Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 1.djvu/145

 It is worthy of notice that the tendency nowadays is happily to raise the standard of the examinations. They have begun to prescribe more useful matter now. The latest prospectus is a substantial improvement on the prospectus of two years ago. For merely a knowledge of Evidence was not [then] necessary; now, however, it is. Students generally study for themselves through lectures common to the four Inns. Special lectures, too, are organized by each

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Inn. These lectures are generally attended by those students only who want to compete for scholarship examinations. But attending the lectures has now been made indirectly compulsory as the examinations are held on the subject of lectures. Call to the bar is a mere formal ceremony. After you are called, a certificate is given to you and you have to apply for a special certificate if you want to practise in India or the Colonies. Before leaving England, students, now Barristers, generally get their names enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Justice on a payment of 5 shillings. It may be important here to discuss whether it is desirable that the student should try for scholarship examinations. It has been said above that, for the purposes of passing the examinations, the time at the student's disposal is more than enough. The question, therefore, is what shall he do with the rest of his time? It may be answered--he will devote it to private study. Now this is all very well to say. There are persons who do study as well for the sake of study as for an examination. But these are exceptions to prove the rule that, unless a person has a task imposed on him, he will not generally do it only because it is good. Private study very often gives place to other pursuits, not so study for an examination. It, therefore, seems better to impose some examination task upon oneself than to rely upon one's own will-power to take care of private study. And, in that case, it is difficult to say whether it is better to compete for some scholarship or to join some University. In going in for some scholarships there is one drawback. The competition is unequal. There may be M.A.'s, B.A.'s and other University men against mere matriculates who would stand a very poor chance of winning scholarships. For those who have graduated in India nothing can be better than trying for the scholarship examinations. Indeed, there are students who do both--join a University and work for a scholarship. Matriculates and others, if