CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

FINAL DRAFT

OF

HISTORY

ON
WOOD’S DESPATCH OF 1854

SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
Dr. Priya Darshini SHASHI BHUSHAN
Roll No. 2158
[Link].(HONS.)
SESSION- 2019-2024

1
 TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION .................................................................... 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .......................................................4

INTRODUCTION .............................................................. 5

MERITS AND DEMERITS ................................................. 8

IMPACT OF WOOD'S DESPATCH OF 1854 ........................... 10

FEMALE EDUCATION .............................................................. 14

MAGMA CARTA OF EDUCATION, 1854 ...................................16

CONCLUSION ............................................................................. 19

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 DECLARATION

I, hereby, declare that the work reported in the B.A. L.L.B (Hons.) Project Report titled
“ Wood’s Despatch ”submitted at
CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, PATNA is an authentic record of my
work carried out under the supervision of Dr. Priya Darshini. I have not submitted
this work elsewhere for any other degree or diploma. I am fully responsible for
the contents of my project.

(Signature of the Candidate)

SHASHI BHUSHAN
BA,LL.B.(HONS.)
ROLL NO.-2158
SEMESTER-2
SESSION- 2019-2024

3
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to show my gratitude towards my guide Dr. Priya Darshini , Faculty of HISTORY
,under whose guidance ,I structured my project.
I owe my the present accomplishment of my project to our CNLU librarians,who helped me
immensely with materials throughout the project and without whom I could not have completed it
in the present way .
I would also like to extend my gratitude to my friends and all those unseen hand that helped me out
at every stage of my project.

THANK YOU

SHAHSI BHUSHAN

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 INTRODUCTION

Lord Macaulay’s Minute of 1835 and educational policy of Lord William Bentinck, which was
founded on educational views of Macualy. This deals with Wood’s Despatch of 1854. The Despatch
is a very important educational document and holds a unique place in the history of Indian
education. It placed the responsibility of education of the Indian people fully on the company and
stated quite explicitly that it must never be neglected. The Despatch gave new direction to
education in India and in a way this direction has its clear impact on today’s education in the
country.

In this unit, we will discuss the historical the historical events leading to the Despatch,
recommendations of the Despatch, its merits and weaknesses and finally the impact of the dispatch
on the Indian Education System.

HISTORICAL EVENTS LEADING TO THE DESPATCH

Let us discuss the events that led to the preparation of the Despatch of 1854. It is known to us that
the Charter of the East India Company had to be renewed after every twenty years. Accordingly
while renewing the Charter in 1833 the British Parliament increased the sum of money to one
million yearly from the one lakh in 1813 to be sent on education in India. When the time for
renewal came in 1853, education in India had come to suffer numerous problems. The directors of
the company decided to lay down a definite policy for education in India. Therefore, it became
necessary to make a comprehensive survey of the entire field of education. As such, a Selection
Committee of the British Parliament was set up in order to institute an enquiry into the measures
for their reforms. The Committee studied the issue thoroughly and reported that the question of the
Indian education should not be ignored and its development will not be in any case harmful to the
British Empire. The suggestions of the Committee were favourably considered by the Board of
Directors. Sir Charles Wood was the president of the Board of Control. Therefore, the declaration
issued on July 19, 1854 was known as “Wood’s Despatch”, although it is said that the Despatch
was written by the famous thinker John Stuart Mill, a clerk of the company at that time. On the
basis of the recommendations of the Wood’s Despatch, new educational policies were formed.

The East India Company had to renew its Charter after every twenty years. Before renewing the
Charter in 1853, the British Parliament constitutes a Selection Committee to enquiry into the
Progress of education in India and suggests reform. The suggestions of the Committee were issued
as a Charter of Education on July 19, 1854. Charles Wood was the president of the Board of
Control. So this is known as Wood’s Despatch of 1854.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WOOD’S DESPATCH

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Wood’s Despatch is a long document of 100 paragraphs and deals with the various aspects of great
educational importance. Now we will discuss the recommendations in one by one.

Aims and Objectives of Educational Policy: The Despatch first throws light on the aims and
objectives of educational policy of the Company in India. It gave highest priority to the
responsibility of Indian Education overall other responsibilities of the Company. The Despatch had
the following objectives in view:

a) To impart Western knowledge, information about the western culture to the Indians.
b) To educate the natives of India so that a class of public servants could be created.
c) To promote intellectual development and also raise the moral character of the young generation.
d) To develop practical and vocational skills of the Indians people so that more and more articles
could be produced and also to create a good market for consumption of those goods.
Department of Education: The Wood’s Despatch, for the first time, recommended the creation of
a Department of Public Instruction in each of the five provinces of Bengal, Bombay, Madras, the
Punjab and the North Western provinces. The head of the Department would be called the Director
and he was to be assisted by a number of inspectors. The D.P.T. had to submit an annual report to
the government about the educational progress in his province.

Establishment of Universities: - The Despatch recommended the establishment of universities in

the three Presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The universities were to be modeled
after the London University and these were to have a senate comprising of a Chancellor, a Vice-
Chancellor, and fellows who were nominated by the Government. The Universities would confer
degrees to the successful candidates after passing the examinations, (of Science or Arts Streams)
conducted by the Senate. The universities were to organize departments not only of English but
also of Arabic, Sanskrit and Persian, as well as law and civil engineering.
Grant - in-aid system: - The Wood’s Despatch recommended the sanction of a grant-in-aid system
in the Indian educational system. To educate the large number of people of India was a difficult
task and so the grant-in-aid system was adopted by the government. Grants were given to those
schools and colleges which satisfied the conditions given below :-

a) The schools must provide secular education.

b) The school management should run the school well.
c) The school should agree to state inspection from time to time.
d) The schools should follow any rule prescribed by the government for the regulation of the grant.
e) The school must charge fees from the students.

Grants were given to the schools for increasing the salaries teachers, construction of school
buildings, granting scholarships to students, improving conditions of literaries, opening of science
department etc.

Teaching of Language: - The Wood’s Despatch gave importance to teaching of English, but at the
same time, it also stressed on the teaching of Indian languages. The Despatch realised that any
acquaintance of European knowledge could be communicated to the common people and that could
be conveyed to them only through learning their own mother tongue. Therefore the Despatch
clearly stated that Indian languages as well as English should be used as media of instruction.

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Educationof Women: - The Despatch recommended that the government should always support
education for women. The wood’s Despatch stated, “The importance of female education in India
cannot be over rated; and we have observed with pleasure the evidence which is now afforded of an
increased desire on the part of many of the natives of India to give a good education to their
daughters. By this means a far greater proportional impulse is imparted to the educational and
moral tone of the people than by the education of men”. The Despatch also encouraged the private
enterprises to promote women [Link] schools for girls were to be included among those to
which grants-in-aid would be given.

Training of Teachers: - The Wood’s Despatch recommended the establishment of teacher training
schools in each of the provinces. There should be training schools for teachers of engineering,
medicine and law. The qualified teachers should be given better pay scales. The Despatch further
emphasized on the provision of scholarships to the teachers during their training period.

Professional Education: - The Wood’s Despatch encouraged professional education. It

recommended the establishment of medical, engineering law and other institutes of professional
education. The Despatch stated that in order to develop vocational efficiency of people and also to
make people realise that the British rule was progressive. Another reason for the encouragement of
vocational education was to control the problem of unemployment.
Introduction of network of Graded Schools all over India: - The Wood’s Despath recommended
the establishment of a network of graded schools all over the country. At one end were the
universities and the colleges, then the high schools followed by the middle schools and the bottom
of the middle schools and at the bottom of the network were the primary schools, both government
and indigenous. Both the Anglo-vernacular and vernacular schools were to be included in the same
class. This system was recommended in order to enable an individual to receive higher education
after completing the different levels of schools education.

The main objective of the Wood’s Despatch was to educate Indian people inorder to create a class
of civil servants.

It also wanted to impart Western knowledge and information about Western Culture to the Indian
peopleThe Wood’s Despatch recommended for the first time, the creation of Department of
Education in Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Punjab and the North Western [Link] Despatch
recommended the promotion of mass education by establishing schools, both public of and private.

The Wood’s Despatch recommended the establishment of three universities in the Presidency towns
of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras on the model of the London University.

The grant-in-aid system was recommended by the Wood’s Despatch

The Despatch wanted to promote the study of English as well as Indian regional languages and
classical languages like Arabic, Persian and [Link] Wood’s Despatch supported women
education. 

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Importance of training of teachers was realised by the Despatch and so it recommended the
establishment of teacher training institutes. It also suggested the improvement of working condition
and salaries of teachers.

The Wood’s Despatch also encouraged professional education

 EVALUATION OF WOOD’S DESPATCH

Now we are familiar with the recommendations of the Despatch of 1854. We have observed
that the Despatch includes a number of valuable and fundamental recommendations for
future educational development in India. It gave new direction to education and laid the
foundation of the present Indian educational system. It solved many oldeducational issues
like gradation of education, medium of instruction and proposed new schemes for future
educational development in India with far reaching consequences. However, it can not be
said that it is free from defects. Below we shall be understanding its merits and demerits:

Merits of Wood’s Despatch

 The Wood Despatch started a new era in Indian education system by clearly defining
objectives of education.
 It made the Government realise the importance of education for the people.
 It presented a comprehensive scheme of education embracing primary, secondary and
higher education.
 It recommended the creation of a separate Department of Public Instruction in five
provinces and appointment of a Director to head the Department.
 The principle of Downward Filtration Theory was discarded by the Wood’s Despatch and it
encouraged the promotion of mass education; it recommended the establishment of
indigenous schools.
 By the grant-in-aid system many schools were benefited and the quality of education
improved and private organisations were encouraged to open new schools.
 The Despatch encouraged higher education by recommending the establishment of
universities in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
 The Wood’s Despatch emphasized on the necessity of vocational education.

 The Despatch recommended the importance of establishing teacher training institutes to

improve the quality of teachers and also improves their conditions and salaries.
 The Despatch recommended scholarships for the poor and deserving students.
 Language teaching was encouraged by the Despatch; as a result, regional languages and
classical languages were taught in the schools.

The Wood’s Despatch was a historical document because of its merits. They are given
below :-

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 For the first time the government seriously realised the importance of a well planned education
system.
It recommended the creation of a Department of Public Instruction and appointed a Director to
head the Department.
It recommended the establishment of both government and indigenous schools to promote
mass education.
The Despatch also recommended the establishment of three universities to higher education.
The Despatch encouraged vocational edication and also training for teachers.
The Wood’s Despatch recommended the teaching of English and Indian regional languages as
well as classical languages like Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit.
DEMERITS

The demerits of the Wood’s Despacth are given below:

The Despatch, in reality promoted Western literature and knowledge and government offices
showed preferences for persons educated in English.
The education planning and management schemes remained only in black and white.
It neglected general education. Only the privileged class receives education. Indigenous schools
remained neglected. Priority was given to people educated on English pattern with regard to
government posts. M. R. Paranjpe stated that, “the authors did not aim at education for leadership,
education for the industrial regeneration of India, education for the defence of the motherland, in
short, education required by the people of a self- governing nation.
Departments of Education were opened in the five provinces but they could not promote the real
interest of education.
The system of grant-in-aid did not operate in proper sense, i.e., there was always the paucity of
funds, the irregularity of their release and bliased attitude towards the privately managed schools.
The idea of providing vocational education as advocated by the Despatch, was in reality absent.
People were facing the problem of unemployment and this is persisting even today.
The Wood’s Despatch had a partial attitude towards the Christian missionaries; Christian religious
books were easily made available to the students, in the libraries.
The three universities were modelled on the London University and the Government’s policy of
nominating members to the senate was biased. Therefore higher education was not related to Indian
conditions.
The Despatch succeeded in only producing a class of clerks and accountants.

The Wood’s Despatch could not remove the imbalance in Indian education system. The rich people
sent their children to English medium schools, and the government gradually stopped financial aid
to the indigenous schools and so the existence of these schools became jeopardised. It failed to
develop character initiative and leadership among students.

In conclusion it has been observed that however, it must be noted that inspite of all the limitations,
the Wood’s Despatch was recognized as the Magna Carta of Indian Education.’ The objective of the
Despatch was very sincere but the government could not implement the various suggestions and
recommendations. The Department of Education was created in the five provinces with a DPI,
inspectors and other officers. In 1857 three universities were also established in Calcutta, Bombay
and Madras. The main provisions of the document were of great historical importantance. It
provided a boost to secondary education and to some extent to primary education also. It was
however observed that some of the most important recommendations of the Despatch were not

9
carried out for a long time and some were given effect in a distorted form. During the first thirty
years after the Despatch, government institutions gradually increased and beside the Christian
Missionaries other private enterprise were not encouraged. 

As education spread and new ideals of social service emerged, Indian private enterprise began and
multiplied but the government was not prepared to hand over its schools and colleges to Indian
management as it had little faith on the Indians’ capacity and managerial skills. Plans to spread
mass education were not realized nor were vernacular high schools established. It was painful to
observe that the Despatch, to an extent, thought of India as a supplier of raw materials for British
industries and the consumer of the finished products of England. Indians never recognized the
Wood’s Despatch as a ‘Magna Carta’ as it did not sincerely promote universal literacy. The
promoters of the Despatch could not visualize the progress of Indian aspirations even after a
century. The Sepoy Mutiny happened in 1857 and soon after, the East India Company was disolved
and the government came directly under the British Crown. As a consequence, efforts were made to
consolidate the empire and education was somewhat neglected.

IMPACT OF WOOD'S DESPATCH OF 1854

The Court of Directors implemented Educational Reforms in India from the

beginning of the Nineteenth Century. The Board of Directors initiated Educational

Reforms to promote a high degree of intellectual fitness of natives, to raise their

moral character, to increase the confidence and ultimately trust them with office

under the Company. They also attempted to advance the European Science and

Literature, to produce marvelous native labourers and in the process, they decided

to improve their commerce and establishments.

Educational Reforms

In the Madras Province, the Pioneer of Educational Enquiry was Sir

Thomas Munro. In 1822, the British Government initiated her maiden efforts to

collect the Educational Statistics in order to initiate Educational Reforms. Munro

proposed Collectorate and Tahsildaree Schools for Hindus and Muhammadans

respectively. Though these schools were abolished in 1836, they laid a foundation

for later development of Vernacular Education and the formation of Committee

of Public Instruction. In fact, these schools supplied the basis for Madras High

Schools and ultimately developed into the Presidency College.

Despatch of 1830 urged the Madras Government to provide Higher

Education. Macaulay's Minute influenced Lord William Bentinck to pass a

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Resolution on March 7, 1835. In this Resolution, he firmly stated that the great

object of the British Government ought to be the

promotion of European

Literature and Science among the Natives of India, and that all the funds

appropriated for the purpose of education would be best employed on English

Education [Link] Elphinstone gave a fresh start to Education in Madras, by establishing

a University Board in 1840 with a Central Collegiate Institution or University in

Madras which was to be under a President and 14 Governors of whom seven were

to be Natives. Elphinstone proposed the Collegiate Institution or University

consisting of two Departments such as Collegiate Institution to impart Higher

Branches of Literature, Science and Philosophy and High School, teaching English

Literature, Vernacular Languages, Elementary Science and Philosophy. High

School was opened in 1841. E.B. Powell was appointed as Headmaster of the High

School.

During the period of Marquis of Tweeddale, the Council of Education was

appointed to organise and superintend the examinations. This Council proposed

the establishment of nine Provincial Schools in Mofussil Area. This Council

recommended Bible Instructions in Schools. The Court of Directors abandoned

this Council and its Scheme. This Council lasted for two years, from 1845 to

1847. Sir Henry Pottinger proposed the appointment of a New Council with 20

members. He recorded his minutes on June 6, 1851. His minutes advocated the

need to establish School for Training Teachers, eight Provincial Schools in the

Mofussil and adoption of the System of Grant-in-Aid. The proposal of Pottinger

could not see the light of the day.

Thus with the exception of three Government Institutions such as Madras

High School and at Rajamundry and Cuddalore and a few elementary schools

supported by the Provinces, the education of the country was entirely in the hands

11
of Missionary Societies and Natives themselves. From Munro to Sir Henry Pottinger,

their proposals were short lived and premature. It was an age of

experiment and the Despatch of 1854 marked a turning point in the Policy of

Education in British India.

Wood's Despatch came to be known after the name of Sir Charles Wood who

was the President of the Board of Control. It directed Governments to pay attention

to Primary and University Education. It advocated Grant - in - Aid System, based

on Secular Education. The diffusion of European Knowledge was the primary

object of Wood's Despatch. This Despatch marked the beginning of Mass

Education which was a departure from the Filtration Theory. It is considered as the

"Magna Carta of English Education in India".

Salient Features of Wood's Despatch

The salient features of the Wood’s Despatch were :

# The constitution of Separate Department for the Administration of

Education.

# Establishment of Universities in the Presidency Towns.

# Maintenance of existing colleges, high schools and Increasing their

Numbers.

# Expansion of Mass Education through Vernaculars.

# Medium of Instruction - English for higher branches and Vernacular

for lower level.

# Stressed the importance of Training of Teachers for all classes.

# Insisted on Female Education.

# Established New Middle Schools

# Advocated Grant - in - Aid System based on perfect religious

neutrality.

# Anglo - Vernacular Colleges for a careful cultivation of the vernacular

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languages.

# Encouraged the students with stipends, scholarship, reward of merit.

# Liberal Rewards for best elementary treatise in specified languages.

# Pointed out the indispensability of Examination.

# Demanded periodical report of Government Inspectors.

# A comprehensive System of Scholarship was introduced so as to

connect lower schools with higher schools and higher schools with

colleges.

As a response to Wood's Despatch, the Directorate of Public Instruction was

established. It laid the foundation for the creation of the Department of Education.

British Filtration Theory was replaced by the Theory of Mass Education.

Elementary Education was not to be sacrificed at the altar of Higher Education.

Both English and Vernacular Languages were encouraged. Further, efforts at

Madras marked a strong beginning for the establishment of Provincial Schools,

Anglo-Vernacular Zillah Schools and Anglo-Vernacular Taluk Schools. It

promised the progress of Tribal School in Ganjam District. It gave fresh start to

Normal School for Training Teachers. Wood Despatch also provided a ground for

venturing into Medical Education and Fine Arts etc. It firmly established the first

South Indian University called the Madras University. It paved the way for the

development of Higher Education. Thus the Despatch of 1854 marked an

important Land mark in the History of English Education.

The greatest and most important contribution of the British to the national life

of the Indians was the Spread of Western Education. With its spread, the traditional

sense of values regarding religion, education, culture and sense of beauty

underwent a change and a new sense of values developed.

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Female Education

The influence and attitudes that promoted Female Education were important.

During the first half of the Nineteenth Century, a few schools for Female

Education were established due to the initiative of the Missionaries and a few

Indian aristocratic families. The conservatives were, however, not in favour of

Female Education. Hence Female Education in India spread only due to the

initiative of the Western Educated, Liberal Minded Indians.

During the first half of the Nineteenth Century, Female Education did not

make much headway. Ram Mohan Roy was a great Advocate of Female

Education. The Brahmo Samaj also contributed much in this regard. In creating a

new mindset for Female Education, Journals like Umesh Chandia's Bamabodhini,

Girish Chandra Sen's Mahila, Basante Micra's Bharat Mahila etc., played a very

important part. The contributions of Prarthana Samaj and the Deccan Education

Society also deserve special mention in this regard.

Goals of Women Education

Concerning the goals and the purpose of Women's Education, two divergent

views emerged in the course of its developments. The one can be summarized as

the Demand for Equality, including Equal Opportunities for Women. The other

conception, which emerged later, stressed the need for the Development of Human

Resources in the development process. In the actual Educational Policy of India,

constant effort was made to harmonize these two conflicting tendencies.

Women's Education Prior to 1854

The first step towards the development of Women's Education had been taken

by Missionaries and Philanthropists in the early Nineteenth Century. The First

Girls’ School was founded in 1820 by David Hare in Calcutta. In 1848, several

schools were started in Bombay by the initiation of Patterson and in 1815, J.E.D.

Bethume founded the famous Bethume School in Calcutta. These private efforts

14
remained limited to certain groups. The Hindus and Muslims hesitated to send their

daughters to these schools. During this period, the Madras Presidency stood

foremost in Women's Education. In 1821, the Church Missionary Society at

Tirunelveli opened the First Secondary School. In 1840, with the assistance of Rev.

Isaac Wilson and his wife, the Scottish Church Society ventured into starting six

schools for Hindu Girls in Madras.

Women's Education Prior to 1854

The first step towards the development of Women's Education had been taken

by Missionaries and Philanthropists in the early Nineteenth Century. The First

Girls’ School was founded in 1820 by David Hare in Calcutta. In 1848, several

schools were started in Bombay by the initiation of Patterson and in 1815, J.E.D.

Bethume founded the famous Bethume School in Calcutta. These private efforts

remained limited to certain groups. The Hindus and Muslims hesitated to send their

daughters to these schools. During this period, the Madras Presidency stood

foremost in Women's Education. In 1821, the Church Missionary Society at

Tirunelveli opened the First Secondary School. In 1840, with the assistance of Rev.

Isaac Wilson and his wife, the Scottish Church Society ventured into starting six

schools for Hindu Girls in Madras. Women Education had also made certain

amount of progress independently ofthe State, chiefly under Missionary

Management, before the publication of the

Despatch of 1854. Boarding Schools were maintained from an early period by the

Church of England Societies in Tirunelveli, but they were almost exclusively

attended by Higher Castes. This attempt had to struggle against many obstacles.

In 1845, the First Girls’ School, partly under native management, was opened

in Madras. It was the precursor to many more. In 1854, there were probably 7000

girls at schools conducted by Missionary Societies, and although the bulk of these

were Native Christians, there was also a considerable proportion of Hindus

15
belonging to Higher Castes. The nine pupils at the School of the Free Church of

Scotland in 1843, had increased to about 700 in 1854.

Magma Carta of Education, 1854

The Education Despatch of the Court of Directors, dated 19 th July 1854 was

a document of great historical importance. It was the most memorable document

on education in India because it went right into the problem of education in the

social context of India. Wood's Despatch began a new era of organised educational administration,

defined the aim of Indian Education, and determined the Government's attitude

towards the need for technical and Women's Education. Even though it had

recommended that the British Government should support Women's Education and

give financial assistance for the opening of Girls’ Schools, the Department of

Education did not take active measures for another decade or two.

Department of Education

In accordance with the recommendation of the Wood's Despatch, a

Department of Education was set up by the Government of Madras and the Grant-

in-Aid System was introduced. The City of Madras witnessed educational progress

at different levels. A Director of Public Instruction was appointed for the

Presidency of Madras, with a staff of Inspector and Assistant Inspector under him.

The Educational Department in each Province acted directly under the orders of

the respective Provincial Government, and had developed a system of working,

more or less distinctively, its own.

Official Support to Female Education

As the result of the Despatch of 1854, Indigenous Schools began to function in a

better manner by imparting Elementary Education in the Madras City. The Despatch

propounded a series of propositions of first rate importance concerning Elementary

Education. The Governor of Madras, Lord Elphinstone, did not make any reference to

16
the problem of Women's Education in his Minutes in 1823. Lord Dalhousie, on the

contrary, declared: "It is the opinion of the Governor General - in - Council that no single

change in the habit of the people is likely to lead to more important and beneficial

consequences to female children". This declaration of Lord Dalhousie was the forerunner

of the famous Wood's Education Despatch of 1854, which laid down 'the encouragement

of female education' as that of the Company's Policy. It was for the first time that an

official decision was made to give frank and cordial support for Female Education.

The Despatch, though stressed the importance of Female Education, was silent

about ways and means to promote it. Even fourteen years after the acceptance of the

Despatch, the Government at Fort St. George did not have any concrete proposal for

fostering Female Education. On the basis of Recommendation made by this Despatch,

three major Universities were established in India - Madras, Bombay and Calcutta, which

was a Landmark in the Field of Education. Western ideas of education in general and

Female Education in particular, received special attention under these Universities.

Schools for Girls

After the transfer of power to the British Parliament in 1858, the subject of Female

Education came under the serious consideration of Government. Several Missions had

earlier taken practical steps towards the establishment of Elementary Schools for Girls.

Secular Schools had been springing up in various parts of the Presidency. The Normal

School established at Madras for the Education of Teachers for Native Girls was an

important event in the History of Education.

The Despatch recommended that the British Government should support Women's

Education, and grant should be made to establish private schools. 43 The Sarah Tucker

Female Training School, named after the sister of the C.M.S. Secretary in Madras, was

opened at Palayamkottai in 1858. In 1867, it passed into the capable hands of Mr. and

Mrs. Lash.

In the Black Town, Madras, school for the education of girls was started in 1860. It

17
was altogether a self-supporting school. Later it was put under Government inspection,

and obtained a Grant. The first Caste Girls' School of the London Mission Society was

opened in January 1862. This was in Black Town. Subsequently, three more were opened

after a time, the children of four schools or the greater part of them, were induced to

assemble in order that they might enjoy the more continuous oversight and instruction of

the Lady in Charge. In 1866, a School for Caste Girls was started in Purasawakkam. It

was brought under Government inspection , and a small Grant was obtained.

Owing to the emphasis made by Charles Wood towards Female Education, women,

who were denied the privilege of education, were enlightened through western system of

education. This Despatch was, no doubt, a specific directive to encourage Female

Education.

The Despatch of 1854, though stressed the importance of Female Education, was

silent about ways and means to promote it. Despite this fact, the path laid out by Wood's

Despatch was a basic factor to achieve tremendous change in the Progress of Women

through Education which brought self-confidence and courage to them to face the

challenges of life till date.

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 CONCLUSION

The Wood's Despatch of 1854 first throws light on the aims and objectives of educational policy of
the East India Company in India which are listed , a) To impart Western knowledge, information
about the western culture to the Indians. b) To educate the natives of India so that a class of public
servants could be created. c) To promote intellectual development and also raise the moral
character of the young generation. d) To develop practical and vocational skills of the Indians
people so that more and more articles could be produced and also to create a good market for
consumption of those goods. The Wood's Despatch of 1854, for the first time, recommended the
creation of a Department of Public Instruction in each of the five provinces of Bengal, Bombay,
Madras, the Punjab and the North Western provinces. The head of the Department would be called
the Director and he was to be assisted by a number of inspectors. The D.P.I. had to submit an
annual report to the government about the educational progress in his province.

Another major recommendation of the Wood's Despatch of 1854 was the expansion of mass
education. It was observed that the common people were deprived of educational opportunities and
therefore much emphasis was given on the increase of setting up primary, middle and high schools.
The Downward Filtration Theory as proposed earlier was repudiated and in its place importance to
primary education was given. Elementary education was considered to be the foundation of the
education [Link] Wood's Despatch of 1854 recommended the establishment of universities at
Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The universities were to be modelled after the London University
and these were to have a senate comprising of a Chancellor, a Vice-Chancellor, and fellows who
were to be nominated by the Government. The Universities would confer degrees to the successful
candidates after passing the examinations, (of Science or Arts Streams) conducted by the Senate.
The universities were to organise departments not only of English but also of Arabic, Sanskrit and
Persian, as well as law and civil [Link] Wood's Despatch of 1854 recommended the
sanction of a grant-in-aid system in the Indian educational system. To educate the large number of
people of India was a difficult task and so the grant-in-aid system was adopted by the government.

It recommended a system of grant-in-aid to encourage private enterprise. Grants were given to

those schools and colleges which satisfied the conditions given below :-a) The schools must
provide secular education. b) The school management should run the school well. c) The school
should agree to state inspection from time to time. d) The schools should follow any rule prescribed
by the government for the regulation of the grant. e) The school must charge fees from the students.
Grants were given to the schools for increasing the salaries teachers, construction of school
buildings, granting scholarships to students, improving conditions of literaries, opening of science
department etc.

The Wood's Despatch of 1854 gave importance to teaching of English, but at the same time, it also
stressed on the teaching of Indian languages. The Despatch realised that any acquaintance of
European knowledge could be communicated to the common people and that could be conveyed to
them only through learning their own mother tongue. Therefore the Despatch clearly stated that
Indian languages as well as English should be used as media of instruction.

The Wood's Despatch of 1854 stressed on female education. The Wood s Despatch stated, The
importance of female education in India cannot be over rated; and we have observed with pleasure
the evidence which is now afforded of an increased desire on the part of many of the natives of

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India to give a good education to their daughters. By this means a far greater proportional impulse
is imparted to the educational and moral tone of the people than by the education of men . The
Despatch also encouraged the private enterprises to promote women education. The schools for
girls were to be included among those to which grants-in-aid would be given.

The Wood's Despatch of 1854 recommended the establishment of teacher training schools in each
of the provinces. There should be training schools for teachers of engineering, medicine and law.
The qualified teachers should be given better pay scales. The Despatch further emphasised on the
provision of scholarships to the teachers during their training period.

The Wood's Despatch of 1854 encouraged professional education. It recommended the

establishment of medical, engineering law and other institutes of professional education. The
Despatch stated that in order to develop vocational efficiency of people and also to make people
realise that the British rule was progressive. Another reason for the encouragement of vocational
education was to control the problem of unemployment.

The Wood's Despatch of 1854 recommended the establishment of a network of graded schools all
over the country. At one end were the universities and the colleges, then the high schools followed
by the middle schools and the bottom of the middle schools and at the bottom of the network were
the primary schools, both government and indigenous. Both the Anglo-vernacular and vernacular
schools were to be included in the same class. This system was recommended in order to enable an
individual to receive higher education after completing the different levels of schools education.

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