APPENDIX T PHILOSOPHICAL SUBJECTS FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS
Question of the introduction subjects into the syllabuses of competitive examinations.
A copy of a letter dated the 10th February 1942. received from the Indian Philosophical Congress and of its enclosures is submitted to the Board for consideration. The Joint Secretary of the Congress has suggested that the Central Advisory Board of Education in India should support the resolution of the Indian Philosophical Congress regarding the introduction of philosophical subjects into the syllabuses of competitive examinations in India and that the resolution of the Board be communicated to the Central and Provincial Governments.
2. The general educative and cultural values of the Indian Philosophical subjects and their utility at least for some of the administrative services in India are sufficiently recognised. But, in order to enable the Board to give their considered opinion on the question the objections mainly technical and administrative which have been raised in the past to the inclusion of the subjects in competitive examinations have been detailed below:-
(i) The number of student who offered the subjects when they were included in the I.C.S. examinations was very low-averaging 27 over a period of seven years from 1928 to 1934.
(ii) If one subject is added the claims of other subjects particularly Islamic Philosophy,. become strengthened.
(iii) The subject is too exclusively cultural to be considered essential for some of the services, e.g., auditors, accountants. railway traffic managers, postal superintendents.
(iv) Every subject added to the syllabus increases the expenses, complicates the time table and delays the producing of examination results.
(v) In the I.C.S. examination Hindu Philosophy and Islamic Philosophy are included in the, papers on Sanskrit and Arabic civilizations respectively. The introduction of separate papers on these subjects would mean that the subjects appear twice in the syllabus.
(vi) There is difficulty in obtaining examiners sufficiently detached from the candidates offering the subjects.
COPY OF A LETTER DATED THE 10TH FEBRUARY 1942 , FROM THE JOINT
SECRETARY INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL CONGRESS, MADRAS. I have the honour to seud you herewith a copy of the resolution passed by the Indian Philosophical Congress at its session held at Aligarh on 22nd December 1941 .
Though the resolution is primarily intended for the Government of India and it has been duly forwarded to them. I am desired to state that in the matter of maintaining the status and prestige of philosophy as a subject of study in our Universities and as a subject fit to figure in the curricula of competitive examinations, the Congress has a right to look to the Universities in India to safeguard the interest of a subject so old and important as philosophy. The Congress believes that its resolution will carry greater weight if your Board will be pleased to pass a resolution supporting the resolution of the Congress, and forward it to the Government of India and the Governments of the Provinces. In a country like India, with her hoary traditions of philosophic thought it is the duty of every University in India to do all can to maintain and foster philosophic studies. It is hardly necessary to point out that the omission of so important a subject, from the curricula of the competitive examinations prevents its being taken by the, very best students and this is a serious loss to the subject concerned as much as to our Universities.
We shall feel deeply grateful for your co-operation.
RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL CONGRESS. In view of the fact that the group of philosophical subjects like Psychology, Logic, Ethics, Metaphysics and Indian Philosophy is as important for practical and cultural life and for testing the general intelligence and efficiency of candidates for public service recruited through competitive examinations held by the Federal and Provincial Public Service Commissions,
and in view of the fact that the elimination of philosophical subjects from these. examinations has seriously affected the status and popularity of these subjects in all the Universities of India.
the Indian Philosophical Congress resolved that the Government of India be loost, earnestly requested,
(1) to reintroduce philosophical subjects , especially Psychology and Ethics, as subjects to be offered for the Indian Police and Accounts services , and similar examinations, and
(2) to reintroduce Indian Philosophy and General Psychology (without being burdened with questions on Experimental Psychology) and to introduce Islamic Philosophy as subjects to be offered at the Indian Civil Service Examination.
Resolved further that the, President and Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Congress be authorised to take all necessary steps to achieve the object as formulated in the main resolution.