Q. The aim of education as stated by the Wood’s dispatch of 1854 was
(a) The creation of employment opportunities for native Indians
(b) The spread of western culture in India
(c) The promotion of literacy among the people using English medium of language
(d) The introduction of scientific research and rationalism in the traditional Indian education
Ans: (c) The promotion of literacy among the people using English medium of language
Explanation: The aim of education as stated by the Wood’s Dispatch of 1854 was (c) The promotion of literacy among the people using English medium of language.
The Wood’s Dispatch, named after Sir Charles Wood, who was the President of the Board of Control for India at that time, was a significant educational dispatch issued by the British government in 1854. It laid down the principles and framework for the development of education in British India.
The main aim of the Wood’s Dispatch was to promote literacy among the Indian population, particularly through the medium of English language. The British believed that English education would serve as a tool for spreading Western knowledge, ideas, and values in India. They saw it as a means to produce a class of Indian elites who would be educated in English and serve as intermediaries between the British rulers and the Indian population.
While the promotion of literacy and the English language were emphasized, the other options mentioned in the question, such as creating employment opportunities, spreading Western culture, and introducing scientific research, were not the primary objectives outlined in the Wood’s Dispatch.
