Dear list members,

I have a few questions regarding obtaining Oxford degrees by Indians in the early 20^th century and how they are listed in their credentials. I have attached a few pages from the Travancore Almanac and Directory of 1924 (published in 1923) with some names highlighted. On p. 41, R. Dhanukoti Pillai is listed as having a B.A. (Oxon). But on p. 74, he is shown as B. A. (Honors) Oxon. What was the convention of listing B. A. (Honors) in a person’s qualifications?

On p. 88, we have K. Govinda Menon with an M.A., (Oxon) and T. Narayana Menon with a B.A., University Diploma in Forestry, Oxford University. I assume Govinda Menon obtained his M.A., from Oxford while Narayana Menon obtained a non-degree diploma from Oxford.

Did Indian students have to travel to Oxford to study and get their degrees and diplomas? Or could they get their degrees and diplomas by studying at some affiliated universities/colleges in India taking exams in India? Was there a difference between degrees and diplomas with respect to these requirements?

Thanks

Regards,

Palaniappan