Robbing an Arab Spring

Why is it that one is eligible to vote at the age of 18, but no politics is permitted on campuses?

- N. Sukumar

"THE Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." The leadership qualities, the nurturing of confidence and generating solidarity should be the rationale for any academic institution whether it is public or private. The values associated with Eton, both forged within the classroom and outside, helped the British in its colonial enterprise. More recently, Harvard University fought to retain its autonomy amidst the freezing of federal funds. In India, too many institutions are struggling to maintain their academic commitments in the face of statist pressure.

The past three decades have witnessed the mushrooming of private educational institutions which promise state-of-the-art infrastructure for the teaching-learning process. Needless to mention, such facilities come with a hefty price tag. When the state-run public education system is floundering, many students and parents with deep pockets desire to shift to institutions which would promise quality education. On their part, the private colleges/universities also try to attract students with fee waivers or scholarships coupled with aggressive marketing strategies. The state policies also encouraged such ventures.

However, in the post-liberalisation era, the purpose of education is limited to skill enhancement leading to job placements. The teaching-learning outcomes have to be synchronised with the global market. The ‘students’ are not considered as a subject with their own agency for critical thinking, rather an empty vessel which can be filled up with factual knowledge. There is limited scope to conscientise them about the prevailing social, cultural and political life worlds. Ultimately, an infantilised consumer citizen is being fashioned.

The Idea of Politics