Doomed Education in 'Deemed' Universities

Providing education has become just a business/source of revenue in recent times. Education has relegated to a saleable commodity which increases one’s marketability and educational institutions (especially seats of higher learning) are mere business centres offering the "trendy" and "marketable" courses without the basic infrastructure and churning out 'commodities' called the ‘degree holders’. The way some institutions are operating and advertising reflects on the commercial motive behind establishing these enterprises. These institutions are selling hopes and dreams to the future generation.

No one is bothered of the credibility/authenticity of the institutions before joining for post graduation or PhD. Many of us go by the attractive labels or tags, as 'flies are to fire'. Its strange that lots of fake institutes have been getting the status of University and more ironically the status of ‘Deemed’ University. The Centre's decision to withdraw the deemed university status to 44 DUs seems to be a good move to cleanse up the rotten educational system. What ever be the aim behind the decision by the Centre, it's ultimately the students who have to pay the price for their decision to join these institutes for a secure future. Implementing such decisions one fine morning will be endangering the future of innocent students. It’s the authorities who had given the nod for establishing such institutes and granted "Deemed" or what ever status to some institutions. Why in the first place the authorities had made judgemental errors/ improper decisions having far-reaching implications in the society? Why there was no early scrutiny/ monitoring of these institutes? Realisation has dawned late.

In the name of education many business centres had mushroomed in many parts of the country producing some degree holders and mocking at those students who are admitted to good institutes after a tough competition and who pass out from such institutes of repute. Again how admission is obtained in such institutes is a different issue to be addressed. If you have money you can even buy a medical seat, you can enroll in a medical college and safely complete your studies and become a doctor. This applies to other professions as well. Once in the profession you can get back all the money you had spend for getting a degree. Or why bother? After all your marketability and status in society is improved with such a degree. This is the aim and attitude of many of the students and parents. The investment made by parents for the education of their children is huge. Sprouting of innumerable private tuition centres for even primary classes, mushrooming of entrance coaching centres charging huge fees (even for IAS there are rigorous coaching classes... ridiculous or even worst?), screening the students for admission in the nursery classes etc only reflect upon the demeaning commercialised education and the erosion of values in totality from the system. (The rut in the educational system is discussed else where in the blog, Ref: Ethics, Education and Religion). As a result, education has become inaccessible to a major chunk of the impoverished population who are economically weak and lack a political clout. Higher education is an affair meant only for the upper strata of the society. Anyone can start an educational institution in his/her own name, a short-cut and an easy way to fame, reputation or social recognition. The functional autonomy provided by the 'deemed' status enables them to work as they please. If it is not exaggeration, there are educational institutions established in the name of liquor barons and other such ‘noble’ people. And then we have all sorts of technologies and specialisations now a days. We have hair dressing technology, catering technology, cleaning technology, washing technology, cloth-cutting technology and what not. Hope no one starts an IIT to offer such 'professional' courses.....Specialisations/specialists who treat the disease and not the patient (failing to look at the whole) are so common now a days. We have engineering colleges at every nook and corner. Do we require these many engineers? Ultimately the scenario in the job sector becomes grim. Those with higher educational qualifications end up doing petty jobs, the years spend on education becoming a sheer waste.

When the government itself is encouraging privatisation in the name of quality, establishing self-financing colleges even in medical or engineering or other professions, and exercises absolutely ineffective monitoring of state-run educational institutions or is the least concerned to improve the working conditions of government institutions, why blame the private colleges/ institutions? The situation in some of the institutes (Government) of high repute is not different. A total revamp is needed in all aspects of higher education. Let this be the first step.