Page:The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 3.djvu/56

 Universities’ Act of 1904, the University had, for years, ceased to be a merely examining body. The affiliated Colleges were, in a real sense, centres of University teaching and academic life. The masterly Report of the Calcutta University Commission, which is a mine of helpful suggestions, roused thought on the subject all over the land. It also presented a carefully-designed model-scheme of University reform. And the time was thought to be ripe for the final—the definitely finishing—step being taken for creating a teaching and residential University. The policy of focussing the operations within a circumscribed area has been adopted. Exception has been taken to this method. But its practicability has been urged as its justification. The intention to extend the plan to other areas has been acknowledged in the Act. As it is, the ample character of the scheme will take several years to unfold itself in its completeness. But the prospect is bright. To all friends of liberal education the future offers rich opportunities for zealous work. A commendable feature of the scheme is the reorganised constitution.