Question

What is Magna Carta and why Wood's Despatch called Magna Carta of modern education

Answer 1

Magna Carta in England, in 1215, was supposed to be the first step of a Democratic government in England.

The Wood's Despatch is known as the Magna Carta of Indian Education.

It was the Act of 1854, which was passed by the British.The despatch was presented by the Secretary of State, Sir Charles Wood, to the directors of the East India Company (as there was Company's rule at that time). As a result, Education departments were established in every province of India. The Universities at Bombay, Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Madras (now Chennai) were opened for higher education. So, it was the Magna Carta of India.

Again, the men with moderate views (Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozshah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee) considered that the August Declaration of 1917 was also the Magna Carta of India.

Answer 2

$\sf\huge\underline{Answer :-}$

• Sir Charles Wood, the president of the Board of Control recommended to combine the streams of lowest and highest education forms in 1854. This is known as Wood's Despatch or Educational despatch.

• The recommendations under the Wood's despatch were -

1. To form a seperate department for education.
2. To take adequate measures for teachers and teaching by opening teachers' training college.
3. To establish three universities, each in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
4. To establish new schools and improve the native primary schools.
5. To improve government schools, colleges and expand female education.

• Wood's despatch played a great role in expanding the knowledge of literature and sciences among the Indian citizens. Thus, it is called as 'Magna Carta' in the history of English education in India.