§ MR. JEFFREYS (Hants, Basingstoke)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the preliminary examination for the Army is to be discontinued in future; whether, in consequence of this, certain subjects which were only taken up at that examination, and not required at the further examination, will henceforth be added to that examination; and, in that case, whether candidates who have already passed the preliminary examination will be excused from taking up again those subjects in the further examination which were included in the examination they have already passed?
§ * MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt is contemplated to do away with the preliminary examination, which has not effected the purpose for which it was instituted, and an announcement to that effect has been made. The subjects of the preliminary examination will substantially be incorporated in what will be the competitive examination. Candidates who shall have passed the preliminary examination will go up for the further examination in November next under existing Rules; but when only the competitive examination is in force, which will include most of the subjects of the present preliminary examination, it would be a loss to the candidates competing if they were not examined in those subjects, which will carry marks counting in the competition. It is to be remembered that the preliminary has only been a pass examination. On the general question I may say that I have decided that it is desirable that the whole system of entrance examinations on non-military subjects should be inquired into, and I have appointed a strong Committee to consider the question. Lord Sandhurst will act as Chairman, and I am glad to say that several Members of the House 655 have been good enough to agree to serve on the Committee.
§ COLONEL WARING (Down, N.)Will the candidates who have passed a portion of the preliminary examination be credited with it, or will they have to go through examination on the same subjects again?
§ LORD R. CHURCHILL (Paddington, S.)Will not the abolition of this preliminary examination increase very greatly the already large number of unsuccessful candidates at the other examinations?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe preliminary examination was expected to have the effect of weeding out unsuitable candidates, but it has failed in its object to a great extent.
§ MR. JEFFREYSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many candidates, after passing the preliminary examination, do not present themselves for the other examinations until two or three years have elapsed? Will he make the order retrospective, so that those who have passed the preliminary examination shall have the benefit of it when they come up again?
§ * MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI believe this preliminary examination only answers to what is known as the Fourth Standard in elementary education, and, with the exception of geography and arithmetic, all the subjects are included in the competitive examination.