Much Cry and Little Wool – Private Deliverance of Higher Education

Since a substantial portion of higher education’s benefits accrue to students personally, it makes sense that students should bear some or most of the cost. If higher education does create social benefits in addition to personal ones, there is an argument for some sort of government subsidy. But there is no economic argument for direct government provision of college at no charge. College is not a public good and never will be. Since higher education is not a public good, it does not follow that access to college should be universal and free of charge. But that has not stopped advocacy organizations from labelling college a “public good” to make the argument that it should be free.

Educational landscape is now characterised by an increasing involvement of non-state actors, including for-profit organizations. The rising implication of non-state actors in education takes a large variety of forms, such as private operation of public schools (contract schools), private sector supply of inputs into the education process, education vouchers and scholarships, delivery of education by private providers. These multiple situations are generally considered as types of public-private partnership (PPP), a term that holds a host of definitions but can be loosely defined as a public and private interaction to deliver a service. This results into a shift from government to governance in policy-making in Higher Education

While perusing websites of private universities, engineering colleges, and MBA institutes, one will inevitably find an “About Us” page featuring the origin story of the establishment together with a vision and a Mission statement. No one would ever know how good those stories or statements are until one travels to visit some of them.

It is shocking to see how these institutions operate in such sad conditions that at times one wonders how could such institutions be established and approved in the first place. Sometimes one meets students, who, despite not having the wherewithal of any amenities and methods for any realistic teaching and learning activities, smiled all the time. Their stories are so inspiring that no one would escape noticing at once about each one having in them the attitude, aptitude, hunger and a dedication to succeed.

Sometimes one would meet teachers, who neither have the knowledge nor the perseverance to teach and enable learning. During such meetings, most of them would want to keep their heads low to duck any queries thrown at them. They are all grateful for the job they had, usually under qualified, more often than not paid less than the statutory wages, with no aspirations to thrive and grow professionally.

The owner/proprietor of these institutions would always be there to receive and garland a visitor of high academic credentials, vociferously express embarrassingly false admiration for the achievements of the visitor and bend over their backs in being pleasant and welcoming. Slowly but with certainty, they would narrate stories of the commitment of their ancestors to the cause of education and how, as the most worthy progeny, they are working very hard to fulfil the dreams of their ancestors.

Most of these institutions also flaunt a signature statement on their logo, in Sanskrit, simply ripped out of 700 holy verses of the भगवद गीता (Bhagwad Gita). The sense of discovery, purpose, and heroism on these institutional websites would feel impressive if it weren’t such a cliché.

    "भोली सूरत दिल के खोटे, नाम बड़े और दर्शन छोटे

    Bholi surat dil ke khote, Naam bade aur Darshan chote"

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