( 5 ) To arrive at a correct percentage, however, we should subtract from the total number of candidates 68o and 359 respectively representing those who came in 1892 and 1893 from such provinces as the North Western Provinces and Oudh, Rajputana, the Punjab, Central Provinces, Central Indian States and Ceylon. The percentage of Bengali-speaking candidates would then become 766 in 1892 and 74'6 in 1893, and of Urdu and Hindi speaking candidates 8 in 1892 and 74 in 1893, and 53 in 1892 and 43 in 1893 per cent respectively. So that, in any case there are suitable textbooks available for at least 75 per cent and, if we add Hindi and Urdu speaking candidates, for 88 per cent of the total number of candidates. 9. As regards, the second objection,it is no doubt true that the vernacular languages of Bengal (includiug in that term Bengal proper, Behar, Orissa, and Assam) are in different stages of development; but it is likewise true that the vernaculars of the great majority of the candidates for University Examination (viz - Bengali, Hindi and Urdu) are sufficiently advanced to become the media of instruction up to the Entrance Standard. By making our proposal an optional one with the candidates, as we have hereinafter recommended, the point of the objection, so far as it has reference to Assamese and Uriya or other candidates, would be taken away. Io. With regard to the sixth objection, we have to observe that the assertion that the enrichment of vernacular literature is attributable to the present system of examination, is too broad. No doubt, education in English has brought within the field of vision of the natives of this country the whole world of modern living thought, but it cannot be fairly held that a better knowledge of their own vernaculars coupled with a deeper understanding of English literature, philosophy and science, would not lead to further enrichment of the vernaculars of the country. 1 I. Although to our mind the advantages of studying different branches of knowledge in one's mother tongue are obvious, and although we are firmly convinced that instruction on a vernacular basis up to the Entrance Examination will impart better knowledge with a less waste of mental energy, we feel we shall not be justified in asking the University to make a hard and fast rule on the subject in view of the great diversity in the vernacular languages of the candidates for examinations, and also in view of such influential opposition as has been disclosed by the opinions given on the subject. In a matter like this, it is desirable to proceed with caution and indeference to public opinion, however ill-advised we may consider it to be, and we, therefore, suggest that,for the present, the University be moved to adopt the following regulation, viz.:-that in Geography, History and Mathematics the answers may be given in any of the living languages recognized by the
