of the marks of the papers set, will carry up their junior scholarships to the third class, to which they are then promoted, to be held there for

another year.

At the end of their third year in College they are examined in the third class subjects.

They are not competent now in any case to hold the junior scholarships which they brought into the College; these revert to the school department: but they may gain one of the senior scholarships allotted to the third College class, in which they now stand, by gaining half the marks of their new subjects of examination.

Similarly, at the end of their fourth year, they may carry these senior scholarships into the next class, by gaining two-thirds of the marks. Then they must drop them, and contend for one of the scholarships of the second class; and so finally in the first class.

Although I have spoken of the competition of scholars only, to avoid confusion, yet it must be understood that, at each examination, so many of the whole class as are considered competent by the principal are competitors for the scholarships belonging to that class; with this distinction, that those of only one year's standing in the class require only half the number of marks to gain them, while those of two years' standing in the class, whether scholars or not, require two-thirds to carry the scholarship into the next class.

In order to decide comparative merit between the students of the two years, it will be necessary to compare the standard numbers of each. Whatever be the whole number of marks, half in the pupil of one year in the class is deemed to shew as much merit as two-thirds in the pupil of two years: or, in other words, three marks gained by the former are deemed equivalent to four gained by the latter.

The number of marks gained by the two year students must therefore be diminished by one-fourth, and the numbers may then be compared throughout the class.

It may deserve consideration also whether it is not advisable to fix a proportion of marks, say one-fifth, necessary to qualify for promotion from one class to another; giving the professors the power of granting certificates for promotion to those whom they believe competent, who are absent by sickness from the examination.

This scheme meets with the unanimous approval of the gentlemen whom I consulted; but it was suggested that the consequence of raising the standard of examination for the junior scholarships would be that

the pupils of the Zillah Schools would be unable to gain them; or gaining them, would be unable to retain them in the College. It is proposed to meet this difficulty, by taking a lower proportion than half. for the Zillah Schools, and promoting the pupils from those schools, not to the College, but to the first class of the school department, where they should remain for one year, and then pass on regularly to the College, on the same footing as the other pupils of the first class of the Collegiate School.

In connexion with the proposed changes, which I think likely to diffuse a spirit of emulation through the whole institution, I propose to introduce a distinction between those pupils who go through the whole course of study adopted in the Colleges, and those who leave before the final examination.

To the latter I would continue to give a certificate, in the form now used, specifying the number of years they had studied at the College.

To the former I would give a special one, more highly ornamented, with the title of graduate of the Hindu (or Hooghly, Dacca or Kishnaghur) College.

These graduates should be divided into two classes; those who qualify to be on the Council's list, and those who do not.

I would issue similar certificates to all who have passed the College with credit since Lord Hardinge's Resolution, and make out a further list of honorary graduates, containing the names of such of the old pupils of the Colleges as appear to the Council to deserve this distinction.

I am satisfied that the adoption of this plan will completely cure the evil which was lately brought to my notice in the Hindu College Committee, that students often become careless during the last year of their intended stay, and avoid the final examination by leaving the College just before it.

I now proceed to specify the subjects which, in consultation with the gentlemen I have mentioned, I wish to suggest for the standard of 1849-50.

Campbell's Rhetoric, Ist and IInd Books.

History.-Elphinstone's India, vol. I (except Chap. IV., Book I. and Chaps. IV., V., Book II.)

Arnold's Rome, vol. I.

Poetry.-Shakespeare's Coriolanus.

Mechanics, as far as motion in one plane.

Analytical Geometry.

Newton's Principia (as in Goodwyn or Evans.)

Doctrine of Limits, and Elements of Differential Calculus.

THIRD CLASS.

LITERATURE.

(Same as First Class.)

MATHEMATICS.

Conic Sections (as in Goodwyn.)

Theory of Algebraical Equations.

Mechanics (as in Potter or Snowball.)

Elements of Hydrostatics (as much as is in the first six, and ninth Chapters of Webster, with the Theory of the Barometer.)

FOURTH CLASS.

LITERATURE.

Prose.—Addision's Essays, to the beginning of the criticisms on Paradise Lost.

History.-Hume's England, from the Battle of Hastings to the Accession of Richard II.

Poetry. Shakespeare's King John.

Johnson's Vanity of Human Wishes,

MATHEMATICS,

Euclid, Algebra, Plane Trigonometry.

This scheme of study was settled at the same meeting, assisted by suggestions from the Dacca and Kishnaghur Colleges: the only change which I have since introduced is the substitution of Astronomy, for a more developed course of the Differential and Integral Calculus; which,

although I know this to be contrary to the opinion of some of the Professors, appears to me an improvement.

In addition to the reasons which have led to the introduction of Astronomy into an English course of Mathematical study, there is in Bengal a special reason for not neglecting it, in the fact that this is the part of science on which the indigenous schools most prided themselves; and they would naturally look with contempt on one, professing to have received a Mathematical education, who is wholly ignorant of the subject. I propose further an alteration in the system of marks allowed for each kind of study. At present, Mathematics are neglected; because of the small number of marks that can be gained, even by the greatest proficiency in them. As we shall have established a regular course by the proposed changes, I think the best arrangement will be to let the whole number of marks be 500, of which

100 should be allotted to Pure Mathematics.

Bengali Essay.

Mental and Moral Philosophy and Political Economy.
English Essay.

500

The scheme therein detailed received the sanction of Government, and will be carried into effect, after the examinations of 1850, it having been promulgated at too late a period of the past year to be introduced in the session which has just ended.

In consequence of some misapprehension having existed on

Duties and responsibilities of Local Committees of Public Instruction.

the subject of the functions of Local Committees, consequent on the transfer of all Government Educational Institutions in Bengal to the charge of the Council, and the

abolition of the office of Inspector of schools, a circular was issued embodying the various rules and orders promulgated at different times by the Government of Bengal.

This document is contained in the appendix. The Council are anxious to bring to the special notice of Government the great and valuable assistance afforded to it during the past year by all the Local Committees: they are satisfied that very much of the success of education in the Mofussil is due to the great interest taken in it by the Civil Officers of the Government.

The special thanks of the Council are due to the Committees at Dacca, Burdwan, Bancoorah, Midnapore, Cuttack, Chittagong, and Gya, for the more than ordinary pains and care taken by them in the superintendence of the schools under their several charges, and the manner in which they assisted in the conduct of the public examinations.

There was no change in the system of examination in the

Public Examinations of 1850.

past year. The following notification was published on the subject in August last, indicating the date of the examinations

in different subjects, and the names of the examiners :

The examinations will be held daily from 10 A. M. to 1 P. M., and from 2 to 5 P. M. precisely, at which hours all answers to the morning and afternoon papers, respectively, must be given in. Candidates are recommended to be in attendance a quarter of an hour earlier than the beginning of each examination, in order that no time may be lost in taking their places.