2. Sir J. D. REESasked the Secretary of State for India whether the obligatory linguistic tests for British officers of the Indian Army have recently been altered; and whether the result has been to lower the standards prescribed in this regard?
§ Mr. MONTAGUIn view of the fact that the standard of knowledge of the vernaculars attained by junior officers of the Indian Army had been for some time recognised to be inadequate, the language regulations have recently been revised and brought generally into line with the tests prescribed by the War Office. The only obligatory test for retention in the Indian Army is now a preliminary examination in Urdu. It is probable that the Government of India will continue the system recently adopted, of marking of unseen translations with less severity, but, for the reason which I have already given, the general standard of the examination has not been lowered.
§ Mr. MONTAGUIt is inadequate.