Examinations

BENARES.

In consequence of the displeasure expressed by the Government as adverted to in para. 141 1842-43. of the last General Report for 1840-41 and 1841-42, with reference to the unsatisfactory state of the Benares College and to the delay which occurred in the transmission of the Annual Returns of the College for 1841-42, the Local Committee submitted an explanatory letter as to the causes which had tended to retard the proficiency_of the boys, and attributed the detention of the Head Master's Report and the Annual Returns to inadvertence.

To the abolition of stipendiary allowances in 1837, the Local Committee attributed the practice which then commenced of withdrawing boys from the Institution before the full attainment of the advantages which it offers; and they were of opinion that many of the former pupils would have been induced to continue their studies at the College, and might thus have become more qualified for Scholarships had the system of Scholarships been brought into action within a less short period than was allowed to elapse after the abolition of stipends.

On this point it was observed to the Committee, that the Government could readily conceive the difficulties which local circumstances might throw in the way of the immediate and rapid success of this portion of the general plans and principles which had been deemed the best suited for the Government operations in this Department; but not only was it in the opinion of the Government a far smaller evil to struggle with such difficulties than to admit partial infractions of Rules and Regulations which it had been deliberately and maturely determined should be uniformily applied; but the Government considered that well-directed exertion and influence on the part of the Local Committee and the efficient establishment for instruction at their disposal generally and especially in the person of Mr. Nicolls, the Head Master, would enable them eventually and surely to overcome all the difficulties referred to, and ensure the success of the Benares Institution more completely from the very circumstances attending it. With regard to a remark by the Committee that a lower standard prevailed elsewhere in regard to qualifications for Scholarships, it was remarked that the course of study was most definitely stated in p. 14 et seq. of the Rules and Regulations, that the standard was precisely set forth in p. 27 et seq., and that the mode in which the examination for Scholarships was to be conducted in the Mofussil was minutely recorded in all its details in p. 39 et seq., and a Committee could hardly

forward papers otherwise prepared except with a total disregard to the conscientious discharge of their duties, which the Government could not anticipate in any case.

The frauds on the part of the competitors could not be totally prevented, but with a view to strengthen the General Rule even in this, Circular 34, prescribing a special Rule and Penalty against unfair practices, would shew the Local Committee that this subject to which they attached importance had received the best consideration of Government.

The winner of the Ghazeepore Scholarship, it appeared, expressed his discontent at having been compelled to join the Benares College with reference to a similar strict interpretation of the Scholarship Rules not having been insisted on at Allahabad.

It was stated in reply that a careful perusal of Circular No. 28 would have enabled the Committee to explain to the Scholar that the circumstances of the Allahabad School were far in advance of those of the Ghazeepore one, and that consequently his impressions were erroneous in regard to the injustice of the exemption in the case of Allahabad.

In this correspondence it appeared that some private notes were recorded in the Local Committee's office. On this it was remarked that no private notes were fit records for a Department of the Government, and that it was always more satisfactory and as easy generally to adopt official forms in all matters connected with official duties. The Committee was earnestly requested in future to adhere strictly to the Rules and Regulations and the Circular and special orders of this Department, in regard to periodical Reports and Returns, and the dates and forms of the transmission.

At the close of the year there were 126 Scholars and up to August 166-with a daily attendance varying from 130 to 146-a result which, considering the rivalry of the Branch School, was considered creditable to the Head Master. On a review of the papers it appeared that the only class from which answers to the examinations were forwarded, was the one styled "third class Senior Department," consisting of 11 Scholars, the Senior Department consisted of no more than one class, this "third class" appeared therefore to be the first or highest class of the College.

The papers did not exhibit a high degree of proficiency for a first class, but at the same time the pupils gave excellent promise of greater proficiency should they continue their studies for 2 or 3 years more; a solid foundation having been laid in History, English Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, and more especially in the first six books of Euclid, which last they seemed thoroughly to understand. In general acquire

ments they were about equal to the present second class of the Senior Department of the Hindoo College.

In History, those answers which consisted merely of an enumeration of important facts were very correct; in the other hand, those which required thought and reflection were, with few exceptions, defective. The Junior Department con

sisted of 4 classes.

The 1st,..

17 boys.

38.

40. 51.

The studies of the 1st class were Poetry, Reading, Explanation, History, Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, Translation from Oordoo to English and Hindee to English, and vice

versa.

The general progress was not satisfactory which was attributed to the several changes in the course of study and in Masters, which occurred during the present and preceding

years.

The studies of the second class were Reading, Explanation, Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, Hindee and Oordoo. The results in regard to this class were considered satisfactorythe chief defect was in pronunciation.

Third and fourth classes were employed in Reading, Explanation, Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, Hindee, Oordoo. The results were considered tolerable.

The Annual Reports and Returns were carefully prepared, and reflected credit on the Head Master. The Government called for more precise information of the progress of the Students in translation into the Vernacular from English and vice versa, and of the manner in which this study was prosecuted; and also a detailed account of the advance in "Lessons on objects."

Great objections appeared to exist to the locality of the premises occupied by the Branch School, owing to the immorality of the neighbourhood; in consequence of which many of the wealthier inhabitants of the most densely peopled portion of the city had offered to pay for the tuition of their children if the Branch School were removed to the vicinity of Bhaira Nath. Enquiries were made by the Committee among the inhabitants in question regarding the degree of support which they would give to a Branch School established in their neighbourhood, and it was learned, that many of the merchants, (Murhattis, Gazrattes, &c.) residing there, would gladly avail themselves of the education obtainable for their sons at our Institutions, if a Branch School could thus be placed within easy reach of the children. The Committee

were of opinion that the sons of people in easy circumstances, if trained at a preparatory School in the immediate vicinity of their houses, would, as they grew up, be easily induced to enter the English College from the Junior Department of which they were excluded by its distance from their quarter of the city and their consequent liability to accidents on their way to it.

The Government desired it to be communicated to the Committee that if they could so arrange that the parties ascertained to be willing to pay for the education of their children in case of the removal of the Branch School to a less objectionable position, should instead of paying a monthly sum of fees for their own children, make such a subscription as might be sufficient to provide the required accommodation in the desired locality, the best plan would then be to admit the sons of such richer classes without any periodical payment, and to give such subscribers of those classes the privilege of nominating (up to a certain limit, graduated according to the scale of their subscriptions) their poorer countrymen, as far as the accommodation would permit and subject to the confirmation of the Committee to the benefits of the Branch Institution. This method would obviate the evil apprehended by some of the members of the Committee of that School being likely to be, if conducted on the plan their letter of the 14th September, exclusively for the rich. On this subject however a Report of the Committee has been requested before any final measures are adopted.

In January last, Mr. Thomason was addressed in the following terms respecting the Benares Institution, with a view to obtain his opinion and the suggestions which his local experience might enable him to submit, upon the plan therein indicated.

"The Benares English Seminary has by no means succeeded "as it ought. His Honor in Council apprehends that the "result is in some degree to be attributed to the number of "other schools of the same kind in the city which compete "with it and to other local circumstances. His Honor in "Council is of opinion that the plan adopted at Calcutta with "great success of attaching 2 or 3 English classes to the "Sanscrit College here, might be found the best at Benares, "the College remaining essentially a Sanscrit College, and "then His Honor in Council would contemplate the formation "of the very flourishing Allahabad School into a Central "College, the locality of the station indicating it as a very eligible position for such an object."

66

Mr. Thomason submitted his Report, in which he stated his opinion that the city of Benares was in every respect

a most eligible situation for a Collegiate establishment on the most efficient footing-its wealth, population, and the estimation in which it was held by all classes of Hindoos, pointed it out as a post of the greatest importance. Allahabad, he thought, could in no way be put in competition with it, except as it happened at present to be the post where the highest functionaries of the Government in those provinces resided. This circumstance brought to the spot many intelligent natives, but they were entirely engrossed in their official avocations, and were very seldom accompanied by their families.

Mr. Thomason was therefore reluctant to recommend that the Allahabad Seminary should be in any way increased to the detriment of that at Benares, but on the contrary most strongly recommended that the Benares Institution should be placed on the most efficient footing consistent with the plans of Government, and he thought that until the same measures were adopted at Benares, which had been eminently successful at Agra and Delhi, the advantages of position could not be said to have been fairly tested.

Mr. Thomason added that the idea of uniting the Sanscrit and English Institutions under the same roof was worthy of the most serious consideration of Government, and this he thought could easily be done in the same way as at Agra. The best instruction should then be furnished both in Sanscrit and in English, and the pupils in both departments be brought into constant communication. Mr. Thomason further observed that if a Principal could be found skilled in the abstract sciences, and yet sufficiently acquainted with Sanscrit to enable him to discuss questions of that nature with the Brahmins, much might be done in such an Institution towards the correction of the erroneous conceptions of the Hindoos on those subjects, and towards the realization of the views which the late Mr. Wilkinson entertained, and upon which he successfully entered.

The plan of Mr. Thomason was referred to the Council of Education for consideration and report, and they concurred generally with the views of that gentleman, especially in regard to the appointment of a Principal versed in the Science and Literature of the West, with at the same time a competent knowledge of Sanscrit, in regard likewise to the expediency of uniting the English and Sanscrit departments in one building as at Agra, and the placing the establishment on such an organized basis of efficiency as to render it superior to, and not a mere competitor with, the other Schools of the vicinity.

The Council further suggested that Mr. Thomason might be desired to name a person whom he might consider willing and