should be a departmental school of agriculture in the university organised at first on modest lines and making use so far as possible of existing resources; it should have attached to it a demonstration and experimental farm in the neighbourhood of the city; and it should work in close relationship with the Government Institute of Agriculture which it is proposed to establish." The object of this recommendation was to enable students aiming at taking a high degree in science to pursue their studies from an agricultural standpoint. In our opinion, there is room for developing a training of this type in addition to the more specialised training that would be provided by the agricultural college the establishment of which we recommend above. We further consider that, in view of the prominent place given to scientific studies in the university, Calcutta should prove a suitable centre in which to train science students who propose to engage themselves in agricultural research. It is not necessary, however, that a farm should be provided. The object in this case is not the training of agriculturists but of agricultural chemists, physicists and botanists. An experimental field of ten to fifteen acres equipped with field laboratory and a pot-culture station would provide the necessary facilities for field studies. We look to the necessary finance being provided from private sources which have in the past enabled the University of Calcutta to develop higher scientific education in Bengal.

We consider that a centre for higher agricultural training should be established in Bihar and Orissa. Provision on a considerable scale is now being made at Patna for veterinary education. It appears to us an anomaly that a province which stands much in need of agricultural development should make provision for training officers for its Veterinary Department but should continue to lack the means of training men for its Agricultural Department. It is useless to expand the activities of the Agricultural Department unless an assured supply of well-trained officers is available and a province of the size and population of Bihar and Orissa ought not to depend on other agricultural colleges as its sole means of obtaining personnel. We make no suggestion as to the place where this college should be established as this must depend on considerations which are best settled locally. But the possibility of establishing an agricultural college in close association with the veterinary college will doubtless receive due consideration in view of its obvious advantages.

The case of Assam is different. The resources of the province are small and for the present, therefore, we consider that Assam may properly rely on obtaining recruits for its Agricultural Department from among graduates trained in the agricultural colleges of other provinces. 483. Before summarising our principal conclusions and recommendations in this chapter, we desire to emphasise our considered opinion that illiteracy presents the most formidable single obstacle to rural development in the widest sense. The fact that, of the population of twenty years of age and over, nearly ninety per cent cannot be reached directly

CONCLUSION.

by the printed word creates a barrier between them and every branch of useful knowledge. The resources in personnel and money which are available are entirely unequal to the task of helping the mass of the cultivators by the spoken word. It is the more unfortunate that it should be so as the evidence we received shows that the rural community is by no means slow to adopt any form of improvement, of the value of which it is convinced. We are persuaded that the only hope of substantial progress lies in the mobilisation of all the available forces, both public and private, in a determined attack upon illiteracy. It is not to be expected that all provinces, or indeed all parts of the same province, should advance at equal speed. This apparent drawback has the advantage that the more backward tracts can learn from the experiments carried out in more advanced areas, always provided that there is effective liaison between the various educational authorities. The Educational Commissioner with the Government of India, whose evidence we heard at Simla in the autumn of 1926, deplored the abandonment during the past eight years of the frequent conferences of educational officers which were formerly held and expressed the view that there had been in consequence a loss of touch between the provinces in educational matters. It is regrettable that this should have happened as we found no lack of readiness to experiment with new educational ideas either among the departments of education or private individuals. The occasional reports issued by the Education Department of the Government of India and the trial which is now being made in Bengal of correspondence courses for purdah women may be cited as instances of this so far as government officers are concerned. The work which is done by missionary enterprise at Allahabad in the United Provinces, at Moga in the Punjab, in Madras and in several other places is evidence of a similar readiness on the part of private individuals. The problem is so vast and the means available for dealing with it so limited that it would be deplorable if efforts were wasted in one province on experiments which have proved a failure in another or if a province were allowed to remain in ignorance of measures which have proved successful elsewhere. We are, therefore, glad to be able to record that the Conference of Educational Officers was revived early in 1927 and we trust that henceforward it will be held annually. We recommend that all means may be taken, whether by general conference, by the meeting of individuals, or by the circulation of printed matter, to ensure a complete interchange of opinion and experience in educational matters throughout India.

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOM

MENDATIONS.

484. The conclusions and recommendations in this chapter may be summarised as follows:(1) The spread of literacy among the women of India is of great importance to rural development (paragraph 444).

(2) The influence of female education in spreading lasting literacy among the young should be ascertained, with a view to demonstrating the true relation between female literacy and the spread of general literacy (paragraph 444).

(3) The only remedy for the unsatisfactory state of primary education in India is the introduction of the compulsory system (paragraph 445).

(4) Compulsion should be introduced as rapidly as local conditions permit and should be preceded by a campaign of explanation and persuasion (paragraph 445).

(5) As an interim measure pending the introduction of compulsion, a system of contract to ensure the attendance of children at school could not be worked satisfactorily by government agency (paragraph 446).

(6) Co-operative education societies on the lines of those formed in the Punjab offer a hopeful means of securing attendance at school in present conditions (paragraph 446).

(7) Inefficient teaching and its consequent effect on attendance can be remedied by improvements in the training of teachers and in the organisation of primary schools (paragraph 447).

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(8) Wherever possible, the policy of establishing central' schools should be adopted and single teacher' schools converted into 'branch' schools (paragraph 447).

(9) The desirability of converting primary schools into lower middle schools as in the Punjab is commended to the consideration of other local governments (paragraph 447).

(10) Teachers should be recruited to the utmost practical extent from men of rural origin and upbringing (paragraph 448).

(11) The preparation of suitable text-books for use in primary schools in rural areas is a matter of the greatest importance. It is essential that text-book committees should be so constituted as to command confidence (paragraph 448).

(12) No attempt should be made to teach agriculture to boys in primary schools, either theoretically as nature study or practically in school gardens (paragraph 448).

(13) The advancement of adult education is a matter for non-official activity rather than for government departments but the latter should assist it in all possible ways (paragraph 449).

(14) There is no genuine demand for middle schools of the "Loni " type which provide a vocational education in agriculture, and they are unduly expensive (paragraph 456).

(15) No more schools of this type should be opened and the existing schools in their present form should be closed (paragraph 456).

(16) Vernacular middle schools on the lines of the Punjab experiment which include agriculture as an optional subject in the curriculum are preferable to those of the "Loni" type (paragraph 457).

(17) The policy followed in regard to the establishment of such schools in the Punjab, the United Provinces and Bombay should be adopted in other provinces (paragraph 457).

(18) School farms are preferable to school gardens, provided teachers competent to manage them can be obtained (paragraph 458).

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(19) Boys should be allowed to retain the produce of such farm and gardens either in whole or in part (paragraph 458).

(20) There are advantages in meeting the popular demand for the teaching of English in vernacular middle schools (paragraph 459).

(21) The addition to the curriculum of high schools in rural areas of a course in agriculture on the lines of that given in vernacular middle schools of the Punjab type but of a more advanced character should be productive of good results (paragraph 461).

(22) For the proper development of industries which can be carried on in rural areas, technical instruction of a high standard is essential (paragraph 462).

(23) The affiliation of agricultural colleges to universities is desirable (paragraph 465).

(24) The universities can make a valuable contribution to rural development (paragraph 466).

(25) Separate courses at the agricultural colleges for those whose aim is employment under Government and for those who propose to farm their own land or that of others are not desirable (paragraph 470).

(26) The agricultural colleges should make their influence felt in all branches of rural education and it is, therefore, most desirable that their tone and outlook should be broadly cultural (paragraph 470).

(27) The intermediate examination in science of the provincial university or an equivalent examination should be made an essential qualification for admission to all agricultural colleges (paragraph 471).

(28) If recommendation (27) is accepted, the length of the full college course should be three years (paragraph 471).

(29) Greater prominence should be given to agricultural economics in the college course and fully qualified teachers should be appointed to give instruction in this subject (paragraph 472).

(30) Greater attention should also be paid to instruction in farm management (paragraph 472).

(31) The short courses given at certain colleges should be revised in order to permit of greater attention being devoted to agricultural economics and estate management (paragraph 473).

(32) The miscellaneous short courses given at the colleges are a most valuable form of educational activity. They should ordinarily terminate in an examination of a practical character (paragraph 474).

(33) The diversion of any part of the building of the Mandalay Agricultural College to purposes other than that for which it was erected is to be deprecated (paragraph 475).

(34) The question of the affiliation of the Mandalay Agricultural College to the Rangoon University, at present in abeyance, should be revived (paragraph 475).

(35) Facilities should be provided to enable passed students of the colleges to obtain further practical experience before commencing active work either in the public service or on their own lands (paragraph 476).

(36) Very high qualifications are required for the principalship of an agricultural college and the best man available should be selected for the appointment and retained in it (paragraph 477).

(37) A whole-time principal should be appointed to all agricultural colleges. He should continue to be selected, as a rule, from the Agricultural Service. In the event of a suitable officer not being available, the selection of an officer from the Educational Service should be considered (paragraph 477).

(38) The principal will normally exercise full control over the teaching given in the colleges, subject to the general supervision of the Director. The extent to which he should exercise control over research work is a matter for investigation by the Council of Agricultural Research (paragraph 477).

(39) Interchange between the administrative and the research and teaching branches of the agricultural services should ordinarily be restricted to the earlier years of service (paragraph 478).

(40) The field of selection for the college staff might be widened by the direct appointment of distinguished graduates in science of the Indian universities (paragraph 478).

(41) The combination, within reasonable limits, of research with teaching work at the agricultural colleges, is of great benefit to both (paragraph 479).

(42) A period of post-graduate training should be an essential qualification for all candidates from the agricultural colleges for direct recruitment to the higher posts in the agricultural departments (paragraph 480).

(43) The post-graduate training recommended in (42) should ordinarily be given at Pusa (paragraph 480).

(44) An agricultural degree or diploma should be placed on the same level as a degree in arts or science as a qualification for appointments in such departments as the revenue, irrigation and co-operative departments (paragraph 481).

(45) An agricultural college on the model of the existing colleges should be established at Dacca (paragraph 482).

(46) An agricultural college should similarly be established in Bihar and Orissa (paragraph 482).

(47) All possible means should be taken to ensure a complete interchange of opinion and experience in educational matters throughout India (paragraph 483).

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