Sir Charles Wood?s Despatch of 1854 dealt with

(a) Administrative reforms

(b) Social reforms

(c) Economic reforms

(d) Educational reforms

Answer Posted / mukesh pandey

Wood`s Despatch on Education in 1854 laid the foundation on
which the educational system has since developed. Various
problems related to education in India had become one of the
key concerns of the British government by 1853. In order to
provide a solution, the secretary of state of that time, Sir
Charles Wood, presented a despatch to the directors of the
British East India Company. The despatch expressed that
education in English as well as Indian local languages
should be enhanced and encouraged through out the nation.
According to Charles Wood, the English institutions could
serve as the useful model for education. In 1854, Wood
prepared his comprehensive despatch on the scheme of the
future education in India. The despatch came to be
considered as the Magna Carta of English education in India.
The Scheme of education, as proposed by Wood`s Despatch,
envisaged a co-ordinated system of education through out the
country.

Recommendations of Wood`s Despatch
The Wood`s despatch proposed several recommendations in
order to improve the system of education. According the
recommendations, it was declared that the aim of
Government`s policy was the promotion of the western
education. In his despatch he emphasised on the education of
art, science, philosophy and literature of Europe. In short,
the propagation of the European knowledge was the motto of
the Wood`s Despatch. According to the despatch, for the
higher education, the chief medium of instruction would be
English. However, the significance of the vernacular
language was no less emphasised as Wood believed that
through the mediums of vernacular language, European
knowledge could reach to the masses. Wood`s Despatch also
proposed the setting up of several vernacular primary
schools in the villages at the lowest stage. Moreover, there
should be Anglo-Vernacular high schools and an affiliated
college in the district level. Wood`s Despatch recommended a
system of grants-in-aid to encourage and foster the private
enterprise in the field of education. The grants-in-aid were
conditional on the institution employing qualified teachers
and maintaining proper standards of teaching.

Universities under Wood`s Despatch
Department of Public Instruction was set up under the Charge
of a Director, in each of the five provinces of the
Company`s territories. This Department was entrusted with
the charge of reviewing the progress of education in the
province and submit an annual report to the government.
Universities, based on the model of London Universities,
were proposed for Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. Even the
administrative body of the University followed the models
laid down by the London University. There was a Senate
House, a Chancellor, a Vice Chancellor and fellows- all were
nominated by the Government of India. The universities were
entitled to hold examinations and conferred degree.
Moreover, a University might set up professorship in various
branches of learning. Wood`s Despatch emphasised the
importance of the vocational instruction and the needs for
establishing technical schools and colleges. The Wood`s
Despatch gave cordial support for the promotion of the women
education in India.

However, the new scheme of education proposed by the Wood`s
Despatch was merely an imitation of the English models.
Almost all the proposals of the Wood`s despatch were
implemented. The Department of Public instructions were
organized in 1855 and the earlier Committee of Public
instruction and Council of education was replaced. Three
Universities of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai came into
existence in the year 1857. Later mostly due to Bethune`s
effort, separate girl`s schools were set up and brought
under the control of the Government of India. Several
grants-in-aid were also provided for the promotion of the
women education.

The ideals and methods advocated in Wood`s Despatch had
dominated the educational scenario of India for a protracted
period of time. During this period India witnessed a period
of complete westernisation of the educational system. The
Western system of education gradually replaced the
indigenous methods of education and learning. Most of the
educational institutions during this time were run by the
European teachers, who were the part of the Education
Department of the Government of India. The Missionary
institutions played its own part and managed a number of
institutions. Gradually private Indian effort appeared in
the field of education.


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