Page 42 - EW February 2023

Cover Story

several state governments to establish
greenfield private universities and
international schools within their ju-
risdiction. Somewhat belatedly, state
governments have discovered that ed-
ucation is a ‘concurrent’ subject under
the Constitution of India, and there-
fore they are empowered to sanction
private education institutions within
their boundaries.
This flurry of capacity-building
across the spectrum in India’s lacka-
daisical education sector has gener-
ated considerable expectation within
academia and society that Indian
education is at an inflection point
and is poised to experience a 1991
moment, when post-independence ISCR's Samuel Fraser: rising popularity Mishra: middle class pressure
India’s elaborate industrial licensing
regimen which shackled business and enrolment ratio) in higher education transformation of higher education
industry for over 40 years, was sub- stuck under 30 percent as against 60- institutions (HEIs) into globally com-
stantially dismantled in the historic 80 percent in developed OECD coun- petitive centres of learning and re-
Union Budget of that year formulated tries, progressive state governments search.
by the Narasimha Rao-led Congress in Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, “Twenty-first century India is al-
government. However, experienced Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh ready one of the most unequal societ-
professionals monitoring Indian edu- have enacted enabling legislation for ies worldwide. According to a recent
cation believe the upgradation, re- promotion of globally benchmarked Oxfam report, the rich 1 percent own
form and expansion of capacity being private universities to nurture skilled 50 percent of national wealth and top
witnessed currently in the knowledge and readily employable graduates. For 10 percent owns 80 percent of na-
sector is being driven by the growth of instance, 25 modern private universi- tional assets and wealth. Liberalisa-
the middle class and incremental so- ties have been established in Haryana tion of the education sector to permit
cial awareness that high quality edu- in the new millennium. This trend is multiplication of private schools and
cation is the best passport to upward likely to be spurred by the liberal pro- universities charging monthly tuition
mobility, rather than NEP 2020 and visions of NEP 2020,” says Anand fees which are ten-twenty times the
government initiatives. Prakash Mishra, a law postgrad of average annual household income, is
“ UNLIKE THE 1991 INDUSTRY and Director, Jindal Global Law egalitarian social order and generate
licence to perpetuate the existing in-
Delhi University and currently Dean
and commerce liberalisation,
School (JGLS) of the privately pro-
social tension. Moreover, import of
large numbers of private uni-
will dilute, if not extinguish, Indian
(JGU, estb.2009). In quick time, JGLS
versities and schools spring- moted O.P. Jindal Global University western syllabuses and curriculums
ing up countrywide is not the outcome has emerged as the country’s largest culture and traditions of a large num-
of new or changed government poli- and most admired fully-residential ber of schools and universities whose
cies. They are the consequence of ris- law school (5,048 students mentored graduates will be further alienated
ing awareness within government and by 487 faculty). from the general population,” warns
society especially in the states, of In- Unsurprisingly, liberalisation and the education professor of a top-
dia’s growing unemployment problem. in particular entry of branded foreign ranked Central university who pre-
The government policy framework — schools and universities is anathema ferred to remain anonymous.
that schools, colleges and universities to leftists and socialists who despite Rohit Dhankar, professor at the
must be not-for-profit institutions the collapse of communist ideology Azim Premji University, Bengaluru
promoted under the Societies Act, and regimes worldwide continue to (estb.2010), ranked India’s #1 private
1860, the Charitable and Religious dominate Indian academia. For this university for social sciences in the
Trusts Act, 1920 or as not-for-profit lobby, issues of equity and inclusion EW India Higher Education Rank-
companies under s.25 of the Compa- of historically marginalised commu- ings 2022-2023, is also unenthused
nies Act, 2013 remains unchanged. nities and EWS (economically weaker about the red carpet rolled out by NEP
But with the country’s GER (gross sections) are of greater import than 2020 and UGC (University Grants

42 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2023