PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2010 ID-26219
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Other dominant groups too have shown tremendous compromises on a range of neoliberal policies be it fee hikes, gradual dismantling of Modern Indian Language departments in colleges, opening of foreign-funded programmes, signing of dubious MoUs all of which were footsteps of steady commercialisation in the University. .
We need AC and EC members who can keep a vigilant watch on the neoliberal assaults planned in higher education and DU in particular and on the DUTA leaderships role, ensuring that a comprehensive ideological-political resistance is developed in the University to these assaults. .
Agenda for Higher Education Scripted by Whom, in Whose Interests? .
The UPA-II regime and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal have a whole range of neoliberal prescriptions waiting to transform the very fabric of higher education in India. Which forces are scripting these changes? .
The Singh-Obama 21st Century Knowledge Initiative and the Indo-US Business Councils Higher Education Mission to India are indications of the US eagerness that India deregulate education and allow foreign players to tap the Indian education market. This market, according to ASSOCHAMs estimates, stands at $25 billion and is projected to reach $50 billion by 2015. Echoing the US diktat, Sam Pitroda, adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on innovation and infrastructure has recommended that we do to our education what we did to our economy in the 1990s i.e deregulate, withdraw state support and let the market have a free hand. Ironically in the US itself (as in other advanced capitalist countries like the UK, which are preaching that India liberalise education and economy), teachers and students have been on the war path protesting against the massive fund cuts and fee hikes. What the US (and Britain) are seeking to do is to rejuvenate their own education business by opening up shops in India. And a series of education-related Bills in the UPAs pipeline are all geared to open up our education for their profit. Some of these Bills are as below: .
The Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010: This Bill is being introduced on the pretext that global educational institutions will be brought to the Indian students doorstep. Instead, international experience indicates that such legislation can neither attract truly world-class institutions, but can only allow unreliable educations shops to sell sub-standard wares (relatively free of regulation) to Indian students. .
The Universities for Innovation Bill 2010: This Bill proposes to set up 14 Universities for Innovation in India, which will enjoy Government funding but be totally free from any kind of regulation of standards or fees! These Universities, in the name of being free to innovate, will be free to have foreign VCs; merit-based admission process free from any obligations to reserve seats for SC/STs and OBCs; fix their own free structures; pay differential fees to faculty; and admit up to 50% foreign students (in contrast to ordinary universities which have a 15% cap on foreign students). These Universities, while enjoying Government funding in the shape of grants of land, fellowships etc, will be free from supervision by regulatory authorities like the UGC. There are no norms for curriculum, teaching quality, students assessment etc spelled out for the promoters of these universities, and no penalty for making false claims or failing to provide quality education. .
The Educational Tribunals Bill 2010 In the name of setting up educational tribunals at national and state level to resolve disputes among stakeholders in the education sector and penalise unfair practices, the aim of this Bill seems to be to restrict the recourse of teachers, employees and students to courts. This would facilitate foreign and private players in the education sector who would like to be free from the prospect of being taken to court. .
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PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2010 ID-26219
.
Other dominant groups too have shown tremendous compromises on a range of neoliberal policies be it fee hikes, gradual dismantling of Modern Indian Language departments in colleges, opening of foreign-funded programmes, signing of dubious MoUs all of which were footsteps of steady commercialisation in the University. .
We need AC and EC members who can keep a vigilant watch on the neoliberal assaults planned in higher education and DU in particular and on the DUTA leaderships role, ensuring that a comprehensive ideological-political resistance is developed in the University to these assaults. .
Agenda for Higher Education Scripted by Whom, in Whose Interests? .
The UPA-II regime and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal have a whole range of neoliberal prescriptions waiting to transform the very fabric of higher education in India. Which forces are scripting these changes? .
The Singh-Obama 21st Century Knowledge Initiative and the Indo-US Business Councils Higher Education Mission to India are indications of the US eagerness that India deregulate education and allow foreign players to tap the Indian education market. This market, according to ASSOCHAMs estimates, stands at $25 billion and is projected to reach $50 billion by 2015. Echoing the US diktat, Sam Pitroda, adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on innovation and infrastructure has recommended that we do to our education what we did to our economy in the 1990s i.e deregulate, withdraw state support and let the market have a free hand. Ironically in the US itself (as in other advanced capitalist countries like the UK, which are preaching that India liberalise education and economy), teachers and students have been on the war path protesting against the massive fund cuts and fee hikes. What the US (and Britain) are seeking to do is to rejuvenate their own education business by opening up shops in India. And a series of education-related Bills in the UPAs pipeline are all geared to open up our education for their profit. Some of these Bills are as below: .
The Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010: This Bill is being introduced on the pretext that global educational institutions will be brought to the Indian students doorstep. Instead, international experience indicates that such legislation can neither attract truly world-class institutions, but can only allow unreliable educations shops to sell sub-standard wares (relatively free of regulation) to Indian students. .
The Universities for Innovation Bill 2010: This Bill proposes to set up 14 Universities for Innovation in India, which will enjoy Government funding but be totally free from any kind of regulation of standards or fees! These Universities, in the name of being free to innovate, will be free to have foreign VCs; merit-based admission process free from any obligations to reserve seats for SC/STs and OBCs; fix their own free structures; pay differential fees to faculty; and admit up to 50% foreign students (in contrast to ordinary universities which have a 15% cap on foreign students). These Universities, while enjoying Government funding in the shape of grants of land, fellowships etc, will be free from supervision by regulatory authorities like the UGC. There are no norms for curriculum, teaching quality, students assessment etc spelled out for the promoters of these universities, and no penalty for making false claims or failing to provide quality education. .
The Educational Tribunals Bill 2010 In the name of setting up educational tribunals at national and state level to resolve disputes among stakeholders in the education sector and penalise unfair practices, the aim of this Bill seems to be to restrict the recourse of teachers, employees and students to courts. This would facilitate foreign and private players in the education sector who would like to be free from the prospect of being taken to court. .
.
.