Response of Calcutta University to Sikkim Durbar(1941)...

The letter pasted here is the response made by the University of Calcutta to Sikkim Durbar regarding the selection of English teachers at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School Gangtok. As per the Orders made by this letter, an appointment of Mr. C.E. Dudley and Rashmi Prasad Alley was to be made as the English Teachers at the said School. It is appealing to know that, possibly due to the lack of Education Department in Sikkim, the conscription procedure was done according to the parameters framed by the British Indian Government. The letter further says-“Teachers who possess qualifications as laid down in section 9(B), read with section 9(D) of Chapter XXI of the Regulations are qualified to teach English in recognized High Schools”. This correspondence was sent to the Judicial Secretary to His Highness the Maharaja of Sikkim (Mr. R.B. Rai) from The Registrar Calcutta University (J. Chakravorti). The dispatch also underscores the fact that, the administration of Calcutta University was then also watch over by the Senate House. The Letter was sent to the Sikkim Durbar on 30^th of May 1941 from the Senate House Calcutta. 

Letter of Sikkim Durbar to The Calcutta University (1935)

The modern system of education was adopted by the Government of Sikkim in the first decade of the last century. In my last post I have talked about the foundation of Gangtok School in 1906. The interesting fact about the then education system is that all the schools of Sikkim were affiliated to the Calcutta University. From the correspondence between the Judicial Secretary to His Highness the Maharaja of Sikkim and the Registrar Calcutta University it appears that, the appointment of the teachers in various schools of Sikkim was also watch over by the said University itself. The letter gives the impression that; a list of desired candidates was to be forwarded by the Sikkim Durbar to the University of Calcutta for the approval. As the endorsement letter of the University reached to the concerned department, the Sikkim Durbar had to assign them as the teachers in the different schools.

A hand written Hall Ticket of Calcutta University issued in 1932...

This hall ticket of Calcutta University is in all probability an oldest certificate as far as the education of Sikkim is concerned. Issued in 1932, the document has given detail information about the subjects that were taught at Calcutta University during the colonial era. The important feature of this hall ticket is that it is hand written. In that period, there were very few schools in Sikkim and most of them were providing education only up to the primary level. The first Government school of Gangtok was Gangtok School which was started in 1906, and this is where the late Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal also studied as a first batch student. Later, the name of the Gangtok School was changed as Gangtok High School.

Before 1920, there were two Boarding Schools at Gangtok: The Bhutia Boarding School and The Nepali Boarding School. It was due to the diligent endeavor of late Rashmi Prasad Alley both the Schools were united which  later played a vital role for the foundation of first ever high school at Gangtok. The Gangtok High School was later named after the name of its first batch student and the then Maharaja of Sikkim Sir Tashi Namgyal. Though, with the efforts made by Lt. Rashmi Prasad Alley Gangtok got its first ever High school but, it was not an easy task for him to run it successfully. Due to the lack of higher institution in the proximity of the Kingdom, the only High School of Sikkim (Gangtok High School) was then affiliated to the Calcutta University.

 I am greatly indebted to Dr. Parshu Ram Poudyal Assistant Professor, Namchi Govt. College for sharing this valuable document with me.