EDUCATION IN INDIA.
[To TER EDITOR OF TRY "SPECTATOR.'] SIR,—As regards universal education in India, may I quote you an instance of what it leads to, which came under my notice recently P I was passing through a certain place a few days ago and staying at the dak-bungalow, when a respectable. looking youth came up and showed me his school certificate. I asked what he wanted, and he replied : " I want money." I said : "Why don't you go and earn it P " He answered : "I cannot earn it as I have not a sufficiently good education." A little more conversation elicited the fact that his father had a small bit of land which he cultivated himself, and earned enough to keep himself and his family. I suggested he should go and help his father and dig in the fields for a living, to which be replied : " Sir, I could not do that as I have received a College education." In short, he would not dig, but to beg he was not ashamed. This is what is said to account for a great deal of the unrest at the present day. Lots of lads get a smattering of English education which tends to make them disinclined to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. They all hope to get employment, under Government for choice, and there is not clerical employment enough to go round. Those who are too indolent or not sufficiently educated cannot get the employment they consider themselves entitled to by virtue of their education, and consequently bear Government a grudge for not providing them with work. These sort of men form the majority of the malcontents in India to-day.—I am,
Previous page
