Page:Calcutta Review (1925) Vol. 16.djvu/344

1925] the standard of examination our students have failed to do well in the competitive examinations because the notes dictated by our lecturers are of no use in those examinations. Every teacher has his own individual method and notes are dictated even by the great critic himself, only—he writes them on the Black Board,—and a few years ago, typewritten copies of these notes could be purchased at Calcutta. It is also within the memory of many that the Calcutta University found it necessary to take notice of this fact. But that was in the days when the standard was high! Our students have in some years carried as many as fifty per cent. of the I. C. S. posts by competitive examination, they have done uniformly well in the Finance Examinations and even in the present year some of them passed the competitive examination for the Police Service. But it is not to the interest of the Professor to take notice of all these facts. We may also tell the public that some of our best students were medically disqualified for these examinations and as in a neighbouring province there is no age restrictions our boys have to compete with students who are much senior to them. At the same time our students commit one great mistake. Instead of confining their attention to the competitive examination alone they try to pass the M.A., B.L. and I.C.S. examinations, all at once. We are collecting figures for these examinations and shall publish them in these pages for the information of the public. The value of a Degree is nowhere ascertained by the percentage of passes. But even in that respect we are not worse off. This year, we are informed, 65 per cent. of the candidates passed the B.Sc. Examination at Patna where the Professor reigns supreme while at Calcutta the percentage of passes is 59 only. We do not grudge the Professor the opportunity we afforded him for singing the panegyrics of British peace, British order and British efficiency and we shall be very glad if the grateful British Indian Government, in its turn, showers fresh honours and emoluments on him and his.