( 57 ) of Bengal had expressed his views on too much cramming of languages in schools and Colleges, and directed that Sanskrit and other classical languages should no longer be compulsory in schools; but that, English being adopted as the language of higher education, the knowledge-producing and breadwinning language should be taught not through the medium of vernacular languages artificially concocted, but through the medium of English language which our countrymen so highly appreciate. 2. The three classes of recognised Government Schools are the Middle Vernacular, the Middle English and the High schools, of which the two former are constituted on a vernacular basis, English teaching which was originally intended as supplementary to the vernacular course in Middle English Schools, is being taught as language through the medium of vernacular. The High English Schools-the most important class of Schools established by Government, serve as feeders of colleges chiefly intended for higher education. 3. Now, as to the main proposal, the sum and substance of which is, whether candidates for the Entrance Examination of the Calcutta University should be examined in Vernacular text-books in such subjects as History, Geography and Mathematics, whether it is desirable to make the study of vernacular language a part of the course of study in the F. A. and B. A. Examinations in addition to the languages, viz. Sanskrit, Arabic or Persian, I beg to submit that, the introduction of text-books in vernacular in these subjects and the making of vernacular the medium of instruction in the Entrance class in High schools, would be to lower them down on a vernacular basis, or to place them on the same footing with the Middle Class English Schools competing for the Middle Scholarship Examination. The mere substitution of text-books in vernacular in History, Geography and Mathematics is not commendable on principle, it is opposed to the spirit of the Education Despatch of 1854, dated July 19th, a reference to which clearly shows the object of Government in the direction of high education in this country, and the medium through which knowledge is to be conveyed to the people of India, 4. To make vernacular the medium of imparting instruction in high schools, would not only lessen the value of English education in the eyes of our countrymen, but it would strike at the root of higher education. The teaching of any subject of study through the medium of vernacular textbooks in the face of original works, will be no way beneficial to those students whose aims and aspirations in life are higher than those of the generality of students, 5. To make vernacular a part of the curriculum in the F. A. and B. A. 8
