In which of the following year the Court of Directors of the East India Company in London sent an educational (Wood’s) dispatch to the Governor-General in India?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer:
1854
Explanation:
The Court of Directors of the East India Company in London sent the historic Wood's Despatch on education to the Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie, in the year 1854. Authored by Sir Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control, the document is considered the 'Magna Carta of English Education in India' because it laid down a comprehensive blueprint for shaping the country's formal educational system.
Key Points:
Wood's Despatch recommended the establishment of a regular system of education from primary schools to universities.
It proposed the creation of universities in three major Presidency towns: Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, which were subsequently established in 1857.
The despatch strongly advocated for the promotion of women's education, vocational training, and teacher training programs.
Important Questions and Answers:
Question: Who was the Governor-General of India when Wood's Despatch was received in 1854?
Answer: Lord Dalhousie.
Question: Why is Wood's Despatch often referred to in the history of Indian education?
Answer: Because it served as the first comprehensive plan for introducing Western education on a systematic basis in India.