3.3.2 DESPATCH RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations in the Despatch

The chief recommendations of Wood's Despatch are asunder:

1. Accepting Responsibility.

It was accepted the Despatch that the responsibility of educating Indians was that of British government.

2. D.P.I. Office.

The Despatch recommended that the existing offices of the Provincial Boards of Control of Education be abolished and the Office of the Director of Public Instructions should be set up in the states. This recommendation was accepted. In Punjab, the Office of D.P.I was established in 1862.

3. Setting up Universities.

Another recommendation of the Despatch was to set up Universities in the Presidency Capital namely at Madras, Calcutta and Bombay for higher education in the country. If necessary, the universities should be set up at other places also. As a result, the universities were set up. Madras University was set up in 1857.

4. Medium of Instruction.

The medium of instruction of education in India would be English. The Despatch upheld the views of Lord Macaulay.

5. Expansion of Education.

The Despatch rejected the Downward Filtration Theory. It also realised that Western education was good for public and as such it recommended the opening of more schools for public.

6. Grant-in-aid.

This was a recommendation of far-reaching significance. If education was to expand in India, private enterprise should be encouraged. As such, it recommended the grant-in-aid system and the grant-in-aid was to be given to those schools which fulfilled the following condition:

• Schools and colleges would satisfy government about the stability of their management,
• Impart good secular education,
• Be open to state inspection,
• Agree to any condition which might be laid down for the regulation of such grants.

7. Training of Teachers.

Trained teachers for schools are a must. The Despatch advocated the need for establishing different types of training institutions and for giving stipends to teachers under training.

8. Women and Muslim Education.

It sympathised with the women and Muslim education and insisted on a policy of strict neutrality in religion.

9. Professional Education.

The Despatch also appreciated the drawbacks of pure course of instruction and recommended that direct professional training in law, medicine and civil engineering should be given under the control of the universities.

10. Oriental education

should be encouraged.