New Delhi > CPI M today called upon students, teachers and people in general to oppose the Centre's education policies that combine "neo-liberalism" and "Hindutva".
The editorial in the latest edition of party organ 'Peoples' Democracy’ says various steps taken by the government, including the legislation being brought forth to abolish the University Grants Commission (UGC) and set up a Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), has brought into sharp focus the assault taking place on education.
“What is emerging is a toxic fusion of neo-liberalism and Hindutva in education. For students, the prospects are of escalating fees and inaccessibility of entry into institutions of higher education and a general deterioration in the standards of public school education. The resistance to the twin onslaught on education is growing. It is necessary to mobilise students, teachers and all concerned citizens to unitedly oppose the Modi government's retrograde educational policies," the editorial says.
It also points out that the HECI would be a government nominated body with "inconsequential representation of academics".
"There will be an advisory council, with the HRD minister as the chairperson, which will guide the HECI to ensure direct control of the government over the new body and through it, higher education." By stating that while the drive for privatisation of education and corporatisation of higher education was being sped up, the editorial expresses CPI M’s concern about public-funded education being "curtailed and downgraded".
The official organ of the party adds that there was a concerted effort to introduce the Hindutva agenda and ideology in higher educational institutions even if this involved using "coercion and repression" to bring recalcitrant institutions, teachers and students in line. Peoples Democaracy also points out that the sole qualification for the appointment of "RSS men" as vice chancellors of universities is "loyalty" to the Sangh.
