Why we need Private Universities

The debate regarding private universities has reached a fevered pitch, most people of my milieu regard it as a fall out of government’s infrastructural deficiencies and the last refuge for student who missed the merit lists. The fear is that higher education in India will turn in to another business proposition and will only be available to those who can afford it. Thus, apparently defeating the socialist objectives which the Indian republic has set for itself. There are also serious doubts regarding the capabilities and the quality of students and teachers . Both of these concerns are rational and till an extent justified. However, I firmly believe that private universities have a vital role to play in the Indian education system, free from the political influences and the encumbrance of red-tapism they can fill the gaping hole in higher studies. Certainly these universities are susceptible to corruption, and that is the area which UGC should concern itself and extricate itself from the administrative drudgery . These are business enterprises , law of demand and supply requires them to justify their asking price through quality of their output, though it may not seem so at the moment but as more players enter the market playing field will be leveled to the distinct advantage of the students.
Barring the IIT’s and IIM’s the Government colleges are overburdened, over stretched and strapped for money, the success of students stand testament to their own ability of performing despite the teaching infrastructure rather than because of it. The fees are ridiculously low, the model of subsidizing the education heavily is crippling the system. There is a glaring lack of basic physical infrastructure and a complete lack of performance measures for teachers. Changes to syllabi are slow , tedious and always a year too late. Investments in research is dismally low and this set up is primarily responsible for focus shifting away from pure sciences to more ‘bankable’ courses. Teachers and Students alike are giving these courses the go by, and this is evident in lack of patents filed by Indian scientists and companies.