§ MR. LEAMYasked the Under Secretary of State for India, If his attention has been called to the grave cause for dissatisfaction given to the junior members of the Indian Medical Service by the enormous per centage of them at present on "unemployed pay"; if the 955 "unemployed pay" of a surgeon in the Indian Medical Service, namely 286. 10 rupees per month, is not the lowest scale of pay awarded to any commissioned or covenanted officer in the Indian service; and, if the Government intend to take any; and, if so, what steps to remove this grievance, and to fulfil the terms of the printed conditions upon which men have been induced to enter the service?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSThe attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the exceptionally large number of junior medical officers in India, drawing what is called unemployed pay. This is due partly to the unusually small number of medical officers at present absent from India on furlough; partly to the largo number of young officers admitted to the Service consequent on the Afghan War; and partly to the recent reduction of 22 Native regiments, with the consequent reduction of the medical staff attached to regiments. The unemployed pay of a surgeon in the Indian Medical Service is not the lowest awarded to any covenanted or commissioned officer in the Indian Service. An unemployed lieutenant would draw 256 rupees a-month; while an unemployed surgeon, if under five years' service, would draw 286 rupees; or, if over five years' service, 304 rupees a-month. The present difficulty is being met by a large decrease in the number of appointments, there having been 18 for last year and 13 for this; as compared with 39 and 49 for the two preceding years. The published conditions under which officers accept employment in the Indian Medical Service are accurately fulfilled.