What’s wrong with our education?

 The educational set up in India is at cross roads. Education in no other country in the world is as much commercialised as in India. During the past two decades or so the central as well as state governments have  slowly withdrawn from their responsibility to provide quality education to the people.For nearly four decades,  people with philanthropic  considerations entered the educational arena and set up Universities, Colleges, Professional Colleges, Technical Institutions, Schools, etc. with the motive to serve the society. But in the recent past a new type of educational institutions have come into existence, namely self- financing (unaided) educational institutions. Thousands of unaided / self-financing schools and colleges (in engineering, medicine, paramedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and arts and sciences) as well as polytechnics and industrial training institutes have come into existence during this period primarily based on profit motive rather than service to the society. These institutions have been promoted by bureaucrats, politicians, capitalists, businessmen, politicians, religious heads, communal associations, money launderers, liquor barons, smugglers, profiteers, and other such individuals, who rarely cherish the idea to serve the society. Admittedly the growth of such institutions has led to the commercialisation of education.  These institution woefully lack infrastructural facilities and qualified teachers. While they collect huge amount as capitation fees and as tuition fees, the salary paid to the teachers (including fully qualified teachers) is often a pittance compared to those employed in government and aided educational institutions. These teachers are not only denied proper salary but also security of service and other benefits. As a result, a kind of informal system of employment has emerged in the field of education also.

Most disquieting aspect is the permission granted to so many Deemed Universities  in violation of the provisions of the UGC Act,  which involved large scale corruption by the UGC Chairman and other concerned officials, besides politicians. All and sundry institutions lacking infrastructure facilities and qualified staff have been granted Deemed University status, which enabled them to become law unto themselves and loot the people. Most of these Deemed Universities have stated all kind of courses, mostly without permission, and loot people.  Some of them have started "branches” without the permission of UGC. They employ all kind of methods to attract/woe students. In some cases they promise "sure pass" . They have deployed canvassing and commission agents. One University on the outskirts of Chennai in GST road  has been awarding pass mark/ high marks to students on payment of certain amount. It also receives payment for attendance. The UGC seems keep silent on all such malpractices! Why not abolish the Deemed Universities, which were created against law? 

Dr.C.Murukadas, The Times of India, Aug.5, 2012