Administration Reports.
Report of the Bombay Veterinary
College for 1891-92.
No 2680.
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 12th December 1892.
Letter from the Director of Public Instruction, No. 4233, dated the 25th October 1892—
Submitting, with his remarks, a copy of the Report of the Bombay Veterinary College
for the year 1891-92.
RESOLUTION.—The number of students on the College rolls on the 1st
April 1892 was 39—a decrease from 42 in 1891, 49 in 1890 and 75 in 1889.
The reasons assigned for this falling off in the numbers are that the prospects are
poor from a monetary point of view, and that the examinations are severe and
few obtain the diploma within the prescribed time. In the examinations only
22 passed this year out of 42, a result considerably less satisfactory than last
year, attributed to the fact that Dr. Nariman was on leave from June to Novem-
ber 1890, and was acting as Principal of the College from December 1890 till
April 1891, his own post of Assistant Professor remaining unfilled. There were
nine admissions to the College during the past year, including three Eurasians
and three Parsis. It is of course unfortunate that special causes should have
impaired the teaching power of the College during the year under review, but
in the permanent interests of the College it is better that the examination
should be searching and the qualifications of the passed students satisfactory
than that the record of one year should seem to offer a career to a large
number of diploma-holders whose diplomas might afterwards fail to secure the
confidence of the public in their professional capacity. Government cannot
doubt that without lowering the standard the results of examination next year
will prove more encouraging. As regards the alleged failure to obtain appoint-
ments, Government observe that His Highness the Nizám has given a graduate an
appointment on Rs. 180, and it is under contemplation to organize a regular
Veterinary Department in his dominions; the Rájpipla State has engaged a
graduate on Rs. 60—100 ; and Bhávnagar is employing a graduate on Rs. 75.
Kolhápur has followed suit and the Jámnagar and Wadhwán States have given
appointments to their own men trained and passed out of the College. If the
men thus selected do satisfactory work, there can be no doubt that other
openings for their successors will be afforded.
2. The insanitary condition of the College and its surroundings, to which
allusion was made in the Government Resolution on last year's report, was
referred to a Committee of enquiry whose valuable report was duly acknow-
ledged. The execution of the changes recommended is as far as possible engaging
the attention of Government, but much difficulty is caused by the want of
agreement between the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the
College authorities as to the measures best calculated to secure the proper
treatment of animals. The Society takes, on certain questions of principle,
a view of its operations which it is almost impossible to bring into harmony
with the scientific and beneficent aims of the College. Objections to post
mortem examinations and the dissecting room, the refusal of permission
to allow the operation of castration, and the restriction of admissions to hospital,
are all of them equivalent to depriving the students and their teachers of the
material for instruction. It cannot be denied that the medical art saves much
misery to animals, but it is impossible to teach the science without the means
of demonstration. The Society can be of the greatest help to the College, as
the College itself aims at that alleviation of cruelty and suffering which the
Society desires. There being an ample area of Government land in the vicinity
of the College, the difficulties complained of by the Principal can be surmounted,
but in the interests of both institutions Government trust that some scheme
of co-operation and mutual assistance will yet be devised. This expectation