§ MR. LEAMYasked the Under Secretary of State for India, If, in view of the exceptionally large number of junior Medical Officers in India who are drawing unemployed pay, it is the intention of the India Office to throw open five additional appointments to competition in August next?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSNotwithstanding the present exceptional state of affairs, it has been decided, for two reasons, not to put an entire stop to the admission of officers to the Indian Medical Service—(1) to insure hereafter an equable succession of officers to the higher posts; (2) because to do so would inflict hardship on the large number of students who have been reading with this service in view. The number of appointments has been reduced this year to the lowest point compatible with these objects. The average number of appointments for the last five years has been 33; this year it has been reduced to 10.