Committee to Enquire into the System of State Technical Scholarships established by the Government of India in 1904 (Morison Committee)

Confidential minutes of evidence taken at Glasgow University, Leeds University, Manchester University, Birmingham University, and the India Office, London, from 10 June to 12 July 1912, and written statements by Dr. J. Gordon Parker, Principal of the Leathersellers' Company's Technical College, Thomas Turner, Professor of Metallurgy at Birmingham University, Professor T.W. Fox of Manchester School of Technology, Dr. D.A. Denning, Superintendent of Industries and Additional Director of Public Instruction for Technical Education, Bengal, Mr. Ambalal Sarabhai, and Sir R.N. Mookerjee

The Committee to inquire and report as to the facilities available for Indian Students for Industrial and Technological Training in the the UK, with special reference to the system of State Technical Scholarships established by the Government of India in 1904, also known as the Indian Technical Students Committee, was appointed on 27 March 1912 by the Secretray of State for India. It consisted of Sir Theodore Morison (Chairman), Sir Krishna G. Gupta, Professor W.E. Dalby and J.H. Reynolds. The Committee held its first meeting at the India Office in London on 9 May 1912 to discuss the itinerary and questions of procedure. It then visited the Universities of Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham, taking evidence from 75 witnesses, of which 29 were representatives of the Universities visited, 28 were owners or managers of businesses in related industries, and 18 were Indian technical students. A further ten witnesses were heard at the India Office in London. The Committee's main recommendation was the continuation of the system of Government Technical Scholarships, with some suggested improvements, but that the high public cost of the training meant it should only be given to a few well chosen candidates who would be reasonably expected to help the industrial development of India. The Committee also felt that a further investigation should be made by some representative of the Secretary of State for India of the facilities in some of the other centres of technical education, such as Sheffield, Liverpool, Bradford and Newcastle.

Unrestricted

The Report of the Committee, with appendices, can be found in the series of India Office Official Publications at IOR/V/26/865/1 and IOR/V/4/SESSION 1913 VOL 47. Another copy of the Minutes of Evidence can be found at IOR/V/26/865/2. Criticism of the expense in printing papers relating to the Technical Students Committee can be found at IOR/L/PJ/6/1249 File 2383.