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Kudos to EducationWorld for blowing the lid off the corruption cancer which is eating away at the vitals of India’s education system (EW May).

Surprisingly your cover story didn’t highlight the connection between excessive subsidisation of higher education and falling standards in academia. With the Central and state governments having prescribed rock-bottom tuition fees for government arts, science and commerce colleges, these institutions have become a nesting habitat of students who have no interest in their subjects or in serious study. Moreover by decreeing reservations for scheduled castes, tribes and OBCs, they are pushing under-qualified students into institutions of higher education. While in doing so social justice objectives may be achieved, they diminish standards in higher education.

The plain truth is that there’s no alternative to private universities and colleges to provide globally acceptable quality higher education to youth who are serious about learning and research. When students are compelled to pay tuition fees that hurt, they will not only take their studies seriously but also have greater expectations of their teachers. A Private Universities Bill facilitating the promotion of privately promoted universities has been pending in Parliament for over a decade. Your cover story is a strong argument for its revival and translation into enabling legislation. As Dr. Nigavekar highlighted in his column in your issue under reference (p.22), it’s high time this Bill is enacted by Parliament.

I was dismayed to read your cover story ‘Corruption cancer destroying Indian academia’ (EW May). When the top people i.e vice-chancellors and registrars in universities and colleges are corrupt, there is little that can save Indian education. Unfortunately education is no longer the noble profession it once was; it’s become big business where money can be made real quick. By paying up, one can get admission, upgrade mark sheets, access leaked exam question papers and get teaching jobs. I agree with you that the fundamental cause of the spreading corruption contagion in Indian education is incremental political interference. The job of politicians is to provide citizens with good governance — not to administer academic institutions.

Moreover I believe that vice-chancellors and registrars accused of graft should be punished with jail sentences and heavy fines. Meting out strict punishment to those who have tarnished the reputation of Indian education will serve as a warning to others in academia.

Please permit me to raise the issue of reservation for socio-economically disadvantaged groups in education institutions. In my opinion reservation and quotas are most undesirable, espe-cially in schools. To provide education to poorer/weaker sections of society, more government and aided schools need to be promoted. Private schools which have not taken any concessions from the government should not be interfered with as the Supreme Court has held in the TMA Pai Foundation (2002) and P.A. Inamdar (2005) cases.

If people who can pay for them can freely buy swanky homes, cars, etc, why should those who can afford to pay for good education be deprived of facilities which only private schools and colleges can provide? Recommendations by government on certain matters like admission of OBC students, fees chargeable etc must not be mandatory for private schools.

The cover story titled ‘Corruption cancer destroying Indian academia’ (EW May) made interesting reading. The feature clearly revealed why Indian universities are inefficient and unable to compete globally. Hitherto we had heard of corrupt politicians, policemen and even corrupt army officers but corrupt teachers are a new species. Corruption seems to have percolated from government into academia.

As it is government allocations for higher education are pathetically inadequate. Secondly university tuition fees have been rock-bottom for decades. And if vice-chancellors siphon off huge amounts, how much will be left to provide education facilities to students?

If this trend of increasing corruption on campuses continues, there is no hope of seeing a developed India in the near future. Is there no solution to this? The media should follow your lead and expose more scandals on campus to awaken the public.

The special report titled ‘Ill-advised resistance to sex education’ (EW May) was enlightening. I am surprised at the stiff vocal resistance to the concept of sex education by all concerned, except students. Academics, teachers, parents, bureaucrats, politicians and virtually everyone is hammer and tongs against introduction of sex education in schools. I wonder if this so called moral brigade is aware that India hosts the largest number of HIV-AIDS infected people worldwide, that a large percen-tage of children face sexual abuse and crimes against women are on the rise.

Yes, some of the content of the suggested lesson plans is objectionable but it can be edited to suit local needs. Rather than objecting to the content, the moral brigade is protesting against the concept itself. They must realise that sex education is crucial for guidance and protection of the country’s youth.

Sridhar Shastry
Tumkur (Karnataka)