What were salient features of Wood's despatch?

Answer 1

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.

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.