment, Ambedkar was not famous for his education and his academic writings. Ambedkar is famous for his movement against the caste system in India, which is considered one of the most oppressive institutions in the world. Ambedkar was remembered, and celebrated among the Dalits, Adivasi and the lower castes of this country than the world of academics.

Study says, "Ambedkar was treated as an "untouchable‟. It is the popularity and the assertion of Dalit which forced academics to incorporate Ambedkar in various disciplines. He has worked in his whole life for the upliftment for the Depressed Classes and so called lower castes in India. In the initial phase of his political career, he started the temple entry movement, Mahad Satyagraha to access water for untouchables who were prohibited from using water. After a long battle he realised that Hinduism and Hindus are far from changing, then he shifted to other kinds of rights and movement. He declared in a conference organised by 'depressed classes' in October 1935, that he was born as a Hindu but will not die as a Hindu."

Magazines, newspapers by Babasaheb

Before the declaration he fought for the rights of the untouchables on various grounds. He published magazines, newspapers, and negotiated with the British for the rights of the Dalit. He published his first two newspapers in Marathi i.e., Mook Nayak (The Voice of the Voiceless) in 1920 and Bahiskrit Bharat (Ostracised India) in 1927. Later he published two other newspapers i.e. Janata (The People) in 1929 and Prabudha Bharat (Enlightened India) in 1955. Starting from the "Simon Commission" to the "Poona Pact‟, Ambedkar fought on the political field.

While recognising the Brahmanical dominance of Congress, and the dubious nature of their leadership, Ambedkar started new political parties. He was the founder of Independent Labour Party (1936), Scheduled Caste Federation (1942), and at last Republican Party of India (Ambedkar announced this party name on 13 October, 1956). He was also founder of a semi-military organization which is known as Samata Sainik Dal (SSD) for the protection and welfare of the Dalit. SSD was formed by Ambedkar in March 1927.