DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68026#0056
50
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE :
Mr. E. Giles, the India Office, and their Director of Special Inquiries
- and Reports was appointed to the new office. This
3 Feb., 1908. officer has, during the past year, been able to assist the .
Director - General of Education in India by the
collection and arrangement of information on a
number of important matters, and by giving advice
and suggestions to the Educational Officers of the
several Presidencies and provinces who have visited
Europe and America with the object of studying
different types of educational institutions, or of
making specific inquiries into particular aspects of
education here or abroad.”
The Directors of Public Instruction present at
the Simla Conference of 1901 passed the following
resolution :—
“ That the Directors of Public Instruction have
found such advantage from the present con-
ference, in being able to ascertain the posi-
tion of education in all the provinces of
India and the results of the different methods
of work, that they wish to record their
opinion that it is desirable to have periodical
conferences of Directors. Conferences every
second or third year would appear to be
sufficient, the place of meeting being varied
from time to time.”
The first conference was held at Simla from
14th September to 23rd September, 1905. The follow-
ing points were discussed :—
Universities.—Recent reforms and proposals for
the inspection of colleges. Secondary Education.—
Plans for a school final examination. Recognition of
schools. Qualifications of teachers, their pay and
pension. Primary Education. — Recent expansions.
Rural curricula. Modes of Control. Inspection.—
Methods of inspection. Grants-in-aid. Training
Schools and Colleges. Female Education.—Inspectresses.
Co-education. Muhammadan girls’ schools. Technical
Education.—The selection of technical scholars. In-
dustrial schools. Schools of Art, &c. Educational
Exhibitions. Text -books. ■—Work of Committees.
Bureau of Education.—How it may be best made
useful. Furlough Studies.-—How they may be best
turned to advantage.
The position of the Director-General is generally
summarised in the quotation from the letter of the
Government of India to the Secretary of State of Octo-
ber 1901. That position.has, so far as I am able to judge,
been studiously maintained since the appointment was
created. Mr. Orange has on several occasions visited
the Bombay Presidency, and his visits have always
been welcomed. He has confined himself to the work
of observation of the Bombay system and to friendly
consultations with the educational authorities. I have
endeavoured in my tours to follow the same course.
The actual duties of the Director are-
(1) To advise the Government of India on all
educational questions which come before
them, whether from the Secretary of State or
from Local Governments or from societies or
individuals. That constitutes his main and
most important duty.
(2) To acquaint himself, as far as possible, with
the educational systems prevailing in Local
Governments and Administrations. This he
has to do mainly by visits to various pro-
vinces and by occasional demi-official (not
official) references to Directors.
(3) To consult with local educational authorities
on the various phases of their system. It is
thus possible for him to occasionally make
suggestions or to bring to their notice what is
being done in another province, but this is
not done officially. The main object of such
consultations is that the Government of India
and the Local Governments may understand
each other as far as possible.
In educational matters, the influence of the Govern-
ment of India does not tend to excessive rigidity or
uniformity. On the contrary, it appears to me that
there is every desire to comprehend local conditions
and to facilitate local developments. The Govern-
ment of India properly lays down general principles to
be observed, and so far guides general educational
administration, but it does not insist on uniformity
for all provinces and fully recognises the desirability
and necessity of development in accordance with local
needs and conditions. It is not always possible to
prevent misunderstandings nor can the Government
of India claim infallibility. Thus delay in dealing
with questions and occasional disappointment are in-
evitable. But the tendency is towards elasticity, and
the position will be improved as the Director-General
gradually gains a more intimate acquaintance with
local objects and necessities, and as the Local Adminis-
trations realise more clearly the views and principles
which guide the Imperial Government. I give an
example to illustrate my meaning. The Government
of India differed lately from the Government of
Madras on a question of the agency of inspection.
My recent visit to Madras and consultation with the
local educational authorities have led me to somewhat
modify my former view and have, I believe, led the
Madras Government to understand more clearly the
view of the Government of India. The result will,
possibly, be a solution of the question which both sides
can accept. The appointment of a Director-General
will in that case have been fully justified. In the
past there was a tendency on the part of the Govern-
ment of India towards rigidity. Such tendency was
often due to misapprehension of local aims and con-
ditions. The post of Director-General was created to
supply the Imperial Government with an expert
adviser in touch with the provinces, and the tendency
to rigidity on the part of the Government of India
will relax in proportion as the Director-General
adequately performs his functions. I can bear testi-
mony to the fact that it is at present the desire of the
Home Department to hamper Local Administrations
as little as possible and to give them a free hand so
long as they do not depart from standard principles.
I am confident that the position must not be altered in
the direction of authority to be given to the Director-
General of Education. The proper sphere of work
for that officer is to advise the Government of India,
to inform himself of local conditions by tours and
friendly consultation with local authorities, to inform
local authorities of the general views. held by the
Imperial Government, and to endeavour to create a
mutual understanding between the Governments. He
can, of course, indirectly assist local Directors by know-
ledge gained in other provinces, but he should have no
power of initiative and should exercise no authority.
In some cases, no doubt, the Government of India
can claim the credit of initiating reforms in adminis-
tration. Thus the educational conference of 1901 led
to large and general educational changes. The
credit may be claimed by the Government which
convened the conference and which backed the
conclusions arrived at by liberal subsidies. But on
the other hand, the deficiencies in the existing system
were indicated by the evidence supplied by the repre-
sentatives of Local Governments. Thus to some
extent the credit for improvement may be shared
between the Local and Imperial Governments. But I
admit that, under the Government of Lord Curzon,
the initiative may be said to have proceeded generally
from the Imperial Government.
It is most desirable to allow provincial Governments
to develop their educational administration on lines
which are specially suitable to their- own local con-
ditions. Broad principles must be decided by the
Government of India and the Secretary of State
and must generally be adhered to, but, subject to
this limitation, the provincial Governments should be
allowed as free a hand as possible. I can see no
possible objection to their adopting at discretion
suggestions of reform which may come to their notice
from other provinces. I am not quite sure how it is
intended that such suggestions should be communi-
cated, but, in the case of education, there is the
agency of the Director-General, who may be able to
suggest to the authorities in one province what has
been done in another. Personally also, and speaking
as an ex-Director of Public Instruction, I am of
opinion that it would be of great benefit if Directors
were occasionally allowed to go to other provinces
and see for themselves the methods there followed.
The Director of Public Instruction, Madras, agrees
with me in this opinion and, while I do not wish to
minimise the utility of occasional conferences of all
the Directors, I am strongly of opinion that this might
be well supplemented by direct intercourse between
Directors. It is not possible always to understand an
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE :
Mr. E. Giles, the India Office, and their Director of Special Inquiries
- and Reports was appointed to the new office. This
3 Feb., 1908. officer has, during the past year, been able to assist the .
Director - General of Education in India by the
collection and arrangement of information on a
number of important matters, and by giving advice
and suggestions to the Educational Officers of the
several Presidencies and provinces who have visited
Europe and America with the object of studying
different types of educational institutions, or of
making specific inquiries into particular aspects of
education here or abroad.”
The Directors of Public Instruction present at
the Simla Conference of 1901 passed the following
resolution :—
“ That the Directors of Public Instruction have
found such advantage from the present con-
ference, in being able to ascertain the posi-
tion of education in all the provinces of
India and the results of the different methods
of work, that they wish to record their
opinion that it is desirable to have periodical
conferences of Directors. Conferences every
second or third year would appear to be
sufficient, the place of meeting being varied
from time to time.”
The first conference was held at Simla from
14th September to 23rd September, 1905. The follow-
ing points were discussed :—
Universities.—Recent reforms and proposals for
the inspection of colleges. Secondary Education.—
Plans for a school final examination. Recognition of
schools. Qualifications of teachers, their pay and
pension. Primary Education. — Recent expansions.
Rural curricula. Modes of Control. Inspection.—
Methods of inspection. Grants-in-aid. Training
Schools and Colleges. Female Education.—Inspectresses.
Co-education. Muhammadan girls’ schools. Technical
Education.—The selection of technical scholars. In-
dustrial schools. Schools of Art, &c. Educational
Exhibitions. Text -books. ■—Work of Committees.
Bureau of Education.—How it may be best made
useful. Furlough Studies.-—How they may be best
turned to advantage.
The position of the Director-General is generally
summarised in the quotation from the letter of the
Government of India to the Secretary of State of Octo-
ber 1901. That position.has, so far as I am able to judge,
been studiously maintained since the appointment was
created. Mr. Orange has on several occasions visited
the Bombay Presidency, and his visits have always
been welcomed. He has confined himself to the work
of observation of the Bombay system and to friendly
consultations with the educational authorities. I have
endeavoured in my tours to follow the same course.
The actual duties of the Director are-
(1) To advise the Government of India on all
educational questions which come before
them, whether from the Secretary of State or
from Local Governments or from societies or
individuals. That constitutes his main and
most important duty.
(2) To acquaint himself, as far as possible, with
the educational systems prevailing in Local
Governments and Administrations. This he
has to do mainly by visits to various pro-
vinces and by occasional demi-official (not
official) references to Directors.
(3) To consult with local educational authorities
on the various phases of their system. It is
thus possible for him to occasionally make
suggestions or to bring to their notice what is
being done in another province, but this is
not done officially. The main object of such
consultations is that the Government of India
and the Local Governments may understand
each other as far as possible.
In educational matters, the influence of the Govern-
ment of India does not tend to excessive rigidity or
uniformity. On the contrary, it appears to me that
there is every desire to comprehend local conditions
and to facilitate local developments. The Govern-
ment of India properly lays down general principles to
be observed, and so far guides general educational
administration, but it does not insist on uniformity
for all provinces and fully recognises the desirability
and necessity of development in accordance with local
needs and conditions. It is not always possible to
prevent misunderstandings nor can the Government
of India claim infallibility. Thus delay in dealing
with questions and occasional disappointment are in-
evitable. But the tendency is towards elasticity, and
the position will be improved as the Director-General
gradually gains a more intimate acquaintance with
local objects and necessities, and as the Local Adminis-
trations realise more clearly the views and principles
which guide the Imperial Government. I give an
example to illustrate my meaning. The Government
of India differed lately from the Government of
Madras on a question of the agency of inspection.
My recent visit to Madras and consultation with the
local educational authorities have led me to somewhat
modify my former view and have, I believe, led the
Madras Government to understand more clearly the
view of the Government of India. The result will,
possibly, be a solution of the question which both sides
can accept. The appointment of a Director-General
will in that case have been fully justified. In the
past there was a tendency on the part of the Govern-
ment of India towards rigidity. Such tendency was
often due to misapprehension of local aims and con-
ditions. The post of Director-General was created to
supply the Imperial Government with an expert
adviser in touch with the provinces, and the tendency
to rigidity on the part of the Government of India
will relax in proportion as the Director-General
adequately performs his functions. I can bear testi-
mony to the fact that it is at present the desire of the
Home Department to hamper Local Administrations
as little as possible and to give them a free hand so
long as they do not depart from standard principles.
I am confident that the position must not be altered in
the direction of authority to be given to the Director-
General of Education. The proper sphere of work
for that officer is to advise the Government of India,
to inform himself of local conditions by tours and
friendly consultation with local authorities, to inform
local authorities of the general views. held by the
Imperial Government, and to endeavour to create a
mutual understanding between the Governments. He
can, of course, indirectly assist local Directors by know-
ledge gained in other provinces, but he should have no
power of initiative and should exercise no authority.
In some cases, no doubt, the Government of India
can claim the credit of initiating reforms in adminis-
tration. Thus the educational conference of 1901 led
to large and general educational changes. The
credit may be claimed by the Government which
convened the conference and which backed the
conclusions arrived at by liberal subsidies. But on
the other hand, the deficiencies in the existing system
were indicated by the evidence supplied by the repre-
sentatives of Local Governments. Thus to some
extent the credit for improvement may be shared
between the Local and Imperial Governments. But I
admit that, under the Government of Lord Curzon,
the initiative may be said to have proceeded generally
from the Imperial Government.
It is most desirable to allow provincial Governments
to develop their educational administration on lines
which are specially suitable to their- own local con-
ditions. Broad principles must be decided by the
Government of India and the Secretary of State
and must generally be adhered to, but, subject to
this limitation, the provincial Governments should be
allowed as free a hand as possible. I can see no
possible objection to their adopting at discretion
suggestions of reform which may come to their notice
from other provinces. I am not quite sure how it is
intended that such suggestions should be communi-
cated, but, in the case of education, there is the
agency of the Director-General, who may be able to
suggest to the authorities in one province what has
been done in another. Personally also, and speaking
as an ex-Director of Public Instruction, I am of
opinion that it would be of great benefit if Directors
were occasionally allowed to go to other provinces
and see for themselves the methods there followed.
The Director of Public Instruction, Madras, agrees
with me in this opinion and, while I do not wish to
minimise the utility of occasional conferences of all
the Directors, I am strongly of opinion that this might
be well supplemented by direct intercourse between
Directors. It is not possible always to understand an