Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/221

206 to do. Accept this as a command from Heaven, as a divine impulse to work and wait for the complete regeneration of your people, and resolve to act worthily of so high and sacred a behest.

 

Mr. Vice-Chancellor and Gentlemen of the Senate,—The past academic year has been one of unusual activity. The chief event has been the discussion of the Bill framed by the late Vice-Chancellor. Its importance was clearly shown by the exhaustive debates which took place when it was considered. These debates bore witness to the fact that there is in the Senate much academic vitality, that various interests are well represented, and that there is no danger that rash innovations will be received with favour. The amended Bill is now before Government, and it will receive from Government a most careful scrutiny. Meanwhile the University is engaged in considering what changes should be introduced in the various examinations, and as these changes entail alterations of the programmes of studies, you are virtually engaged on reform of higher education. As your proposals, gentlemen, are still incomplete, and as Government will have to deal with them in course of time, I am precluded from joining in the discussion. The University School Final Examination has now become an accomplished fact. It will be the terminus of secondary education and to those who do not wish to enter upon a University career it will be the final examination. It has been accepted by Government as a test for entrance to the public service. It will give to Matriculation its proper status as the entrance examination to the University, and give to those who do not seek a University education a distinctive diploma. The recognition of the Sind Arts College for the purposes of the B.A. and B. Sc. degrees from the beginning of this year will, I hope, give to education in Sind the impulse which that province needs, and it is a tribute paid to the energy of our Sind friends in improving their higher education which Government as well as the University thoroughly appreciate. We paid our tribute of respect to the University of Bologna, at its jubilee, and cemented our friendly relations with that ancient seat of Italian learning, by the deputation of our Vice-Chancellor, who was able to convince himself of the high esteem in which that University is held by the Italians and their King 