4
15. In Bengal, good progress has been made. A splendid new hostel
capable of accommodating 156 students has been provided. A postmortem
room, Hospital Surgeon's quarters, quarters for married and unmarried over-
seers have been built, and the laboratory accommodation has been extended
by the addition of a room for photomicrography and a dark room.
16. In Bombay, continued improvement is being made. A hostel with
accommodation for 76 students was completed and occupied. Native profes¬
sors' quarters have been provided. The new college building is nearing com-
pletion and will probably be ready for occupation this year. The pharmacy
has been extended and the postmortem room improved. A new cattle opera-
tion shed has been built and the dog ward reconstructed. It is proposed to
add a very badly needed contagious disease ward and dissection and post-
mortem rooms in the new compound of the Government Veterinary College,
and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals is to build a new
operation shed.
17. There have been a few changes in the Imperial staff at the colleges
during the year. Major A. Smith has been appointed Principal and Captain
W. O. Dawson, Professor of Surgery at the Punjab College. In Bengal, Mr.
Brand has replaced Mr. E. Burke who did good work there and who has been
transferred as a Deputy Superintendent to the Hissar Cattle Farm. Mr.
Aitchison has been employed in the Madras College. Mr. Sowerby
officiated as Principal and Mr. Ware as Assistant Principal at the Bombay
College during Major Joslen's absence on three months' leave. We have lost
by retirement the faithful services of one of the Pioneers of veterinary teaching
in Khan Bahadur Dr. Amir Shah of the Punjab College. He will be greatly
missed as he did exceptionally good service and was held in great respect by
teachers, students and the outside public. Much remains to be done in the
direction of strengthening the teaching staff in the younger institutions and
this will be effected as officers become available in the Imperial staff.
18. The total number of students who completed the courses in the
various classes during the year was 629. The number of students who gra-
duated from the colleges was 143 against 120 last year. From the Punjab
College 71 or 91.02 per cent., Bengal 37 or 88.09 per cent., Bombay 23 or 79.31
per cent., and Madras 17 or 73 91 per cent. Four passed from the Burma
Veterinary School against 19 last year.
19. The reports of the Boards of Examiners were favourable in all cases
and great improvement is noticed in Madras.
20. With a view to improving the method of examination and securing
more uniformity, endeavours are being made to establish a more permanent
Board. For the convenience of teachers, students and examiners, I am trying
to fix the dates for the examinations at the different Colleges and to allot
subjects to each Examiner.
21. There were 485 students remaining under instruction at the Colleges
and 63 in the Burma School at the end of the collegiate year, against 530 and
40, respectively, last year.
22. With regard to students, the demand for admission to the Punjab
and Bengal Colleges is still far in excess of the accommodation and a good
selection can be made. In Bombay and Madras, however, this is not the case;
but few candidates for the Government Scholarships were forthcoming at the
former and the standard of examination for entrance had to be lowered at
the latter.
23. The question of the standard of the educational qualifications of the
students admitted to the Colleges during the year is one which is worthy of
attention. It is very necessary for students in Madras, Bombay and Bengal
to have a really good knowledge of English in which their training has to be
carried out. It was noticed by the Examiners that in some cases the students
did not possess a sufficiently good knowledge to express themselves in this
language. These students were admitted some time ago. This subject is receiv-