Correspondence on the subject of the education of the Muhammadan community in British India and their employment in the public service generally (Calcutta: Government Printing India, 1886)

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4. His Excellency in Council, nevertheless, believes that the problem thus presented is
capable of solution; that a course of study can be laid down which shall maintain and encour-
age the cultivation of Arabic and Persian, of the history, literature, and philosophy which
those languages convey, of their logical system, and of such parts of Mahomedan law as deal
with purely temporal interests, without compromising the Government to thesupport of any
peculiar school of religious teaching.
5. His Excellency in Council is willing to sanction the preliminaries of any plan for re-
constituting the two Madrassas, which may fall within the limits of these principles. For the
Calcutta Madrassa it is understood that there will be a lower Anglo-Persian department, with a
higher or college department called Anglo-Arabic, of which the main feature will be instruction
in Arabic, while throughout the whole course in both departments a fair proportion of good
English teaching will be maintained. The Oriental text books will give linguistic, historic, or
literary exercises. The Persian language is likely to be a very useful colloquial accomplishment
for the rising generation of Indian gentlemen, and should be liberally encouraged. Then we
have to restore discipline, and to keep up a high standard of morals and manners in the College.
Obviously success in all these things must depend materially upon the man who is selected to
carry out such reforms, and the first step must be, as the Lieutenant-Governor recommends, to
select and appoint a qualified Principal. His Excellency, therefore, sanctions the appointment
of a Principal and Superintendent to the Calcutta Madrassa upon a minimum salary of R1,000
per mensem. It is understood that his qualifications must be for high European instruction as
well as fox Oriental scholarship ; and that he may be trusted to work out a systematic course
and classification of studies in accordance with the settled and known policy of Government
Whether he shall superintend other Madrassas is a matter for subsequent decision.
6. The case of the Hooghly Madrassa is different. It is now part of a college which is
largely supported from the proceeds of landed propertybequeathed by a Mahomedan ; and the
object of the Government is to carry out usefully and reasonably the intentions with which the
bequest was made. The Lieutenant-Governor’s proposition is to withdraw the greater part of
the Mohsin funds from the Hooghly College, which has no particular local claim, and to use
the money for encouraging Mahomedan education elsewhere, apportioning it according to need.
So much of the present cost of the Hooghly College as would be left unprovided for by this
subtraction of the endowment funds might, His Honor suggests, be then defrayed by the State.
7. His Excellency in Council approves the outlines of this proposal, and considers that
some such arrangement would be consistent with the purposes of the Mohsin endowment, and
generally advantageous to Mahomedan education. But with regard to the employment of the
Mohsin funds thus to be set free, His Excellency remarks that there are such valid objections
to any separate system of denominational schools or colleges that the Government of India
prefers not to move further in that direction, although there is no intention of disturbing what
may already exist. His Excellency in Council thinks that the memorandum of Mr. Bernard,
and the Lieutenant-Governor’s observations upon it, suggest the alternative of strengthening
certain selected Government institutions on their Mahomedan side, instead of setting up new
ones. For instance, the High Schools or Colleges at Chittagong and Dacca, in the midst of a
great Mahomedan population, might be thus reinforced both in the way of teaching Arabic and
Persian more thoroughly, and of generally cheapening education to Mahomedans by scholar-
ships and the like. Or a portion of the Mohsin funds might go toward increasing the public
grants in aid of Mahomedan schools and colleges.
8. His Excellency in Council would leave in the hands of the Bengal Government the
details of any scheme which might be worked out upon this design, and His Excellency would
be glad to see it when completed. In regard to the question of providing funds, the Lieute-
nant-Governor has said that he hopes the Government of India may subscribe something toward
carrying out his plans ; and His Excellency in Council admits that the circumstances afford
some equitable ground for the expectation. The allotment of the proceeds from the Mohsin
funds to special educational uses has been now decided upon as a measure that is just and
politic. But it is evident that by this measure the funds available for general education in
Bengal will be proportionately reduced; and in the present state of education in Bengal, His
Excellency would be reluctant to curtail provincial resources. Upon these reasons, and having
principally in view Sir George Campbell’s scheme for encouraging the education of Mahome-
dans where it is most needed, His Excellency in Council has determined to increase the regular
provincial assignment by an annual additional grant of Rs. 50,000 to Bengal. The grant will
begin with the financial year 1874-75, by which time His Excellency in Council trusts that th(J
assignments for allotting the Mohsin funds to special uses will have been made and confirmeJr
9. His Excellency in Council has now replied to the three questions put in paragraph 10*
your letter. To the first the answer is yes, but the Government of India prefers to stren/