Rajahs! Keep Away from Education

(Published in Banking Services Chronicle April 2004)

Once upon a time we were a great nation. Rich in culture, wise in ideas, strong in character. Those were the times when the education system was run by rishis, not by rajahs. The rajahs (kings) were patrons but the advisors were rishis (sages), who had the final say. McCaulay had not yet happened. The philosophical brigade had not yet been shunted by the clerical cadre.

The westerners, even today, are modest enough to concede our civilisational and cultural superiority. Says Susanna Moore, the author of One Last Look: “I think the Indians feel indulgent toward us. With their thousands of years of culture and religion and knowledge, we must seem to them like children.”

But where do we stand today? Let us be honest about ourselves. There are a few persons who dare to think, no doubt. Says Rahul Bose, actor, director and writer: “... I feel that commitment is not defined by a piece of paper. I don’t believe in the institution of marriage. I see no reason why people can’t be together without getting married.” Maybe, the idea is rubbish. But even then it has a positive. There is at least an attempt to think.

Most of us, however, have lost the faculty of thinking. We let the West do the creative work. Our job is just to click “copy” if we like the idea and “delete” (with a vengeance) if we dislike it. The “made-in-India label” joke is not too far from reality. We have developed a herd mindset over the years and relish feeding ourselves on fodder. Even chief ministers don’t think. Says one of them: “If (my husband) asks me to leave the chair, I’ll leave it.”

Is there a way out of this sorry pass? Certainly not, if our rulers decide to play to the gallery. They think they are benefitting the poor by slashing the fees at the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) by 80 per cent. But the problem lies not in lack of money, but in lack of awareness. Banks are willing to offer loans to those who get selected by the top institutes. Because, two years later when they pass out, they would get astronomical salaries—much more than what they have to repay to the banks.

So today if a poor person can’t study at the IIM, they should not blame it on the fees. They should blame themselves for being unaware of the various loan schemes. If the govt is really interested in the betterment of the education scenario, my suggestion would be: go to the other extreme. Remove even the existing subsidies being granted to the IIMs. Instead, use this money and much more to strengthen the primary education of the country.

My suggestion is in keeping with the age-old principle of removing poverty: don’t give fish to the poor. Teach them how to fish. Educate the people enough to know how to choose careers and how to get money for their courses. People should know how to learn. Says Tina Ambani, former actress and now an art impresario and corporate wife: “For me, what is important is not what has been taught to you, but how much you have imbibed. Kindness is taught to everybody, but that does not make everybody kind.”

The govt should restrict itself to being a facilitator. It is better to do something on the lines of Goa. In this beautiful state e-services for everything—from getting a driving licence renewed to filing tax returns—are being introduced. All students will be eligible for subsidised PCs for a mere Rs 1,000 each.

Out present rulers are known for their atavistic urge. If we must go to the past, let us remember why we were a great nation. Because kings ruled on the advice of sages and not vice versa. It would be advisable for the rulers to keep away from meddling into the upper layers of learning.