Donations/capitation fees in Schools

In 1991, India liberalised the economy by initiating a package of wide ranging reforms known as new economic policy. The neo-liberal policies included opening for international trade and investment, deregulation, initiation of privatization, tax reforms, and inflation-controlling measures. The overall direction of liberalisation has since remained the same, irrespective of the ruling party. After liberalization of the economy, the central and state governments slowly started to withdraw from the policy of providing free education. The education has been thrown open to private sector, which led to commercialisation of education.  Recently a new type of educational institutions has come into existence, namely self-financing (unaided) institutions. These institutions have been promoted by capitalists, businessmen, real estate tycoons politicians, religious heads, communal associations, money launderers, liquor barons, smugglers, profiteers, bureaucrats, politicians  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.It is quite disturbing to note that    more and more such schools are resorting to the collection of donations/capitation fees in various names and different methods. How is it that the authorities are turning a blind eye when collection donations/capitation fees are prohibited?  Today, more and more people have too much money with them, which is not hard earned but gained through  tax evasion, corruption, bribery, embezzlement, plundering of the resources of the country, black marketing,  hoarding, miss-invoicing, money laundering and other such shadow activities. Such people are prepared to pay their black money to the unscrupulous school managements who indulge in the unlawful act of collecting donations/capitation fees. Such rich parents are making difficult for those who cannot make out huge payments.  Education is like a basic necessity and should be offered free or at nominal cost to everyone. The politicians and bureaucrats are also colluding with these unscrupulous managements of unaided schools which are promoted  for profits. These needs to be changed and the government should take effective steps to curb this unlawful practice of taking donations/capitation fees by school managements.

Dr.C.Murukadas, The Times of India, Nov.27, 2012