DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68026#0167
ROYAL COMMISSION UPON DECENTRALIZATION.
161
district. It makes him a hostile critic where he ought
to be a fellow-worker and a friend.
The case of municipalities is in my opinion entirely
different. Here I would leave the elected bodies as
much as possible to themselves, and let them learn by
experience to manage their own affairs without the
assistance of an official Chairman. In most mufassal
municipalities the area to be dealt with is small, the
work, though involving a good deal of detail, is
simple, and there is no reason why an elected Com-
mittee should not perform it efficiently. Whatever
mistakes they make will recoil upon themselves and
will not, as in the case of a District Board, affect
people living at the other end of the district with
imperfect means of making their grievances heard.
45411*. Are the existing resources of Rural Boards
and municipalities adequate to the proper execution
of the duties assigned to them ?—Speaking generally,
I think it. must be admitted that the resources of
District Boards and district municipalities are not
sufficient to enable them to work up to modern
standards of local administration. In municipalities
this is most conspicuously the case in respect of
schemes for water supply and drainage, the advantages
of which, especially of the former, are now pretty
generally realised. Similarly in some rural areas in
Bengal the old sources of water-supply have fallen
into disrepair, and the District Boards are approached
with demands far beyond their financial resources. In
other parts of the same province the silting up of old
channels and changes of levels are believed to cause
malarial fever, and large schemes of drainage are
advocated which the local bodies are unable to carry
out.
45412*. Would it be desirable to establish District
Boards in Burma?—I have not sufficient knowledge
of Burma to be in a position to give a useful reply to
this question.
45413*. Could further powers or functions be
granted to village authorities?—For many years past I
have held the opinion that in Bengal and Eastern
Bengal and Assam it is both possible and desirable
to develop self-government in villages or groups of
villages by means of small elective Councils. I would
entrust to such Councils the following powers :—
(1) Small civil and criminal jurisdiction to be exercised
by Benches. (2) Powers of permissive taxation with
the sanction of the District Officer. (3) Power to
borrow money on the security of the taxes, with the
joint and several guarantee of the Council, for the
purpose of water supply. (4) Simple municipal
powers mainly for the purpose of sanitation. I do
not include in these the administration of the chau-
kidari tax, because I think the village chaukidar ought
to be paid from provincial revenues. 1 believe the
people of Bengal are intelligent enough to be perfectly
capable of working a scheme of this kind and that it
would be a valuable mode of national education. I
would not extend it broadcast, but would try it in the
first instance in a few selected areas. The proposal
does not purport to be a revival of the ancient I ndian
village community, which has long been extinct in
Bengal, if indeed it ever existed there. On the con-
trary, it seeks to create an entirely modern organiza-
tion adapted to the requirements of advanced villages
in a progressive province where the people are anxious
to manage their own affairs and wish to be provided
with suitable machinery for doing so. 1 make no
attempt to elaborate the details here. That could
best be done by a representative committee, which
might be instructed to frame proposals suitable to
different types of villages and different grades of
education and intelligence.
45414*. What is the method of recruitment in
England of officers of the Indian Educational Service,
and what instruction is afforded to such officers,
before arrival in India, in the language, literature, or
history of the country ?—The method of recruitment
of officers of the Indian Educational Service in
England is described in the statement relating to
“educational appointments” published in the India
Office List under the authority of the Secretary of
State. Officers thus recruited are required to leave
for India within three months, and no instruction is
afforded them, before their arrival, in the language,
literature, or history of the country.
45415*. What, generally speaking, are the relative
spheres of educational work which might be entrusted
33383
to—-(a) local bodies ; and (5) provincial Govern-
ments? Is it desirable to associate District Officers
more closely with secondary education and normal
training ?—The following extracts from the Govern-
ment of India Resolution of 11th March 1904, on
educational policy, appear to me to furnish a sufficient
reply to the first part of this question :—
“ From the earliest days of British rule in India'
private enterprise has played a great part in the pro-
motion of both English and Vernacular education,
and every agency that could be induced to help in the
work of imparting sound instruction has always been
welcomed by the State. The system of grants-in-aid
was intended to elicit support from local resources,
and to foster a spirit of initiative and combination for
local ends. It is supplemented by the direct action of
Government, which, speaking generally, sets the stan-
dard, and undertakes work to which private effort is
not equal, or for which it is not forthcoming. Thus
the educational machinery now at work in India com-
prises, not only institutions managed by Government,
by District and Municipal Boards, and by Native
States, but also institutions under private management,
whether aided by Government or by local authorities,
or unaided. All of these which comply with certain
conditions are classed as public institutions. They
number, as already stated, 105,306 in all ; and over
82,500 are under private management.
“ The progressive devolution of primary, secondary,
and collegiate education upon private enterprise, and
the continuous withdrawal of Government from com-
petition therewith was recommended by the Education
Commission in 1883, and the advice has been generally
acted upon. But while accepting this policy, the
Government of India at the same time recognize the
extreme importance of the principle that in each
branch of education Government should maintain a
limited number of institutions, both as models for
private enterprise to follow and in order to uphold a
high standard of education. In withdrawing from
direct management, it is further essential that Govern-
ment should retain a general control, by means of
efficient inspection, over all public educational insti-
tutions.
# # # *
“19. In so far as District or Municipal Boards
are required to devote their funds to education,
primary education should have a predominant claim
upon their expenditure. The administration of
primary schools by local bodies is already everywhere
subject to the general supervision of the Education
Department as regards tuitional matters ; but the
degree of control differs in different provinces, and
where it is most complete, primary education is most
advanced. It is impossible to extend that control to
financial matters, as there are other objects besides
education which have legitimate claims upon local
funds. But it is essential, in order to ensure that the
claims of primary education receive due attention, that
the educational authorities should be heard when
resources are being allotted, and that they should have
the opportunity of carrying their representations to
higher authority in the event of their being disre-
garded. In future, therefore, so much of the budget
estimates of District or Municipal Boards as relates
to educational charges will be submitted through the
Inspector to the Director of Public Instruction before
sanction.”
As regards the second part of the question, my
experience is that a District Officer who takes a
genuine interest in education is in a position to exer-
cise valuable influence on both high schools and
colleges at his headquarters. The extent of his
influence must of course depend to some extent on his-
personal qualities, but his experience in affairs and his
administrative training will always be of use to these
institutions and it seems desirable that some means
should be devised of giving him a recognised status in
relation to them. 1 suggest that this might be done
by making him a member of the governing body of a
college or of the managing committee of a high school.
In the case of normal schools he would make occasional
inspections, and would watch the effect of their work-
ing on the quality of the teachers in primary schools.
45416*. Is the influence of the educational codes
too rigid and uniform ? Might further discretion be
allowed to local bodies in regard to school committees
and managements ?—The only educational code that
I know of which aims at uniformity for the whole of
X
Sir Herbert
Risley.
1 Apr., 1908..
161
district. It makes him a hostile critic where he ought
to be a fellow-worker and a friend.
The case of municipalities is in my opinion entirely
different. Here I would leave the elected bodies as
much as possible to themselves, and let them learn by
experience to manage their own affairs without the
assistance of an official Chairman. In most mufassal
municipalities the area to be dealt with is small, the
work, though involving a good deal of detail, is
simple, and there is no reason why an elected Com-
mittee should not perform it efficiently. Whatever
mistakes they make will recoil upon themselves and
will not, as in the case of a District Board, affect
people living at the other end of the district with
imperfect means of making their grievances heard.
45411*. Are the existing resources of Rural Boards
and municipalities adequate to the proper execution
of the duties assigned to them ?—Speaking generally,
I think it. must be admitted that the resources of
District Boards and district municipalities are not
sufficient to enable them to work up to modern
standards of local administration. In municipalities
this is most conspicuously the case in respect of
schemes for water supply and drainage, the advantages
of which, especially of the former, are now pretty
generally realised. Similarly in some rural areas in
Bengal the old sources of water-supply have fallen
into disrepair, and the District Boards are approached
with demands far beyond their financial resources. In
other parts of the same province the silting up of old
channels and changes of levels are believed to cause
malarial fever, and large schemes of drainage are
advocated which the local bodies are unable to carry
out.
45412*. Would it be desirable to establish District
Boards in Burma?—I have not sufficient knowledge
of Burma to be in a position to give a useful reply to
this question.
45413*. Could further powers or functions be
granted to village authorities?—For many years past I
have held the opinion that in Bengal and Eastern
Bengal and Assam it is both possible and desirable
to develop self-government in villages or groups of
villages by means of small elective Councils. I would
entrust to such Councils the following powers :—
(1) Small civil and criminal jurisdiction to be exercised
by Benches. (2) Powers of permissive taxation with
the sanction of the District Officer. (3) Power to
borrow money on the security of the taxes, with the
joint and several guarantee of the Council, for the
purpose of water supply. (4) Simple municipal
powers mainly for the purpose of sanitation. I do
not include in these the administration of the chau-
kidari tax, because I think the village chaukidar ought
to be paid from provincial revenues. 1 believe the
people of Bengal are intelligent enough to be perfectly
capable of working a scheme of this kind and that it
would be a valuable mode of national education. I
would not extend it broadcast, but would try it in the
first instance in a few selected areas. The proposal
does not purport to be a revival of the ancient I ndian
village community, which has long been extinct in
Bengal, if indeed it ever existed there. On the con-
trary, it seeks to create an entirely modern organiza-
tion adapted to the requirements of advanced villages
in a progressive province where the people are anxious
to manage their own affairs and wish to be provided
with suitable machinery for doing so. 1 make no
attempt to elaborate the details here. That could
best be done by a representative committee, which
might be instructed to frame proposals suitable to
different types of villages and different grades of
education and intelligence.
45414*. What is the method of recruitment in
England of officers of the Indian Educational Service,
and what instruction is afforded to such officers,
before arrival in India, in the language, literature, or
history of the country ?—The method of recruitment
of officers of the Indian Educational Service in
England is described in the statement relating to
“educational appointments” published in the India
Office List under the authority of the Secretary of
State. Officers thus recruited are required to leave
for India within three months, and no instruction is
afforded them, before their arrival, in the language,
literature, or history of the country.
45415*. What, generally speaking, are the relative
spheres of educational work which might be entrusted
33383
to—-(a) local bodies ; and (5) provincial Govern-
ments? Is it desirable to associate District Officers
more closely with secondary education and normal
training ?—The following extracts from the Govern-
ment of India Resolution of 11th March 1904, on
educational policy, appear to me to furnish a sufficient
reply to the first part of this question :—
“ From the earliest days of British rule in India'
private enterprise has played a great part in the pro-
motion of both English and Vernacular education,
and every agency that could be induced to help in the
work of imparting sound instruction has always been
welcomed by the State. The system of grants-in-aid
was intended to elicit support from local resources,
and to foster a spirit of initiative and combination for
local ends. It is supplemented by the direct action of
Government, which, speaking generally, sets the stan-
dard, and undertakes work to which private effort is
not equal, or for which it is not forthcoming. Thus
the educational machinery now at work in India com-
prises, not only institutions managed by Government,
by District and Municipal Boards, and by Native
States, but also institutions under private management,
whether aided by Government or by local authorities,
or unaided. All of these which comply with certain
conditions are classed as public institutions. They
number, as already stated, 105,306 in all ; and over
82,500 are under private management.
“ The progressive devolution of primary, secondary,
and collegiate education upon private enterprise, and
the continuous withdrawal of Government from com-
petition therewith was recommended by the Education
Commission in 1883, and the advice has been generally
acted upon. But while accepting this policy, the
Government of India at the same time recognize the
extreme importance of the principle that in each
branch of education Government should maintain a
limited number of institutions, both as models for
private enterprise to follow and in order to uphold a
high standard of education. In withdrawing from
direct management, it is further essential that Govern-
ment should retain a general control, by means of
efficient inspection, over all public educational insti-
tutions.
# # # *
“19. In so far as District or Municipal Boards
are required to devote their funds to education,
primary education should have a predominant claim
upon their expenditure. The administration of
primary schools by local bodies is already everywhere
subject to the general supervision of the Education
Department as regards tuitional matters ; but the
degree of control differs in different provinces, and
where it is most complete, primary education is most
advanced. It is impossible to extend that control to
financial matters, as there are other objects besides
education which have legitimate claims upon local
funds. But it is essential, in order to ensure that the
claims of primary education receive due attention, that
the educational authorities should be heard when
resources are being allotted, and that they should have
the opportunity of carrying their representations to
higher authority in the event of their being disre-
garded. In future, therefore, so much of the budget
estimates of District or Municipal Boards as relates
to educational charges will be submitted through the
Inspector to the Director of Public Instruction before
sanction.”
As regards the second part of the question, my
experience is that a District Officer who takes a
genuine interest in education is in a position to exer-
cise valuable influence on both high schools and
colleges at his headquarters. The extent of his
influence must of course depend to some extent on his-
personal qualities, but his experience in affairs and his
administrative training will always be of use to these
institutions and it seems desirable that some means
should be devised of giving him a recognised status in
relation to them. 1 suggest that this might be done
by making him a member of the governing body of a
college or of the managing committee of a high school.
In the case of normal schools he would make occasional
inspections, and would watch the effect of their work-
ing on the quality of the teachers in primary schools.
45416*. Is the influence of the educational codes
too rigid and uniform ? Might further discretion be
allowed to local bodies in regard to school committees
and managements ?—The only educational code that
I know of which aims at uniformity for the whole of
X
Sir Herbert
Risley.
1 Apr., 1908..