Page:The Modern Review (July-December 1925).pdf/426

Rh I must not be misunderstood. In the ordinary circumstances the presence in the Senate of eminent scholars like Prof. D. R. Bhandarkar or Dr. Stephen should be welcome, but the circumstances of the Calcutta University are extraordinary. The Senate has persistently maladministered the funds at its disposal with the result that it stands on the verge of bankruptcy, it has imposed a deficit budget year after year in order to force the Government to provide funds for its policy of waste. Therefore it has become necessary to eliminate such members of the Senate as are identified with a party to whom such maladministration is due and whose tactics are always discreditable. While the reduction of the nominated members of the Senate, who are paid members of the teaching staff of the Calcutta University, is a comparatively easier matter, the elimination of weak or selfish members is extremely difficult. It appears now that the late Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was not only a master of Mathematics and Law but also of early Georgian methods of manipulating votes by means of benefices, pensions and contracts. It is simply by such purchase of votes, that Sir Ashutosh packed the Senate with the echoes of his own voice, and his tradition has been kept up by his successors. I consider that the time has now arrived when the Government ought to help the people of Bengal to reform the University by exercising its power of nomination by sending only such members to the Senate as are pledged to reform and constitutionally free from lethargy. The task may be difficult, but it is not altogether impossible.

The only and better alternative is to change the constitution of the University of Calcutta by fresh legislation. The necessity of fresh legislation will be apparent from the fact that the election of ten senators by the Registered Graduates of tbe University has become a sham and farce. The registered graduates of the Calcutta University have become a pocket borough. The calendar of the University of Calcutta for the years 1924 and 1925 provides us with a list of graduates at page 925. It is entitled “List of Registered Graduates who paid their annual subscriptions for the year 1924-25 corrected up to 30th September 1924.” With the exception of a few men such as Mr. Gopaldas Chowdhury or Puran Chand Nahar and several others, this list is composed entirely of examiners, paper setters and others who obtain remuneration in some form from the University of Calcutta. Even then the list contains only 102 names. According to the University Act, as it stands at present, these 102 men represent thousands of Graduates of Calcutta University simply because trey have continued to pay the subscription of Rs. 10 per annum. No move has been made by the party in power in the Calcutta University to increase the number of the Registered Graduates simply because an electorate of 102 men is very easy to manipulate and they can impose their own conditions on people who expect a continuation of remunerations paid to them. 102 graduates therefore elect ten members of the Senate and aid in the packing of the party in power.

Let us now go back to the second factor of the Calcutta University, the Faculties. The Faculty of Art for the year 1924, as printed at pages 9-10 of the Calendar, shows that there were 63 members of this Faculty in this year among whom there were at least 21 members of the paid teaching staff of the University. Besides these there were 11 interested members whose votes are always at the command of the party in power and therefore there is always an absolute majority at the disposal of the dynasty of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee. From the Faculties I proceed to an analysis of the Board of Studies, because these Boards are also important factors in the University. These Boards have also been packed with paid and interested members;—

A. Mr. Rama Prosad Mukherjee, the eldest son of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, who passed his Matriculation Examination in 1911 or 1912, is a member of the Boards in English, Sanskrit, Sanskritic languages.

B. Mr. Shyama Prosad Mukherjee, another son of Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, is a member of the Boards in English, Sanskrit, Sanskritic languages and Political Economy and Political Philosophy.

C. Mr. Promotha Nath Banerjee M A. B.L. is a member of the Boards in Sanskrit, Political Economy and Political Philosophy and History. He is a son-in law of the late Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee.

D. Prof. D. R. Bhandarkar is a member of the Boards in Sanskrit, Sanskritic languages, History and Mental and Moral Philosophy.

E. Dr. H. Stephen is a member of the Boards in English, Greek, Latin, etc., Hebrew and Mental and Moral Philosophy.

F. Mr. Jnanranjan Banerjee is a member of the Boards in English, Sanskritic langueges and Mental and Moral Philosophy.