Higher education urgently needs more government support

Students at Mumbai, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Tuljapur campuses of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) have recently been protesting against the proposed withdrawal of Government of India Post Matric Scholarship by the institute. This scholarship, provided by the government to SC, ST and OBC students, makes it possible for many to pursue courses at higher education institutes like TISS. 

In its defence, the TISS administration had explained that while it had not stopped any scholarship, it was now becoming increasingly difficult for them to continue giving the scholarship. This is how things work: the institute gives the scholarship out of its own pocket (by waiving tuition and other fees) and is then reimbursed by the central government. Interestingly, that reimbursement has not arrived for sometime now, putting the institute in a financial fix.

Some students see this as an extension of the government’s attitude towards higher education, especially in the arts and humanities education. The quality of higher education in India is appalling when compared to the universities/institutes across the world. There are only a handful of universities here which can compete globally when it comes to research and placements. Not surprisingly, the number of students seeking postgraduate education in places of repute far outnumbers the seats at these prestigious universities. Even if they get through, higher education is expensive and in absence of any scholarship it becomes difficult for students from marginalised communities to pursue their dream. 

In the last few years, there has been a lot of hue and cry against the taxpayers’ money being used to fund students at universities like JNU. People belonging to a certain class have been vocal about ‘their money’ making it possible for ‘politically radical’ students to study in campuses across India. The crass elitism apart, it would be not be surprising to find that many of those who complain about the issue are able to send their children to universities abroad. The number of students pursuing higher education in UK, US, Europe or Australia keeps rising with every passing year. There is a class of Indians who are completely uninterested in the improvement of our higher education system simply because they are a disinterested party. They have the means to send their children outside India and their elite inner circles ensures that these degrees have more value in the job market than any degree obtained within India.

When so much is made out of the political nature of campuses in India, one wonders what a student pursuing higher education is expected to do. Are they expected to merely sit through their classes, pass exams and get a job? What if there is no job at the end of the road? What if they pursue something that may be considered unproductive by a large section of the society? The purpose of higher education, especially in arts and humanities is a topic that requires greater discussion. But one can’t ignore the role students play in political change, as a pressure group and as an oppositional voice to the incumbent powers that be. Many of our current leaders have emerged from student politics and it continues to give us young leaders who represent a unique voice that is important for a vibrant democracy.

As far as TISS is concerned, many students go to TISS to study social work and related disciplines. Some go there to become ‘changemakers’ and to give something back to the society. Others want to go into research/academics and lay the foundation on which policies are created. After passing out, they work at grassroots level organisations as well as with government departments on different social programmes. A number of these students belong to Dalit, tribal and other backward communities. They come from deprived economic and social backgrounds which makes it impossible for them to pursue higher education. At the same time, they have the capability to initiate social change by taking a lead in the upliftment of their community. These are leaders of tomorrow and it should be the ethical duty of the government to facilitate their education and not hinder it. The present government has often claimed that the upliftment of SC/ST and other backward communities is its utmost priority. Here is a chance for it to show that it is willing to keep up on that promise.

Higher educational institutions are an important force in shaping our society. They produce research that enriches the pursuit of knowledge. They become centres of intellectual debate and discussion and thus, have a profound impact on our society and politics. They are places where ideas grow and it is the duty of institutions, academicians and the government to facilitate that process in every way it can. Our focus should be on improving the quality of our higher education by investing in it financially and intellectually. By denying scholarships to students from vulnerable sections of society, we are only regressing to a deeply divided society, where the benefits of higher education can be accessed by only a privileged few. This kind of injustice will have grave consequences not only for our educational system but for the ideals of social justice that are enshrined in our constitution.

The author is a poet and activist based in Delhi