Will colleges open in India? Will colleges open in January? All these questions are on the minds of students right now.
The Answer
Well, let me answer that question with a YES, a big fat YES. Colleges will open in India. They shall remain more or less the same. The Market needs educated customers and service providers. Without them, the Capitalists would find it hard to keep people away from Socialism.
The Background
On 28th, our institution called upon an urgent seminar, amidst the pandemic situation. The seminar was as usual sold as a ‘life-changing’ event. It was marketed as a ‘must-attend’ event to burst with positive motivation to rise above the negative environment caused by Corona. And so began the usual fiddle. The speaker laid down all the goodies and ‘thought-provoking’ thoughts. These were mostly inspired by the business tycoons and cricketers. Mind you, no other sportspersons are worth emulating. Their tales of success are no role model for the urbane Indian crowd.
While ending the seminar, the Motivational Speaker urged everyone to equip themselves with skills. Skills which are much needed but are never thought in schools/colleges. Then he pondered, “How many of you think schools and colleges will remain in the coming decade? How would they exist if they were to remain open?”
Why I think schools and colleges will open in India
I immediately blurted, “Yes they will open! Schools and Colleges will open in India and they shall remain so for times to come.”
My neighbour was surprised and asked me while shushing me, “Shhh!!! But why do you think so?” I replied, “As long as his company wants to thrive and survive, schools and colleges will remain as they are. In fact, the ratio of his company profiting is directly proportional to the students stepping out of an educational institute.” Yes, he had the same look on his face as you are having right now.
Following is what I explained him.
Capitalism needs Education. This is what a lot of the social movements have been saying partially, and what I’ve understood over the years of my existence in the movement for education. One has to understand that the current education provided to us isn’t with a motive to raise scientists, critical thinkers, philosophers, or creative thinkers or innovators. It is a meagre system to ensure that a class of labour thrives. This can later be merged and incorporated in the workforce. This is what the British had in mind while they drafted the education for India. Later on, this system perpetuated and flourished to what we see today.
Several education committees were formed to reform the education system of our country. But only those found ways into implementation which were favourable to the market and the UC elite. Birla-Ambani being the notoriously popular of them all. This education committee was market centric. Meaning that this committee recommended a sort of education which would create better customers and better labourers, workers, assistants, and managers. Devoid of any creative pursuit, this was hailed as a revolutionary one by many!
The Birla-Ambani Report
The report roughly translates to providing a sustainable sort of education which enables a person to read, write, speak, and calculate. The education should enable the person to make conscious choices amongst which products to buy. The Report further advocated for market oriented education. It called for designing the content that is more consumer specific. The locus of this education was primarily the rural areas. A lot of people missed this. In 2000, this meant roughly 70% of the total population. So, the 70% was to receive an education to become better customers and service providers.
What about the rest you ask? Well, the report recommended for the setup of FDI in education, limiting it initially to science and technology. We all know, who could have afforded that sort of education. Now, this would have meant that the ones with deeper pockets would go on to better institutes like the IIMs and IITs. The students from these institute would go on to become the Managers, Decision-Makers, Policy-Drafters and so on. These would make up roughly 20% of the population. And finally, the remaining 10%. Our beloved politicians, bureaucrats, and the crony capitalists would cherry pick these 10%. We are seeing that with the BCCI. Talk about merit!
My reply to Will colleges open
What we can infer from this is that the Capitalist forces need skilled labour and educated customer in order to sustain. And with the advancement in technology, it is the need of the hour to have well trained-skilled workforce and educated Customers. The Birla-Ambani report was not implemented. But it sure has paved the way for our politicians to think in that way. Their ideas can be seen in various recommendations that have been recently brought out in various bills.
And hence, they need Education to create labourers who can produce/manufacture them. They need Education to develop their customers who can buy their products. They need Education to create Managers, who can assist in managing their regime.
Colleges and Universities are the easiest and cheapest way to get this done. And so far, it is working for them. Before you disagree, do take a look at your purchase history and that of a person who hasn’t been to college.
Colleges will reopen soon and they shall remain the same.
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