Mr. KELLYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India what is the rate of pay of the medical officers in the superior grades of the medical service of British India and the native States respectively; whether the work of the latter officials has given entire satisfaction to their Governments and to the people of these States; whether the system of filling the higher grades of the service in British India is more costly than in the native States; on what grounds the more expensive system is maintained; whether he proposes to give effect to the recommendations of the Indian National Congress on this subject; and, if not, for what reasons?
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§ Mr. MONTAGUI have nothing to add to the replies already given to similar questions.
Mr. KELLYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India, whether the cost of the entire education, board and residence, of students for the military assistant surgeon's grade is defrayed by the Government; whether the qualification such students get after four years' training is registerable under the Medical Act of 1858; what is the number of such students undergoing training annually; what is the charge on the revenues of India; whether is aware that there are Indian doctors with registerable univeristy qualifications who would accept these posts; on what grounds is the present system of recruiting the military assistant surgeon's grade still continued, involving as it does the expense of the education of the candidates; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the system?
§ Mr. MONTAGUStudents for the military assistant surgeon's grade are trained for four years at the expense of Government. The qualifications which they obtain are not as a rule registerable in the United Kingdom. The number of such students and the cost of their training cannot be stated without reference to India. No change of the system of recruiting the Indian Subordinate Military Medical Service is under contemplation.