It was education that helped India to fight against the British colonial supremacy and social inequality that existed in India. Thus education created a nationalist perspective among the Indians. The establishment of national educational institutional the important one to inculcate nationalism. Through this, secular education was imparted.

The Oeccan Education Society founded in 1884 in Pune by G.G. Agarkar, Bal Gangadhar Thilak and Mahadev Govinda Ranade was one of such educational institutions established with a nationalistic perspective.The Swadeshi Movement in 1905, after the partition of Bengal founded many educational institutions. D.K. Karve started the first Indian women University in Maharashtra in 1916.

It was started for women empowerment. Many educational institutions also developed for promotion of nationalism opposition to social aids and rejection of western education. Visvabharathi, founded by Rabindranath Tagore focused on Universal brotherhood. Tagore aimed at a system that would bridge western and eastern cultures.

When the national movement became strong, under Mahatma Gandhi, a team led by Maulana Mohammed Ali, Shoukath Ali, Dr, Zakir Hussain and M. Ansari founded Tamia Millia Islamia in Aligart. It was to strengthen national movement through secular education. Intrusion of western arts and education ruined Indian traditional arts.

Initiatives were taken to defend the cultural invasion and promote traditional arts. Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthy village of Thrissur established by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayana Menon aimed at this.In 1937, Mahatma Gandhi proposed Wardha education plan on vocational education. He dreamt that it would build up a good future, a generation to defend the British.