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414 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
vocation in the market or the counting house. Lastly the employees of
the state, though they possess a great influence over the large numbers
who come in contact with Government, have no influence, whatever,
with the still larger numbers who are independent of Government; and,
indeed, they appear to inspire the same sort of distrust with the public
as Government functionaries in England, who are often considered by
the vulgar as mere hacks of the state.
“Paragraph 19th. The above analysis, though it may appear lengthy,
is nevertheless, indispensable, for certain Poverty of important conclusions deducible from it. First, Brahmins. it demonstrates that the influential class whom
the Government are able to avail themselves of in diffusing the seeds
of education are the Brahmins and other high castes Brahmannis
proxmi. But the Brahmins and these high castes are for the most
part wretchedly poor; and in many parts of India the term Brahmin
is synonymous with ‘beggar’.
“Paragraph 20th. We may see then, how hopeless it is to enforce what
your Lordship in Council so strongly enjoined Wealthy classes upon us in your letter of the 24th April will not at present
1850,—what appears, prima facie, so plausible support superior education. and proper in itself—what in fact, the Board themselves have very often attempted, viz. the
strict limitation of superior education ‘to the wealthy, who can afford to
pay for it, and to youths of unusual intelligence.’ The invariable answer
the Board has received when attempting to enforce a view like this, has
been, that the wealthy are wholly indifferent to. superior education and
that no means of ascertaining unusual intelligence amongst the poor exist
until their faculties have been tested and developed by school training.
A small section from among the wealthier classes is no doubt displaying
itself, by whom the advantages of superior education are recognized,
it appears larger in Bengal, where education has been longer fostered
by Government, than in Bombay, and we think it inevitable that such
class must increase, with the experience that superior attainments
lead to distinction, and to close intercourse with Europeans on the
footing of social equality; but as a general proposition at the present
moment, we are satisfied that the academical instructions in the arts
and sciences of Europe cannot be based on the contributions either of
students or of funds from the opulent classes of India.
“Paragraph 21st. The practical conclusion to be drawn from these facts
which years of experience have forced upon our Question as to notice, is that a very wide door should be opened educating low to the children of the poor higher castes, who castes. are willing to receive education at our hands.
But here, again, another embarrassing question arises, which it is right
to notice : If the children of the poor are admitted freely to Government
Institutions what is there to prevent all the despised castes — the Dheds,
Mhars etc., from flocking in numbers to their walls ?