Prominent Marxian economist and former vice-chairperson of the Kerala State Planning Board Prabhat Patnaik has strongly advocated retaining education within the purview of the State.
While adopting a guarded stance towards the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s growing inclination towards private and foreign universities, Prof. Patnaik has raised caution against the possibility of education getting commodified with the entry of such players into the sector.
“Governments have the responsibility for providing education. That, to me, is unexceptionable,” he said during an interaction with The Hindu on Wednesday.
He endorsed an arrangement in which the government is supplemented by charitable institutions or individuals donating money to impart quality education. In such cases, the charitable organisations should only have a marginal role. However, I am opposed to any private or foreign involvement that makes education a commodity,” he asserted.
The political commentator also suggested the State government could have a valid case in thinking beyond the conventional under adverse circumstances. “State governments are really starved of funds. There is an enormous centralisation of resources. Under these circumstances, the State may not have the resources to start universities or colleges on its own. I can well understand that the government has been compelled into such a decision because of the problems it is facing,” Prof. Patnaik said.
He, however, shrugged off criticism of an alleged policy shift that has put the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on the defensive. “I do not believe the party’s fundamental position on education – that it should be provided by the State and should exist in a sphere that guarantees inclusivity, reservation and so on – has changed. Such is the party’s general position and I do not imagine there is a slide back in its policy on that,” the academic reasoned.
