§ MR. J. G. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been directed to a change in the rules for the admission of Natives of India to the engineer class of the Thomason Civil Engineering College at Rurki, which up till 1896 mark statutory Natives of India competent for admission, whereas by the rules of 1897 the privilege of admission is confined to statutory Natives of India, other than Natives of pure Asiatic descent, whose parents and guardians are domiciled in Bengal, Madras, or Bombay; and on what grounds are young men of pure Asiatic descent excluded from education as engineers in India, notwithstanding the provisions of many proclamations which 843 declare that the Queen's subjects in India, of whatever race or creed, shall be impartially admitted to all the advantages and privileges of their country?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAI am not aware of the change in the rules to which the hon. Member refers. According to the 1897 Calendar of the Thomason Civil Engineering; College at Rurki, candidates for admission to the Engineer and Telegraph class "must be statutory Natives of India." No limitations such as are described in the Question have been inserted in the rules.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLMay I ask the noble Lord if the rule has not been changed by adding after "statutory Natives of India" the words "other than Natives of pure Asiatic descent, etc"?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAI have no information to that effect. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will furnish me with information, so that I may inquire.