§ SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURNI beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, whether, up to the year 1896, members of the educational service in India, without distinction of race, had the opportunity of rising by merit to the highest positions in the service, and did in fact rise to those positions; whether, in consequence of changes introduced in 1896, Indians are now in actual practice debarred from promotion to certain higher posts, which are exclusively reserved for persons appointed in England by the Secretary of State; and whether he will place upon the Table the new rule by which this disability is created?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAMy answer to the first of the three divisions of the hon. Member's Question is in the affirmative. To the second, my answer is in the negative. The effect of the changes made in 1896 478 was, while preserving vested interests and prospects of promotion in the graded lists, to transfer to the Provincial Educational Service certain high appointments which had hitherto been filled by nomination in this country, thus practically reserving them for natives of India; while as regards such appointments to the Indian Educational Service as will be henceforward made by nomination in this country, there is nothing to prevent the selection of natives of India, and it was specially provided in 1896 that a native of India, if thus selected, should receive the same pay as an European, and not, as before, two thirds only; besides having, of course, the same chances of promotion. There is, therefore, no such new rule as the hon. Member supposes.