Bombay Veterinary College: Annual Report of the — for 1888-89.
No. 6113.
REVENUE DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 20th August 1889.
Letter from the Principal, Bombay Veterinary College, No. 391, dated 25th May
1889—Submitting for information the third annual report of the College dealing
with transactions of the official year 1888-89.
RESOLUTION.—The Annual Report of the Bombay Veterinary College for
the year 1888-89 shows that there was a falling off in the number of students
attending that institution during the year. After the Second Professional
Examination which was held in April and May 1888 by the Special Board
appointed by Government and in which the percentage of successful candidates
was satisfactory the number of students at the College was 80. At the end of
the year under review it had fallen to 75. The decrease is not a very large
one and Government consider that it may well be accounted for on the first
ground suggested by Mr. Steel, namely, the re-action after the enthusiasm with
which the establishment of the College was greeted. It was only to be expected
that many students would join such an institution more with a view to seeing
how their prospects might be improved by connection with it than with the fixed
intention of prosecuting their studies there. It is satisfactory to notice that the
number of students sent by Native States has increased from 21 to 24 and during
the year under review one student has been sent by the Madras Government.
He had performed veterinary duties under that Government and was as a special
case admitted at once to Class C and allowed to study for his diploma. The
Native States which sent up new men were Porbandar and Wadhwán.
The number of students who presented themselves for examination during
the year was 65, and of these 44, or 68 per cent., were successful. Of the total
number 27 presented themselves for the First Professional Examination and
17 passed, 36 for the Second Professional (ordinary) and 25 passed, 1 for the
Second Professional (special) and 1 for Examination by Special License and both
were successful. The gentleman who was examined by Special License
was Dr. Narimán, who passed with credit and who has since been confirmed in
his post on the staff of the College.
2. Two of the questions regarding the working of the College which in
Mr. Steel's opinion call for special attention are the test for admission and the
lecturers' duties and terms of appointment. With reference to the first it
appears that Mr. Steel is not in favour of insisting on students having matriculated
before entrance into the College, and Government have already sanctioned the
re-establishment of the special entrance test as an alternative to the matriculation
and University School Final Examinations. The connection held by Mr. Steel
to exist between the question of the entrance test and that of employment for
graduates is treated at some length. The former depends on the conditions
under which the instruction to be obtained at the Veterinary College can be
most efficiently imparted, the latter on the supply of and demand for trained
veterinary practitioners, a matter as regards which Government have no
responsibilities other than those of all employers of skilled labour. The question
of the establishment of a Civil Veterinary Department has not yet been disposed
of by the Government of India, but should such establishment be decided
on it will be with a view to the benefits to be conferred on the public and not
solely as a means for the employment of veterinary graduates. As regards
Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries in the mofussil His Excellency in
Council notes with satisfaction that several bodies are negotiating with a view
to their establishment and that these bodies are chiefly in districts which have
already had experience of the good work done by students of the College as
cattle-disease inspectors.
3. As regards the question of lecturers His Excellency in Council, in view
of the unsatisfactory manner in which the present system works, concurs with
Mr. Steel in looking on it as only provisional. No permanent arrangements
which would give satisfaction can however be made until the posts are filled by
qualified veterinary graduates whose interests will be bound up with those of
the College and whose appointment will lead to economy and to increased