Shimla's old women's college on the brink as BJP govt cuts off funds

Shimla's old women's college on the brink as BJP govt cuts off funds
SUKHMANI SINGH

SHIMLA, NOV 21: Shanta Kumar’s daughter studied here when he was Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Former Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh also sent his daughter to this college. And the daughter-in-law of ex-BJP Speaker Radha Raman Shastri is also a Bedeian. These are random examples of how Himachal’s VIPs sent their progeny to a centre of excellence, St Bede’s College.

Today the very existence of this institution, that was founded in 1904, has been jeopardised by the state government’s zeal to impart ‘‘quality education’’. The BJP Government’s move to freeze the 95 per cent grant-in-aid to about 60 private schools and nine private colleges in the state may sound the death-knell of this prestigious all-women’s college. No formal orders have been issued yet but discussions have been held with the principals and there’s panic.

Thanks to government aid since its inception, this 1,400-strong college charges a tuition fee of only Rs 50 a month with generous concessions to lower-income group students, around 10 per cent.

When the Principal, Sister Melba, approached Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal early this year with a request to support a special project for the handicapped, as part of the celebrations for their centenary year (2003-2004), she got a rude shock. Dhumal minced no words in telling her that far from supporting a new project, the government was considering stopping the grant altogether. When she said in that case the college would go bankrupt, he is reported to have retorted, ‘‘Close it down then.’’

Since April, the college has received Rs 17.5 lakh less than the normal grant amount Rs 9 lakh a month for the teachers’ salaries. They have been meeting the shortfall with their own limited funds. Himachal Education Minister Ishwar Dass Dhiman speaks for the Government: ‘‘They are a rich organisation that gets funds from Christian missionary organisations in the West, and they simply want to grab money from the government.’’ Sister Melba rebuts the argument: ‘‘This is not true. Christians here are a poor community and we have no rich businessmen waiting to donate funds.’’

Old Bedian and Director of The Indian Music Society, Anita Singh, argues: ‘‘The criterion should be the work that is being done. Just because they are a private college shouldn’t debar them from receiving funds.’’

What is the government’s rationale for the decision. While the institutions have been told it is due to a cash crunch, Dhiman is categorical that there is no such problem: ‘‘We are not doing it to save money. We only feel that if we could invest that money in government institutions, we would get better dividends. We want to put an ankush (rein them in) on private institutions.’’

In fact, despite the fiscal deficit, education remains top priority. This year the government has allocated a whopping Rs 715 crore to education, out of which the bulk Rs 350 crore is reserved for primary education. The thrust is on ‘‘quality education’’. Says Dhiman, ‘‘We are going step by step. Our aim is to provide quality education in government schools so that parents do not have to put children in private schools at all.’’

He also insists that ‘‘the standard of the 36 government colleges is higher than St Bede’s. Only people have a phobia about sending their children there. Even if it’s closed down, it will have no effect.’’

The all-women’s college was initially founded as a teachers’ training college in 1904 by the Superioress General of the Congregation of Jesus & Mary, Reverend Mother St Clare, on her first visit to British India.

It was originally affiliated to Cambridge University. Today, it has the only Indian course that’s recognised all over the Commonwealth. Over the years it has become synonymous with high-quality education with students making it to the merit list annually. In 1949 it started a BA course with Anglo-Indians and just three Indians. It runs Plus One and Plus Two classes, a teachers’ training course and graduate honours courses in arts. Old students have now opened chapters at other places too.

Bede’s was the first institution in Himachal to ban polythene bags five years ago and is now leading an anti-pollution movement in Shimla. The college boasts a special cell for counselling women and conducts sewing lessons for the poor.

No wonder it has been a favourite of bureaucrats and politicians and has also been attracting a sizeable number of businessmen’s children, most of whom are staunch BJP supporters. Says JBL Khachi, one of the oldest legislators in the state: ‘‘St Bede’s has brought credit to Shimla. It is imperative for the government to support private institutions which are supplementing the government’s job. Why should we force them to look abroad for funds?’’

Most of the other institutions to be affected are based in small towns across the state places like Chalwara, Harnota, Dev Dhar and Ram Nagar where it would be near-impossible for the managements to hike the nominal fees to raise funds. Or to find donors. Most of them would have to shut down. Two of them St Hilda’s in Kangra and FC Khalsa School in Shimla are minority institutions.

Unconcerned, Dhiman says if these schools close down, the government would open schools in those areas in other words, spend more money, rather than support good existing institutions. In fact, last year the government constructed 260 middle schools, 60 senior schools and 60 secondary schools.

Retired bureaucrat and Vice-Chancellor of Himachal University (1993-94) P.S Negi argues: ‘‘The government has opened schools in a 2-3 km radius all over the state, so it does not make sense for them to continue funding private schools in these areas. However, I do not believe in a total freeze; funding for specific purposes should continue.’’

The Himachal government is also inviting private investors to open ‘‘centres of excellence’’ in the state, especially in the area of information technology. But here too there is a catch. If land to set up the institute is provided on subsidised rates, the government is entitled to put a few members on the board. Just for some control. Perhaps, that’s what it’s all about.