PRIVATISATION OF UNIVERSITIES & ROLE OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIOR
Posted by admin on 4th March and posted in College and University
PRIVATISATION OF UNIVERSITIES &
ROLE OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIOR
1. WHY HIGHER EDUCATION?
Universities are the centre for imparting higher Education. And the aim of university education was succinctly expressed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He said, “A university stands for humanism, tolerance, reason, adventure of ideas and the search for truth. “[1] Universities in the modern world are expected to seek and cultivate new knowledge, provide the right kind of leadership in all walks of life and strive to promote equality and social justice. The Universities in India, however, have to shoulder some additional responsibilities. They have to be the conscience to the nation, develop programme for adult education assist in improving schools, and try to bring back the centre of gravity of academic life within the country by creating centres of excellence comparable to those in other parts of the world. These are the major objectives of higher eduction in India as exemplified by the Indian Education Commission (1964-66) [2]
If the university system were to respond and measure up to the expectations of Nehru, it has to lay stress on and pursue four important elements, they are (i) Excellence (ii) Modernization (iii) Interaction, and (iv) self-reliance. These are all inter-related. [3]
True pursuit of excellence in all spheres of activities of a university will help imbibing and nurturing in the university life the qualities of humanism, tolerance, reason and adventure of ideas, search of truth and thereby help for leading humanity towards even higher objectives.
Modernization in terms of courses, facilities, evaluation methods and faculty up gradation will turn enrich teaching, research, examination system and extension activities. Modernization equips better the university to play its role effectively.
Interaction and inter-dependence are well recognised concepts in the present day global situation. Universities are no exception to this. They should come out of their ivory towers concept and interact with outside world viz. the society the Government, sister institutions, industrial organization and the world. Through interaction, the university excellence should be shared for national development.
Autonomy in the true sense should be the privilege of the University system so as to enable it to respond with full vigor for fulfilment of its objectives and goal. Academic autonomy relating to offering courses, evolving evaluation methods, teaching research and extension activities is available. Financial autonomy is vital for continuation of universities as centres for excellence and need of the hour is to initiate steps for fund generation and reduce its dependence on the Government to the extent possible, thus paving the way towards self-reliance.
2. HOW THE IDEA OF PRIVATISATION OF UNIVERSITIES CAME?
“India is passing through a historic moment on the economic front, The Eight five year plan is launched in the backdrop of certain strengths in the economy as well as certain concerns which have surfaced over the recent years. The Government have taken new initiatives and bold decisions to reorient and restrictive the economy to meet the challenges of the presents economic crisis in the country”, [4] Momentous changes e.g. the end of the cold war, the transfer nations in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of the soviet Union, the imminent emergence of a common market in Easter Europe, are taking place on the internation scene. All these changes certainly have an impact on the Indian economy.
The Scenario on Indian economy necessitates certain imperatives in mobilizing resource for higher education. They include avoiding duplication and wastage, increasing the efficiency of the system, optimising utilization of the resources through pooling and sharing and the need for the universities to generate resources while maintaining intact their primary task of teaching, research and extension activities. The need for fund generation by universities is in the context of both financial autonomy and resource chruch. This implies an added role to the university system. This added role brings into sharp focus the need for interaction with other agencies. In National policy on Education of 1986 Para 3.9 clearly mentioned that “A network between different institution in the country to pool their resources be arranged.” [5]
“Moreover, never before has the university system in India been under such pressures as at present. Practically all the universities (barring a few) are carrying a financial deficit of 1 to 5 crores each. The state has not been able to put in even six percent of Gross National Product (GNP) in education. We have been spending only 1.2 percent to 3.9 percent between 1950 and 1987. [6] The plan outlay for higher education in relation to total outlay for education has increased from 18% in the first plan to 44% in the seventh plan, yet in real terms it might be much lower considering the escalation in costs. Presently the state subsidy to higher education is about 85 percent.” [7]
“The tuition fees are abysmally low and they have, more or less remained unaltered since the past fifty years and more.” [8] They present a striking contrast to the high fees changed in many private primary and pre-primary schools. This low fee structure in the Universities, it is argued by some and perhaps rightly accounts both for lack of motivation amongst students and absence of accountability amongst teachers.
The University system is also under challenge because of the non-employability of most of the graduates it turns out and the consequent need for linking education to work experience or vocationalization of education as well as for the actulisation of the university obligations to the community.
The challenges and pressures can no more be wished away nor can they be pushed under the carpet. When the very survival of universities and colleges is threatened, the educationalists and education planners are obligated to put their brains together and find viable solutions. While rethinking the university set-up many ways came out. Some of them are linkages between Universities, Industries and Research and Development Organisation, College Autonomy, Privatisation of universities etc.
3. PRIVATISATION OF UNIVERSITIES : HILLS AND FALLS.
To be economical, the idea of privatisation has been epitomized in the National policy on Education of 1986 as well as in the 8th plan document of the Planning Commission but the word has been always rightly linked with notions of commercialization, self paying institutions etc. It does not require any detailed examination to conclude that the Government is only inviting private money to bail it out. It wants that this system in its present form must be created entirely by private money and injection of business processes market forces and economic use of resources.
Moreover, we should recall rather with a sense of appreciation the invaluable services rendered by private institutions in the cause of higher education in the past. They can contribute to govt. and thereby reduce financial commitment and expenditure and help to achieve the goal of ‘education for all’. At present, there is no other measure found to extend in the education to all at the higher level.
However, it would be educative to examine how far this policy can go and what it can yield. mention may be made of a mushroom growth of institutions which are variously named as self-paying, self-financing capitation etc. In the famous dictum of one problem leading to another, the government is required to step in to determine the fees the self-paying institutions can charge. The financial crisis not affected only the higher education system, it has affected all institutional activities of the nation. Though it is so increasing revenues through enhancement of fees is simply not workable. The cost of education is an outcome of an accounting exercise. So, freedom given to private initiative to establish a college was heavily circumscribed by the Government acting as a referee all the time. And when the Government over looked, the court came as a super referee.
Therefore privatisation in higher education is welcome if the doors of it remain open to the poor of the country, if the institutions are left aloof from the politicians, if the administrators and the staff are paid
regularly as per their scales, if they maintain quality academically and if there is justice to all the concerned. It may affect the existing management system but if the changes are better academically and for the smooth running of the institution avoiding bureaucracy and welcoming democracy, one may welcome such type of changes in the existing management system.
4. PRESENT POSITION OF THE ADMINISTRATORS IN THE UNIVERSITIES.
Today the role of the Administration and the Administrative staff is to support the academic activities. It is often argued that the Administrators are merely sticking with statutes and ordinances rigidifying the functioning to the university. The Karamcharis and the staff, instigated by outside political elements, often go on strike on the slightest pretext obstruction the working of the university.
On the other hand, the academicians always do not understand the importance of Administration and tend to neglect it. The top administrator in the university i.e. Registrar also be neglected by the Academicians. The Vice-Chancellor, Executive Directors and Directors take the decisions and the Registrar is asked to implement the decision taken by them, or otherwise, the committee is established for administrative purpose and Registrar is one of the members of the Committee when he has to implement the decisions though it is against his opinion and the rules.
Moreover, other administrative officers have no any authority to take decisions, control the staff, no purchasing power, no authority to implement the ideas of him in his unit etc. He is purely, working as an assistant in the bureaucracy of the university. But he is held responsible for non-doing things which are never directly shouldered upon him. He is crushed between the Karamacharis and the top administrators. If this is the situation of the present administration, it is futile to expect the quality of the work in the university set-up. The accountability of any work leads it towards the quality which is not found in present set-up.
5. CHANGING ROLE OF ADMINISTRATIORS.
“The existing university administration system leaves much to be desired and hence call for sweeping reforms. The basic objective and philosophy of administrative reforms should be to reduce unwarranted and unnecessary controls and to provide autonomy with accountability to all these who are involved in university administration”.[9]
“Reduction in controls and decentralization in decision making can avoid needless delays and can impart new dynamism to administration. Therefore, it is necessary to offer autonomy and freedom to every department of the university so that they became independent entities. The kothari commission stressed the need for autonomous colleges as far back as 1964. The new policy on Education of 1986 also endorsed this timely measure”. [10]
The idea of privatisation is also outcome of above thinking. Therefore the role of Administrators are changing in the changing Scenario. The Administrators are expected to find out the ways to collect funds to become self-sufficient university. It is now believed that those who clamor for qualitative education should receive it only at a price. Enhancement of a university fees and rate is inevitable and opposition to it is untenable and unwarranted. The administrators are also expected to endeavor to establish endowments from philanthropists. Income from such endowments can help to improve university finances. The idea of privatisation in higher education led this responsibility upon the university administrators today. The administrators are also expected to save a part of its funds and invest the same in income yielding assets and income generated thereby can supplement the scanty resources of the University.
Administrators will also held responsible for avoiding, at all costs, unproductive, extravagant and doubtful expenditure. They should keep watch on the objectives of the university and permit the expenditure. Considerable economy in the expenditure will be expected by the university administrators in the changing scenario. for instance, the expenditure on examination wing can be considerably reduced when the complete internal assessment system is introduced in the university. Similarly, under the choice based credit system, the students have the benefit of expertise from all the departments of the university ane hence the expenditure on invited faculty from outside or guest lecturers can be reduced to the minimum. Thus privatisation of the higher education will lead the Administrators to think over the improvement in financial position of the university by finding out many measures by augmentation of the internal and external revenue and by economy in expenditure.
Moreover, “the crucial factor in administration is the nature of the human relationship involved. (Ramesh 1991)” [11] The Administrators basic functions are to exercise broad judgement; provide professional leadership and exhibit discriminating insight and understanding in the utilization of personnel.
“In education, administration would continue to be a ‘service agency’ to tending, research and extension work. One can not be a good educational administrator unless one is a good teacher. Hence there should always be an opportunity open for an educational administrator to come to teaching or research and for a teacher to go over to the administrative side on tenure assignment. Educational administration and teaching must draw inspiration, support and enrichment from each-other through periodic exchange or roles.”[12]
Studies in ‘effective schools’ have also reinforced the belief that and educational administrator must be strong instructional leader. He should promote orderly climate in the school, set high expectations form the students, put emphasis on basic skills and regularly monitor in structural progress of the learners (Bickel, 1983) [13]
6. DOES IT FAIR FOR THE PROFESSION?
Certainly, changing role of the Administration is fair for the profession. When the question of accountability comes, certain authority
has to be shouldered upon him. Responsibility, authority and accountability leads the fairness to the profession of any kind. Today middle Administrators have no any authority and hence they crush between Karmacharis and top administrators. Registrar is no exception to this situation. There should always be an opportunity open for an educational administrator to come to teaching or research on the scale reached at that time. There will be no administration without handling the human relationship properly. The switch over this situation is always good for the profession.
But the question arises when the administrators are asked to think over the fees and to find out the ways to collect funds to become self- sufficient university. He is to be economical and he must be no doubt. But it does not mean that administrators are the persons only to be economical. Every unit of the university should be economical, then and then only we face the challenges that come with of the privatisation in the education field.
Moreover, his appointment, service conditions, his provident and or pension scheme should be left aside safe from the hands of the politicians and the concerned private university management. Management should be just to all the staff and not only to the spoons borne out of this situation. It is a great fear on the part of the profession that he will be not safe in his service. There will be always sword hung over his head. However, he will be safe if he acquires certain qualities in him to welcome the forthcoming changes.
7. WHAT THE ADMINISTRATORS DO IN THIS SITUATION?
The administrators must welcome the technology coming in this field. They are the persons who generate financial resources for the purpose. They are the main persons to be economical.
But today competition poses an organisation challenge that cannot be simply by technology or by financial resources. Technological innovations and resource allocation are outcome of human processes. Therefore our ability to complete rests on our ability to organise human beings to such way as to generate opportunity and results rather than impasses, stagnation, bureaucracy and wasteful friction. Hence, “Interpersonal relations” and “dialogue” have to be recognised as the basic requirement of educational administration to enable people to come together, to keep together and to work together.
Educational institutions are not machines like the “nuclear reactor”. They are the abode of culture where spirit of inquiry questioning and disagreement are deliberately encouraged. Here the people should disagree without being disagreeable, and value substantive conflict by keeping personal conflict to a minimum. To usher in such permissive intellectual climate an educational administrator is expected to posses democratic attitude, scientific temper and philosophical tolerance. Administrators having such attitude and temperament can make an educational institution a true “academic republic”. It is major responsibility of the educational administrator to create such conditions and contexts in the educational institutions, which stimulate and inspire the teachers to perform qualitatively better and higher. They would make attempts to develop in the teacher and educational workers a ‘life style’ which in the words of Alfred North Whitehead (1962) “hates waste, economises material and prefers good work.” [14]
To vitalize and mobilize human energy through harmonious human relationship in the educational institutions, educational administrators are expected to orient themselves to the demands of the four soft s’s that is staff, skills, style and superordinate goals for meeting the challenge of change and acceleration.
Life transitions challenge people and require them to grow and adapt to meet the demands of new roles. This is the environment that explains the widespread participation of adults in education and it will explain their continued large-scale participation in education in the years ahead. Therefore “Our people must be knowledgeable, as well as trained, as competent, and as inventive as those in any other nation. All of our people, not just a few, must be able to think for a living, adapt to changing environments, and to understand the work around them. They must understand and accept the responsibilities and obligation of citizenship. They must continually learn and develop new skills throughout their lives. We must recognise that education is a life long pursuit, not just an endeavor for out children (Aslanian 1992)”. [15] This agenda of the National Goals for Education put forward by the White House is the greatest challenge of the future facing the educational administrators of all the countries of the world.
REFERENCES.
Swaminadhan D., Added Role of Indian Universities, University News, Monday, October 19, 1992, Pg.20. (Member Planning Commission, Yojna Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 001) Report of Education Commission (1964-66) New Delhi, Ministry of Education, Publication Division, referred by Ibid. Swaminadhan D., Added Role of Indian Universities, University News, Monday, October 19, 1992, Pg.20. (Member Planning Commission, Yojna Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 001) Ibid. Miltra N. H. Towards a New Policy and Response of U.G.C., University News, Monday, January 18, 1993. (Professor of Law, National Law school of Indian University, Bangalore – 560 072) Pg. 13 A Gnanam, Towards Excellence in Higher Education, An Opportunity and A Challenge, University News, Monday, October, 19, 1992 Pg. 5. (Vice -Chancellor, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry – 605 104) Agrawal S. K. Rethinking University set-up, University News, Monday, October 19, 1992. Pg.1 Ibid. A Gnanam, Towards Excellence in Higher Education, An Opportunity and A Challenge, University News, Monday, October, 19, 1992 Pg. 5. (Vice -Chancellor, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry – 605 104)
10. Ibid.
11. Ramesh, K. (1991) Human relations in an Indian University – An organisational perspective, Delhi, Ajanta Publication referred by Chaudhari U.S and Vaidya Shobha, University News, Monday, January 18, 1993. Pg.3
12. Chaudhari U.S. and Vaidhya Shoba, University News, Monday, January 18, 1993. Pg.3
13. Bickel, William E, (1983) Effective Schools-: Knowledge, dissemination, inquiry, Educational Researcher 12 (4), 3-16 referred by Ibid. Pg.3
14. Whitehead A. N. (1962), The Aims of education and other essays. London : Ernest Benn referred by Chaudhari U.S. and Vaidhya Shoba, University News, Monday, January 18, 1993. Pg.3
15. Aslanian Carol B. (1992) Adults on Campus. Span xxxiii (6) 12-13 June referred by Chaudhari U.S. and Vaidhya Shoba, University News, Monday, January 18, 1993. Pg.3
