Education reform

An article titled ‘whither higher education’ says although HRD Minister Kapil Sibal’s decision to review the status of deemed universities was a welcome step, there are genuine doubts as to whether the ‘new hero’ will be able to identify, let alone fight, the real villain given the Congress’ professed love for neo-liberal economic policies. Noting that there has been a spurt in the number of deemed universities in the last 20 years (Between 1958 and the 1990’s, only 29 institutions were granted this status. Now, in all, there are 125 of them), it says the reason for the increase was the modification of the UGC rules by the NDA government.

“The UPA government, which came to power after the NDA, in spite of strong opposition from the Left parties and the student movement across India, shamelessly implemented the same policies on education. As a result, deemed universities and private institutions mushroomed in the last five years. Thus the UPA government has extended a red carpet welcome to the private players who exploit and make maximum profit from the aspiring parents and students,” it says.

“If Mr Kapil Sibal is honest and committed to his words on the deemed universities, the immediate task is to cancel the deemed university status for all institutions, which were given this status on the basis of the NDA government’s modification of rules.”

“Unless and until the UPA government realises that providing education to people is the prime responsibility of the state, we cannot control privatisation and bring in major positive changes in our educational system. The immediate task is to allocate six per cent of the GDP to education. The UPA government agreed to it in principle during its last tenure, but never implemented it.

... contd.