Educational Privatisation and Access to Higher Education: Experiences of Scheduled Caste Students in Odisha

Abstract

This article is an attempt to correlate evidence from theories and practice to examine the policy changes in higher education and how privatisation has adversely affected the access and continuation in higher education particularly in the case of Scheduled Caste (SC) students. It also examines the various obstacles encountered by SC students and how these impact their participation and performance at the higher education level. Theoretically, the article analyses the arguments made by different scholars on privatisation through content analysis method. Empirically, exploratory design is carried out in five higher educational institutions of Odisha. The analysis for the empirical part is done through data triangulation method. The article establishes how privatisation has eliminated the critical aspect of equity while totally doing away with the social objective of higher education.

Creating Cultural Capital for Dalits and Adivasis: Policy Passage for Their De-marginalisation in Higher Education

“…The findings of this study suggest that acquiring economic and educational resources can serve as a form of cultural capital for marginalised individuals. This aligns with the argument made by Bhoi (2013) and Béland (2007) regarding the significance of cultural capital in influencing social mobility.…”

“…However, students facing issues encounter obstacles from fellowship release staff to supervisor signatures and even obtaining registrar signatures. Delays also arise in document submission to policy execution body and processing by their staff (Bhoi, 2017;Bhoi, 2022 ;Rout, 2015). Consequently, many students encounter difficulties in accessing their fellowships on time.…”

Scenario of Higher Education in North-East India with Special Reference to Tribals of Tripura

“…Furthermore, there is no guarantee that all private colleges are imparting quality education. It is also argued that private educational institutions offer programmes encompassing high private benefits and fewer social benefits (Bhoi, 2013). Study (Kumar, 2014) even documented charge of huge capitation fee or donation by private colleges.…”

“…Study (Kumar, 2014) even documented charge of huge capitation fee or donation by private colleges. Private higher educational institutions impose fees that are not affordable in comparison to government educational institutions (Bhoi, 2013) because for some section of people education has become a business or source of income (Boruah, 2018). It is discouraging to know that at all India level private college accounts for about three-fourth of the total colleges.…”

Neoliberalism and the Changing Notion of Indian Higher Education

“…Similarly, Goswami (2013) argued that the neoliberal policy frameworks in education are being justified on the basis of a number of premises, namely, the state's economic policy is limited, and there is no other choice but to rely on private domestic and foreign investors to fund education; education is a private good, and thus it is valid that the quality of education one receives is proportionate to one's capacity to pay; education is a tradable product, therefore profiteering is permissible and a legitimate objective just like any other trade and the constitutional provision of equality and social justice can be replaced by the neoliberal principle of inclusion. Bhoi (2013) advocated that neoliberalism which resulted in the privatization of higher education appears as an argument to fulfill the desire to select the type of education. It is not a matter of financing education, rather it is a matter of choice, management, flexibility in regulation, and more accountability and efficiency as compared to public education.…”