asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that formerly the instruction in architectural design given in Indian engineering colleges was limited to copying diagrams of the classic orders of Europe, while Indian architecture was ignored entirely, and that this qualification in architecture was held to enable assistant engineers of district boards to design buildings for municipalities; and whether these conditions as to training and qualifications of engineers doing architectural work still prevail in any part of India?

In the two engineering colleges where instruction in architectural design is given, namely, the Thomason College at Roorkee and the Sibpur College, it is not limited in the manner suggested. The Secretary of State has received from the Government of India some details as to the instruction actually given, and I shall be glad to show them to the hon. Member. I should add that assistant engineers of district boards are not ordinarily entrusted with the designs of buildings of any importance.