L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 569
batch, separately ? (b) What minimum qualifications did the Government prescribe for selection ? Were they all manual labourers in the factories ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) 304 Bevin trainees have so far been selected for training in die United Kingdom. Five batches have actually been sent so far, one of
54 and four of 50 each. A tabular table is given below, showing the communal composition of the five batches already sent and the sixth batch now selected. It shows that 50 Muslims were sent out of 304.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Total Hindus … 21 25 27 29 26 34 162 Muslims … 13 9 8 8 8 4 50 Anglo-Indians … 4 5 4 3 7 3 26 Indian Christians … 4 7 6 8 4 4 33 Parsis … 6 3 3 3 1 3 19 Sikhs … 2 1 2 3 4 2 14
50 50 50 54 50 50 304
No information is available as to the number of Scheduled Caste trainees in the first 5 batches. Particulars in the case of the 6th batch are awaited.
(b) The following are the minimum qualifications required. Candidates—
(1) must be young and healthy but not below die age of eighteen ;
(2) must be intelligent, able to read, write and do simple calculations, and possess manual dexterity and a sufficient knowledge of English to understand and make themselves understood.
(3) must belong to one of the engineering trades preferably fitting, turning or maching ;
(4) must have had a minimum of three years’ experience of factory work and have given proof of intelligence and adaptability ; and
(5) must be medically fit and free from all traces of tuberculosis. A limited number of students were included in the first two batches, but it was then decided to restrict die Scheme to men of me working classes and mat rule has since been enforced.