11-12-2005, 06:37 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Social control of education needed: Brinda Karat
Staff Reporter
Left parties will exert pressure to bring in legislation
# Supreme Court has become "an advocate of neo-liberal policies"
# Students must continue battle to save education for the masses
# Exposing education sector to the FDI will be disastrous
Brinda Karat
KANNUR: Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat said here on Friday that there was a need to put pressure on the United Progressive Alliance Government to bring in legislation to ensure that higher education came under social control.
Ms. Karat, who was inaugurating the State conference of the Students Federation of India (SFI), said the Left parties would exert pressure on the Government to bring in legislation to ensure proper admission policies that would "reverse" the Supreme Court judgment that abolished quotas in unaided professional colleges. For social control of education a Constitutional amendment could be introduced
Ms. Karat said the apex court had become an advocate of the neo-liberal policies that sought removal of social controls and reservation. "The Supreme Court judgment has to be challenged because it is against the Constitutional spirit of affirmative action for bringing social justice to the marginalised people."
<b>While saying that retreat of the state from social sectors was one of the basic principles of neo-liberal policies, she called on students to continue their battle to save education for the masses from the assault of the neo-liberal policies and to assert their democratic rights.</b>
The process of capitalism in the education sector had increased inequality. "Today there are two worlds with huge differences and contrasts." The best facilities could be availed only by those who had money even in developed countries. It was this reality of the two worlds in India that forced so many young people to commit suicide. Neo-liberalism was based on the needs of the market and there should be a concerted struggle against privatisation and commoditisation of education, she said.
The entire service sector is going to be discussed at the coming World Trade Organisation meet in Hong Kong. "Education is also on the hit list. This will open up the entire education sector to foreign direct investment," she said. This would be disastrous for the country.
Ms. Karat said the Kerala Government had been trying to supress the students who were fighting for democratic rights. The countdown for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's exit had begun, she said adding that the United Democratic Front Government had implemented the worst educational policies in the State. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<img src='http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/12/images/2005111202891301.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Staff Reporter
Left parties will exert pressure to bring in legislation
# Supreme Court has become "an advocate of neo-liberal policies"
# Students must continue battle to save education for the masses
# Exposing education sector to the FDI will be disastrous
Brinda Karat
KANNUR: Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat said here on Friday that there was a need to put pressure on the United Progressive Alliance Government to bring in legislation to ensure that higher education came under social control.
Ms. Karat, who was inaugurating the State conference of the Students Federation of India (SFI), said the Left parties would exert pressure on the Government to bring in legislation to ensure proper admission policies that would "reverse" the Supreme Court judgment that abolished quotas in unaided professional colleges. For social control of education a Constitutional amendment could be introduced
Ms. Karat said the apex court had become an advocate of the neo-liberal policies that sought removal of social controls and reservation. "The Supreme Court judgment has to be challenged because it is against the Constitutional spirit of affirmative action for bringing social justice to the marginalised people."
<b>While saying that retreat of the state from social sectors was one of the basic principles of neo-liberal policies, she called on students to continue their battle to save education for the masses from the assault of the neo-liberal policies and to assert their democratic rights.</b>
The process of capitalism in the education sector had increased inequality. "Today there are two worlds with huge differences and contrasts." The best facilities could be availed only by those who had money even in developed countries. It was this reality of the two worlds in India that forced so many young people to commit suicide. Neo-liberalism was based on the needs of the market and there should be a concerted struggle against privatisation and commoditisation of education, she said.
The entire service sector is going to be discussed at the coming World Trade Organisation meet in Hong Kong. "Education is also on the hit list. This will open up the entire education sector to foreign direct investment," she said. This would be disastrous for the country.
Ms. Karat said the Kerala Government had been trying to supress the students who were fighting for democratic rights. The countdown for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's exit had begun, she said adding that the United Democratic Front Government had implemented the worst educational policies in the State. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<img src='http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/12/images/2005111202891301.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />