It has been observed that some of the private colleges in India take donations from students without giving receipts, in turn, proving to be a source of 'black money'. Furthermore, the entrance exams are not conducted in a fair way. Deserving candidates are not able to gain entry to colleges due to financial problems.
Savinaya: It is unfortunate and unacceptable what happened to you. "conditioning" is a slow and abusive process of controlling free thinking of people around you. This actually starts from childhood. What I have heard from several people is "everybody does this"! It means that if a lot of people do criminal/immoral activities, it is acceptable. Coming back to education in India: I have been associated with three private institutions of higher education where the system is near perfect. The management really cares about the students and are no capitation fees. Most of the private institutions can only attract mediocre teaching staff and students. They prey upon the insecurities of middle class. Both for jobs and degrees. Government organizations have their own problems: interference from politicians, "transfers" and lack of incentives. I was told by the Director General of one of the leading engineering schools that the number of new colleges in India increased 1000 fold in the past three decades! How can we get qualified teachers in par with this rapid growth. One Wall Street Journal article put qualified Indian fresh engineers a 4%!!
it becoming business means that it is getting money. But not having any rules and regulations means that it is only for business with no fairness and quality. If government put them under some rules and regulations then this will solve the problem of fairness and will bring some quality. There are both sides in everything.
No never.. Its not healthy.. Education should carried by government.. In tamilnadu the Govt running TASMAC and the private running the schools getting high donation and dragging the students.. The Private schools and colleges are just teaching the matters in the book. not to attain knowledge or how to live a life or whats a life.. we common people are also responsible for that. We have to take our children to the public schools and we educated people have to take it to the public.. please consider this
For-profit educational institutions are the new wave of business not only in India but elsewhere too. In Lebanon, we have the same phenomena but as declared by my colleagues here there are the institutions which make money but in return they offer quality education and on the other side the institutions which are making money irrespective of their disrespect to the students and their parents.
Should the government interfere, the answer is yes. However you know and I know that some government officials are corrupt and with their corruption comes the disaster that poor people face. Parents are in dire need to offer education to their sons and daughters, but because of the corruption they get nothing in return except greed and disrespect. One way to make these institutions pay for their corruption is the word of mouth and open talk about those involved. Time will bring justice.
To run a school with the sole purpose of making money is wrong. the teaching profession is a calling. imparting knowledge should be the main driving force. offering quality education should be the watch word. the government should set a standard people who intend to start a school should meet.
Sobrasua E. M. Ibim, Ph.D., Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Atlanta, GA
Education should be good business not only for India but also for all nations. With respect to India with such a huge population to support, education should be a tool to encourage technological innovations that leads to job creation and other opportunities. As in all developing countires the need to acquire education is abused by opportunists who offer bogus opportunities for the dream. Government support and regulation should guide a nationwide desire to create educational opportunities.
Unless corruption in the political system is eliminated the entire democratic system including education by private companies can not be fixed
Nammalwar, your right. But practicing self-restraint is a personal choice. Therefore, having empathy towards serving the community at large with quality education while making money could be practiced.
The main problem is that most people do not realize the difference between knowledge and information! What you get out of search engines are only information you need real teachers to transfer knowledge. What many educational institutions in India and many other places providing is only information. If we have to progress we need a system at I would provide knowledge the knowledge has at least two components: experience and ability to reproduce the experience.
Savinaya! I have been following your question for a while and the answers you have got are quite adequate. Certainly, any large scale business is good for the economy, but those businesses that are based on fraud, money laundering, and the like are as you know unlawful and degrade human values. I agree with Hussin Hejase that by raising awareness about the foul of people being involved in this dirty deed might put a limit to such embarrassment. In Lebanon, the government has put strict regulations on new universities that were established in the post war era so as to avoid such a drift, and I believe that the government has succeeded in this task. India's government ought to do the same thing. The role of media is fundamental in such a reform.
Education can never be considered as a business, All governments should provide strong support to public education at all levels in order to give equal opportunity to all students. If a country X for whatever reason has adopted an education policy allowing private schools, national authorities should ensure that both education systems have the same quality and the same opportunity to reach university studies and can has access to the best University of the country.
Most of the private colleges and universities belong to politicians and they have access to power. These colleges and universities are smokeless industries for which raw materials are parents and students. It is very easy to do education business without much investment. It is a silent business done by the colleges and universities. The private universities are also getting huge funding from UGC and other research funding agencies. God only knows what is happening in these private colleges and universities. Indian citizens and academicians are helpless and have to bear the pain of it.
Hi. I think it is great to make money out of education. It should be what all researchers do as a result of their research and developing their expertise. We have to disseminate what we discover - it can be via publication or via teaching.
Now, the problem is not the making of money - it is what is meant by an education. If all the students want is a piece of paper that says "Master in Science" and not truly learning how to think creatively and critically, how to develop strategic ideas and how to implement them tactically so that they can develop great solutions to the world's problems, how to see the big picture and yet the details of their subject and how that applies to the advancement of humanity, how to learn and teach themselves new knowledge and skills, and very importantly, learn the values that matter to a civilised society - then all that they can do is carry out what they have been trained to do. Let us not fool ourselves that the student has had an education. The student has merely been trained to carry out a task.
If society is to be populated by people mainly with trained skills to carry out defined tasks, we lose the soul. If you think about the how we (e.g. in the western world) select and train doctors - it is surprising to hear the number of very bright medical students who have absolutely no compassion for the people they are supposed to help. They have lost the values that were the basis of medicine.
If we can make money by educating and training our people, and develop our industries and economies, and thereby advance our societies - I think it is great. But don't forget that an education is not just a piece of paper.
I agree that governments should interfere by instituting a strict quality system of Key Performance Indicators which conserve the entity of education and to guard the spirit/ soul needed for educated people in their professions as B.L. Wong stated.
By the way, it's unfortunate that education is loosing its track at the moment! Investors have taken off education from educationist. Its for money making sometimes to the point that: Education no longer train people how to Think: How to synthesized the knowledge we gain and how to translate these knowledge in to practical life situation! Most learning institute especially in Uganda and I am surprise to hear about India simply concentrate at exams results. They too Examination oriented to the point that all the students have to do is to "read" for exams! Reading culture is dying.
University is the place of Excellence that is what my parents and seniors told me in 70's-80's. Unfortunately, now-a-days everywhere in the world mostly developed and developing countries are using Education as Business. No place of "Excellence". In India, there are variety of Educational Institutes (State funded, Private, Locally developed by social leaders, individual initiative and many more). Except, State funded Universities - most of them are Business Organizations. You pay dollars-Rupee-Pound whatever and get your degree. Does not matter what are your academic background and intelligence. Some places in India you can get admitted to medical school with only money. As a consequence, the best high school boys/girls in your neighborhood are not getting the scope to do further study in University whereas worst one is admitted to highest level University with his/her father's unaccountable money. In many scenarios many parents are sending their kids overseas Universities (such as Australia, US, New Zealand, China etc). University "Degree" is a commodity now. University will sell it depending on who is the "Buyer". Middle class Indian who do not have the buying capacity taking loan from "Bank" with huge interest rate and send their Kids overseas. Dump their own state school close to his home.
These students passed the course easily the reason is: Business makes money with good success rates, same thing is true for University. Whatever be the standard of the students does not matter - you will pass because you paid full tuition fee. May be in worst scenarios - one or two supplement exams. Because business people know how to attract more customer using existing customers.
Most of them will try to get immigration in overseas - a few will get it but most of them go back to India and looking for jobs.
Now read this story:
There are 4 category of people in an organization:
A: Very knowledgeable and appreciate others knowledge
B: Not very knowledgeable and appreciate others knowledge
C: Very low knowledgeable and do not appreciate others knowledge
D: No Knowledge and do not know how to appreciate others knowledge
Gradually fill up entire work force in India with C and D category and that is the ultimate future.
Keep it in mind: India make many talented and gifted students either they stay in India and study in crown educational organizations (such as Indian Statistical Institute, some Indian Institute of Technologies (but not all), Indian Institute of Science etc.. Even if they go overseas - they go for "Higher Education" - not for getting a " So called created Degree". Above paragraph is not meant for this category students.
Having categories "C and D" stated by Asit, in any work force is a disaster indeed. Therefore, the responsibility falls on all of our shoulders to keep track and an eye on institutions which are simply taking advantage. Spread the word about wrong deeds, the people will respond with time.
The Management terminated me , when I have questioned about the corrupt system of Management.They framed false and baseless allegations against me & conducted unlawful inquiry.This happens in India ,So every teacher who is working in India will have fear of loosing job. So they will keep quite. Private Managements never follows the rules and regulations of statutory body .I would like start a campaign against this at international level, very soon . According to my knowledge ,By getting education person should get away from fear. If the education teaches you the slavery , then there is no moral value left behind by getting educated.
Savinaya: It is unfortunate and unacceptable what happened to you. "conditioning" is a slow and abusive process of controlling free thinking of people around you. This actually starts from childhood. What I have heard from several people is "everybody does this"! It means that if a lot of people do criminal/immoral activities, it is acceptable. Coming back to education in India: I have been associated with three private institutions of higher education where the system is near perfect. The management really cares about the students and are no capitation fees. Most of the private institutions can only attract mediocre teaching staff and students. They prey upon the insecurities of middle class. Both for jobs and degrees. Government organizations have their own problems: interference from politicians, "transfers" and lack of incentives. I was told by the Director General of one of the leading engineering schools that the number of new colleges in India increased 1000 fold in the past three decades! How can we get qualified teachers in par with this rapid growth. One Wall Street Journal article put qualified Indian fresh engineers a 4%!!
Recent scenario of education in india indicating increasing trend of business rather than educating people. Large number of private universities offering various courses at very high fee structure, but they fail to provide education for all.
Education and Health in country like india where 37% people are living below poverty line should be cheap and available to All. Business driven education is not good for a nation's growth because this type of education does not promote research and development capability in students. It is promoting education culture for earn rather than learn.
In the name of Educating every one, the Government of India has opened doors for openning teaching shops irrespective any criteria , strategy or regulaization and licenced selling of paper degrees without any proper instruction , evluation and not to speak of any inspiration because thevery end is ill conceived ie merely to earn money by hook or crook and thus all means are all rotten. It is promoting a culture of corruption, nepotism all well accelrated by politicians and most executives.
One aside to this discussion is what effects the privatization and Indian-hyperfocusedness on educational diplomas (over excellence) is having as a spillover here in the Middle East.
The privatization issue is, in fact, a global one as noted by C. Lewis above. However, due to its proximity and due to the need for expatriate instructors at institutions across the Gulf region, a sort-of Indianization of institutions is taking place in some locales. I can think of one neighboring college that has achieved this moniker near where I live today. However, since the phrase Indianization is neutral in itself, I am not sure whether the moniker is good or negative. What do you think it could mean? What is the backwash of Indian-style education in the Middle East--and how is that to be defined by those who use the term? pejoratively or positively?
I need to add that I work with many fine Indian teaching colleagues currently.
A public educational institution charges all citizens via tax; a private institution charges only those who come for the service. If all Indians are capable of buying education, then why shouldn't they be charged for the service. Unfortunately, India is full of poor people who do not have adequate access to basic education. Amartya Sen keeps saying that India needs to invest more in just to improve its basic education. It's middle class is so heterogenous that some members of it could send their kids to Europe and North America and some of them could only to low-cost universities, which are publicly funded. Privatization is good so long it decreases tax burden on citizens.But unfortunately, in the current context of India, privatization/commercialization of education will cut the supply of skilled labour force, create more divisions in society and fuel the many ongoing social conflicts.
Savinaya, I have been pondering over your question and have been carefully going through all the reactions in Research Gate. While there is no denial that some of the educational institutes are bringing down the standard of education in India by treating education as business where marketing gimmicks are used to allure students and all types of students are admitted without assessment of aptitude & attitude, there are some really very good private institutes which impart quality education and concentrates on knowledge building & skill development. Governmental intervention is essential to ensure that quality education is imparted and students are not exploited through charging of exorbitant fees. India is a vast and thickly populated country where about 55% of population is below 30 years of age. Hence, while government must invest in health, sanitation and education, there is no harm in opening up the school and higher education to private sector with proper governmental regulation in respect of infrastructure, quality of education, knowledge & skill development. Government of India had earlier set up National Council of Education Research and Training in respect of school education, All India Council of Technical Education, Medical Council of India, National Knowledge Commission and many more advisory & regulatory bodies to ensure quality of education. It is for all the conscious and responsible citizen of our country ( India ) to ensure corruption free environment in every sphere by being vigilant.
Jaharkanti Dattagupta ,Government should invest much more in education and health sector.I think ,government should stop privatization of education and health sector.By these two sector government can create more jobs and get more income.I feel Indian political leaders should take bold step but they can't. They funded by same private corporate world. Yes, I do agree some of the private colleges provide quality exams. The common people in India ,miss understood that there are something called donation seats!!!!.They think that pick pocketing is crime but buying seat is part of system. UGC rules and regulations clearly says that education is not a business.Commercialization of education is crime. There are no seats called donation seats in India .Even private colleges or deemed universities should conduct fair and fine exams.They can charge fee structure decided by the regulatory bodies .Management is not suppose to get any money through capitation fee.There is no procedure that pay donation and get the seat .That is illegal but common people think that if they pay the donation then only they will get the seat. This is how managements cheat the common people. They show it to the government , this donation given by so and so. If they collect the huge amount of money from students , they will not give any receipt .That money will converted into black money but no trace.The entrance exams are conducted according to the rules and regulations of UGC ,MCI etc but manipulates the rank list according to the wish of Management.Here are also it is difficult to trace it.It looks like fair and fine exam system. The MBBS and MD seats are having high market in India. You will be shocked to hear that , the value of MD radiology will be between 1 crore to 5 crores !!!. Can you Imagine , one middle class or poor family guy getting MD radiology seat in India ?.The increase in number of Private and deemed universities resulted in talented people getting seats through entrance exam has become day dream!!!.This is very bad for the society because education system itself teaching the students how to manipulate and become corrupt.
Certainly in country the education is a business. It is not good for national growth, where as it can be good resource for money by selling quality education. The institutions have become publishing and printing house for degree and adding poorest type brain for country. Government as well institute should have proper planning to impart quality knowledge in these centers not give the print out of testimonials. the scenario reflects that there vacuum in intellects with addition of Hippocrates in intellectuals.
Dear Savinaya,
You mentioned, "It has been observed that some of the private colleges in India take donations from students without giving receipts, in turn, proving to be a source of 'black money'. Furthermore, the entrance exams are not conducted in a fair way. Deserving candidates are not able to gain entry to colleges due to financial problems.". in the context of whether education should be business.
There are many issues here - one of the key ones verges on corruption. If you are asking if corruption is good / right for a country - it is prob a very bad idea. In any country where corruption prevails - eg where one has to pay "grease money" to government officials just to get them to do their official jobs, e.g. the selling of government application forms when they should be free, or as above, paying "coffee money" to pass the driving licence, or paying a "donation" to pass an entrance exam - then corruption exists. As an individual - not much can be done. It will take a very strong politician in the right kind of political climate, to say that corruption is wrong and to set in place new policies that ban corruption. Unfortunately this cannot be done in isolation - salaries must change as well, so that the salaries of government officials outweighs the fines or the punishment of being caught doing corruption. Change is a very Machiavellian problem.
This is a different problem to developing education into a business making industry.
Education should primarily be a public good. This is necessary for a country to grow, by ensuring that there is an educated and trained workforce for the economy to develop. If education is in the control of the government, then it can and should align it with its economic plans for the country - so that the education system trains the population to become the workforce that will drive the economy in the way they plan the economy to develop.
IF planned and implemented well, some elements of the education system can be supplemented or replaced by business, and by doing so, the government creates a new industry. But as with ANY industry, there needs to be regulation - as we all know, we human beings are very prone to exploiting others for selfish reasons. Self-regulation seldom seem to work. The regulation however should be about education, and not just skill attainment. This is to ensure that society develops. Incredibly advance technologies, e.g. smart phones or even simpler mobile phones, do not advance societies. Peoples progress because they want to make a better life for themselves and their children. Peoples progress because there are means by which such progress can occur in the economy. Corruption stops that from happening. Peoples progress and they change the way they thing and how they might use science and technology to make their world a safer and better place. Education can do that - but if education becomes purely a paper and revenue generation activity, then as educators, we would have lost the opportunity to make business work to benefit of the common man.
I teach at a private university. IMHO they are not a bad thing per se, as they allow for rapid expansion of an education system to emerging needs without investment of public funds, which are often scarce.
However, oversight is very important. My students have to pass the US Medical Licensing Exam set by the National Board of Medical Examiners, just like students in US public institutions. In additions, selection for residency is largely by US-MLE Step 1 and -2 grades. Thus all students are judged by the same criteria, making the system fair. This forces my school to invest in good teachers and other resources to ensure that students not only pass those exams, but obtain competitive grades.
About 2/3 of our students go into primary care, this is the area where demand for qualified physicians is highest in the US. By gearing training toward this area we serve a need of society.
I used to work for a public university in a developing country that could give medical degrees without oversight. The number of students we were allowed to fail was a political, rather than an academic issue. Needless to say, the medical system in that country was so bad that anybody with the means would seek medical treatment abroad. I shall never again put myself in such a situation.
The problem with social justice is an important one: Are all people able to get the education that meets their abilities and interests and the needs of society; regardless of the means of their families? In most European countries, you can get even a university education free of charge, this is financed by taxing people on the higher income thus obtained. In the US, students have to pay upfront, in the hope of getting a higher income later with which to pay back their (horrendous) student loans. I find the European system more inclusive and hence fairer.
Corruption is the scourge of developing countries, and, IMHO, one major reason why they are not developed. I see no other way to deal with that problem than to actively bring both people that bribe and those that accept bribes to justice and to apply draconian punishment in a very public way. If university officers lost not only their academic titles, but also spend 10 years in a penal colony building roads and other infrastructure, thereby atoning for their sins against society, maybe others would think twice before repeating those crimes.
I see a general agreement that regulation of quality of education following a set of adopted national standards is helpful to add accountability to those who abuse the system.
Unfortunately it is largely a bad development; There will be a couple of diamonds, but the majority black stones made to shine by glazing - since dominantly the interest is profit making on the investment (behind the attractive facade), in the garb of social emancipation.
Education essentially needs to a community / society endeavor; and private investments need to be controlled; it should be clearly stated that the investor will relinquishes his / her ownership of the venture to a public trust and will retain no control over the same either by him/her or close relatives; Otherwise the education institutions will be only a center for manufacturing degrees, as is the case with many such institutions / deemed universities.
Unfortunately it is largely a bad development; There will be a couple of diamonds, but the majority black stones made to shine by glazing - since dominantly the interest is profit making on the investment (behind the attractive facade), in the garb of social emancipation.
Education essentially needs to a community / society endeavor; and private investments need to be controlled; it should be clearly stated that the investor relinquishes his / her ownership of the venture to a public trust and will retain no control over the same either by him/her or close relatives; Otherwise the education institutions will be only a center for manufacturing degrees, as is the case with many such institutions / deemed universities.
Hi Azeez, it looks like a bad news situation. Possibly a whistle blower approach is needed to expose the wrong doers!
Education in Jamaica has long been a business so it seems that India is just getting there.I believe India's Ministry of Education should become more active in supervising educational institutions and holding them accountable for delivering a high quality academic service like businesses do. As long as there are rich and poor in any country and sufficient provisions are not put in place to cushion the poverty of the very poor in acquiring education, the poor will always be left behind as those who can afford an education buy their way into prestigious institutions.
The fact that there are numerous large Businesses producing research papers and theses for students who are too in-disciplined to produce their own papers is indication that education will become a full time global business in the not too far future.
For-profit education, like for-profit health care, criminal justice and scientific research is in principle always and in practice almost always a very bad idea.
Consider this simple question: in any instance in which a decision must be made that will promote the public good at the cost of profit or vice versa, which will a corporate decision maker choose?
Consider this obvious point: public sector services are intended to meet public needs equitably, whereas for-profit service providers attend only to those who can afford the service from their own pockets.
It may be that corrupt governments and incompetent public sector administrators and employees make private sector alternatives attractive; but, the real solution is to reform the public sector, not to sell of essential government services to politicians' cronies in order to deplete the universality and undermine the public interest in education, public safety, knowledge generation ... never mind energy production, transportation and communications, etc., etc., etc.
Education as conceived by Swami Vivekanada has lost relevance now
education should not be given free The learning should earn to acquire knowledge
The student must be willing, should earn his own money to pay Guru Dakshina (Not government/ parents)
He/ she strive hard to learn
Looks like it is Utopian
Quality is more important The student should aspire to learn
Then only India will improve
All best decisions emerge out of the value propositions of the five major factors and their relative positions in the order of importance, namely, power, respect, money, knowledge and time. A society, which puts knowledge on top of the rest will look the best and knowledge should help in making a person respectable, powerful, and the like, Money is only a medium of exchange and it is a means and not an end in itself this understanding shall come only with knowledge and wisdom. If money takes the centre stage then, we commercialize, hospitals, education and the rest. Axiologically speaking, these are instrumental values, Intrinsic values are to be valued more than instrumentality
I am probably wrong, but I think there are two kind of private universities. In countries like USA, private universities give a very good qualification for a big amount of money. People who is able to go into these universities will likely have a good future. In other countries like Spain, private universities don't fight for quality, they just look for "clients". Teachers work in worst conditions than in public institutions, they are almost devoted to teaching without any time to research and they are also less payed. Students not always receive a good training and sometimes, a fair diploma either. The answer to your question depends on which kind of university India is thinking about. But, taking into consideration your example, I think it is the second one.
You are correct to say that there are two kinds of private universities in the USA. I am happy to say that here in Canada, we do not accredit private universities of any sort - but I fear that we will soon succumb to the neoliberal ideology and join the USA, India and others in the "education business."
Meanwhile, elite institutions such as Harvard and Yale cater to the wealthy and enjoy (deservedly or not) excellent academic reputations. Then, there are what my friend David Noble called the "digital diploma mills" which are also expensive (especially considering the quality of education that they provide).
One problem among many is that the differences among all sites of higher education are being blurred and all higher education is becoming more and more commercialized and commodified especially through online courses.
Incidentally, I can now claim to have been educated at both Harvard and Yale, because I took a "MOOC" course from each - one in history and another in political theory. They were entertaining at a certain level, but I learned nothing that I couldn't have found by myself in a very simple book on either topic or on a decent documentary film on public broadcasting. Meanwhile, the labor process in postsecondary education is abandoning the academic, collegial model and becoming more and more like an industrial plant or, better, a mass distribution commercial venture in which Associate Professors are becoming more and more like Walmart Associates.
Hi Howard, what is the role of the accrediting bodies in this case? Since they have no problem accrediting for profit as well as for non-profit educational institutions. May be a good outcome is the commitment to quality standards. Where I see things going bad, if the accrediting bodies become commercialized!
Accrediting bodies are bribed in India - Some of the A grade universities do not deserve them - Money, Money everywhere in India - Faculty positions and VC positions are purchased -Students also pay and get their degrees- education should become dearer
Bribe is not just paying money; There are other means of modifying peoples' opinion; and that is not limited to India alone. It would be there wherever investments are meant only to make profits; unfortunately education and such social essential services have become an opportunity for profit making
Howard Doughty - interesting observation about Harvard and Yale courses. One could generalize it for many courses which are designed to earn profit rather than to make learners educated.
Here is true story written in a literary style which reveals one of the common images of education in South Asia and East Asia.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-tragic-tale-of-the-have-by-Aftab-Alam-Class_DREAMS_Education_Education-131127-174.html
Unfortunately , In India , deemed universities violating all rules and regulations framed by UGC. They are conducting entrance exam in their own way!!!.These universities has become source of black money. They are not paying proper salary for staff & not providing adequate facilities to the students , they concentrate only on Money. So Indian education system is collapsing. These managements will teach the students ,how to manipulate things and become corrupt. This is the root cause of corruption.
In Tamilnadu, India with in 2-3 years all the engineering colleges will be closed as there are no opportunities for engineers - many of the engineers are employed for 8000-9000 Rs per month on adhoc basis - As a business all colleges would be closed
In India mushrooming of self financing intuitions and Universities have done enough damage.
I have had private education in India top quality institutions such as CMC, Ludhiana and other private Christian college . However, frequent visit to India with students from USA to experience Indian health care systems shows that mushrooming of private nursing colleges in Karnataka and nearby states has brought the quality of the students admitted and the academic rigor of the institutions. I am disappointed to see that private institutions bribe and get accreditation. How can we make a change ?
It is sad to hear so many incidents about the quality of education and the role of private institutions. If there is so much awareness why there is no move towards exposing the bad deeds?
It is curse for the growth of the nation. Quality of education is decreasing only quantity is increasing.
Sorry -EDUCATION SHOULD BECOME DEARER - QUALITY IS WITHIN YOU- a country like India and alike should correct - otherwise Humanity would suffer -
ask the students to pay - no government or parents should pay fees - The consumer would demand quality - Hence there is a chance of improvement-
I strongly feel that education should be a state responsibility, like health and such. Private endeavor largely, with rare exceptions, will be profit motivated (it is quite natural and rational that private investments expect good return on investments).
For privately promoted educational institutions to be really effective such private endeavors should be managed by a totally independent trust, where the original investor or heirs will not be a member or have any role in running the show or controlling the assets. Several of our educational enterprises are trust run, run by the owner trustees; and all of them will have grant mission and vision statements “social emancipation” and the like; but in effect they are largely investments, not just for financial returns but returns of several other kinds.
I think all of you are wasting your time, if you are students study well, where ever you are, and if you are teacher teach well and if you are an employer select the employee based on merit. This simple formula will solve our problem. For your kind information there are good private institutions also just like bad govt colleges.
I, but totally differ with the above opinion;
A wider and intensive discussion on the matter is required; It is essential and vital to see where the education is going and to at least say where it should not go. It is responsibility of socially conscious people to think loudly.
Elizabeth Simon, This is the concern of people in India ,how to change the corrupt system.Corruption is in peak here , so this issue should taken into International level then only Government of India will initiate the action.
Hussin Hejase, It is difficult to expose bad things in India even though it is democratic country. There is no protection for whistle blower.Private sector is powerful than Government.So common people are not ready to put their life in trouble.
P A Azeez, I completely agree with your point .Open discussion is always better to solve the problems instead of running away from the problem.One rotten tomato can spoil the whole tomatoes in bucket.I think Bipinraj should take this point into consideration and discuss the point in broader spectrum.
Savinaya Kumar, Thanks for the answer, international involvement may take much more effort-I guess. However, strategy changes in India such as nationalized exams for professional courses --for example medicine, nursing and other health care for licensing should do some standardized evaluation of the educational outcome. Publicizing the data enhances public accountability and quality of education. That is what we do in the States.
In any system there could be good institutions which may be conscious to the needs of quality education, however, the problem is great when a much larger number of institutions are destroying the image of the few ones. I agree with my colleagues that further discussion is needed and possibly I may suggest if you start a signature campaign among Indian professors first and with international professors as supporting voice to create awareness among government officials without undermining anybodies' respect.
There are 600 engineering colleges are in Tamilnadu, India .90%of them owned by politicians All STUDENT educational loans are diverted to them from the government - Persons who did illegal businesses now own all colleges.Good professors have retired.Only those who are present are not willing to fight ; want to earn .No body is prepared to rise a voice
Prof Moralidharan, you are showing a desperate situation, is this case applicable to all other Indian States?
Elizabeth Simon, strategy not yet changed. Because of common people voice Supreme court directed the MCI to conduct single national level entrance exam in medical field that is NEET. MCI decided to conduct NEET, and conducted the exams with irregularities. The private managements has taken the benefit of these irregularities and filed the appeal in Supreme court!!!.Supreme court has put stay order to NEET exams!!!. The students who wrote NEET were in soup. The private managements earned a lot by spreading the message that next year onwards no donation seats , NEET will be there!!!. So finally NEET exam has become joke!!! Till now no news of NEET exams, seat bargain started !!!.So finally medical seats are sold out for rich people who are not interested in the subject at all. The talented people are struggling ,end up with just M.B.B.S. degree!!!. The number of government seats are reduced just because of increase in number of Deemed to be Universities. This is how the system runs in democratic country like India .Sad but it is true.
Hussin Hejase, As you said, I am planning to start signature campaign.Can you suggest me some good organizations where I can file the petition and start signature campaign.
Usually contact Capacity Building NGOs, Influential politicians who are known to be decent (tough but they exist), retired professors who have strong networking capabilities, standardization councils, etc... I guess Savinaya, you need to recruit concerned Indian professors all around as well.
Thank You for the appropriate information about NEET- I did not know. What I have in mind is a national exam after the program completion MBBS, BSc(N), BPT, Pharm D and so forth -so regardless of admission and the through put what is the outcome or how the product looks like.
Even from early childhood education, India lacks its vision towards education. I always feel the intelligent kids always reduces their IQ level when they start their schooling. That is why home schooling students are far better than the regular school going students. The whole system and vision towards education should change . Even in Engineering colleges all are coming out with degrees but with lack of application knowledge. There should be a education system which should impart knowledge through application.In many private Engineering College, only the HOD s are retired hands with full of knowledge while all other staff are freshers. This is really alarming condition.
Dear Raji nr , i agree with you.Education is now in the hands of business people . Youngsters should get the experience and knowledge from seniors - One day certainly things would improve
dear Hussin Hejase , Tamil is the forerunner in starting Engg colleges - More than 600 private education colleges to train useless teachers - Other states in India are still worse barring UP, Delhi and Gujarat
India is a country which is divided by Caste - No force can unite people except caste- No educationalists will join however scholar he may be - first they will ask your caste then they talk
as far as I know, not only in India , but also in every developing country education has become business . private college's managers think about more income, instead of quality of education.
Coaching the young generation could be a good way to create awareness towards the future.
Prof. Muralidharan, there should be a way to start somewhere amid the chaotic situation described in this forum. How about addressing the young generation through social media networks (something they may be interested in ?).
Prof Muralidharan , I totally agree with your points like bribing to get A grade status in India. All points mentioned are very true and actual fact. My biggest question here, how to stop it ? Is it possible ?If possible what are all ways ?.
Hussin Hejase , very good view . Social media playing great role in bringing out the problems exists in society. Hope this will become issue of discussion in large scale in future.
Leili shakeri , Yes , developing countries destroying education system themselves !!!
reason of this problem not only institute, i think parent also wants good education without entrance exam, less tension and their child become a good Dr., Er etc .
this system also support by politician but over all result is making a poor, undeserving, less qualify student , which not able to make strong country. because they know easy way to success but not able to give proper guide and direction. weak people not able to make strong nation.................
But if there is no option of pay and get the seat,parents can't bribe right.
dear Hussin Hejase , We have to teach the students what is wrong and what is right - We have to tell them to adhere to virtues and values in life - what ever may be the suffering one should deviate from the righteous path - we have to teach - May be this may solve
My request to those who do not write correctly. Please write correct English. There is no use of discussing such things here. Such discussions anywhere do not change 'things' even by .01%.
Come on Vijay, be positive. Discussions create awareness among researchers. Brainstorming ideas lead to minute changes a fact considered positive.
dear Vijay kumar Please be positive ( i agree with Hussian ) -
All are concerned
RG we are using to understand like minded people -
Education is costly in all countries
we need to find a solution
we are trying
Perhaps it's not the privatisation of education per se, which causes the "corruption" alluded to in this thread, it might be a small number of those whom operate within a privatised system, both students, staff, businesses, stakeholders at all levels.
Dear Bobby, the issue looks much broader than what you commented. Just go through the thread and you will understand that there is a real problem in question.
This is a very important topic. In the United States, education is a business(sorry to my fellow Americans). There exists downfalls and advantages to such a system. However, I view it as a negative. Education(higher education for those that qualify) should almost be classified as a natural right. The education of the citizens of any country is so important that it almost has to be mediated by the state
Negatives to capitalistic style education system:
*huge debt for students
*restricts who is able to go for higher education
*restricts class mobility(assuming more education is require for class movement).
*education becomes more than an education mechanism for the citizenry
*Sustainable economic growth requires healthy/educated citizens(witness now in the United States).
Private education, (ie paid for by the recipient) has operated for many years, and perhaps it is here where academic corruption becomes prevalent, however, it appears that with the introduction of businesses and sponsors that financial corruption has become / is more prevalent, (or at least seems to be reported more), with the UK academies and free schools, US charter schools, etc... financial accountability seems to be out of control in some cases.
My suggestion here is that there are two main directions of accountability, one financial and the other academic qualifications.
Dear Michael Mannen , i thought it is the evil in developing countries - In India primary education is good and free - Only higher education is costly
dear Bobby Waring , you entered the discussion little late - please follow earlier discussion
dear Hussin Hejase , in the New Year 2014 let us discuss the solutions as we had already know all aspects - I invite prof Michael Manne to initiate
Vijay should just see Delhi elections. I am sure next election should bring some reality to Indian democracy (largest), that may be able to meet basic needs of people. Corruption corrodes democracies.
Prof Muralidharan, is there a civil authority of influence within the Indian community (NGO, government agency, or...) to which we could write a letter as fact revealing and to which (voluntarily) we support? Maybe, this is a starting point.
The next stage will be to suggest a common practice (for sure, the initiative should come from Indian nationals first) in which certain regulatory clauses are prepared, to be filed in the main government authority?
Dear all the solution is
man should first train to believe hard
He should have faith that foul means will end in disaster
Youngster should demand quality above caste ( in India ) cadre and religion
As someone mentioned Delhi experiment is a model - Involve commen man
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