3
is unable to supply men for active service, connecting this inability with the small
number turned out. With reference to this contention, it is hardly necessary for
me to point out that constant endeavours are being made to turn out the students
as practical men as possible; but the task is an extremely hard one, because of
the fact that they are not, in the majority of instances, recruited from the class
of people who are brought up amongst animals, and it is hardly to be expected
that many students will come from this class, as their educational capabi-
lities are not sufficiently advanced to enable them to study here. The
students of this College cannot be compared with those of other Veterinary
Institutions in India, because they are quite a different class and undergo a
different training and different tests.
In regard to the professional value of the alumni of the College I cannot
refrain from quoting a few words from a speech delivered here by His Excellency
Lord Harris:—
" Last year the calculation showed the average cost to Government was something between
Rs. 400 and Rs. 500 per head. But I do consider that we ought not to grudge any amount of
that kind devoted to such a purpose. Of course, if the number of students is larger, the capita-
tion grant will be decreased; but I do think we ought not to grudge that expenditure of
public funds when you recognise that Bombay is the only part of India that at this present
moment is able to turn out men educated in this country capable of taking charge of animals
for the purpose of curing their diseases in an intelligent manner. I am aware, of course, that
there are throughout India plenty of empiries, men who have a fair knowledge of what to do in
ordinary cases, and who can deal skilfully, no doubt, with routine cases. But if India were to
depend upon herself for the intelligent treatment of animal diseases, it must have something
more than that class of men to depend upon ; and at present it is only to this College that it
can turn for men capable of bestowing that intelligent treatment which is as necessary in the
case of animals as in the case of human beings."
These utterances are the true enunciations of the principles which guide the
nature of the teaching at the College and go far to delineate the utility of our
graduates. Many of our men now hold important and responsible positions in
the subordinate veterinary service in India and elsewhere, and are giving, I have
reason to believe, every satisfaction.
I may point out, too, that it has never been the case that the demand for,
and the supply of, graduates did not coincide. If ever the College was not able
to supply men it was solely due to the fact that the emoluments and general
conditions offered were such that no graduate could possibly accept them.
Vernacular course.
5. The question of a certificate class was again under discussion during
the year. It was dealt with by Mr. Muir-Mackenzie,
as Survey Commissioner and Director of Land
Records and Agriculture, and he strongly advocated the necessity of having a
separate cheap vernacular course of two years. The Director of Public Instruc-
tion accordingly recommended the appointment of a Committee to consider the
whole subject of the course. The Committee was composed of :—
The Survey Commissioner and Director of Land Records and Agri-
culture.
The Principal, College of Science, Poona.
The Principal, Bombay Veterinary College.
The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department.
The following questions were forwarded by Government for the considera-
tion of the Committee, and their opinion is placed against each :—
(a) Whether the school certificate
class should be at the Bombay Veteri-
nary College, Parel, or at the College
of Science, Poona ?
(a) That it is necessary for the class
to be held at the Veterinary College,
Parel. At Poona there are not sufficient
numbers and varieties of animals avail-
able. In existing circumstances, this is
an insuperable difficulty and until the
numbers and varieties of animals sent to
the Poona establishment very greatly
increase, it will continue to be so.