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Opinions

Written as Acting Principal,

Baroda College

 

1905

 

Resolving a Problem of

Seniority in the High School

 

College Office

Baroda 3rd. May 05.

 

Mr Nag was appointed in the Baroda High School by His High. ness the Maharaja Sahib but being on leave has not yet joined his appointment. I believe that His Highness the Maharaja Sahib while reserving to himself the full right to make appointments on other weighty grounds, is always willing to give the utmost consideration to the claims of seniority of old and deserving servants. Moreover the position and prospects of Mr Nag if . he is to enter the Educational Service permanently need clearer definition.

In forwarding this application,1 therefore, I take the opportunity to state fully my opinion on the matter.

The course suggested by the teachers to meet the difficulties of the case is of course quite impracticable. Mr Nag is a graduate . of the Cambridge University and has spent many years in Europe at great expense in order to acquire higher qualifications and a wider culture and experience, and to expect that he would be willing or ought to be asked to serve on Rs 65 in the last place of a Bombay graduate in this Department and with the prospects of a teacher of the second grade in the High School is to lose all sense of proportion. The precedent of Mr. Manishanker Bhat does not apply to such a case. Mr Nag has accepted Rs 150 the lowest pay at present possible to a man of his qualifications with corresponding prospects and it is not possible to cut him down now from Rs 150 to Rs 65 with practically no prospects at all.

 

1 A printed representation by the graduate teachers in the second grade of the Baroda High School, requesting "that the claims of senior men may not be passed over while making appointments in the higher grade". -Ed.

Page – 745

Even apart from this the expedient of turning part of the regular salary into personal pay is one which in my opinion ought not to be too freely used, as it tends to turn transference from one Department to another into an unmerited punishment.

On the other hand there are strong grounds for the rest of the representation; the work of the High School staff has been admirable and judged by examination results compares well with any other school in the Bombay Presidency, while the prospects are very poor and limited, and the introduction of a well paid outsider stops promotion far more effectually than can be the case in larger and more highly paid Departments.

Under these circumstances I suggest as the course which will as far as possible meet both sides of the question that Mr . Nag may be employed in the High School in a special grade like the Head Master and Mr Dorabji Patel, and the rise in . grade opened up by the appointment of Mr Chunilal may be Mr Naravane although he will continue to work in granted to M . the sixth standard. This would introduce the least disturbance in the chances of the High School staff and at the same time make it more convenient for His Highness to utilise Mr Nag's services in . any way in future either in this Department or elsewhere without any disturbance to the regular grades of the English Schools.

 

ARAVIND. A. GHOSE

Ag. Principal

Baroda College  

Page – 746

On a Proposed Examination

for Teachers

 

College Office.

Baroda, 9th August 1905.

 

To

The Minister of Education

B A R O D A.

 

Sir,

With reference to your letter No. 2047 dated the 28th May 1905 I have the honour to forward herewith my opinion regarding the rules for the Secondary Teachers' Certificate Examinations which it is intended to be introduced in our Raj.

 

I have the honour to be

Sir

Your Most Obedient Servant

AAG

Ag. Principal, Baroda College.

 

O P I N I O N.

 

I have gone very carefully through the scheme of the proposed examination for teachers and beg to give expression to the following opinions, which have been formed after very long and careful consideration.

 

2. I do not quite see the object of introducing this severe and stringent examination into our State. Our schools are working quite well enough on the whole for the purposes of education

Page – 747

as given in this country. I do not myself think very highly either of the principles or methods or results of that education but, being subject to the Bombay University, we have to take things as they are and cannot attempt anything ideal. Whatever defects still exist are inseparable from the low pay and qualifications required in the lower rank of teachers. In certain respects they may be modified by a mild test; but the sort of examination here proposed is such as might be prescribed in an European country where the science and art of education are really advanced. Here it is likely to degenerate into a formality harassing to the teachers but useless to the State. We simply have not got sufficient foothold from which to make a leap like this. Undoubtedly the teachers will cram up the subjects learning by rote as is the habit in this country and a percentage of them will pass, but there it will end; a few of the brighter and smarter young men may understand and make the attempt to apply the principles they learn, but that will be all. If the University with its new constitution succeeds in giving a better basis for culture, then after a few years we might see what can be done; or we may watch the results of our training College and gradually apply an adequate test.

 

3. If it is thought necessary to have a departmental examination now I should suggest the following alterations.

Rule 8. Whatever examination is held, should be formal and conducted by more than one person. This rule, making the promotion or dismissal of State servants depend on an informal oral examination by the Minister of Education, seems [to] me contrary to the principles which should govern these tests. The test under such circumstances might very easily be applied with great haste, injustice or partiality. The fact that the present Minister of Education is above suspicion in these respects does not guarantee the future. The opinion of a Committee of 3 members would alone ensure a reasonable security to the teachers. I would suggest that at least one of them should be a Professor of the College.

Page – 748

Rule 9. 50 per cent is too high a percentage in a test of this kind. 33 per cent, the University standard, should be adopted, especially if removal is to be the penalty of failure. Rule 10. This rule is Draconically harsh. Removal ought on no account to be made the penalty of a Departmental Examination; the ordinary principle that the passing of the Examination will count in promotion is quite sufficient.

 

4. As to the subjects of the examination, I would make it a far slighter affair than this up-to-date American machine would be.

 

Junior Examination.

 

Part II. Instead of this elaborate affair, it will be enough to see whether the teacher can make the boys understand the lesson, explain a subject correctly and command their attention. That is as much as we can ask of our teachers at present. Only head (c) should be rather carefully attended to especially with regard to the English Language. Head (d) should be dropped altogether; discipline especially is a matter for the Head Master to testify; it is impossible for the examiners to test it, since the boys would be on their best behaviour on such an occasion, -unless they were like English boys and the teacher unpopular, when they would be on their worst.

 

Senior Examination.

 

Part I. Let (3) Psychology be dropped and if (2) must be kept, let it be as simple an affair as possible -a fair general knowledge of the main developments and their principles being alone required.

Part II. The same remarks apply as to the Junior Examination, in the case of graduates the same care about language is not necessary; it is the undergraduates who are occasionally deficient, at least in English.

Page – 749

I am not in favour of introducing the Honours Course just now. Let our Training College succeed first, and the general practical capacity of our teachers be set on a sure basis. We may go in for educational luxuries afterwards.

 

ARAVIND A. GHOSE

Ag. Principal, Baroda College

Page – 750

On a Head Assistant

for the High School

 

Concise History

 

The Baroda High School has for some time been increasing in numbers, until now it has reached the very large number of 750. It is high

History in short

time therefore that in view of this immense increase, which renders the discipline of the School unmanageable by a single man, however active or able, some better arrangement should be made for the proper management of the School. A Head Master has to attend not only to the scholastic efficiency but to discipline and, so far as is possible under the conditions of Indian School life, to the life of the boys outside school-hours, especially to the physical education. The first object is fulfilled well enough under present circumstances, the second with but moderate success, the third hardly at all. The scholastic efficiency of the School is on the whole admirable and the present Head Master and his staff deserve every credit for it. There are certain inconveniences resulting from the large number of classes which have to be maintained but at present these can be met.

 

2 Mr G. M. Hasabnis wishes that an additional Teacher should . be appointed, as he finds great difficulty in arranging for the classes

Difficulty of the Head Master Baroda High School

when several teachers happen  to be ill or on leave at one time. The undersigned acknowledges the difficulty but he is inclined to think it has been more acutely felt this year owing to exceptional circumstances and would like to wait for some time and see whether it is so or not, before making any proposal.

 

Page – 751

3 The discipline of the School is maintained as well as possible under the circumstances, but marked signs are not wanting that the task

The circumstances which make discipline burdensome to maintain

has become too much for any single man to cope with. The circumstances which have brought about this state of things are as follows: -

  1. The very large increase in the number of students from 400 when Mr Hasabnis took charge to 750 now.

  2. The consequent increase in the number of classes for each standard; formerly no standard had more than two divisions; now each standard has five classes with three very large Matriculation Classes.

  3. The increase of the Drawing, Writing, Gymnasium and second language classes.

  4. The addition of new buildings for the accommodation of the increased number.

  5. The office work has much increased.

  6. The teaching work of certain classes takes up much of the Head Master's time and the area over which the classes are spread is large; merely going round for inspection, surprise visits and general supervision takes up a great deal of his time.

  7. The work of new admissions every fortnight is heavy; then the various examinations are a great tax on the Head Master's energy.

 

4 To see to the proper efficiency and progress of the physical education is under the circumstances a task beyond his energies; yet this is

Importance of physical education

a side of Education the importance of which is being more and more recognised. The High School has much way to make up in this respect.  

 

Page – 752

5 The one fully effective remedy would be to increase the High School staff by the appointment of an Assistant Head Master. This

The views of the Ag. Principal

would relieve the Head Master of much of his teaching work and give him both leisure and efficient assistance in the two other matters. This would not be an excessive allowance for so large a school. In the Elphinstone High School which is smaller in size two Head Assistants are, I believe, allowed.

 

6 Having consideration however to the many calls on the State and the financial position, I am content to make a very modest proposal,

Converting one of the Matriculation Teachers' posts into one of a Head Assistant

viz. that one of the  Matriculation Class Teachers' posts the maximum salary of which is Rs  125/should be converted into a post of Head Assistant, salary rising from Rs 160/to Rs 200/in 8 years. The duties of the incumbent will be, in addition to his teaching work, to help the Head Master in maintaining the discipline of the School and give special attention to promoting the physical side etc. This appointment will not disturb matters in any way and will probably not really add to the expense of the School, as the slight excess will soon be made up by the increasing number of students. In any case the arrangement seems to the undersigned imperatively necessary.

 

7 Should the proposal be sanctioned, I propose for the post Mr Dorabji M. Patel, Head Master Amreli High School (whose present

Mr Dorabji M. Patel  recommended to the post

salary is Rs 150/-) who adds conspicuous ability and intelligence to his long and meritorious service and is likely to carry weight with both teachers and students.

 

Points for decision

 

  1. Whether it is necessary to convert one of the Matriculation Class Teachers' posts, the maximum salary of which is Rs 125/into Head Assistant's post - salary  

Page – 753

Rs 160/ ­ to Rs 200/ ­ for the efficient management and discipline of the Baroda High School?

  1. If so, should Mr D. M. Patel be appointed to that post?

 

Opinion

 

(1) Yes.      (2) Yes.

 

Baroda 

15th September 1905

ARAVIND A. GHOSE

Ag. Principal

Baroda College

 

Opinion

 

Forwarded with the recommendation that the proposal of the Principal of the College may be sanctioned. The reason why this Tippan is sent during the absence of K. B. Dalal on leave is because it is a matter which requires early sanction of the Huzur.

 

Baroda

16th September 1905

 

ARAVIND A. GHOSE

In charge Minister of Education

Baroda State

Baroda  

Page – 754