HYDERABAD: The State government opening doors to private universities has led to an intense debate —mostly around private versus public education. While some experts are inclined to believe that the move will improve the overall quality of education, others termed it unnecessary. Many experts were quick to point out that the higher education sector had been privatised years ago, and allowing private universities to function is not going to change that aspect in any significant way.
“In erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, 90 per cent of professional colleges were private. What’s the difference now?” asks Papi Reddy, chairman of Telanagana State Council for Higher Education. He refuted the charge that government was shirking its responsibility of ensuring quality education. “State-run universities were allocated a whopping `420 crore to improve infrastructure and 1,061 vacancies are being filled up,” he said.
As per the All India Survey on Higher Education 2014-15 report, private sector accounts for 76% of higher education institutions in India. Though this keeps the cost of education relatively high, experts say it also boosts quality and competition as private universities are more flexible in designing industry-oriented courses thereby boosting employability. Across the world, private universities have the distinction of providing better infrastructure and global exposure — the global ones include Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) and Stanford University.
“Freedom to fix fees by private educational institutions will lead to quality education. Education should be for all but with a cost. Higher education needs capital which the government does not have. But there can be a strong monitoring authority,” says ISB deputy dean Sanjay Kallapur.
The other side
However, not all agree with these points. Osmania University and JNTU-H saw massive protests by students and teachers. Some students were detained for trying to stage a dharna near the state Assembly here on Wednesday. Detractors called the Bill a deviation from the TRS manifesto promise of free education.
Educationist G Haragopal told Express that government should focus on improving State universities instead of allowing private peers the space to take over. “The aim of education is to uplift the poor but private universities function to mint money,” he said. “If they are allowed to fix fees, they will turn into money-making institutions with no regard for quality. Even the TRS Subramanian Committee report had highlighted that uncontrolled privatisation would turn universities into degree shops,” he added. The bill allows reservation of 25 per cent seats for local students, a move that has impressed none.
‘Pvt varsities will not affect govt funds’
Education Minister Kadiam Srihari said allowing private universities would in no way affect the government funding of education. The minister said it was wrong on the part of TDP and BJP members to say that only Telangana was pushing the bill when no other state had done it. He pointed out that there were no private universities only in Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala. The minister said there were 381 universities in the country, 131 deemed universities, 47 central and 282 private universities.
‘Bill will deprive marginalised of higher education’
Warangal: Students’ and lecturers’ unions of Kakatiya University staged a protest against state government’s decision to allow private universities across the State here on Wednesday. The students’ union claimed that by allowing private universities in the state, the government would be depriving students from rural areas & marginalised sections of quality education as admissions in private varsities would be beyond their means.