By ATMA RAM

                      The current financial crunch has affected almost all areas of activity in the country.
                      Whatever the reasons, natural or man-made, acute paucity of resources is felt
                      everywhere. But it should not stand in the way of promoting education. In several
                      regions, governments are consistently squeezing grants to privately managed schools
                      and colleges. The Himachal Pradesh government, for example, is now keen to do this,
                      whereas states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh
                      have already done so. Although realities of life vary in different states one strongly feels
                      that such steps, in general, are not in the larger interest of the country. Without quality
                      education for many, no nation can survive, develop or become great and strong. As
                      James Mill, one of the earliest democrats thought, everything will be all right “if we
                      taught the whole population to read”. The number of educational institutions in the
                      private sector is very large, and all along, many of them have been promoting the cause
                      of education in a big way, and now surely deserve help.
                      SOCIAL WELFARE
                      Of the 10,600 odd colleges in the country, more than half are in the private sector. Many
                      of them have been opened by the minority sections of society and are doing fairly well.
                      Some of them are providing numerous other social welfare services as well. For
                      example, Christians (with total population of 2 crore, 2 percent of the population of the
                      country), have around 3,785 educational institutions, 7,926 primary schools, 3,820
                      secondary schools, and 292 colleges. Their social welfare activities are also very
                      many: they run 1,526 technical and training schools, 1,765 hostels and boarding, 1,086
                      orphanages, 136 leprosy centres, 102 rehabilitation centres, and 466 homes for the
                      aged, destitute and handicapped. Surely, we should encourage such organisations.
                      In the field of education, quite a few of the institutions have contributed a lot in the past,
                      during the British Raj. Now too some of them are among the most prestigious schools
                      or colleges in the country. A glance through the merit lists in various examinations tells
                      their stories of enviable achievement. For instance Ramakrishna Mission schools in
                      the country have been doing splendid service in the field of education.
                      They stand for excellence, standard and discipline. Marxists’ recent move to scuttle
                      these prestigious centres of learning in West Bengal is most unfortunate and uncalled
                      for. Similarly, St Bede’s (established in 1904) at Shimla is one of the best colleges for
                      girls in India. Bureaucrats and big political bosses always praise them and appreciate
                      their work when they go to preside over functions. They often send (or try to send) their
                      wards to these institutes. These are also not exclusively meant for the children
                      belonging to minorities. Should we interfere in their functioning or let them starve
                      financially?
                      Also, we gain very little in terms of money if we reduce or stop their grants. The financial
                      help constitutes a small fraction of total money that private institutes have to spend on
                      education. In most of the states, two types of financial assistance are available: adhoc
                      grants and the so-called 95 per cent grants. Adhoc grants are provided keeping in view
                      the number of students in the institution and are in general quite nominal.
                      The 95 per cent grant follows a set formula: pay of teachers and employees minus
                      income from fees, etc; only 95 per cent of this difference or deficit is provided for; this
                      does not make up a huge sum. For example, in Himachal Pradesh only eight colleges
                      are on this grant list.
                      The annual grants to colleges come to an approximate sum of Rs 2.62 crore. For
                      colleges, adhoc grants are very nominal. For private schools, in the state, the figure is
                      about Rs 5.09 crore. This is not much for the education department of the state which
                      has education budgets of several hundreds of crores — Rs 298 crore in 1998-99, Rs
                      390 crore in 1999-2000, and Rs 437 crore in 2000-01.
                      BURDEN SHARED
                      By remaining neutral or giving such small grants, we often get much work done. All
                      know how much a government school or college costs. With the budget of one
                      government institute of higher learning, seven or 10 private colleges can easily be run.
                      Not that these private institutions function on thin air. But experience shows that there
                      is less wastage of resources, and the public too readily contributes to education in the
                      sector. Despite higher fees and funds, there is considerable rush for admission there.
                      These institutions are also spread in all nooks and corners of the country. All the
                      student population cannot be accommodated in government or MCD schools and
                      colleges: it is neither feasible nor desirable to do so. As the general trend everywhere
                      is towards privatisation and globalisation, not on centralisation, we cannot, need not,
                      go against the main drift or trend.
                      In advanced countries of the world, like the USA, education is mainly in the private
                      sector. Most of the top universities, colleges and schools are privately managed
                      institutes. We should also follow suit and encourage eduction in the private sector in a
                      big way. In fact, education through private institutes and distance education system is
                      the only effective way to tackle the problem of numbers. This is one of the findings of
                      the recently held international conference on “Quality Issues in the Delivery of
                      Education for All”, organised by National Open School, New Delhi, and Commonwealth
                      of Learning, Vancouver, Canada. In no case should we consider privately managed
                      institutes as “rivals” or “inferior”. They share considerable burden of the government,
                      and teach children of this very country.
                      CHECKS NEEDED
                      This, however, does not imply that these institutions should be allowed to do whatever
                      they want; liberty does not mean licence. Things are not bad in all regions. But as
                      pointed out by the state education committee appointed by the Anthony ministry in
                      Kerala, private aided (7,305) schools and (some 180) colleges drain the state
                      exchequer.
                      A large number of malpractices have come to light. In the most literate state in the
                      country, even teachers’ posts are being auctioned: it is reported that the going rate of a
                      school teacher is Rs 7-9 lakh, that of a college lecturer around Rs 15 lakh.
                      Indeed, we should provide strict and comprehensive in-built checks to regulate the
                      functioning of these institutions and spending of grants. Funds provided for
                      construction of buildings in (say) upper Shimla, should not be utilised in Delhi;
                      teaching faculty should not be exploited or harassed; interviews for recruiting teachers
                      for colleges in state A should not be held in state D; admission schedules in all
                      institutes in a state have to be the same, and so on.
                      Perhaps the best course is to follow in right earnest the advice of Bertrand Russell: “It
                      is co-existence or no existence.” We must effect a serious review of education and
                      remember the signal contribution of institutions in the private sector.

                      The author is the former Advisor (Education), Govern-ment of Himachal Pradesh.