Wood's despatch

Sir Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control of the British East India Company, had an important effect on spreading English learning and female education in India. When in 1854 he sent a despatch to Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor-General of India.[1][2] Wood suggested that primary schools must adopt vernacular languages, high schools must adopt Anglo vernacular language and on college level English medium for education. This is known as Wood's despatch. Vocational and women's education were stressed upon. One of the most favourable steps taken by EIC was to create English class in Indian people to be used as workforce in company's administration.

  • Wood’s Despatch is called Magnacarta of English Education in India.

    Recommendations

    He recommended there in that:

    1. English education will increase moral character in Indian's mind and thus supply EIC with civil servants whom can be trusted upon
    2. An education department was to be set up in every province.
    3. Universities on the model of the London university be established in big cities such as Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
    4. At least one government school be opened in every district.
    5. Affiliated private schools should be given grant in aid.
    6. The Indian natives should be given training in their mother tongue also.
    7. Provision was made for a systematic method of education from primary level to the university level.
    8. The government should always support education for women.
    9. The medium of instruction at the primary level was to be vernacular while at the higher levels it would be English.

    Measures taken after the despatch

    After Wood's despatch, several measures were taken by East India Company

    1. Setting up new institutions like the University of Calcutta, the University of Bombay and the University of Madras in 1857 as well as the University of the Punjab in 1882 and the University of Allahabad in 1887
    2. Promotion of English education

    References

    1. ↑ Wood's despatch of 1854
    2. ↑ "Wood's Education Despatch - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
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