The Oxford Martin School was the sity of of the Oxford Indian Institute, which provided training to Indian civil servants. It was the vision of Monier Monier-Williams, the Boden Professor of Sanskrit at the university, who envisioned Oxford as focal point of political training and education for Indian students who would uphold imperial governance in India. Williams raised over £20,000 to fund the building, and donators included Queen Victoria. The building took three years to complete and was opened 1896 by Lord George Hamilton, Secretary of State for India. The institute had lecture rooms, accommodation and a library.

Between 1878 and 1885 there were 255 candidates selected by the British Government for the Indian Civil Service and 161 attended Oxford. The spread of Indian nationalism, however, became a cause for concern. After the First World War, and the assassination of the politician Sir Curzon Wylie by Indian student Madan Lal Dhingra in London, the government commissioned an inquiry to investigate the presence of Indian students in Britain. The report stated there were tensions between British and Indian students at Oxford. In turn, several colleges expelled Indian students. In 1915, for example, Balliol College reduced the number of Indian students that it admitted.