Page:The despatch of 1854, on General education in India.djvu/12

Rh will, moreover, be required for the educational departments.

19. Reports of the proceedings of the inspectors should be made periodically, and these again should be embodied in the annual reports of the heads of the educational departments, which should be transmitted to us, together with statistical returns (to be drawn up in similar forms in all parts of India), and other information of a special character relating to education.

20. We shall send copies of this despatch to the Governments of and of Bombay, and direct them at once to make provisional arrangements for the superintendence and inspection of education in their respective Presidencies. Such arrangements as they may make will be reported to you for sanction. You will take similar measures in communication with the Lieutenant-governors of Bengal and of Agra, and you will also provide in such manner as may seem advisable for the wants of the non-regulation Provinces in this respect. We desire that your proceedings in this matter may be reported to us with as little delay as possible; and we are prepared to approve of such an expenditure as you may deem necessary for this purpose.

21. In the selection of the heads of the educational departments, the inspectors, and other officers, it will be of the greatest importance to secure the services of persons who are not only best able, from their character, position, and acquirements, to carry our objects into effect, but who may command the confidence of the natives of India. It may perhaps be advisable that the first heads of the educational departments, as well as some of the inspectors, should be members of our civil service; as such appointments in the first instance would tend to raise the estimation in which these offices will be held, and to show the importance we attach to the subject of education, and also as amongst them you will probably find the persons best qualified for the performance of the duty. But we desire that neither these offices, nor any others connected with education, shall be considered as necessarily to be filled by members of that service, to the exclusion of others, Europeans or natives,