WOODS' DISPATCH--- PROPOSAL, RECOMMENDATIONS, MERITS and DEMERITS

                     WOODS' DISPATCH  

                  PROPOSAL, RECOMMENDATIONS,

                             MERITS and  DEMERITS

WHAT IS WOODS' DISPATCH?

>Woods' dispatch was also known as the Magna Carta of India because it aimed to give more education liberties and freedom to the people of India.

>Education system of present is the gift of Charles Wood 

>East Indian company policy change or renew carter after every 20 years.

>So that time in 1853, the Parliamentary board survey Indian education system and concluded that there is a huge need of education. 

>Wood was the President, a support was sent to the East Indian company and was      forwarded as dispatch to the Indian government on 19th July 1854, and hence known as a wood dispatch.

>Woods' dispatch covered the entire education- primary, secondary and university and gave definite direction for its development.

>It was issued by the court of directors of the company on 19th July 1854. 

>It was a document of great significance. 

>At that time there was no universities or institution for highest studies.

>All in 25 total colleges were there in the whole country 

>Total enrolment in schools and college was just about 40,000 only .

The dispatch proposed the following

1) Teach on demand -English language would be taught whenever demanded and vernacular languages will be used as a medium.

2) Teacher training- A system of training of school teachers would be introduced through specially set up normal school on the pattern similar to the schools run in Britain.

3) Test for selection- Educated person would be preferred to uneducated one for government jobs and such candidates would be selected through selection test.

4) Institution for Professional Education - The government would establish institution for professional education in area, where they do not exist and support whenever they exist.

5) Introduce grant in aid -The local bodies under the effective control of government would be encouraged to published educational institutions and system of aid will be introduced

6) Public education- Public education would be secular without any provision of religious instructions and institutions stated by the government but Muslim minorities and girls however would be supported.

7) Creation of Department of Public Instruction (DPI)- The department of Public instruction would be created in each province to streamline educational and management which would be under the administration control of the director of public instruction appointed by the government government. The department of public instruction would be responsible to submit the report on the progress of education in his or her province.

8) Useful and practical knowledge- The government would take active measures to provide a great mass of people, useful and practical knowledge suitable to every sphere of life by establishing a network of graded schools and encouraging indigenous schools

9) Establishing universities- The government will establish university at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras on model of London, University to conduct exams and provide degree in literature, arts and science to students of college affiliated to them.

Recommendations of Woods' dispatch

1) Department of Public instruction- The Department of public instruction would be created in each programs to streamline educational administration and management which would be under the administrative controller of the director of public instruction appointed by the government.

The DPI would be responsible to submit the report on the progress of the education in his province.

Aim of education - The aim of education should be to raise intelligence level and moral character.

Medium of education - Due to lack of course book in Indian language medium of education will be English. 

Course of study - Wood realized usefulness of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian, so he recommended them as subject of the study in regular institutions. Finally a Macaulay, he realized the importance of western knowledge in India.

Acceptance of education responsibility - Wood clearly as accepted that their responsibility of education of India lie on British government.

Teacher training- System of training of school teachers will be introduced through specially set up normal schools on the pattern of school run in Britain

Grant in aid - The local bodies under the effective control of government would be encouraged to establish and manage institutions and introduce grant in aid

Muslim education - Wood said Muslims are too backward in education. They should be given more education and efforts should be made in this direction.

Vocational education - Laid stress on promoting vocational education and recommend recommended to establish schools colleges for vocational education, education at suitable places.

Education for women - He threw light on woman’s education. He emphasize for its further development through grant and aid and other measures.

Establishment of universities- Dispatch suggested for setting up universities at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.

Establishment of regular institutions - He emphasized graded school as primary school, middle school and high school colleges and universities.

Extension of public education- failure of filtration Theory Wood realize the usefulness of education for public so increase of primary middle and high school word emphasized.

Education and service- Wood clearly said -

a) while selecting candidates for government services, educational qualifications will be considered.

b) high education, qualification person will be preferred more than other in such services.

Merits-

1)It was a good education philosophy 

2)It was first that British government accepted the responsibility of teaching Indians 

3)It  focused on women education 

4)It established the universities 

5)The set up of department of public instruction was done 

6)It gave importance to Indian language and culture

7)It imported education without any partiality of religion

8)The dispatch provided training to the teachers of the school 

9)It aimed at providing practical knowledge 

10)It aimed at raising intelligence level 

Demerits- 

1)It gave western knowledge.

2)It was a defective system of education, just to earn money.

3)It was based on rote learning and no knowledge.

4)English was the medium of instruction. 

5)Priority was given to English language. 

6)Lack of flexibility .

7)Lack of specific aims. 

8)Develop developed Christian missionaries.

9)No vocational education was imparted.

10)It inspired British nature in India.