§ Mr. WATTasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether free and compulsory elementary education is given in the district of Baroda, if so, for how long has that system been in vogue; how is the cost of it met; have the results been satisfactory; and is his Department prepared to recommend a similar scheme experimentally in any of the neighbouring districts?
§ Mr. MONTAGUBaroda is a native State under the suzerainty of His Majesty, not a "district." Compulsory free education was introduced into all930W districts of the State in 1905–6. The cost is met from the revenue of the State. An Education Commission appointed by His Highness the Gaekwar in 1909 was of opinion that compulsion was, to some extent, successful. The Chief Minister of the State, reviewing last year's work, said that "while it is by no means an assured success, it is a praiseworthy attempt, with an excellent chance of final success, if money is freely spent and vigilance ceaselessly exercised." Of the children enrolled, however, only 61 per cent, actually attended school, as compared with 77.6 per cent, in British India, and the fines for non-attendance amounted to Rs. 55,000, which means an incidence per head of population double that of the incidence of fees in British India. There is no present intention of acting on my hon. Friend's suggestion, and I would refer him to the Debates on the subject in the Viceroy's Legislative Council.