2*He can have this from books written in English or in the regional languages. It may be hoped that, in course of time, books in Sanskrit itself will be available. A beginning has been made in the Government Sanskrit College, Banaras, to bring out Text-Books in Sanskrit on Psychology, History of European Philosophy, etc.

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was not unoften the case, at their inability to give any answer. We would suggest that, instead of the teacher 'himself reading the text, as is often done, the students should be asked to read; for, this would compel them to bestow greater attention on the subject. Secondly, as one of our witnesses, himself a Pandit, said, the subject-matter of the text should be first explained by the teacher briefly, and then the text should be read. Thirdly, the teacher should put frequent questions to the students in order to test whether they have really rasped the point and are following his exposition. The method of drawing out the student should replace that of keeping him a passive listener. There are several subjects, particularly where prakriya is taught, where the employment of the black board, charts and other visual aids will certainly help the student. All such modern methods should be fully utifised to make the teaching of the Sastras interesting and effective.

36. It is essential that Sanskrit is used as the medium of instruction in the Pathasalas. The Commission, however, found that in most Pathasalas, instruction was given through the medium of the mothertongue. It is to be recommended, in this connection, that Sanskrit should be normally used as the medium of instruction in the Pathasalas. If necessary, the mother-tongue may be used only in lower classes.

37. It should not be supposed that extra-curricular activities can be fruitfully adopted only in modern schools and colleges to support and augment the instruction given in the classes. In Pathasalas also, Sanskrit Associations, Debates, running of College Magazines, Dramas, and organising and taking part in Literary Festivals or Celebrations in honour of great Sanskrit writers, etc., can further the knowledge and sustain the enthusiasm of the students. In certain Sastras, it would be useful to enable the students to have contacts with appropriate activities related to their subjects. For instance, the students of Mimamsa might attend various rites, rituals and-sacrifices or might have a practical course in performing these, so that their knowledge would not remain merely textual. In this connection, one eminent witness suggested that there was need to build up a proper SrautaMuseum, as ritualism was fast disappearing and there was no other way of knowing the material and milieu of the Purva Mimamsa. In Yoga again, it might be most appropriate if students were taught Pranayama and Asana. In fact, if all the Pathasalas had provision for the teaching of Yogic exercises, it would not only be highly advantageous to the health and well-being of the students, but it would also give them a grounding in one of the basic and most characteristic aspects of Indian spiritual life.

38. A serious drawback of the line-by-line method of exposition is that students do not ever have a knowledge of the subject as a whole, or even of particular topics,comprised therein. It is extremely doubtful whether they would be able to give an exposition of the subjects studied by them in their own words or in a different order. The wood

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is lost in the trees, or rather, in the branches and the leaves. We are even doubtful whether many Pandits, who are masters of the texts, would be able to give free expositions or lectures on the topics of their special field. Fewer still have cultivated the art of writing essays and dissertations. The Pandit does not use the pen; he uses his speech alone.

39. While it is quite essential that there should be an intensive, lineby-line, study of the Sastras, it is no less essential that their general import should be understood as a whole. It is true that, in some of the 'examinations (Siromani, Sastri, Acharya), there is a General Essay Paper where the students have to write one long continuous exposition in Sanskrit of a Sastraic topic. But we did not see, in any of the Pathasalas which we visited, any definite measures taken to equip the students for this. We would, therefore, suggest that the senior teachers and Pandits in the Pathasalas should adopt the practice followed in Colleges and Universities of delivering general lectures at the commencement or at the end of a new topic, expounding the. general nature of the subject together with a historical and comparative account. Such lectures would illumine the texts to be studied and provide the guiding thread to follow the intricate details. The adoption of this practice would no doubt mean a new departure in the mode of instruction in the Pathasalas. It might also entail some extra labour for the Pandits, as they would have to prepare notes for the lectures. But the experiment deserves to be tried in the Pathasalas. What portion of the time available should be devoted to the analytical study of the texts and what portion to the general lectures is a matter of detail, and can be modified in the light of experience. In addition to such general lectures, periodic tests--oral and written-must be instituted. Students should be encouraged to write essays Periodically and their work should be adjudged. For this purpose, the routine timetable of the Pathasalas should provide for a regular period for composition work. Discussions and debates may be initiated in senior classes. Debates (Sastrartha or Vakyartha) were quite an established feature of traditional learning, and they should be revived and encouraged.

40. The written examination system at the end of a course of study, on the result of which degrees are awarded, has now been adopted by the Pathasalas almost universally. This is somewhat of an innovation in the traditional system. Most of the witnesses, who had intimate experience of the examination system, stated quite categorically that it resulted in considerable deterioration of Sastraic learning. The products of the modern Pathasalas cannot be compared with the old giants of traditional scholarship. Till four or five decades ago, deep scholarship of the Sastras, combined with ability to debate in the Sabha or concourse of Pandits, was common in most parts of the country. A few representatives, the remnants of the old order, are still to be found here and there as rare specimens.

41. This deterioration has occurred because, in the written examinations leading to the highest degrees of the traditional system, only small portions of texts are Prescribed, and necessarily so. The candidates

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can pass, if they obtain the minimum pass marks (about 33 per cent),' and they very soon forget what little they had got up for the examina- tion. The examination system has many loopholes, and the high marks obtained by a student cannot be always regarded as a sure indication of his mastery over the subject. To remedy this state of things, the Commission recommends that the higher examinations for the Pathasala- system should be in two equal parts, written and oral, 50 per cent of the total marks being set apart for the viva voce examination. The questions at the viva voce need not be confined to the prescribed texts, and may be enlarged into a regular Sastrartha in the traditional style conducted by a large panel of Pandits and in an open assembly (Sadas or Sabha). It may be mentioned that for the higher Doctorate of the University of Paris, one has to face a public examination of this type.

42. We would, in this connection, commend the practice adopted by the Sanga Veda Vidyalaya of Banaras. This is a unique institution in some respects. Realising the defects of the examination system, it awards its own degrees on the result of viva voce tests and debates conducted by renowned scholars in various subjects in an open assembly.2 Such tests are quite in the spirit of the old tradition, and bring out the best in the scholar.

43. In the South, as well as in some centres in the North, some private endowments, and till recently some of the States, organised such gatherings of Pandits. Now, owing to the changed circumstances, all this has been or is being discontinued. Some of the religious heads, particularly in the South, still hold such learned assemblies every year. This should become more popular. We, therefore, suggest the institution of Regional Associations (official and non-official bodies of Sanskrit scholars and patrons) which should organise from time to time such open debates in the various Sastras. Inducements of prize-money and presents should be offered to the participants who would be adjudged to be meritorious. Non-official bodies and patrons can play a great part in this regard. We are sure that a great impetus will be given to the traditional type of Sastraic scholarship by the revival and incorporation of the oral Sastrartha method in the Higher Sanskrit Examinations.

2*The Sanga Veda Vidyalaya awards to the successful candidates annual grants of a sum of money for life. Other disputants are given prizes.

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