There’s a traditional, deplorable control-and-command culture within post-independence India’s higher bureaucracy, particularly the estimated 6,375-strong twice-born IAS (Indian Administrative Service) fraternity which essentially runs the Central and state governments.
Apart from transforming high-potential India into a time-agnostic and hostile-to-business, subsidies-addicted and perhaps irremediably corrupt economy, the control-and-command culture of bureaucrats at the Centre and in the states has also prevented the flowering of independent institutions which define great and prosperous democracies. It’s self-evident that for nations and societies to flourish, their industry, judiciary, universities and other institutions of products, services, research and knowledge creation must enjoy a high degree of independence and autonomy. Government micromanagement is a recipe for disaster.
This is the argument advanced by our cover story on the seemingly innocuous Indian Institutes of Management Bill 2015, which in its draft form severely threatens to abridge the autonomy of the 13 Central government-promoted IIMs — especially of the three premier ABC (Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta) IIMs — which despite their controlling parent, have succeeded in establishing global reputations for delivering high-quality postgraduate business management education. Disturbingly, the excessively controlling IIM Bill 2015 is the second attempt of a BJP government at the Centre to cut the institutes down to size — a historical reality ignored by mainstream media. This suggests a long-term strategic intent to control the IIMs. Our eve-of-Independence Day cover feature explains why India’s premier B-schools deserve greater autonomy to promote the spirit of innovation and creativity, rather than a hostile takeover by business-illiterate bureaucrats.
This month’s special report feature also addresses an issue of great import for the future of Indian education. Shortly after it was swept to power in Delhi in General Election 2014, the BJP/NDA government to its credit announced an intent to formulate a New Education Policy (NEP) suited to the needs and demands of the 21st century. Moreover, in a departure from past practice, it called for mass public participation in the policy formulation process. But curiously, none of the country’s most respected education NGOs were invited to partake of the exercise, and public suggestions on the Union HRD ministry’s website were restricted to a mere 500 characters. Therefore in this issue, we present our brief, but not cursory, recommendations in response to the government’s invitation for public participation.
These seminal lead features apart, there’s much else in this eve of Independence Day issue of EducationWorld, designed to awaken and stimulate the academy and public. Indian education is at a historic crossroads. Get involved!
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