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opinion that 2 years is not sufficiently long a period to teach the men practically;
if it were actually two years it might be so, but with vacations they only obtain
15 months actual teaching, and it cannot be expected that good men should be
turned out in that time. That some really good men have been turned out is
due to the fact that they continue to educate themselves after they leave the school.
1096. Veterinary-Captain Pease brings forward a number of points in which
he considers an improvement might be made in the curriculum, all of which had
I think better be left for discussion when the scheme for the employment of the
Civil Veterinary Department, Subordinate Veterinary Establishment, has received
the sanction of the Government of India. On this point, he states:—
With the inauguration of a uniform standard of veterinary education I have no concern, as we train men
chiefly for employement in our own province, and I am decidedly opposed to any measure which would in any
way reduce the standard of education at this school, for what we want in the Punjab is the best men we can
possibly turn out.
1097. This, I think, is a very short-sighted policy; the requirements of the
Punjab will in future be confined to replacing casualties which may occur, by
resignation or dismissals, and therefore they may be expected to be but few. If
the demand from beyond the Province were curtailed, the popularity of this school
would soon be diminished. Uniformity in teaching should be aimed at, and the
Principal of this school need be under no apprehension that the standard of edu-
cation would be reduced, as the teaching of the other schools is quite up to the
standard of that of Lahore and at some the practical training is in advance of that
obatainable at this institution.
1098. The Principal brings to notice the good work done by the teaching
staff in the following words:—
Owing to the withdrawal of the Professor, Veterinary-Lieutenant H. Sullivan, in November, I have had
to work single-handed for five months of the busiest time of the year, and it would have been impossible for me
to have carried out the various duties satisfactorily had it not been for the loyal support of the teaching staff.
Rajputana
Veterinary
School.
1099. This school is maintaining its popularity amongst private pupils
attending it, for we find that 17 entered in July last against 15 in 1896-97; but
it is to be regretted that 4 had to withdraw their names being unable to stand the
expense of maintaining themselves at Ajmere. Every endeavour should therefore
be made to increase the number of scholarships of which there are only four at
present. The Native States by whom this institution is mainly maintained,
entered 15 pupils against 6 last year.
1100. The examinations took place in March. That of the first year
students was for the first time conducted by the Principal, as is done at all the other
Schools.
1101. The examination of the final year students was conducted by Veteri-
nary-Captain Ringe, Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western
Provinces and Oudh, and by Veterinary-Captain Gunn, Assistant to the Inspec-
tor-General, Civil Veterinary Department, and resulted in the passing of 17 out
of 19 candidates.
This is very satisfactory, giving as it does a percentage of 89.4 passes. Veteri-
nary-Captain Gunn, however, was of opinion that the men were not of as good
a stamp as usual, especially in the way in which they went about the animals, this
no doubt is in a great measure due to the faulty selection of the men; I have
therefore addressed the Agent to the Governor-General recommending that Native
States may be asked to select men possessing some knowledge of animals; but the
Officiating Principal brings to light the fact that 3 of the students sent did not know
Urdu, the language in which the lectures are given. This should be avoided in
future.
1102. Last year I was glad to be able to draw attention to the fact that
the practice of this school had materially increased, and I am pleased to find that
this increase has been more than maintained, 701 patients having been treated as
against 669 last year. Of this number, 46 head of cattle were admitted as in-door
and 79 as out-door patients. This number is small, and reporting on the students'
qualifications, the Officiating Principal states:—