Educational Institutes Charging Hefty Fees: The Unending Saga

By Romit Bhattacharjee and Ritwik Tyagi

Introduction

Education is probably the most sought-after commodity in this country. Predominantly populated by middle-class to poor families, education appeals as the key to a better life and unfulfilled dreams for children hailing from such families. Hence this sector has turned into a lucrative business in the last few decades. But the coronavirus pandemic has brought a paradigm shift in the way educational institutes in this country have been functioning. Institutes have shifted from the brick and mortar concept to online mode of education, which now is proving to be cost-effective and a rather effortless mode of imparting education. But amidst the crashing economy, massive job losses and surging coronavirus infections count, parents have an added burden to address: exorbitant fees charged by the educational institutions! While a PIL filed before the Apex Court for waiver of school/college/university fees awaits hearing, here is our take on the issue.

Ramblings: A Kafkaesque Reality

In Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, when the protagonist Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to the rude shock that he has transformed into a sort of horrible vermin, the very first worry that strikes him is about getting to work on time. In fact, amidst all the panic of being late, Samsa initially does not even seem to be able to admit what has happened to him. He attributes the change in physical appearance to a trick being played by his mind as the nature of his work had afforded him little rest and caused grave sickness. When a superior from his workplace arrives at his house to investigate the cause of Samsa not showing up for work, Samsa is warned that his whims would not be tolerated. Such is the cold-hearted and insensitive nature of the world that we have evolved into, where even in the face of impending disaster and crisis, we do not have the liberty, or perhaps the luxury, to take time out and step away. Neither do we possess adequate sympathy or social cohesion for permitting those around us to take their own time and space to repair and recover.

The tragic tale of the days leading up to the death of a National Law University, Jodhpur student in April this year is yet another example of how cruelly we have altered the basic tenets of humanity. This student had been hospitalised with oxygen support after having contracted COVID-19. Nevertheless, the rigid attendance requirements and submission deadlines mandated by the institution translated into a reality where the student was constantly worried about logging into class even from a hospital bed. It is unfathomable how tormenting it would have been for the student to fret over meeting attendance norms whilst also enduring a deadly disease. Did the University not bat an eyelid even in this period of omnipresent suffering? Did they not spare a single thought towards ensuring the well-being of their own students, or is student welfare simply a fancy phrase used in the brochures to collect fees? National Law University, Jodhpur has blood on its hands and shall forever carry this shame.

Ramblings: A Heartless University in the Midst of a Raging Pandemic

The world has turned upside down. Fear and grief have enveloped the universe. All norms of normalcy and order in life have been toppled completely by a microscopic organism wreaking havoc throughout the globe. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, a cauldron of suffering. I believe Charles Dickens’ opening lines from A Tale of Two Cities somewhat manage to capture and depict the entire array of feelings going about:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

It’s a time when people are dropping dead from a lack of oxygen. People have literally live-tweeted their journey to death. Social media platforms have transformed into distress helplines. There is no dignity in death either with all of the anguish those left behind are having to face in performing last rites of those who are no longer with us. It’s troubling to think of all the lives that could have been saved… all those people who could still have been here. Every other person you know is reeling from the infection. Those of us spared by the virus are simply languishing in life.