Wood's dispatch

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In 1854, Sir Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control of the British East India Company, sent a formal dispatch to Lord Dalhousie, the then Governor-General of India, suggesting a large shift to English language use within India. Sir Charles recommended that primary schools adopt vernacular languages, high schools adopt Anglo-vernacular language and that English be the medium of education in colleges. This communiqué is informally known as Wood's dispatch.

Wood's letter played an important role in the spread of English learning and female education in India. One of the most favorable steps taken was to create an English class among Indian people to be used as workforce in the company's administration. Vocational and women's education were also emphasised more heavily.

This period of time in the British Raj was part of a final phase where the British governmental administration brought social reforms into India. After this period, the governing policies tended to become more reactionary, notably in the wake of major social and political unrest surrounding the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Background

East India company (EIC) largely ignored development of education in India till the mid-19th century. Some thought that they should transform India into a civilized society, to convert the Indian mindset by making rapid changes. Others thought it best to educate Indians and recruit them in Indian Civil Services (ICS). By learning English, Indians would adopt British rule. These were some of the reasons that EIC wanted Indians to learn English. Lord Macaulay said, "We (Britishers) should try to create a class of people, who would work as translators between the people who we are ruling and us, even though they may look like Indians by color; but their likes and dislikes, morals and thinking will be like an Englishman".

Recommendations

Wood's recommendations were :

1. English education would enhance the moral character of Indians and thus supply East India Company with civil servants who could be trusted.
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 be given grants in aid.
6. Indian natives be given training in their mother tongue also.
7. Provision be made for a systematic method of education from primary level to university level.
8. The government should support education for women.
9. The medium of instruction at the primary level to be vernacular while at the higher levels the medium would be English.
10. Promotion and stress on teachers’ training at all levels.

Measures taken

After Wood's dispatch, several measures were taken by the 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. In all provinces, education departments were set up.
3. Promotion of English education, namely within academics and the bureaucracies of companies and public services.

Results

English medium schools became popular in India.