THE FIRST (OR MEERUT) CIRCLE.

Inspecting Officer-T. B. CANN, Esq.

26. This Circle embraces the area included in the Divisions of Meerut and Rohilkhund.

In this large area, for the year under review, there has been a considerable increase of Schools and Scholars. The Inspector estimates the increase at 64 Schools and 4,356 Scholars. But though an increase is noticeable, on the whole a decrease has been observed to have taken place in the attendance at the Tehsili Schools, attributable to the injunctions issued from this office on the 1st October 1861, with regard to the enforcement of a greater regularity and strictness in the collection of tuition fees. The names of all non-paying scholars of the non-agricultural class were struck off the lists. In some cases this lowered the School attendance by one-half. The measure must, on the whole, be regarded as beneficial. If fees are to be collected at all, they should be col. lected with regularity; nor is it fair that, in districts where the agricultural class contributes to a School cess, the non-agriculturists-the Brahmins, Buniahs, and others,should reap the benefit without acknowledgment. I intend, however, to introduce a regulation which shall allow 10 per cent. of the Scholars to be admitted free, the privilege being restricted to the children of indigent parents or to orphans without means of support. The total amount of fees collected is considerable. It is for the 11 districts composing the Circle Rs. 5,475-8-0. Of this rather more than the half was expended for School purposes, and the rest allotted for the Teachers' benefit. The rate of fee required from the non-exempted class is two annas a month.

: 27. There are several excellent Tehsili Schools in this Circle. The best are found in the Meerut Division, the Schools of which furnish many students to the Thomason College at Roorkee; but in the case of all Mr. Cann justly expresses his regret that, as a general rule, petty Government officials, the omlah at sudder stations, &c., do not set a good example to their neighbours in sending their children to the Government Schools. Among other well-judged observations on the state of the Schools, the following occur in the above-mentioned officer's report, dated 31st May 1862:

"The popularity of our Tehsili Schools is in proportion to the money benefits "derivable from attending them; these are obtained in Scholarships at the Roorkee "Civil Engineering College, and in after appointments to the Department of Public "Works, or in direct employment on the Canals or Railways, for all of which the course "of instruction qualifies. The omlah of the various District Offices, with rare exceptions, "do not send their sons to these Schools. A Serishtadar well knows that as soon as his "boy can write a purwanah, he can seat him by his side in the office to learn the routine "of work; and that, as soon as a vacancy occurs, the thus qualified umedwár can be slipped into an appointment. Geometry, Arithmetic, Geography, History, General Knowledge in his eyes are valueless as long as the ability to read and write Persian "and a slight acquaintance with office-work will procure his son rupees. Our Tehsili "Scholars, however highly qualified in Persian, as well as in the special subjects of study, seldom gain an entrance into any of these offices."

28. The necessity of reform in the omlah has long been apparent. It has been the cry of the Press within the last few months and it is a complaint, the justice of which is, and must be, allowed by the Civil Servants of the Government. The remarks of the Inspector not only illustrate the abuses which prevail, but they suggest a remedy, which would have in time the effect of improving the efficiency and honesty of the omlah, and of giving a great stimulus to the spread of education. And it must be allowed without reserve that, as we are now dispersing knowledge, we must create professions, of the members of which that knowledge may serve to improve the administrative and moral qualifications. The introduction (in plain words) of competition among umedwárs for all offices under Government would be followed by excellent results.

29. At the end of his cold weather tour of 1860-61, Mr. Cann "submitted to' "each Collector in the Circle a carefully-prepared list of those Tehsili Scholars in his "district, who by age, penmanship, and general intelligence, appeared qualified for "entrance as Mohurrirs." Of these (188 in number) 13 per cent. only have obtained employment in the omlahs of 11 districts, that is, on the average rather more than two boys educated at the Government Tehsili Schools received employment in each district.

30. A Government Order of the 8th June 1852 directed that no chapprassi or barqandaz should be appointed in any one of the eight districts then under "the Visitor General of Schools," who could not produce a certificate from the Deputy Inspec: tor of his district to show that he could read and write from an easy book, and knew the first four rules of arithmetic. This was followed by a Circular of the Sudder Board of Revenue in the same year, requiring a certificate of a higher order from Putwarees,, and a similar test for lumberdars was proposed.

Whether these Regulations have fallen into desuetude generally or not, or whether they are held to apply to "the eight districts" only, I have no means of stating with confidence; but Mr. Cann reports for his Circle that no candidate whatever for the lower examination has presented himself this year, nor any for the higher examination (of Putwarees) in the districts of Meerut, Bulandshahr, Mozuffernugur, and Moradabad. That some sort of check upon the qualifications of these officials has been exercised may be gathered from the fact that, in the remaining districts of the Circle, 37 per cent. of the applicants for certificates were found on examination unworthy.

I think it a matter of importance that stricter and more definite orders should issue on this subject.

31. Halqabandi Schools-Three of the eleven districts are as yet without Schools of this description. They are Bareilly, Bijnore, and Dehra Doon. In the latter the çess is being levied, and the zemindars of two Tehsils in Bareilly have agreed to the subscription.

32. Among the eight districts in which the cess is now levied, the largest amount collected in the year under review is that in the Meerut district,-Rs. 16,233. The least is that collected in Alligurh,-viz., Rs. 4,543. Similarly, the largest outlayviz., Rs. 11,677-belongs to Meerut; but the least-viz., Rs. 1,629-to Moradabad. School-buildings have been erected in the districts of Bulandshahr, Budaon, and Shahjehanpore, by the exertions of Messrs. Lowe, Carmichael, and Willock. On the whole, there has been an increase of 4,424 Scholars in 89 Schools; and the Inspector adds, that "the improvement has not been in numbers alone; the progress of the Classes "is very marked, for although the increase of the Scholars is not more than one. "third of the whole, the number in the 4th Class has been doubled." [It must be borne in mind that the 4th Class is the highest.]

33. The total number of boys attending the Halqabandi Schools of the Circle is 22,282, and of these nearly 1,000 are in the head Classes collectively. Last year the numbers in the head Classes amounted to 448. In 128 of the Schools surveying with the plane-table is taught in addition to other studies.

34. The Inspector's Report is well furnished with discriminating statistics, and with general remaiks and inferences deduced from a close observation of facts. I quote as follows:-"Much of the success of these Schools among the agricultural population "is due to the Regulation directing the keeping of village accounts, and the submission "to the District Officers of all papers regarding land, in either the Urdu or Nagri "character, to the rejection of the illegible Kaithi. * * In many Tehsils only "Urdu papers are received, and in most they are preferred. The Putwarree conse→ quently who has kept his accounts in Nagri is put to the inconvenience of getting

*

"them translated before he can present them. Hence, while the number of Scholars "in Nagri Schools has decreased, that in Urdu and mixed Schools has increased 50 "per cent."

35. The abandonment of such a barbarous character as Mundia would, the same Officer argues, be brought about in a similar manner were a prospective Government notice issued that after a certain date no accounts written in other characters than Urdu or Nagri would be accepted in Courts of Justice, either from Mahajans or from Bunniahs.

36. The average pay of the Halqabandi Teachers is for this Circle five rupees. In nine instances 10 rupees, and in one 12 rupees, are the amount of salaries.

37. Mr. Cann personally inspected 670 Schools, containing 12,894 Scholars, during his tour of inspection 1861-62. He remarks that "in every district he saw some improvement, and in nearly all great progress. Maps were in more general use, "the boys were better supplied with books and with slates for arithmetic. Mensura❝tion had been taught in a larger number of Schools; Nagri writing, instead of appear❝ing in lines of connected letters, was found properly separated into words; the see"saw motion and sing-song tone in reading were less frequently observed; and more "care had evidently been taken to develop the intelligence of the Scholars." The Inspector has here described the great benefits which have arisen from the establishment of Normal Schools, coupled with the improvement which has followed his own careful inspection tours.

38. This Officer relates a circumstance which proves that the country people are opening their eyes to the value of education; and that though the numbers we have now succeeded in bringing under instruction may seem small as compared to the population, yet, considered by way of contrast with the previous educational destitution of these Provinces, the result is by no means discouraging. He says that in the progress of his tour, having occasion at a certain place to admonish some of the chief men on the neglect they showed for their children's interest, and on the small number of children collected for instruction, he was thus answered :-" Ah, Sahib, it appears small "to you, but I can look upon it as this out of nothing. I remember the time when we "had to take a letter ten miles to get it read; now there is hardly a village in this "pergunnah in which you will not find some one who is able to read."

39. Indigenous Schools. A statement is furnished by the Inspector, which clearly shows that where the Halqabandi system is introduced the number of private Schools decreases; and on the other hand, that where the Halqabandis ystem has not yet found an opening, the private Schools increase in number. For instance, in Seharunpore, where the system has just begun its operations, there are 90 less private Schools and 1,271 fewer Scholars for the year under review; whereas in Bijnour, which is yet at a stand still as regards Government education of this sort, there are 108 more private Schools, and 1,303 more Scholars than there were last year. Again, if we compare the Meerut and Rohilkhund Divisions in this respect the same remark holds good. In the Meerut Division there are 155 less private Schools, and 1,849 fewer Scholars, than in the previous year; whereas in Rohilkhund there are 125 more private Schools, and 1,784 more Scholars. The total number of boys attending private Schools is estimated at about 30,000.

40. In very many of these Schools the books published by Government are adopted as class books. As a rule they may be divided into four classes, viz.,—Qorání, Sanskrit, Persian, and Hindi.

"The Qorání School is generally kept in the court of a Musjid by a Moolla, who "has no regular pay, but receives a present on Thursday evening, and on the principle "of the New Educational Minute, something extra as his pupils are perfected in the "several divisions of the book.

"The Sanskrit School seldom contains half-a-dozen Scholars, and they are frequently adults. So called Persian Schools are generally mere collections of private pupils, the average number of Scholars being 6."

The Hindi Schools are the most numerously attended; and it is this sort of School that generally merges into our Halqabandi system when introduced.

41. There yet remains to be considered in the statistics of this Circle, a very important class of Schools-the Anglo-Vernacular. These are four in number: at Alligurh, Shajehanpore, Phillibhit, and Mozuffernugur. The total number of Scholars is 310, being an increase of 29 on last year.

The School at Alligurh is the best of these. Of its state at the time of his inspection the Inspector reports:-" The 1st Class understand English very well, write beautifully, and pronounce fairly; their dictation was very good. * * * In "Mathematics and other subjects studied in the Vernacular they also did well." The School at Phillibhit is in good order. That at Shahjehanpore is in an unsatisfactory condition. This is attributed to deficiency in the teacher, and is partly due to local causes. The School furnished a very promising scholar to the Bareilly College last year, but its numbers have decreased this year by 15. Measures are being adopted for reform. The School at Mozuffernugur is a newly-established Subscription School, and has attracted many sons of zemindars in the neighbourhood. Two small Schools of the same description have been established at Dehra and Hapur.

42. Besides these there are Mission Schools established in various parts of the Circle. At each of the Stations of Seharanpore, Dehra, and Roorki, is an English School, supported by the American Presbyterian Mission. The S. P. G. Society has another at Roorki, the Roman Catholics one at Sirdhana, the Church Missionary Society one at Meerut, and the American Methodist Episcopal Church Mission one at each of the five chief stations in Rohilkhund. The Inspector has visited none of these officially, as they receive no Government aid. He estimates the total attendance roughly at 500.

43. There can be little doubt that where an English or an American Missionary is stationed, and willing to devote his leisure to teaching English, the spread of the language and general consequent good results therefrom may be expected; and it may be assumed that the character of the English taught will be higher and purer than the second-hand instruction given by native English teachers, who are all that the Government can command for English Schools at out-stations.

I shall therefore consider it my duty to recommend such efforts as worthy of grants-in-aid from the Government, wherever the necessary conditions are complied with.

THE HILL CIRCLE OF KUMAON AND GURHWAL.

Inspecting Officer-CAPT. E. SMYTH.

44. The Returns for the year under review shew that, though the number of Schools remains the same as for the preceding year, there is an increase of 359 in the number of scholars. This is a reliable proof of the increasing popularity of education, notwithstanding the drawbacks, which are two-fold. The first is peculiar, and is owing to the physical nature of the country. The Inspector remarks on this point as follows :

"There are only two towns in the Province-Almora, containing about 5000, and "Sreenuggur about 700 inhabitants. The villages are infinitely smaller than those in the "Plains, and further apart, and the roads between them very bad and impracticable for

"bears, &c. Even grown up people will not go alone from one village to another, even "in broad day, if there be any extent of jungle or forest to be passed. Most of the "Schools are situated in the low valleys of the different rivers, as it is in such situations "only that the population is at all dense. During the rainy season, therefore, the "attendance at such Schools falls off a great deal, as these rivers are all subject to sudden "risings, and are often impassable for two or three days. The entire population of the Province is agricultural, so that during this season many of the boys are taken away "to assist their parents in weeding and other agricultural work, and during the har"vest and sowing seasons the attendance also falls off."

Added to this, in the Kalee Kumaon District the inhabitants move down to the foot of the hills in November and return in April; and though the Schools move with them, much time is lost.

The other drawback is to be found in the strangely apathetic character of the Paharies, and their credulity. From the want of intercommunication by roads, and there being no trade, the people seldom meet with strangers; and "to be sent to the Plains," says the Inspector, "is looked upon in the same light as transportation beyond seas "would be considered by the people of the Plains."

With regard to the credulity of this people, I quote Captain Smyth's words

"All manner of absurd reports have been in circulation among the people regarding "the intentions of the Government in establishing Schools, and these reports have been "thoroughly believed. At one time it was reported that all children, when they had "attained a certain age, were to be sent down to Rohilkhund or enlisted as soldiers. ἐσ **At another time it was believed that all the children were to be forcibly con、 "verted to Christianity. It is difficult to trace the origin of these reports; but I am "convinced in my own mind that they originate with the Brahmans, who have hitherto, "gained a livelihood by teaching the Jotish,' 'Magh,' Amrkosh,' and other Sanscrit, "books. The people are beginning now to see the falsity of these reports."

45. His Honor is aware of the existence of a tribe of Hill-men, called Bhootiahs, who live at the southern entrances of the passes into Tibet, and who carry on a trade in borax, salt, &c., with the people of that country. Captain Smyth describes them as an energetic and enterprising people, and says that they take great interest in the Schools he has established, so much so that "the Bhootiah Schools are the best in the Province." The Schools are now four in number. They are subject, however, to great interruption and inconvenience from the fact that the Bhootiahs change their abode three times in the year. Kumaon.

These people speak a different language from that of the Paharies of

46. Two Schools have been established near the temples of Budrinath and Kedarnath. These are probably the most elevated Schools in the world in point of situation; and great credit is due to the Inspector for the zeal which has enabled him to push the benevolent intentions of his Government to such a limit. The Raools of these Temples subscribe for the support of the Schools, and the one at Kedarnath is reported to be in a very satisfactory state. The Budrinath School is situated near the Bhootiah village of Mana; and when the temple is closed in November, and the people move downwards, the School moves also.

1

47. The same great difficulty of finding Schoolmasters exists in the Hills as in the Plains, and no Plainsmen can be persuaded to live in the Hills for the purpose of teaching. I agree with the Inspector in looking forward to the growth of a good Normal School at Almora as likely to be productive of great benefit. This will be of the more importance, as the establishment of a system of Halqabandi Schools in both Gurhwal and Kumaon is in contemplation, the new settlements of the first of these districts being nearly completel, and the old settlement of the other having nearly expired.