each district showing the number of scholars in each and the
caste to which they belong. The Collectors should be directed to
prepare this document according to the form which accompanies
this paper. They should be desired to state the names of the
book generally read at the schools. The time which scholars
usually continue, at such schools. The monthly or yearly charge
to the scholars and whether any of the schools are endowed by
the public and if so the nature and amount of the fund. When
there are colleges or other institutions for teaching Theology,
Law, Astronomy, etc. an account should be given of them. These
sciences are usually taught privately without fee or reward by
individuals to a few scholars or disciples, but there are also
some instances in which the native governments have granted
allowances in money and land for the maintenance of the
teachers.
- In some districts, reading and writing are confined
almost entirely to Bramins and the mercantile class. In some
they extend to other classes and are pretty general among the
Patails of villages and principal Royets. To the women of
Bramins and of Hindoos in general they are unknown because
the knowledge of them is prohibited and regarded as
unbecoming of the modesty of the sex and fit only for public
dancers. But among the women of the Rujbundah and some
other tribes of Hindoos who seem to have no prejudice of this
kind, they are generally taught. The prohibition against women
learning to read is probably from various causes, much less
attended to in some districts than in others and as it is possible
that in every district a few females may be found in the reading
schools, a column has been entered for them in the Form
proposed to be sent to the Collector. The mixed and impure
castes seldom learn to read, but as a few of them do, columns
are left for them in the Form. - It is not my intention to recommend any interface
whatever in the native schools. Everything of this kind ought to
be carefully avoided, and the people should be left to manage
their schools in their own way. All that we ought to do is to
facilitate the operations of these schools by restoring any funds
that may have been diverted from them and perhaps granting
additional ones, where it may appear advisable. But on this
point we shall be better able to judge when we receive the
information now proposed to be called for.
25th June 1822. (Signed)
Thomas Munro